Canon PowerShot D20 First Impressions Review

Conclusion

Prior to the PowerShot D20, Canon last announced a new waterproof camera in February of 2009 (the Canon D10). That was three years ago, which, in camera-time, is a lengthy period to wait between updates. But Canon must have been satisfied with the D10 fulfilling the company's waterproof niche... until now.

The Canon D20 has a very different design than its predecessor, has a completely different sensor, and even includes a different lens. So, this new camera isn't so much of an update—it's more of a reboot of Canon's waterproof PowerShot. Some of the design alterations made by Canon are solid, but others miss the mark. The D20 is bigger and heavier than its predecessor, and it also has a strange shape on its left side that doesn't offer a very good grip. The buttons are built well, though, and we found them less cramped than most of the waterproof competition from other manufacturers. We're still not sold on the somewhat cheesy look and feel of the D20, however.

Of course, the most important thing we're going to be looking at later this year is performance. Did Canon make a truly superior camera this time around? Or will the D20 produce lackluster results that barely edge out its aging, 3-year-old predecessor?