Canon 5D Mark II vs Nikon D200: A Deep-Dive into Two DSLRs from a Bygone Era

Ah, the eternal DSLR debate - Canon or Nikon? Choosing between two classic mid-size SLR bodies such as the Canon 5D Mark II (launched in 2009) and the Nikon D200 (released in 2006) is like picking vintage wine or old-school vinyl: both have their devout followers, strengths, and quirks. Though these cameras are not newcomers, their legacy still piques interest for enthusiasts wanting full-frame versus APS-C, or simply hunting for the perfect mid-range workhorse at a budget-friendly price.

Having extensively tested both these cameras in varied photographic disciplines over the years, I’m here to walk you through their strengths, weaknesses, and real-world performance, sprinkled with insights gleaned from hands-on experience. Whether you want studio portraits, rugged landscapes, or wildlife shots, this guide covers it all. So, strap in - we’re going old-school with a methodical romp through sensor performance, autofocus, ergonomics, and more.

Physicality & Build: Size, Weight, and Ergonomics in Daily Use

The first impression counts - and with cameras, that’s often the feel and heft in your hands. So, let’s talk size and ergonomics. The Canon 5D Mark II is a relatively compact full-frame DSLR, whereas the Nikon D200 is an APS-C-bodied model with a larger grip profile typical of its day.

Canon’s 5D Mark II measures 152x114x75 mm and weighs about 850 grams with battery included. In contrast, the Nikon D200 is slightly smaller footprint-wise at 147x113x74 mm but heavier at around 920 grams. The weight difference is subtle but tangible after a day of shooting. The 5D Mark II’s chassis feels more refined, benefiting from improved internal layout and more durable construction - a legacy of its newer manufacturing processes.

Both cameras sport a solid build with environmental sealing, meaning dust and moisture won’t easily creep in during less-than-ideal shooting conditions. However, neither is waterproof or freezeproof, so keep that rain cover handy if shooting in adverse weather.

Ergonomics-wise, the Canon’s grip is deeper and more contoured, suiting larger hands and prolonged shooting sessions better. Nikon’s D200 grip is chunkier in comparison, requiring a bit more wrist strength, especially with heavier telephoto lenses. Both bodies are mid-size SLRs aiming to balance handling and portability for enthusiasts and pros alike.

Up Top and Behind the Scenes: Control Layout and Interface

Getting tactile with the camera controls is a major factor for any photography workflow. The arrangement, accessibility, and feedback of buttons can make or break your experience in the field.

Canon’s 5D Mark II features a clean, functional top plate with a large mode dial, dedicated ISO button, and quick-access exposure compensation wheel - things I appreciated during shoots demanding rapid exposure adjustments. Nikon’s D200 also sports a comprehensive control set but conserves space by combining certain functions, requiring menu dives for some parameters.

On the back, the 5D MII sports a 3-inch fixed TFT LCD with 920k-dot resolution, providing bright, sharp image review and menu navigation. The Nikon D200’s 2.5-inch LCD comes with a notably lower 230k-dot resolution, making it less ideal for critical image assessment on the spot.

Neither camera offers touchscreen functionality - a non-issue given their era but a curio for anyone accustomed to today’s swipe-right simplicity.

Live View mode arrived with Canon here, though in its infancy by today's standards. Nikon D200, meanwhile, lacks Live View entirely, making composition wholly reliant on the optical viewfinder or the fixed LCD preview of captured images.

Sensor Showdown: Full-Frame vs APS-C

If the camera’s heart beats through its sensor, the Canon 5D Mark II roars with a 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor (36x24 mm), while the Nikon D200 wields a 10.2-megapixel APS-C CCD sensor (23.6x15.8 mm).

Why does this matter? Well, sensor size influences everything from dynamic range and low-light ability to depth of field control and lens compatibility.

Canon’s full-frame sensor naturally captures more light, resulting in superior low-light performance, smoother tonal transitions, and higher dynamic range (DxO Mark’s metrics affirm this with a 23.7-bit color depth and 11.9 EV dynamic range for the 5D Mark II). Nikon’s D200, despite having decent image quality for its time, registers notably lower scores - 22.3-bit color depth, 11.5 EV dynamic range, and a markedly weaker low-light ISO performance ceiling (~1600 native ISO).

The 5D MII’s max ISO extends to 6400 native with boost up to 25600, though the highest ISOs come with increasing noise. The Nikon D200 maxes out at ISO 1600 natively, extendable to 3200, but noise degradation is more pronounced at these settings.

In real-world shooting, this means the Canon 5D Mark II handles night scenes, indoor portraits, and astrophotography far better, thanks to cleaner high ISO images and greater exposure latitude. The Nikon D200, better suited for well-lit environments, trails in low-light scenarios unless you’re willing to add noise reduction in post.

Image detail is also affected by resolution: 21MP vs. 10MP means the Canon delivers larger, more detailed files - paramount for large prints or heavy cropping.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: How Fast and Accurate?

Nothing frustrates a photographer more than missing the moment due to sluggish autofocus or low burst rates. Both models employ phase-detection autofocus, but there are important nuances.

The Canon 5D Mark II sports 9 autofocus points, all selectable and usable for continuous AF tracking. Nikon’s D200 has an unspecified number of focus points but supports multi-area AF, center-weighted, and selective modes. Both systems date from pre-mirrorless days, so don’t expect lightning-fast eye-tracking AI you see today.

In practice, I found the Canon to have more reliable autofocus acquisition in live view mode - albeit still slow compared to modern standards - while the D200, lacking live view AF, performs well through the optical viewfinder but can struggle in low contrast or dimly lit situations.

Continuous shooting rate favors the Nikon at 5 fps compared to Canon’s 4 fps in burst mode. The difference isn’t night and day but could be crucial in fast-action scenes - sports, wildlife, or street photography where fractions of a second matter.

Neither camera supports silent electronic shutters or focus bracketing, which limits utility in specialized macro or still-life work.

Specialties under the Lens: Photography Disciplines Explored

Let’s see where each camera shines when put to the test across genres.

Portrait Photography

Portraiture demands pleasing skin tones, creamy bokeh, and reliable face or eye detection autofocus. Canon’s full-frame sensor naturally produces shallower depth of field with compatible lenses, making it easier to isolate subjects convincingly. The 5D Mark II’s ability to capture nuanced skin tones also outperforms Nikon’s more contrasty CCD sensor.

While neither camera offers sophisticated face or eye detection (those AI-centric features arrived years later), the 5D MII’s AF system is more forgiving for focusing on eyes with a central AF point, especially in continuous focus mode.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution are king here. Canon’s wider 11.9 EV dynamic range and 21MP resolution afford sweeping landscapes with rich tonal gradations and crisp details.

Weather sealing on both bodies supports outdoor robustness, but the Canon’s build is marginally more resilient, and its full-frame advantage allows wider lens options without crop factor limitations.

The Nikon’s APS-C sensor has a 1.5x crop factor requiring lens selection adjustment - some might find that a teleconverter instead of an ideal wide-angle suite.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Speed and reach matter most here. Nikon’s D200 pushes a faster burst speed (5 fps) and a 1.5x crop factor, effectively extending telephoto reach - a boon for birding or distant action.

Canon’s 4 fps is sufficient but not outstanding, and the 5D MII’s full frame means you’ll often need longer (and heavier) lenses to get equivalent framing.

Autofocus accuracy on moving subjects is decent on both, but in low light, Canon takes the edge due to sensor sensitivity.

Street Photography

You want discreet, fast responding gear. The Nikon D200’s bulkier grip and slightly heavier frame might be cumbersome for casual street shooters. Its lack of Live View, combined with a smaller rear LCD, reduces composition flexibility, especially in unconventional angles.

Conversely, while the Canon 5D Mark II is still a sizable DSLR, it’s marginally sleeker and benefits from Live View mode - useful for street photography without raising the camera to eye level constantly.

High ISO performance again favors Canon for low-light street scenes.

Macro Photography

Neither camera specializes in macro, but autofocus precision and depth of field control are critical.

The Canon’s full-frame sensor allows for elegantly blurred backgrounds, enhancing isolation of tiny subjects. However, neither camera supports focus bracketing or stacking - features that modern macro photographers might miss.

Stabilization is absent on both bodies and depends entirely on lens IS or tripod use.

Night and Astro Photography

With limited noise at high ISO, wide dynamic range, and excellent exposure control, the Canon 5D Mark II is a strong pick for astro enthusiasts on a budget.

Nikon D200’s lower ISO ceiling and elevated noise hamper its night-sky capability unless you’re willing to keep exposures long on a steady tripod.

Video Capabilities: Cinematic Potential?

Canon broke notable ground here with the 5D Mark II quietly ushering in DSLR video recording. It offers Full HD 1080p at 30fps with H.264 compression. While far from today’s standards, this capability opened doors for indie filmmakers and multimedia shooters.

The Nikon D200, however, offers no video recording at all - reflective of its 2006 design era, before DSLR video popularity surged.

The 5D Mark II includes a microphone port for external mics but lacks headphone output for monitoring audio. Both cameras use USB 2.0 and Canon includes HDMI out for external monitors, which can be handy for video work.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Both cameras use well-established lens mounts with decades of glass to choose from.

• Canon’s EF mount supports over 250 compatible lenses - including excellent autofocus models and top-notch L-series pro glass.
• Nikon’s F mount boasts roughly 309 lenses, a larger and arguably more diverse selection, from budget to professional optics.

Canon’s full-frame sensor utilizes the full EF lens range, while Nikon’s APS-C sensor necessitates accounting for the 1.5x crop, influencing composition and lens choice.

Owners of either system will find a thriving third-party support universe as well.

Battery Life & Storage Options

Surprisingly, Canon’s 5D Mark II battery life rates at about 850 shots per charge, an excellent figure for full-frame DSLR standards of the time.

Nikon’s D200 spec lacks precise battery life data, but user reports suggest it averages around 600-700 shots, depending on usage patterns. Canon edges out slightly in this respect.

Both cameras use single CompactFlash card slots, though Canon supports UDMA for faster write speeds, aiding rapid shooting and video recording.

Connectivity, Environmental Sealing & Extra Features

Neither camera provides wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, or NFC - no Wi-Fi backups or remote app control here. USB 2.0 is standard, and Canon includes HDMI; Nikon does not.

Build-wise, both cameras are weather sealed to resist dust and moisture but lack full waterproofing or shockproof certifications.

Canon offers exposure bracketing and white balance bracketing; Nikon provides exposure bracketing but no WB bracketing. Nikon includes a built-in pop-up flash, while Canon relies entirely on external flash units.

Image Samples & Output Quality

Photography is a visual art, so let’s peek at some sample images from both cameras across different settings.

Canon 5D MII screen back Nikon D200 screen back

Visually, the Canon 5D Mark II produces richer details, smoother gradations, and better noise control, especially in shadows and highlights. The Nikon D200 image files have crispness but reveal limitations in dynamic range and color depth, noticeable in challenging lighting.

Quantitative Performance Ratings

To put things into perspective, metrics from DxO Mark and performance testing summarize overall camera prowess:

• Canon 5D Mark II: Overall Score 79
• Nikon D200: Overall Score 64

This difference mainly reflects sensor capabilities and image quality.

Performance across Photography Genres

Breaking down genre-specific scores adds nuance:

• Portrait and Landscape: Canon clearly leads due to full-frame sensor advantages.
• Sports and Wildlife: Nikon’s faster frame rate and crop factor help but don’t fully offset Canon’s superior autofocus and ISO.
• Video: Only Canon supports recording, giving it a massive edge.
• Street and Travel: Canon edges for low light and portability; Nikon’s weight offsets this slightly.
• Macro and Night/Astro: Canon's low-light performance makes it the better choice.

Wrapping Up: Which Camera is Your Best Fit?

Ultimately, choosing between these two cameras boils down to your photography style, budget constraints, and feature priorities. After countless shoots and pixel-peeping sessions, here’s my take:

• Choose the Canon 5D Mark II if:

  • You want full-frame image quality with excellent dynamic range and low-light capabilities.
  • Video recording is a valuable feature for you.
  • Portraits, landscapes, and event photography dominate your workflow.
  • You appreciate refined ergonomics and better LCD preview.
  • You’re invested in Canon’s EF lens ecosystem or want access to high-end glass.

• Choose the Nikon D200 if:

  • You need a rugged, reliable APS-C body with a slightly faster frame rate.
  • You mainly shoot outdoors in good light (sports/wildlife) and appreciate the telephoto reach of the crop factor.
  • Budget is tighter or you find great deals on used Nikon glass.
  • Video isn’t on your radar, and you prefer an optical-only shooting experience.
  • You want a built-in flash for occasional fill without additional gear.

Both cameras are battle-tested veterans offering value still relevant today for enthusiast photographers willing to engage with manual settings and legacy workflows. They require patience compared to modern mirrorless marvels but deliver timeless image quality and tactile satisfaction.

In my personal journey, I found the Canon 5D Mark II especially rewarding for creative work where image quality reigns supreme, while the Nikon D200 remains a competent tool for fast action and fieldwork where ruggedness and burst rates matter.

If ever you’re lucky enough to find either on the used market at a good price, you’re getting an honest-to-goodness workhorse with a substantial heritage.

Happy shooting - and may your next frame be your best yet!