Canon PowerShot D20 Pro Reviews

The PowerShot D20 is a good underwater camera, though it doesn't stand out in any particular area. It takes decent (though slightly soft) photos with pleasing colors (but expect a color cast when shooting underwater). Although light on features, the D20 is water, freeze, dust, and shockproof, and it didn't let us down in our testing.

The Canon PowerShot D20 looks to combine the best features from Canon's PowerShot range with a host of rugged features.

The Canon PowerShot D20 is a point-and-shoot compact designed for use outdoors and in the water. The difference between the D20 and many other waterproof compacts, like the Panasonic Lumix TS20 / FT20 is that it's been designed from the ground up for water-based and outdoor activities. If you take those things seriously and want a camera to accompany you and record your exploits, the PowerShot D20 won't disappoint. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an all-round point-and-shoot-compact that you can occassionally take in and on the water without worring about getting it wet, well, there are less expensive options. One of those is the original PowerShot D10. Currently, it isn't massively cheaper than the D20, but expect the gap to widen. If you can live without HD video and GPS and can put up with a slightly reduced 4x zoom range and a 2.5 inch screen, the D10 remains an excellent choice for recording aquatic pursuits. See my Canon D10 review for more details.

A rugged waterproof camera with dependable image and video quality

The Canon PowerShot D20 is for travelling yet you have to take a separate charger and figure 8 cable. That's not very appealing to the traveller looking to take this around the world. The lack of internal memory is likely that way for a reason but won't help when you're at the top of Machu Picchu and you run out of memory. Still, if you prepare yourself, charge the battery and take a couple of spare cards, you should be good for a couple of days regular use. The Canon PowerShot D20 is certainly a camera worth looking at but you need to ask yourself if you can sacrifice dynamic range for point blank focusing. If you can, then take a look at this camera.

Many of the rugged, waterproof cameras we have previously reviewed score heavily for their features, but image quality is often lacking. This is where the D20 bucks that trend, it's not quite scored full marks for its features, but image quality is amongst the best of the outdoor cameras. It is also well designed, with a largely rubber exterior and large chunky buttons, great when out shooting in the less than ideal conditions. We were fairly impressed by the D10, since its launch, most of the other manufacturers have released a number of impressive waterproof cameras, but the D20 has certainly been worth the wait!

There’s a lot of choice out there when it comes to tough and waterproof compact cameras. The Canon PowerShot D20 certainly ticks the boxes when it comes to underwater use, but it’s the awkward design and the lack of the core image quality elements that leave it short of the mark. Compared to some of its cheaper rivals, however, the D20 has preferable autofocus options, a resolute and therefore detailed 3-inch LCD screen, is most capable when it comes to close-up focusing and the inclusion of lens-based image stabilisation is a further plus point. It’s almost there in some departments, but the current lowest £280 price point is rather steep for what's on offer, and the quirky design marks it down.

The Canon PowerShot D20's robust build quality ensures it will take more than just a few beatings, freezes and deluges. With that in mind, the PowerShot D20 is a fantastic shopping choice for anyone with a penchant for adventure and water activities. Generally speaking, the image quality supplied met our expectations, offering well exposed shots that were rich in detail and accurate in colour values. However, its main shortfall comes when handling the camera. While it is undoubtedly easy to use, its operation is sluggish and awkward, failing to charm photographers who may want to purchase it as an everyday shooter. Looking at the camera in this respect, there are a vast number of competitor and same-brand models that provide better performance and results at a similar price.

Tough cams are an experimental breed by nature, and Canon pulled out the stops with the D20. From the unconventional design to its remarkable lens, this rugged cam easily sits among the best in the bunch. The fact that it shoots superbly underwater will be enough to sell many interested buyers, as should its incredibly easy-to-master UI. Though the D20 won’t woo action shooters and the price might make you a little standoffish, it’s an incredibly competitive camera. Canon’s going to face some competition from the Olympus Tough TG-1, which is trying to sophisticate the tough cam market a bit with features like an f/2 lens – and it only costs $50 more than the D20. But the Canon model is more compact, and has Canon’s polished in-camera UI that will win over anyone familiar with the manufacturer.

The GPS-equipped Canon PowerShot D20 is a well-built but large rugged camera with a sharp lens. It produces good-looking images at every supported ISO, but isn't the fastest tough camera that we've tested.