Canon EOS 20D - Is it worth buying?

 Is the Canon EOS 20D still a good camera?

Without a doubt, the Canon EOS 20D (SEMI PROFESSIONAL) is a camera that lets you know its presence when you pick it up. I paid £70 for this camera (including the 18-55mm lens), which I think is a good price for the condition of it.

For an in-depth review of this camera click here EOS 20D in depth

Handling

This camera boasts a lot of features for a 2004 model EOS Digital SLR. Most people would never use all the features on this camera and would just use the `auto` modes for fast, impressive images without all the guesswork. So, if you want to buy one, look for one that`s been owned by an amateur photographer or novice and not a professional because it won`t have as much wear and tear inside and out.

As I mentioned earlier, when you pick this camera up you can instantly feel the quality and weight of it. The grip is large and firm and will not slip out of your hand. There is no flimsy plastic or brittleness (that you can feel in newer cameras). I suppose being made from Magnesium Alloy settles that question. 

It means this camera is really for photographers who are passionate about their hobby or budding pro photographers who want to learn about handling professional cameras. 

Even walking around with it hanging around your neck by the strap, you will quickly notice that it weighs a lot and feels heavier as the day goes on. Then again, this is a semi-professional camera and not really for the `prosumer` brigade.

Size comparison with a bridge camera Fuji HS10

First impressions of use:

I charged the battery, put it in the camera, and off I went for a walk with my grandson Noah. The camera was switched to full auto mode and I clicked away to see how good it was. 

This camera is only 8.1MP and the clarity and sharpness are amazing. Some of that comes down to the excellent 18-55 EFS lens but without a doubt, you don`t need a lot of megapixels to create very sharp images. The close-up shots were taken during a strong breeze, so focusing was quite tricky. However, they still came out very sharp and the 18-55 lens on the manual focus setting can get very close to your subjects as you can see in the pictures. The vignetting (dark corners) in a couple of the pictures was added using Windows picture viewer to add dramatic effect but overall, I am very impressed with this camera.

Conclusion:

You don`t need a really expensive camera (although this one was very pricey when it was brand new) to get great results. Higher megapixels don`t mean anything unless your camera can process them properly. I have a 24-megapixel camera that is no better than this 8.1MP Canon. As a matter of fact, I can`t see why I fell for the marketing gimmick of the megapixel game. More megapixels does NOT mean better pictures.
 

Value for money.

So, let`s get to the point. Is it still a good camera?

Well, yes it is if you want to go a step further than a bridge camera.

It weighs a lot so, you will need to take that in mind if you purchase one. (770 g or 1.7 lb) without the lens.

When the EOS 20D was new it would have cost you £1200 or $1599 with the 18-55 EFS lens.