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-------------------------------------------------------------- This story was printed from CNET Asia. --------------------------------------------------------------
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Canon PowerShot D10
By Leonard Goh
05/08/2009 URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39005881,44567289p,00.htm Not too long ago Olympus was the only major player in the rugged camera segment. Then earlier this year, Panasonic joined the fray with the Lumix DMC-FT1. Now Canon, not to be ousted, has introduced the PowerShot D10.
DesignLooks-wise, the PowerShot D10 provoked two extreme reactions when we showed it to other people--they either thought it looked cute, or that it was downright ugly. This was hardly surprising, given that this rugged camera takes on a rather radical approach to design compared with similar offerings. If one has to describe this, the D10 looks like a submarine with rounded edges. That said, design is subjective, so it's really up to the individual whether he likes it or not.At the four corners of the D10 are mounts which allow you to attach accessories such as a shoulder strap to secure the camera. Canon has also introduced other peripherals to suit users with active lifestyles such as a carabiner strap for rock climbers. It's easy to fix the straps onto the point-and-shoot--just plug in and turn until you hear a click. However, you won't be able to use your own straps as the shooter doesn't support unauthorized third-party ones. The battery cover is difficult to open and this is good for a shooter that can dive down to 10m depths. However, users with short fingernails may experience some difficulty prising open the cover, like this reviewer. The slightly bulky body means the D10 is comfortable to hold and the front cover has a rubbery texture which adds to the grip. Divers who are wearing gloves or holiday-makers in cold countries will find the large buttons on the point-and-shoot easy to press. However, we noticed the four-way navigation buttons are a tad too close to each other and there were instances where we pressed two buttons at once. One thing to note about the D10 is that you are able to change the front plate, much like Nokia phones of the past. The snapper ships with an aquamarine plate, but you can purchase the camouflage, orange and black covers as a bundle for FeaturesCompared with its peers, the D10's specifications are decent for the average user, but it is not as tough as the Tough-8000 and doesn't have higher-end video features which the FT1 sports.
According to Canon, the D10 uses a linear lens system which is typical of most point-and-shoots. The company also mentioned that users can expect better image quality because light won't be reflected off multiple surfaces but would instead reach the image sensor directly. In front of the optics is a double pane glass system filled with low-humidity air, and this is supposed to prevent condensation on the lens when the camera is exposed to a sudden change in temperature. We tested this feature and found that while the optics inside did not experience condensation, the front protective element that was exposed did. The fogging can be easily resolved by wiping the condensation away. To test how rugged the D10 was, we subjected it to rigorous tests which we normally wouldn't try on a normal point-and-shoot. We dropped the D10 repeatedly from waist level and kicked it around on both carpeted and concrete surfaces. There were only minor dings and scratches on the shooter but it was still functional. For the duration that we had the shooter, it was ferried around in our bags without a protective case and the LCD screen and lens were not scratched. The face detection function worked very well on land, but underwater, it faltered slightly when faced with a swimmer wearing goggles. The D10 would lock onto the subject, but once our individual shifted position even the slightest, the camera would lose focus and only managed to lock on again after several seconds. Given that face detection algorithms are programmed to recognize only facial features, it's not surprising that subjects wearing diving masks or goggles aren't detected. Other shooting functions on the Canon camera includesintelligent scene recognition, blink detection and a wide array of preset scene modes for amateurs to choose from. PerformanceThere is nothing much to write home about for the D10's performance which is typical for most point-and-shoots. The startup time measured approximately 1 second and shutter lag clocked 0.1 second. The Canon camera wasn't the best performer for burst shooting as it chugged along at around 1fps.Focusing-wise, the D10 was quick to lock onto subjects, even in dim environments. Of course, there were instances when the snapper focused on the wrong subject but that was easily rectified when we placed the person in the center of the frame, focused and then re-adjusted the framing of the shot. Image QualityAs with most point-and-shoots, the D10 delivered acceptable image quality at low ISO sensitivities. At ISO 80, our test shot looked clean with minimal hint of digital artifacts. Details were well-rendered and the edges of subjects were smooth with no visible signs of smudging. When we ramped up the ISO sensitivity, the noise increased steadily but if you don't inspect the image at 100 percent on the computer, you probably won't notice the difference.Compared with other rugged cameras such as the Tough-8000 and the FT1, the D10's picture quality is possibly the better of the lot. We based our comparison on ISO 400 and noticed that the Canon camera delivered slightly sharper and less noisy shots than the Lumix. Perhaps this can be attributed to the linear lens system which we mentioned earlier. The color reproduction from the D10 is natural with a slight increase of saturation that gives the picture more punch. When snapping shots underwater, we used the Underwater scene mode and were glad our photographs didn't have weird hues. We could tell that the red tone channel was jacked up to compensate for the color filtration which water has on light. For flash photography, our test shot showed that at the widest focal length of 35mm, the edges of the picture were significantly darker than the center. ConclusionThe PowerShot D10's performance and image quality are pretty typical of other rugged point-and-shoots, so what makes it stands out would be its design. While Canon claims the linear optics will offer users better-looking pictures, a non-discerning eye would probably not be able to tell the difference. That said, it is still an advantage if you are fussy about image quality.There are other alternatives out there such as the Tough 8000 and the FT1. So before you make a decision on which to get, it is wise to draw up a reasonable list of what you are looking for in a rugged camera and use our comparison chart to determine which is best for you. |
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Specs
| Inside The Camera | |
| Optical sensor | CCD |
| Resolution | 12 megapixels |
| Zoom range | 3 |
| Creative controls | Yes |
| Outside The Camera | |
| LCD size (new) | 2.5 inch |
| Viewfinder type | None |
| Type of flash | Built-in |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Battery type(s) (new) | Lithium |
| Storage type(s) | Secure Digital, Secure Digital HC |
| Image Capture | |
| Audio capture | Yes |
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