Reasons to choose PowerShot S10
Released in 1999, PowerShot S10 has about 31 mm² of sensor area, 1.9 MP effective resolution, and a 270 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon PowerShot S10
vs Canon PowerShot S20
VS
Sensor area
31 mm²
PowerShot S1038 mm²
PowerShot S20- Area ratio
- 1.23:1
- Absolute difference
- 7 mm²
- Relative difference
- 23.4%
The PowerShot S20 has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 1 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
PowerShot S10MetricPowerShot S20
1.9 MPEffective pixels3.1 MP
6.4 × 4.8Sensor7.11 × 5.33
4.02 µmPixel pitch3.5 µm
16.17 µm²Pixel area12.22 µm²
6.18 MP/cm²Pixel density8.18 MP/cm²
5.41Crop factor4.87
—Maximum video—
270 gWeight320 g
CompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, MicrodriveStorageCompactFlash type I, CompactFlash type II, Microdrive
Canon NiMHBatteryCanon NiMH
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The PowerShot S20 has the larger sensor area. The PowerShot S10 has the lighter body. The PowerShot S20 has the higher effective resolution. The PowerShot S20 is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose PowerShot S20
Released in 2000, PowerShot S20 has about 38 mm² of sensor area, 3.1 MP effective resolution, and a 320 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.