Canon PowerShot D10 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V: A Hands-On Comparison for Serious Enthusiasts

When I first sat down to compare the Canon PowerShot D10 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V, I had the feeling these two compacts - though both small sensor cameras - were meant for quite different types of users. One boasts durability and straightforward usability; the other pushes a superzoom envelope and packs more recent tech innovations. Having tested thousands of cameras across all performance tiers, I’ll walk you through how these two stack up for various photography genres and use cases, demystifying specs into real-world results.

Let’s dive in.

Seeing Them Side-by-Side: Size, Handling, and Build

Before getting technical, let’s get a feel for the cameras themselves. Handling, ergonomics, and build quality are often deal-breakers in everyday shooting, especially if you shoot outdoors or for extended periods.

Looking at the Canon D10 and Sony HX30V side-by-side, you’ll notice the D10 has a chunkier, more rugged shape. Its compact body measures 104x67x49 mm with a weight of 190 g, while the HX30V is slimmer - 107x62x35 mm and 254 g. The additional heft on the Sony mostly comes from the extended superzoom lens barrel.

The Canon was designed to be an entry-level rugged camera, boasting environment sealing (yes, weather-resistant to some degree) for more adventurous shooting. It lost points for lacking any kind of waterproof or shockproof certification, but the sealed design helps against rain and splashes. Contrast that with the Sony’s more delicate build - no weather sealing here, but the pocketability and sleek ergonomics will appeal to travelers prioritizing convenience over rough handling.

Ergonomically the Canon feels more blocky and less refined - ideal if you prefer a firm grip and occasional gloves. The Sony opts for a sleeker grip but with a slightly smaller, less contoured form factor. I found the Sony’s shutter button placement and zoom rocker on the top plate very intuitive.

Control layouts reinforce this difference. The Canon D10 is minimal: no manual dials or exposure modes, a simple zoom rocker and shutter release on the top, and a fixed 2.5-inch screen on the back with limited resolution. The Sony HX30V features a larger, higher-res 3-inch fixed LCD - incredibly sharp - and a more advanced button array that includes manual exposure control and exposure compensation, plus direct access to AF and drive modes.

Ergonomics Verdict: If rugged, weather-resistant handling is a priority, the Canon D10 edges ahead, especially for rough outdoor use. For versatile control and a more refined user interface, especially if manual exposure matters, the Sony HX30V does better.

Sensor, Image Quality, and Lens Capabilities

Now, this is where the real differences show up. Both cameras use a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring 6.17 x 4.55 mm, but their technology and pixel counts differ significantly.

The Canon D10 employs a 12-megapixel CCD sensor from an older generation, paired with an antialiasing filter. The Sony HX30V, three years newer, sports an 18.2 MP BSI CMOS sensor - an advancement that markedly improves sensitivity while retaining the same sensor footprint. The difference between CCD and CMOS here is not just marketing; from my hands-on testing, the HX30V's sensor handles noise far better, especially at ISO 800 and above.

The Canon’s maximum native ISO tops out at 3200 but produces noise and color smearing that limits practical use beyond ISO 400 or 800. The Sony reaches ISO 12800, though noise becomes aggressive beyond ISO 1600, its cleaner files up to 800 ISO give it a clear low-light advantage.

Lens-wise, the Canon has a 35-105mm (35mm equivalent) zoom with a maximum aperture of f/2.8-f/4.9 - decent in bright light but limited on reach or macro. The Sony HX30V stretches from 25-500mm (a massive 20x zoom), wide enough for sweeping landscapes and tight enough for distant wildlife. Aperture ranges from f/3.2-f/5.8, so it’s somewhat slower but this is expected at longer focal lengths in compact superzooms.

MACRO capability: Canon’s minimum focusing distance of 3cm delivers reasonable macro shots, but the Sony tops it with 1cm, letting you explore tight close-ups with surprising detail and sharpness.

Image Quality and Lens Verdict: For raw image quality, resolution, and zoom versatility, the Sony HX30V wins comfortably. The Canon’s simpler lens and sensor combo still produce usable images in daylight, but it feels noticeably behind when pushing boundaries.

Screen and Interface: Monitoring Your Shots

Here, the Sony really shines. Its 3-inch LCD with 922k dots offers a crisp, bright screen with excellent viewing angles and intuitive menus. You’ll find it easier to compose, review, and tweak settings on the HX30V, especially in brighter daylight thanks to the TruBlack technology.

On the Canon D10, the 2.5-inch 230k-dot screen is functional but underwhelming. Colors look washed out, brightness is limited, and menu navigation is rudimentary. The fixed screen does not swivel or tilt - which reduces compositional flexibility.

Neither camera offers an electronic or optical viewfinder, which is typical for compact cameras but worth noting if you prefer eye-level shooting or bright outdoor settings.

Screen and UI Verdict: Sony’s modern LCD and menu system gives much better control experience. Canon’s display is minimalist and dated - a minor but tangible frustration during long shoots.

Autofocus Performance and Shooting Speed

Autofocus is where useability is made or broken, especially in dynamic or low-light environments. Both cameras have nine focus points using contrast-detect AF, but their capabilities diverge.

• The Canon D10 has basic AF with face detection - good for casual portraits - but it lacks continuous or tracking modes. AF speed is slowish, with occasional hunting in dim conditions. Continuous shooting maxes out at a single frame per second - adequate if you’re shooting still scenes but frustrating for action.

• The Sony HX30V includes face detection plus selectable AF areas, AF tracking, and centre AF point, allowing faster and more precise focusing. Burst mode can reach 10fps (albeit reduced resolution in some modes), a major advantage for wildlife or sports.

During testing with moving subjects, the Sony’s focus accuracy and speed were noticeably superior. In ambient or low light, Sony locked focus faster and with greater reliability, which must be key for wildlife and event shooters.

Autofocus and Speed Verdict: For portraits and casual shooting, Canon’s AF is serviceable but basic. Sony’s AF system - while still contrast detection - is more sophisticated and significantly faster, rising above in most active shooting genres.

Diving Into Different Photography Genres

Let’s put these specs and features into perspective across various photographic disciplines.

Portrait Photography

Key criteria: skin tone rendering, bokeh quality, eye detection autofocus.

The Canon D10, with its f/2.8 widest aperture at 35mm equivalent, can produce decent background separation in close-ups, but its limited zoom range and dated AF keep it from excelling. Face detection AF works fine but can struggle to focus eyes precisely. Skin tones are natural, a point for Canon’s typical color science.

The Sony HX30V’s longer zoom allows tighter framing and creative compression effects with background blur, even if aperture is slower. Its face detection AF is more accurate and responsive, improving consistent sharpness on eyes. Colors are vibrant but remain nuanced with accurate skin tones.

Portrait Winner: Sony HX30V, thanks to advanced AF and versatile focal lengths. That said, neither allows direct manual aperture control for depth of field shaping, limiting artistic control.

Landscape Photography

Critical factors: resolution, dynamic range, weather sealing, lens wide angle capability.

Canon’s 12MP CCD sensor, paired with a fixed 35mm equivalent (~wide) setting at f/2.8, captures sharp daylight images with vibrant color. Its weather sealing is a plus here for shooting exposed environments. The limitation is its narrow sensor resolution and lens range.

Sony’s 18MP BSI-CMOS with 25mm equivalent wide-angle and 3-inch LCD lets you frame expansive vistas beautifully. However, no weather sealing means you’ll need caution or extra protection in bad conditions. Dynamic range is better on the Sony due to newer sensor technology, though both cameras lack RAW support.

Landscape Win: Canon edges in ruggedness and exposure latitude in tough conditions, but Sony wins for sheer image detail and field of view. Your shooting environment will decide.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

What taut autofocus, high burst rate, and telephoto reach require.

Canon’s outdated AF and slow 1fps continuous shooting rule it out for any serious wildlife or sports. The lens only zooms to 105mm equivalent - not long enough to capture distant subjects effectively.

Sony’s 20x zoom extends to a 500mm equivalent telephoto - a massive advantage in capturing distant subjects. Burst shooting up to 10fps and improved AF tracking capabilities increase chances for sharp, well-timed shots.

Low-light autofocus and higher ISO tolerance further improve Sony’s suitability outdoors during dawn/dusk or indoor sports.

Decisive winner: Sony HX30V - there’s no contest if you want to shoot action or wildlife convincingly.

Street Photography

Requirements: discreteness, portability, low-light performance.

Canon’s boxier build and slower AF make it less ideal for street shooting. Additionally, fixed lens focal length might limit creative framing.

Sony’s sleeker profile, faster AF, and longer zoom add flexibility. The 25-500mm range may be overkill, but you can crop or frame more easily. Its relatively high max ISO helps low-light street shooting.

Neither camera is stealthy compared to rangefinder-style compacts, but Sony still offers the better balanced tool here.

Macro Photography

Precision focus and close focusing distances matter.

Canon’s minimum focus distance (3cm) is respectable but not exceptional. The macro image quality feels softer compared to the Sony, likely due to sensor and lens pairs.

Sony excels, reaching 1cm, allowing you to get tight macro shots with excellent detail. Stabilization helps minimize shake at these close distances - a clear plus.

Night and Astrophotography

Here, sensor noise and manual controls are king.

Canon’s limited ISO range and poor high-ISO performance make it less practical beyond flash or daylight twilight. Manual exposure modes are unavailable, restrictive for astro shooters.

Sony’s higher ISO cap to 12800, manual exposure modes, and better noise control make it a more versatile choice for night scenes and the occasional star trail photos. Still, sensor size limits astrophotographers seeking detailed sky shots.

Video Capabilities

Video has become a critical criterion.

Canon D10 shoots video in low-res VGA (640x480) at 30fps MJPEG - not impressive by any means. No advanced formats, stabilization limited to optical only. Audio input is fixed via internal microphones only.

Sony HX30V can record Full HD 1080p at 60fps in AVCHD and MPEG-4 formats. It has optical stabilization, HDMI output, and better codec efficiency. Audio remains internal mic only, no external input jack.

For casual video, Sony easily outperforms Canon, delivering more versatile, high-quality footage.

Travel and General Versatility

Which camera will travel better? Key factors: size, lens flexibility, battery life, connectivity.

Sony weighs a bit more but provides vastly greater zoom versatility for everything from wide landscapes to distant sights. It has built-in GPS for geo-tagging and HDMI for easy output. Battery life at approximately 320 shots per charge is solid.

Canon is lighter and slightly chunkier, with weather sealing helpful for sticky weather, but limited zoom forces frequent lens compromise. No wireless features or GPS. Battery life specs are sparse but likely lower given older technology.

Professional Workflow and Reliability

While neither qualifies as strictly professional equipment today, robustness and file flexibility matter.

Canon’s lack of RAW format limits post-processing options, confining you to JPEGs - adequate for casual use but frustrating for serious editing. Its sealed body offers modest environmental protection.

Sony, despite no weather sealing, produces higher-quality JPEGs and supports manual exposure for creative control. Still no RAW support, limiting pros further.

Both cameras use common SD card slots, USB 2.0 connections, but only Sony offers HDMI for faster media review.

Technical Summary and Lab Results

Canon D10 front Canon D10 screen back Sony HX30V front Sony HX30V screen back

In tests, the Sony HX30V consistently produces sharper images with richer detail, less noise, and better autofocus accuracy. The Canon PowerShot D10’s images are softer with muted dynamic range and slower AF.

Breaking down performance scores head-to-head places Sony clearly ahead across image quality, AF speed, video features, and versatility, with Canon holding a niche for rugged construction and simplicity.

Sony takes the lead in wildlife, sports, landscape, travel, video, night, and street photography. Canon’s only notable wins are in rugged use and possibly landscape weather resilience.

My Recommendations: Who Should Buy Which?

If you’re a casual shooter wanting a simple, durable compact to take on hiking or trips to the beach (where rain or light splashes are concerns), and you’re happy working with JPEG images in daylight, the Canon PowerShot D10 offers straightforward operation without bells and whistles. Its straightforward design helps less technical users focus on composition without fuss.

On the other hand, if you want one compact with the flexibility to cover everything from sweeping landscapes to distant wildlife, who values faster autofocus, better image quality and full HD video output - especially if you are willing to manually tweak exposure settings - the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V is an excellent choice. It is the more versatile and future-proof option for enthusiasts on a moderate budget.

Final Words: Legacy Yet Relevant

Both these cameras are now somewhat dated compared to today’s mirrorless or smartphone cameras, yet each still has charm and practical uses. The Canon D10 is a niche rugged compact that remains reliable for casual, rough outdoor shooting. The Sony HX30V is an all-rounder compact with an impressive zoom range and multimedia prowess for its era.

Ultimately, I would lean toward the Sony HX30V for most photo enthusiasts due to its balanced combination of zoom reach, image quality, and video performance. But the Canon D10 still makes sense as a tough, basic point-and-shoot for select rugged lifestyles.

If you consider one of these cameras, ask yourself: Do I prioritize durability and simplicity? Or extensive zoom and feature options for diverse shooting situations? Your answer will steer you to the best fit.

Thanks for reading this detailed comparison! If you want, I encourage you to check out my full video review and image samples linked above for further visual impressions.

Happy shooting!