Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The Canon PowerShot D20's metering system met our expectations for a camera in this pricing bracket. Photographers have three options in Program: Evaluative, Centre-Weight and Spot, all of which provided promising results.
Using Auto mode we found the camera has a slight tendency to meter for the highlights, generating a slightly underexposed image, but nothing that drastically alters the overall quality of the shots. We found Auto white balance wanting - rarely did it factor in changes in light. So for a higher quality of results, we advise you use Program, since this allows you to set the camera so it is better able able to reproduce colours accurately.
Our sensitivity tests returned images that are altogether rather pleasing, with ISO 100 through to 200 showing little signs of noise or quality degradation. At ISO 400 during close up inspections noise starts to appear, while the camera's processor makes valiant attempts to smooth the telltale whisperings of noise away.
At ISO 800, noise really begins to emerge, but it isn't until ISO 1600 that grain becomes visible. When we reach ISO 3200, images are often overexposed, with inaccurate colour and loss of detail. In comparison with many of its peers, the Canon PowerShot D20 actually performs rather well in sensitivity tests, and even using the extreme ISO setting provided above average results.
