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Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20 Comparison

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Canon SX30 IS

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

Canon SX30 IS
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Canon D20

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon D20
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Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Canon cameras cameras with different body types: Canon SX30 IS, which was introduced in September 2010 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 14.0MP 1/2.3" sensor whereas Canon D20, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3" sensor. As you can see, SX30 IS is 3 years older than D20. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX30 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-09-14
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 601g. 123 x 92 x 108 mm
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Compare

Canon D20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-18
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 28-140 mm F3.9-4.8 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Unknown continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240 fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in GPS
  • 228g. 112 x 71 x 28 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Canon SX30 IS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX40 HS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS vs Canon PowerShot D20

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX30 IS over Canon PowerShot D20
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3200s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 28mm 4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
840mm vs 140mm 700 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
35× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.70 vs 3.90 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
6.8m vs 3.5m 3.3m longer range
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies


Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot D20 over Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max ISO
3.200 vs 1.600 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
461k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Weight
228 g vs 601 g 373 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
4.80 vs 5.80 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot D20
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and Canon PowerShot D20
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 461k dots Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
1.0fps vs fps Slow shooting speeds
Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX30 IS has external dimensions of 123 x 92 x 108 mm (4.84 x 3.62 x 4.25″) and weighs 601 g (1.32 lb / 21.20 oz) (including batteries). Canon D20 has external dimensions of 112 x 71 x 28 mm (4.41 x 2.8 x 1.1″) and weighs 228 g (0.50 lb / 8.04 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20. Canon D20 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 21mm shorter and 80mm thinner than Canon SX30 IS.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon D20 is significantly lighter (373g ) than the Canon SX30 IS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon D20's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon SX30 IS's 2.7" screen.

On the other hand, Canon SX30 IS sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Canon D20 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to SX30 IS.
Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20: Sensor Comparison

Canon SX30 IS has a 14.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Canon D20 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the SX30 IS and D20 sensor size comparison.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 Cameras


Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX30 IS features a 24-840 mm F2.7-5.8 35× zoom lens whereas Canon D20 features a 28-140 mm F3.9-4.8 5× zoom lens.

Canon SX30 IS has 4mm wider coverage than the Canon D20. At f2.70, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SX30 IS has 700mm longer reach than the Canon D20. However, with a max aperture of f4.80, Canon D20 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

DSLR-Like Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Widest - Samsung WB2200F
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Longest - Nikon P1000
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Fastest - Olympus 1
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SX30 IS
D20
Fastest - Sony RX10 III
Average
What types of Photography are Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon SX30 IS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon D20 for Portrait Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon D20 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.70
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.90
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Canon D20 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
840 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
140 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon D20 for Daily Photography

GOOD
35.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
601g
Body Thickness 108mm
Read the details
Compact Body
228g
Environmental Sealings
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon D20 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Canon SX30 IS vs Canon D20: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon SX30 IS and Canon D20 scores compare:

Canon SX30 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #69 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #626 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Canon D20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #121 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #612 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Canon D20 has a higher Overall Score than the Canon SX30 IS and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon SX30 IS
Canon SX30 IS
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Canon D20
Canon D20
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Canon D20 vs Canon SX30 IS Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Canon PowerShot D20
Brand Canon Canon
Announced 2010-09-14 2013-06-18
Body Type SLR-like (bridge) Compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 9 9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-840 mm (35×) 28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture F2.7-5.8 F3.9-4.8
Macro Focus Range 0cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fully Articulated Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3200s 1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.80 m 3.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 1.0 fps n/a
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 601g 228g
Dimensions 123 x 92 x 108mm 112 x 71 x 28mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None BuiltIn
DxO Sensor Scores
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