Solid color accuracy
Low overall noise
Good sharpness
No optical zoom
Introduction
The Canon PowerShot SD970 IS is a capable 12.1-megapixel point and shoot with a 5x zoom. We found image quality was consistently very good, and movies shot at 720p were impressive.
| This review is organized into 16 pages | ||
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Page 1
Product Tour
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Page 2
Color
It gets high marks for accuracy, particularly skin tones, greens and oranges. Vivid color mode produced the most accurate hues. Read More... |
Page 3
Noise
Image noise was low overall, particularly at higher ISOs, but some cameras tested better at ISOs below 800. Read More... |
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Page 4
Resolution
Sharpness was good, and image stabilization produced a modest improvement, yet there was significant barrel distortion at wide angle. Read More... |
Page 5
Video
The camera shoots high-def 720p video with handsome color and decent sharpness, but there’s no optical zoom. Read More... |
Page 6
Sample Photos
A gallery of photos taken with the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS Read More... |
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Page 7
Playback
There’s in-camera category tagging, and many PictBridge options, though the Active Display tilt-to-browse isn’t very practical. Read More... |
Page 8
Hardware
It has a good LCD, 5x zoom and HDMI output, but there’s no viewfinder, a dim red-eye/AF assist lamp, and the lens isn’t very wide or fast. Read More... |
Page 9
Controls
A nice array of color enhancement settings, and fast, reliable autofocus, yet burst mode is slow and there’s no manual exposure options. Read More... |
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Page 10
Design & Handling
The menu system is effective, the manual is well-written, but it’s tough to avoid covering the mic with your index finger. Read More... |
Page 11
Casio EX-FC100 Comparison
 We compare the SD970 IS to the EX-FC100. Read More... |
Page 12
Fujifilm F200EXR Comparison
 We compare the SD970 IS to the F200EXR. Read More... |
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Page 13
Sony DSC-T900 Comparison
 We compare the SD970 IS to the DSC-T900. Read More... |
Page 14
Conclusion
Read our final conclusion of the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS. Read More... |
Page 15
Photo Gallery
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Part 16
Comments
Read what people are saying about the Canon PowerShot SD970 IS. Add your comments... |
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Shop for the Canon SD970 IS
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