nullspace posted up a brief comparison of his new Canon Powershot SD970 IS / IXUS 990 IS vs the older Canon Powershot SD990 IS / IXUS 980 IS camera.The main reason for purchasing the Canon SD970IS / IXUS 990IS was for its HD (high-definition), 720p footage / movie / video capture capability.
A summary of points raised:
- Changing menu options was easier on the SD990.
- The SD990 does better at setting the correct exposure for indoor shots, while the SD970 tends to overexpose the photos.
- The SD990 has a larger lens aperture (meaning, it has a faster lens), so you get to use a lower ISO value or faster shutter speed.
- The SD990 allows for easier access to manual controls, thus letting you change exposure parameters much more easily.
- It’s easier to get sharper and cleaner shots from the SD990.
- Movie quality from the SD970 is good, although the recorded audio is a bit soft.
- The extra 0.5 inch on the SD970’s rear LCD monitor is nice, although nullsoft noticed a lot more noise on the screen.
In conclusion, nullsoft is not impressed with the SD970, and might be considering alternative HD-capable cameras with better image such as the Canon Powershot SX200 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 / DMC-TZ7.