Overview
The Canon IXUS 980 IS is a stylish, 14.7 megapixel digital camera. It has a 3.7x optical zoom lens. It is one of the few digital cameras to have a viewfinder.
Why Buy The Canon IXUS 980 IS
This camera will be attractive to people who are happy to pay more for better quality. There is a premium in the price for the way the camera looks and for a few extra controls when compared to more standard point and shoot cameras. Most importantly picture quality is well above average too.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
14.7
3.7x
2.5 inches
96.7 x 62.2 x 27.9mm
160g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
5cm
No
No
Lithium ion
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Looking at the brick work on the building in the centre of the shot reminds me why I like Canon digital cameras as much as I do. The clarity of the shot is very good indeed. The glare from the sun has caused some of the blue lines on the boats to take on a purple tinge. This is a common problem at this time of year, but there are cameras that can cope with the problem a little better than the IXUS 980 IS did.
This photo is sharper than I am used to seeing. Despite the fact that this is my toughest test for sharpness even the most distant parts of the photo show good levels of definition.
As with the first two shots this is a sharper photo than I am used to seeing. The amount of detail showing is good right across the picture, even in some of the darker areas. When I take into account that this lens is shorter than many others I test the level of detail it is able to pick out is impressive.
Taking all four of my outdoor distance tests into consideration the IXUS 980 IS is very close to 10 out of 10 for sharpness. This camera and others in the same range cope with buildings and brickwork particularly well, so if you see yourself taking lots of photos of buildings this camera could be the one for you.
Portraits
I really like the lighting of this picture. It helps to give the shot a natural look. The colours are about right too.
The IXUS 980 IS scores over a lot of cameras through is its ability to dampen down flash levels to suit the conditions. This means there is very little light reflecting back off the face. This helps to increase the levels of detail in the shot. It also means that the colours are well balanced and not bleached out.
Even though the light was good when this photo was taken the camera still has a problem locking focus and producing a sharp shot. This goes to show you will need a lot of light to take photos without flash being required.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The macro shot is another to show a high level of definition. You should be able to take good quality close up shots of just about any subject with this camera.
The colours work well for me. As I have mentioned above the portrait photos have a natural look to them and I prefer the colours in those tests than most cameras manage. Outdoors the scenic shots have plenty of punch with strong, vivid colours.
My higher ISO shots are inline with expectations. There is not much to report here. Noise creeps in to darker areas quickly and is also starting to show in lighter areas at ISO 400.
Summary
I am very happy with the quality of the photos I have taken. When it comes to picture quality this is one of the best smaller compacts on the market.
Style
The IXUS 980 IS scores well when it comes to style. This camera is available in silver and black. It has a few more curves than most compact cameras.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.37 seconds
10.03 seconds
2.25 seconds
18.92 seconds
2.66 seconds
Ease of Use
I have never found Canon digital cameras quite as intuitive as some brands. Part of the reason for this is that they have a few extra options. It is not always easy to track down some of the options, such as how to set the time delay for the self timer.
Points I Like
Design - picture quality
Where it Could Improve
Slow when flash is turned on
Verdict
Obviously I like the picture quality and this is the most important factor for me when choosing a camera. The big question is whether or not you are prepared to pay the premium price. If money is not so important and top quality is all that counts this is likely to be a good choice. If on the other hand you are not looking for the absolute best for your snapshots then there are cheaper options around that you are likely to be just as happy with.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FS30 Rating 85/100
I really like this camera. It offers some extra zoom and takes excellent snaps. I found it easy to use and struggled to find anything I did not like about it. If you are looking for a smaller compact camera with some extra zoom then this one is a good choice.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS30 Review
Pentax Optio i-10 Rating 79/100
The Optio i-10 looks radically different to other digital cameras. It has a design based on vintage SLRs. In my tests I found more distant shots lacked sharpness. Aside from the design the features included in this camera are fairly standard.
Read Review: Pentax Optio i-10 Review
Related Pages
Canon IXUS 980 IS Review Canon IXUS 980 IS Specification Canon IXUS 980 IS Sample Images Canon IXUS 980 IS Features
Review Date
November 2008
