Canon D10 vs Panasonic TS1 / FT1 – In Digital Photography Review's 'Waterproof' Camera Group Test (Q2 2009), Don Wan, the reviewer, sums up nicely the differences, strengths and weaknesses of the
Canon PowerShot D10 12.1 MP Waterproof Digital Camera in comparison with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 / DMC-FT1:
The D10 produced the sharpest, most detailed images of all the cameras in this group test at low ISO settings, both in and out of the water. This, combined with responsive performance and a straightforward user interface that has been proven on other cameras in the PowerShot series, means that if you were shopping for a waterproof camera mainly to use in the water, then you can stop reading right now and go order the D10.
When you get out of the water the Panasonic TS1 starts to make more sense with its more pocketable dimensions, wider zoom range, long battery life and much better video capabilities. Certainly if you need a camera to live with day-to-day then the TS1 seems a more sensible choice. Image quality at lower ISO settings edges in favor of the D10 in sharpness and detail but at ISO 1600 the TS1 produces the sharpest and most detailed images of all cameras in this group test.
Both the D10 and the TS1 have flaws. For the D10 it's the not very compact dimensions, the not very wide zoom lens that extends only from 35mm to 105mm and the VGA-only video recording functionality. For the TS1 it is the soft images at the telephoto end of the zoom range, the sometimes very frustrating-to-use design and ergonomics decisions, the limited underwater ability (3m / 10ft vs 10m / 33ft of the D10), and the rather poor flash performance.
The Imaging Resource looks at seven contenders (the Canon Powershot D10, Olympus Tough-8000, Olympus Tough-6000, Olympus 550WP, Fuji Z33WP, Pentax W60, Panasonic TS1 / FT1) and has the conclusion.
Waterproof Camera Comparison Review at Digital Camera HQ – Canon Powershot D10 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 / DMC-FT1 vs Olympus Tough 8000 vs Fujifilm Finepix Z33.
Summary:
Canon D10 – "Because of it's strange appearance and bulky body, it's not the kind of camera you'd probably use too often in everyday life. It's a vacation or beach camera, only."
Panasonic TS1 / FT1 – "… by far the best all-around waterproof camera. Its durability makes it great for trips to the beach and underwater photography, while its attractive design means you can use it without looking weird. The TS1 takes excellent photographs, as well, vivid and full of life and color."
Olympus 8000 – "… too much emphasis on durability and not enough on image quality."
Fuji Z33WP – "… a nice little waterproof camera that would be a great option if you want to get your young child a camera."
Most comprehensive user review of the Canon D10 – This post by "GodSpeaks" covers the pros and cons of the camera, experienced while on a trip to Samui.
The review covers image quality, ergonomics, and one point I'd not seen in other reviews yet:
One other issue is that the camera is negatively buoyant. Than means it will sink if you let go of it. It would have been preferable had Canon made the camera positively buoyant.
Canon D10 first impressions, and photos from a vacation in Mexico – Bobby Handal shared some fun D10 photos in that forum thread, and has some positive feedback for the camera:
The Canon D10 camera handles quite good, its shutter lag compared to others is shorter, still not short enough I would think for taking photos of fast fish.
Colors are great and options are ok. I would have liked a little more control over manual Shutter priority or Aperture priority, but with the variety of modes it has one can more or less control things.
An opinion on Canon D10 vs Canon G10 in terms of image quality – "tsubasa1", a Powershot G10 owner, says this of the D10:
I just got my D10 a few days ago and I love it. It is not only waterproof but also shockproof. As of IQ, I don't think pictures taken with D10 are notably inferior than those taken with my G10. Now I take D10 everywhere I go.
In Digital Photography Interface's Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 / DMC-FT1 review, Brad Soo writes:
As of now, the Panasonic Lumix TS1 costs about $50 more than the competing Canon D10 and Olympus Stylus Tough 8000, but it’s the most feature-packed among all the rugged cameras and in my opinion, that extra bit of money justifies the many advantages of the Lumix TS1 has over the competition.
In InfoSyncWorld's Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 / DMC-FT1 review, Mike Perlman writes:
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 was the only rugged compact to feature a decent overall interface and gave the best LCD performance with a sharp, crisp display.
However, when it came to the menu system, they "… still prefer Canon's menus over all other manufacturers, and the Canon PowerShot D10 rocks the x-axis/y-axis structure that makes shooting so much easier."