The Canon PowerShot D20 is Canon’s newest entry into the rugged compact camera market. Improving over the last camera in the series, the D10, the new D20 makes for an interesting entry into the category.
Cameras of this type are designed to be rugged and withstand hard use. The D20 is no different. It has all the standard features expected of a camera in this category, including waterproofing, shock-proofing, freeze-proofing and dust-proofing.
The waterproofing on this camera allows it to be used at up to 33 feet under water, making it above average in this respect, but not reaching the heights (or depths) of the Panasonic and SeaLife cameras. Still, it’s adequate for casual and even low-level diving use, but it’ll hold back more serious divers.
This camera also has the standard freeze-proofing for temperatures down to 14 Fahrenheit. That makes it suitable for use in many wintery environments: taking pictures of kids playing in the snow, skiing holidays and mountain treks. However, some skiing environments, and especially some mountain treks will be colder than this, meaning that the camera is good only for a limited range of cold environments.
While 12 megapixel resolutions are standard for this category of camera, the D20 uses the special HS CMOS sensor to capture images, resulting in higher quality. This makes it a marked improvement over the previous entry in Canon’s D series, the D10, and makes it a real competitor with other current rugged compact cameras.
Perhaps the most significant feature of the HS CMOS sensor is that it provides better performance in low light conditions. This would be a good thing period, but for a camera that’s meant for underwater use it’s especially useful.
The D20 has advanced image stabilization systems to ensure you get the best possible shots every time. It’s designed to counter hand-shake, panning movements, and a variety of other possible motions that generally interfere with image capture. This is a great feature for any camera meant to be used in action settings.
We’ve come to expect rugged cameras to include GPS, and the D20 fulfills this expectation. With GPS it’s now possible to have every photo that you take automatically tagged with precise geo-location information. This means that once you’re home from a long trip you won’t have any difficulty remembering where certain photos were taken.
Finally, the dust-proofing offers the ability to take the camera into dusty locations and also sandy places like the beach. If you’re hoping to have a camera that covers family beach holidays then this is perfect.
Casio Exilim EX-S200 14.1MP 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera Features and Specifications
- 12.1 MP Canon HS SYSTEM with a High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor
- DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- 5x Optical Zoom with 28mm wide angle lens
- 3.0-inch Pure Color System LCD for easy viewing
- Waterproof Depth: 33 feet
- Up to 32GB memory card
- temperature from 14-104 degrees fahrenheit
- GPS tracker to record image locations on a map via Canon’s software
- Product Dimensions: 34.42 x 1.10 x 2.79 inches
- Product Weight: Approximately 7.23 oz
User Reviews
Early reviews available online indicate the popularity of this new rugged camera from Canon. Reviewer liked the powerful 5x optical zoom lens that provide great shots of distant objects as well as good close-ups. Some compacts have no optical zoom at all, so this is a plus.
As well as taking decent photos, the D20 is capable of capturing full HD video footage, meaning that you can play it back on any HD-ready television in full 1080p resolution. One user was not happy with the placement of the playback button saying while the D20’s control system isn’t generally bad, there has been at least one mistake in its design. The playback button is positioned on top of the camera, right beside the shutter button. It’s not an intuitive place for a playback button (better to have it near the screen where the images are actually viewed), and it can also lead to some accidental button pressing.
The same reviewer also commented on the menu System saying although the menu system isn’t, in itself, badly designed, it isn’t exactly appropriate for compact cameras. The Canon menu system is great for more heavy-duty equipment where users are likely to need more advanced settings, for consumer products like this it would be better to keep things simple.
Couple of users commented on the design saying although the D20 isn’t ugly, it certainly isn’t able to rival competing cameras in its price range for design. Both the Panasonic DMC-TS3 and the Sony DSC-TX10 have far better designs at a similar price. If you’re especially design conscious then this might sway your decision somewhat.
Shock-proofing on the camera is standard for the category at 4.9 feet. That’s not bad, but doesn’t really offer the kind of protection you’d want if you’re an average or above height for an adult. Not many cameras offer more than this however, so it’s not really something that can be judged as a serious criticism. Shock-proofing of 4.9 feet is certainly better than no shock-proofing at all, and does make the camera more robust.
Overall, the D20 has many great features that make it a worthy rival to Panasonic’s DMC-TS3. Whilst the Panasonic slightly outdoes the Canon for sheer ruggedness, the image quality offered by Canon’s D20 makes an appealing alternative, and at a lower price point than the Panasonic it’s certainly worth considering. Over all, a very good product.
Where To Buy the Canon PowerShot D20 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera
The Canon PowerShot D20 is available at online stores like Amazon.com and the best way to decide if this is a good camera or not is to visit the Amazon page and look at all the reviews and the manufacturers description. It is the best place to study the camera because of the huge community at Amazon that reviews its purchases. Click on the links below to visit the product website for additional information and special offers.
Canon PowerShot D20 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera (Blue)
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Canon PowerShot D20 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera Video Review
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