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Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1

Portability
91
Imaging
36
Features
37
Overall
36
Canon PowerShot D20 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1 front
Portability
95
Imaging
39
Features
34
Overall
37

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Key Specs

Canon D20
(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
  • Introduced June 2013
Panasonic SZ1
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 131g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
  • Released January 2012
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Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Overview

In this write-up, we are analyzing the Canon D20 and Panasonic SZ1, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Canon and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the D20 (12MP) and SZ1 (16MP) but they possess the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The D20 was announced 18 months after the SZ1 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a simple overview of how the D20 scores versus the SZ1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Photography Glossary

        

Reasons to pick Canon D20 over the Panasonic SZ1

 D20 SZ1 
ReleasedJune 2013January 2012More modern by 18 months
Manual focus More precise focus
Display resolution461k230kSharper display (+231k dot)

Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ1 over the Canon D20

 SZ1 D20 

Common features in the Canon D20 and Panasonic SZ1

 D20 SZ1 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display sizing3"3"Equivalent display dimensions
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch display Absent Touch display

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and measurements. The Canon D20 enjoys outer dimensions of 112mm x 71mm x 28mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.1") having a weight of 228 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Panasonic SZ1 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") and a weight of 131 grams (0.29 lbs).

Examine the Canon D20 and Panasonic SZ1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the D20 versus the SZ1.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the D20 and SZ1 is 91 and 95 respectively.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 top view buttons comparison

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, its hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The pic here will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the D20 and SZ1.

To sum up, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic SZ1 to resolve extra detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a little more aggressively. The fresher D20 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 sensor size comparison

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon D20 Portrait photography factors
Panasonic SZ1 Portrait photography factors
33
has manual focus
supports face detect focus
manual mode not available
can't use external flash
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
34
good resolution (16MP)
includes face detect focusing
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
no external flash support
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no RAW files
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Street Comparison

Canon D20 Street photography information
Panasonic SZ1 Street photography information
61
has image stabilization (Optical)
weather proofing
screen is fixed
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
63
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average (131g)
screen is fixed
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Canon D20 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic SZ1 as a Sports photography camera
34
has image stabilization (Optical)
weather proofing
no shutter priority
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
40
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
includes tracking focus
very slow continuous shooting (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Canon D20
Travel photography with Panasonic SZ1
60
weather proofing
built-in flash
reasonably wide (28mm)
no Timelapse recording
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.9)
70
lighter than average (131g)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
relatively wide (25mm)
great zoom (250mm)
does not have Timelapse function
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon D20 Landscape photography info
Panasonic SZ1 Landscape photography info
44
has manual focus
reasonably wide (28mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
weather proofing
cannot switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.9)
manual mode not available
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
no Timelapse recording
43
relatively wide (25mm)
good sized screen (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
good resolution (16 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
manual mode not available
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no RAW files
does not have Timelapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon D20 Vlogging information
Panasonic SZ1 Vlogging information
33
reasonably wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.9)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
no microphone socket
32
relatively wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect focusing
lighter than average (131g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
doesn't feature selfie friendly display
low video resolution (1280 x 720 resolution)
does not have microphone port
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Canon D20 vs Panasonic SZ1 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon D20 and Panasonic SZ1
 Canon PowerShot D20Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
General Information
Make Canon Panasonic
Model Canon PowerShot D20 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1
Category Waterproof Small Sensor Compact
Introduced 2013-06-18 2012-01-09
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip Digic 4 -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Max native ISO 3200 6400
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 9 23
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 28-140mm (5.0x) 25-250mm (10.0x)
Largest aperture f/3.9-4.8 f/3.1-5.9
Macro focus range 1cm 4cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Range of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inch 3 inch
Display resolution 461 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display tech PureColor II TFT LCD TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 15s 8s
Maximum shutter speed 1/1600s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting speed - 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 3.50 m 5.60 m
Flash options Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
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 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format H.264 MPEG-4
Microphone 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 proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 228g (0.50 lbs) 131g (0.29 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 All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 250 photos
Battery form - Battery Pack
Battery model NB-6L -
Self timer Yes (2, 10, Custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Pricing at launch $299 $179