Canon PowerShot D20 Digital Camera Review

Motion

The Canon D20 records at a maximum resolution of 1080p at 24 frames per second. That frame rate lends a cinematic quality to clips, though it makes moving objects stutter noticeably. There's a bit of frequency interference and trailing, but they aren't particularly problematic. Artifacting is not a problem. More on how CamcorderInfo tests motion.

Despite its problems, the D20 handles video motion better than the Pentax WG-2 or Panasonic TS4. (We tested the Nikon AW100 last fall, before we began judging point-and-shoots with this test.)

Video Sharpness

Bright-light sharpness is about what we expect to see from a point-and-shoot. We measured 400 horizontal and 375 vertical lw/ph—pretty good for a camera that shoots at 24fps. More on how CamcorderInfo tests video sharpness.

Low-light sharpness shows a predictable drop-off in video sharpness. We measured 250 horizontal and 225 vertical lw/ph.

Low Light Sensitivity

The D20 crossed our threshold for low-light sensitivity at 19 lux. That's respectable for a point-and-shoot—most of the compacts we see bottom out around 30 lux.