Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3
91 Imaging
36 Features
37 Overall
36


96 Imaging
37 Features
24 Overall
31
Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 28-140mm (F3.9-4.8) lens
- 228g - 112 x 71 x 28mm
- Revealed June 2013
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-112mm (F3.1-5.6) lens
- 117g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
- Released January 2011

Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Overview
In this article, we are reviewing the Canon D20 versus Panasonic S3, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Canon and Panasonic. The resolution of the D20 (12MP) and the S3 (14MP) is very close and they enjoy the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

The D20 was unveiled 2 years later than the S3 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).
Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a concise view of how the D20 grades versus the S3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Gallery
This is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot D20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The full galleries are viewable at Canon D20 Gallery and Panasonic S3 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Canon D20 over the Panasonic S3
D20 | S3 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Released | June 2013 | ![]() | January 2011 | Fresher by 30 months |
Manual focus | ![]() | Very accurate focus | ||
Display sizing | 3" | ![]() | 2.7" | Larger display (+0.3") |
Display resolution | 461k | ![]() | 230k | Sharper display (+231k dot) |
Reasons to pick Panasonic S3 over the Canon D20
S3 | D20 |
---|
Common features in the Canon D20 and Panasonic S3
D20 | S3 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Display type | Fixed | ![]() | Fixed | Fixed display |
Selfie screen | ![]() | Absent selfie screen | ||
Touch friendly display | ![]() | Neither provides Touch friendly display |
Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Physical Comparison
For anyone who is looking to carry your camera, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Canon D20 provides physical measurements of 112mm x 71mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.1") and a weight of 228 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic S3 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).
Contrast the Canon D20 versus Panasonic S3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are using at that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the D20 and the S3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the D20 and S3 is 91 and 96 respectively.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Sensor Comparison
Generally, its difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing merely by researching specs. The graphic below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the D20 and S3.
All in all, both of those cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic S3 to result in more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The newer D20 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Screen and ViewFinder


Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison

Street Comparison

Sports Comparison

Travel Comparison

Landscape Comparison

Vlogging Comparison

Canon D20 vs Panasonic S3 Specifications
Canon PowerShot D20 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Manufacturer | Canon | Panasonic |
Model type | Canon PowerShot D20 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 |
Class | Waterproof | Small Sensor Compact |
Revealed | 2013-06-18 | 2011-01-05 |
Body design | Compact | Compact |
Sensor Information | ||
Processor Chip | Digic 4 | Venus Engine IV |
Sensor type | CMOS | CCD |
Sensor size | 1/2.3" | 1/2.3" |
Sensor dimensions | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 6.08 x 4.56mm |
Sensor area | 28.1mm² | 27.7mm² |
Sensor resolution | 12MP | 14MP |
Anti alias filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 |
Highest Possible resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 4320 x 3240 |
Maximum native ISO | 3200 | 6400 |
Lowest native ISO | 100 | 100 |
RAW files | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Manual focusing | ||
Touch focus | ||
Continuous AF | ||
Single AF | ||
Tracking AF | ||
Selective AF | ||
Center weighted AF | ||
AF multi area | ||
AF live view | ||
Face detect focusing | ||
Contract detect focusing | ||
Phase detect focusing | ||
Total focus points | 9 | 11 |
Lens | ||
Lens mount type | fixed lens | fixed lens |
Lens zoom range | 28-140mm (5.0x) | 28-112mm (4.0x) |
Largest aperture | f/3.9-4.8 | f/3.1-5.6 |
Macro focusing distance | 1cm | 5cm |
Crop factor | 5.8 | 5.9 |
Screen | ||
Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
Display diagonal | 3" | 2.7" |
Display resolution | 461 thousand dot | 230 thousand dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch operation | ||
Display technology | PureColor II TFT LCD | TFT LCD |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder | None | None |
Features | ||
Minimum shutter speed | 15 seconds | 8 seconds |
Fastest shutter speed | 1/1600 seconds | 1/1600 seconds |
Continuous shutter speed | - | 2.0 frames per sec |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manual exposure | ||
Custom WB | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Inbuilt flash | ||
Flash distance | 3.50 m | 3.30 m |
Flash settings | Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction |
External flash | ||
AEB | ||
White balance bracketing | ||
Exposure | ||
Multisegment | ||
Average | ||
Spot | ||
Partial | ||
AF area | ||
Center weighted | ||
Video features | ||
Supported video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (24 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 240 (240 fps) | 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) |
Maximum video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1280x720 |
Video format | H.264 | MPEG-4 |
Mic jack | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | Eye-Fi Connected | None |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | BuiltIn | None |
Physical | ||
Environment seal | ||
Water proofing | ||
Dust proofing | ||
Shock proofing | ||
Crush proofing | ||
Freeze proofing | ||
Weight | 228g (0.50 lbs) | 117g (0.26 lbs) |
Dimensions | 112 x 71 x 28mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.1") | 99 x 59 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO Overall rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | not tested |
DXO Low light rating | not tested | not tested |
Other | ||
Battery life | - | 250 photos |
Battery form | - | Battery Pack |
Battery ID | NB-6L | - |
Self timer | Yes (2, 10, Custom) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
Time lapse recording | ||
Storage media | SD/SDHC/SDXC | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal |
Storage slots | One | One |
Cost at release | $299 | $110 |