Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15 Comparison

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Canon SD970 IS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Canon G15

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SD970 IS and G15, two Small Sensor Compact cameras by Canon. Both cameras have 12.0MP sensors but Canon SD970 IS's sensor is 1/2.3-inch sized whereas Canon G15 has a 1/1.7-inch sensor. Canon SD970 IS was introduced to market in February 2009 and Canon G15 was launched in September 2012. As you can see, SD970 IS is 3 years older than G15. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SD970 IS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-02-18

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

37-185 mm F3.2-5.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

160g. 96 x 57 x 26 mm

Also known as Digital IXUS 990 IS

Canon G15 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-09-17

12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (tunnel) viewfinder

2 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

352g. 107 x 76 x 40 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot G12 Compare

Canon G15 was replaced by Canon PowerShot G16. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot G16 vs Canon PowerShot G15
Canon PowerShot G16 vs Canon PowerShot SD970 IS / Digital IXUS 990 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SD970 IS over Canon PowerShot G15

Weight	160 g vs 352 g	192 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	185mm vs 140mm	45 mm longer tele reach

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G15 over Canon PowerShot SD970 IS

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Optical vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	12.800 vs 1.600	700% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 461k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	1 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	28mm vs 37mm	9 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 5.70	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	7.0m vs 3.5m	3.5m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	3.46µm² vs 2.34µm²	47% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SD970 IS and Canon PowerShot G15

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SD970 IS and Canon PowerShot G15

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Continuous Shooting	1.0fps vs 2.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SD970 IS has external dimensions of 96 x 57 x 26 mm (3.78 x 2.24 x 1.02″) and weighs 160 g (0.35 lb / 5.64 oz) (including batteries). Canon G15 has external dimensions of 107 x 76 x 40 mm (4.21 x 2.99 x 1.57″) and weighs 352 g (0.78 lb / 12.42 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15. Canon SD970 IS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 19mm shorter and 14mm thinner than Canon G15.

Comparison image of Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon SD970 IS is significantly lighter (192g ) than the Canon G15 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SD970 IS / Digital IXUS 990 IS nor Canon PowerShot G15 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Canon SD970 IS's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Canon G15's sensor is 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ).

Since Canon G15's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Canon SD970 IS.

Below you can see the SD970 IS and G15 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 Cameras

As seen above, Canon G15 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Canon SD970 IS. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SD970 IS features a 37-185 mm F3.2-5.7 5× zoom lens whereas Canon G15 features a 28-140 mm F1.8-2.8 5× zoom lens.

Canon G15 has 9mm wider coverage than the Canon SD970 IS. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Canon SD970 IS has 45mm longer reach than the Canon G15. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Canon G15 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

G15

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon SD970 IS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon G15 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G15 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
37 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon G15 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
185 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.80
140 mm Tele Lens
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G15 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
160g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
352g
Body Thickness 40mm
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon G15 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
37 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS vs Canon G15: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon SD970 IS and Canon G15 scores compare:

Canon SD970 IS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #288 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #917 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Canon G15

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #23 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #385 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Canon G15 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SD970 IS in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon SD970 IS. Otherwise, Canon G15 is the better camera overall.

Canon G15 vs Canon SD970 IS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SD970 IS	Canon PowerShot G15
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2009-02-18	2012-09-17
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	28.07mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	12,800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	37-185 mm (5×)	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-5.7	F1.8-2.8
Macro Focus Range	2cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	461k dots	922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Optical (tunnel)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1600s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.50 m	7.00 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/2000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	352g
Dimensions	96 x 57 x 26mm	107 x 76 x 40mm
Battery Life	n/a	350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	46
DxO Color Depth	not tested	19.9
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.5
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	165
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