Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD
- 3.0-inch wide touch-panel PureColor System LCD; updated Active Display for quickly switching between images with a shake of the camera
- Capture 720p HD movies; HDMI output connector for easy playback on your HDTV
- 5x optical zoom with ultra-wide 24mm lens, plus Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer; 12 megapixels for amazing resolution and editing
- Improved Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 22 predefined shooting situations
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Product Description
Canon’s iconic ELPH has always been a show-off, with the looks and smarts that make you want to carry it out in the open for everyone to see. The PowerShot SD980 IS takes the concept even further with Canon’s first-ever touch panel interface. The camera that invented sleek and slim is equipped with a huge 3-inch PureColor System LCD screen that responds to your touch, delivering operation that’s as natural and intuitive as cutting-edge technology should be.Just touch your finger to the huge 3.0-inch PureColor System LCD panel and the PowerShot SD980 IS responds – creating a fun, natural interface that’s just the way you want to interact with technology now. When shooting, you can choose an AF point, select a shooting mode, operate the flash, set exposure compensation and more. Playback functions are also performed at your touch: switch between images, scroll display, magnify a portion of an image and control movie playback…. More >>
Canon PowerShot SD980IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Ultra Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD
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5 comments
Mary Mcgrew Stanford on December 1, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Actually I bought this camera for my son, for his birthday and he LOVES it.
He takes it everywhere, it’s so handy and easy to take along…it fits in your pocket.
The pictures are great, (probably because most are of my Granddaughter) and the
video is awesome. Would I buy one for me? Yes
SLO Amy on December 2, 2009 at 12:50 am
I was all set to order this camera to replace my SD870 which I loved. My old camera was stolen or else I would still have it. I had 3 big needs for a camera: 1. Wide angle capability 2. Good picture quality and 3. A 3″ screen, so I could see if someone eyes were closed. This camera seemed to have it all until I actually saw one in person. The screen is not 3″ when using it as a camera, it is barely a 2.5″ screen. It is a wide angle screen, but you only use the full screen when in movie mode. The rest of the time, you lose 1/2 on each side for the “touch screen”. I was very disappointed and decided not to buy this camera.
Lee Sheftel on December 2, 2009 at 1:44 am
This camera is the epitome of the awesome attributes of modern technology. It is no less than miraculous that they can have such a quality product with so many features in such a small camera. This camera will fit into any size pocket you would want it to. It is easy to use, produces high quality pics that can be enlarged. so far can’t find anything we don’t like about it.
BB on December 2, 2009 at 2:16 am
Good optics, Wide angle great for interiors and landscapes, excellent features, the menus and on screen viewing make for easy access and encourage the use of the options, high quality color rich photos. The only down side I have found is the off/on button is sometimes difficult to operate.
2MuchCoffee (AA) on December 2, 2009 at 5:03 am
I really want to like this camera but I think this may have to go back. Indoor pictures are relatively grainy (ISO is 500+ on most even with the flash) and outdoor pictures look washed out. I compared the pictures to a 870 IS and the 870 came out ahead 5 out of 6 times (Not a scientific test, but both were with similar setings and mounted on a tripod and shot with a 2 second time delay to eliminate hand shake, ISO 200 on both cameras).
Granted, as I’ve only used a Canon 30D DSLR with pretty decent lenses for the last few years, but I didn’t think that the pictures from my 7-year old 4MP Konica KD400Z were awful. (A lot of the ones from this camera are just awful)
The HD video is pretty good and even the 640×480 movies look decent on a 47 inch tv – so high marks for that.
The touchscreen is pretty useful but it would have been nice to be able to assign any camera function to the 4 allowed ‘gestures’. It is great for touch-focussing on ‘this-one’ and it holds the focus point pretty well as you pan the camera. All in all, I like the touchscreen.
The ‘click wheel’ is very well implemented (much better than my Canon HG10 HD vid cam) and is nice and responsive. I have a gripe about the tiny triangular on/off button as it is not responsive on the narrow side, but that is a minor inconvenience.
I’ll play with this a bit more (Reset to factory settings; turn off some of the ‘Smart’ functions etc) and see if I can get the picture quality to improve. Othewise I’ll be looking closely at the S90 – even though that doesn’t have HD video capture (whose bright idea was that? The S90 product manager should be taken out and flogged for descoping HD video).
Update: 9/18
After about 200 pictures (mundane items like backyard, traffic, animals at the zoo etc.) over the last couple of weeks, I’ve figured out some combinations that allow for a decent image. For those who have this camera, a possible starting point would be: Fixed ISO 80, White balance – Cloudy (check out the Custom White Balance – can get you really freaky colors), Custom Colors with sharpness dialed all the way down and custom exposure between -2/3 and +2/3 depending on lighting conditions.
If the above is gibberish to you, DO NOT buy this camera. The Auto mode is really bad in anything but near perfect conditions.
The main reason for me to get a point and Shoot camera was not to fiddle with all these settings, so I’m not still holding the rating to 3 stars. There’s something very wrong if it takes longer to get a half decent picture out of this P&S than out of a DSLR.
… and irrespective of what others say this camera does NOT ALLOW you to ZOOM WHILE TAKING VIDEOS. I just tested it 30 seconds ago.