I need to get my wife a better camera body until we can afford another 5D (or equivalent). She has been using the D30 when the 5D is in use. I have not used either the 10D or 20D, but at current used prices it seems the 10D is probably a steal of a deal. If I remember correctly, some of you liked the 10D because it was so quiet. I dont know how well the AF works in either of these.

Any recommendations?

10D, 10D, 10D! Seriously, it's a great little camera. The 20D has issues IMHO. I love my assistant's 10D way more than my 20D. It's quiet, it has better natural color right out of the camera, the files are more manageable. It's not as good at 1600, I will say. But other than that, I say Go for it!

The 10D is quiet but you probably can't find one with less than 30k shutter clicks already on it, meaning it's ready to die. The 20D is like $700 to $850 used and is a fantastic camera (better than your 30 in most respects)

M

Boy, Matt, we sure are a big help.

G

I have both cameras and I prefer the 20D because it has very little noise compared to the 10D... that's honestly the only real reason though. The 10D is a great camera other than the noise - which is very manageable at 400, a tiny bit much for my tastes at 800 (but still manageable) and ridiculous at 1600. And yes, it is SO much quieter than the 20D.

Autumn

+1

If you have a 1.4 50mm...it will probably remain on the 10D always! Mine does...

If you shoot raw on the 10D...don't expect to shoot very fast...the write buffer on the 20D is a significant improvement over the 10D...

20D.

Better noise
Bigger buffer
I think a little better AF
Way faster preview of images

Definetly go with the 20D.

Thanks gang for all the responses! Looks like its kind of divided, with an obvious edge going to the 20D for technological advances. Since we still use the D30 on a very regular basis, either of these will run laps around it in terms of noise and AF. Its hard though to pass up on a 10D when they typically go for around $450 or so. Still weighing the options though. The 20D can still be found new apparently. Which ever we pick, its probably going to get most of its use on e-sessions and lifestyle/location portrait shoots.

I would never buy a camera without a spotmeter (if I had any choice at all in the matter).

The 20D is superior to the 10D in nearly every aspect. Faster operation (no start-up lag), faster writing of images, faster preview, slightly better AF, better flash metering (eTTL2 vs. 1), faster motordrive, better file quality, better high-ISO noise, and that's just off the top of my head. The 10D is very quiet.
Cory

Thanks for all the info! I think the only thing that bothers me about the 10D is the startup time. There have been so many missed shots on our D30 because of the time it takes to wake it up from auto-off. The 5D is instantaneous on and it never misses anything coming out of sleep mode.

How well does the 20D balance? It seems like its a smaller camera to me. Does the grip work well on the 20D? From pictures I have seen, it seems like the grip was not as well integrated into the body lines as the BGED3 was on the previous cameras.

The grip works fine on the 20D in my opinion. I have a Mark II N and a 20D and the 20D is my go to camera. Love it.

Start up time on the 20D is like .2 seconds. Very fast.

John.... I know we've been over this before, but I don't have a spotmeter on my 20D and really...my exposures are just fine. If you know how to read a meter, and know when to over and under expose, a spot meter isn't all that important.

Definatley go w/ the 20D!