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July 16, 2009
[REVIEW—CANON POWERSHOT D10]
Price: $600
Nifty
The low-down: This 12 megapixel camera is Canon's entry into the go-anywhere-indestructible category. It is waterproof to 10 metres and will work in -10C conditions. It will also cope with a 1m drop. The camera case is a curious looking affair, but quite attractive. The modest 35–105 zoom lens is completely sealed and image stabilised. There is the usual face and blink detection (do fish blink?). The 6.25cm LCD screen is very good with excellent brightness and colour and its brightness can be easily and quickly adjusted. The camera is bulky for a compact, but with the extra volume and mass comes an extra sense of durability. Ergonomics are up to the usual standard expected from Canon compacts, although the adjustment buttons might be a bit fiddly to use when face to face with a White Pointer.
Like: The wizards at Canon have done it again – produced a compact camera with an absurdly high pixel count that is not plagued with noise effects. Images have good detail, sharpness, colour and contrast. We didn't even experience problems with dynamic range, but all of our test photos were taken in overcast conditions, so we can't vouch for summer performance.
Dislike: The images straight from the camera are just a little soft. This is easily corrected with a small application of Unsharp Mask in an editing program, so it is not a deal breaker.
Verdict: If you are in the market for an indestructible camera you have a choice between products from Panasonic, Olympus, Pentax and now Canon. Each has its merits, but of them all we like the Canon best. We particularly like its weird Captain Nemo shape – a 1960s underwater sci-fi design. If we were planning world domination in a home-made submarine this is the camera we would have on board.
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Posted by terry at July 16, 2009 09:51 AM
