Canon PowerShot D10

In terms of specifications, the PowerShot D10 has a 1/2.3in CCD with 12.1Mp (effective), DIGIC 4 processor, 3x optical zoom in the form of a 6.2-18.6mm f/2.8-f/4.9 lens, equivalent to 35-105mm on a 35mm camera, ISO range 80-1600, shutter speed range 15-1/1500 sec, optical image stabiliser, Face Detection technology, Motion Detection system and continuous shooting at 1.1 fps – the camera continues photographing until you take your finger off the shutter or the memory card fills up.

Sample Sequence

Continuous mode is set at 1.1fps
Click for a scaled QuickTime image sequence

Image resolution ranges from 4000 x 3000 to VGA, and movies can be recorded at VGA or QVGA resolution at 30fps and are saved in the Mov (H.264) file format. There are also a dozen scene modes including – you won’t be surprised to note – landscape, beach, underwater, stitch assist (panoramic) and snow, plus a variety of picture effects, such as colour swap.

When it comes to handling, the PowerShot D10 acquits itself fairly well. Switch on is fast and the camera is ready to go in about two seconds. The set-up menu uses the usual tabbed system and is easy to navigate. Switching between shooting modes is also simple, and likewise, selecting the various functions simply involves pressing the function button and then scrolling along a horizontal menu at the bottom of the screen.

Despite its smooth, rounded body, the PowerShot D10 can be gripped pretty firmly, although we would have liked to have seen a small finger rest on the face plate for extra comfort. The LCD screen is crisp and clear, and there are five brightness levels available. Bear in mind though, that the higher settings will affect battery life, which under ideal conditions, is good enough for just 220 frames.

There’s plenty of spare space around the LCD screen and it’s a shame Canon didn’t give the PowerShot D10 a 3in LCD, although no doubt cost considerations played a part in this decision. That said, the screen easy to view even when used underwater.

Hand in glove: large buttons enable operation even with mits on

We tried using the camera wearing heavy gloves and the big shutter button means you can happily snap away however large your mittens are. However, focusing and operating the multi-controller were trickier with gloves. The PowerShot D10 also comes with manual focus and the zoom motor is sensitive enough to allow for fine focusing.