Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-10 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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Olympus XZ-10

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-10 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SD970 IS and XZ-10, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Canon and Olympus. Both Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 cameras have 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors. Canon SD970 IS was introduced to market in February 2009 and Olympus XZ-10 was launched in January 2013. As you can see, SD970 IS is 4 years older than XZ-10. 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 Olympus XZ-10 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

Olympus XZ-10 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-30

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

26-130 mm F1.8-2.7 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

5 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

221g. 102 x 61 x 34 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SD970 IS over Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Weight	160 g vs 221 g	61 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	185mm vs 130mm	55 mm longer tele reach

Reasons to choose Olympus Stylus XZ-10 over Canon PowerShot SD970 IS

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	35 vs 9	26 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	920k dots vs 461k dots	99% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	5.0fps vs 1.0fps	4 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	26mm vs 37mm	11 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 3.20	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.70 vs 5.70	faster lens at tele
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

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SD970 IS and Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Sensor-shift	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 Olympus Stylus XZ-10

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-10: 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 Olympus XZ-10 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). Olympus XZ-10 has external dimensions of 102 x 61 x 34 mm (4.03 x 2.41 x 1.35″) and weighs 221 g (0.49 lb / 7.80 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10. Canon SD970 IS is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 8mm thinner than Olympus XZ-10.

Comparison image of Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 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 (61g ) than the Olympus XZ-10 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SD970 IS / Digital IXUS 990 IS nor Olympus Stylus XZ-10 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 Olympus XZ-10'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 Olympus XZ-10: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the SD970 IS and XZ-10 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 Cameras

Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-10 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SD970 IS features a 37-185 mm F3.2-5.7 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus XZ-10 features a 26-130 mm F1.8-2.7 5× zoom lens.

Olympus XZ-10 has 11mm 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 55mm longer reach than the Olympus XZ-10. However, with a max aperture of f2.70, Olympus XZ-10 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SD970 IS

XZ-10

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-10 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

Olympus XZ-10 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus XZ-10 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
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-10 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 Focus Points
Fast Lens at Tele: f2.70
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
130 mm Tele Lens
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus XZ-10 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
221g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-10 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
26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-10: 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 Olympus XZ-10, 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 Olympus XZ-10 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

Olympus XZ-10

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #30 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #403 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-10 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, Olympus XZ-10 is the better camera overall.

Olympus XZ-10 vs Canon SD970 IS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SD970 IS	Olympus Stylus XZ-10
Brand	Canon	Olympus
Announced	2009-02-18	2013-01-30
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	100 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	35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	37-185 mm (5×)	26-130 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.2-5.7	F1.8-2.7
Macro Focus Range	2cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	461k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/1600s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.50 m	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	5.0 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	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	160g	221g
Dimensions	96 x 57 x 26mm	102 x 61 x 34mm
Battery Life	n/a	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction