Canon SD940 IS Review

Name: Canon PowerShot SD940 IS
Brand: Canon

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Main Features

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

28-112 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.70" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

and HD at 30fps Video Recording

120g. 89 x 55 x 20 mm

Also known as Digital IXUS 120 IS

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Canon SD940 IS Overview

Launched in August 2009 , Canon PowerShot SD940 IS is a 12.0MP Ultracompact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 4.0x zoom 28-112 mm F2.8-5.9 lens. SD940 IS is also sold as Digital IXUS 120 IS in some countries.

Canon SD940 IS Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon SD940 IS is a member of Canon's Ultracompact class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Canon Ultracompact Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	2.5 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	147g
Canon ELPH 190 IS Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	0.8 fps	95 x 57 x 24mm	138g
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3"	0.8 fps	95 x 54 x 22mm	126g
Canon ELPH 350 HS Compare	2015	20.0MP - 1/2.3"	2.5 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	147g
Canon 170 IS Compare	2015	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	0.8 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	141g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Canon 360 HS vs 190 IS vs ELPH 180 vs 350 HS vs 170 IS

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Canon SD940 IS PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon SD940 IS review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Image Stabilization

120g Light Body

Fast 2.80 Lens at Wide

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CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600

Only 9 Focus Points

Small LCD Screen ( 2.70")

Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )

1/1500s Low Max Shutter Speed

Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps

No Manual Focusing

No Manual Exposure

No Environmental Sealing

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90

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Canon SD940 IS Physical Specs

Canon SD940 IS weighs 120 g (0.26 lb / 4.23 oz) and has external dimensions of 89 x 55 x 20 mm (3.5 x 2.17 x 0.79″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Canon SD940 IS is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 20mm, it is also quite small, 8mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon SD940 IS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon SD940 IS

Min

Average

Max

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon SD940 IS, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Canon SD940 IS Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Canon SD940 IS with its main competitors:

Canon SD940 IS Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs SD940 IS	Thickness	vs SD940 IS
Canon SD1400 IS Compare	133g	13g heavier	18mm	2mm thinner
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	126g	6g heavier	22mm	2mm thicker
Canon ELPH 350 HS Compare	147g	27g heavier	23mm	3mm thicker
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	147g	27g heavier	23mm	3mm thicker
Canon SL3 Compare	449g	329g heavier	70mm	50mm thicker
Sony WX220 Compare	121g	1g heavier	22mm	2mm thicker
Nikon S9100 Compare	214g	94g heavier	35mm	15mm thicker
Sony H50 Compare	547g	427g heavier	86mm	66mm thicker

Weather Sealing

Canon SD940 IS doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon SD940 IS Lens

Canon SD940 IS features a 28-112 mm F2.8-5.9 4× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm, and 112mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is also well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SD940 IS

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SD940 IS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f2.80, this lens is fast on wide end, but max aperture of f5.90 at tele end makes is really slow at longer focal lengths.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SD940 IS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SD940 IS

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

SD940 IS is equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.

Canon SD940 IS Sensor and Photography Features

Canon SD940 IS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4000 x 3000 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. SD940 IS has a native ISO range of 80 - 1600 but unfortunately, Canon SD940 IS doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Canon PowerShot S100 in the same price range.

Canon SD940 IS is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. GoPro Hero11 Black with its 27.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon SD940 IS vs GoPro Hero11 Black or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon SD940 IS's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Canon SD940 IS Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Canon SD940 IS LCD

Canon SD940 IS has a Fixed Type 2.70-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.70", the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

Unfortunately Canon PowerShot SD940 IS doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

SD940 IS doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Canon SD940 IS Connectivity, Storage and Battery

You can connect SD940 IS to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Canon SD940 IS Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Canon SD1400 IS Compare	1280 x 720	shots	No	No	No
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	1280 x 720	220shots	No	No	No
Canon ELPH 350 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	250shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	180shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon SL3 Compare	3840 x 2160	1070shots	Yes	Yes	No
Sony WX220 Compare	1920 x 1080	210shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon S9100 Compare	1920 x 1080	270shots	No	No	No
Sony H50 Compare	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No

Canon SD940 IS Video Features

With Canon SD940 IS, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30 fps and save in and H.264 formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS has a built-in Mono microphone and a None speaker. On the other hand, Canon SD940 IS doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Samsung PL120 in a similar price range.

Canon SD940 IS Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon SD940 IS can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1500 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately SD940 IS doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Canon SD940 IS features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from.

What type of Photography is Canon SD940 IS Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon SD940 IS in 5 different photography areas.

Canon SD940 IS for Portrait Photography

Canon SD940 IS has a score of 17 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSD940 IS.

Image Stabilization

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Canon SD940 IS for Portrait Photography

Canon SD940 IS for Street Photography

Canon SD940 IS has a score of 48 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.

Live-view
Image Stabilization
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small Body

Read the details of how we scored Canon SD940 IS for Street Photography

Canon SD940 IS for Sports Photography

Canon SD940 IS has a score of 15 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSD940 IS.

Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Canon SD940 IS for Sports Photography

Canon SD940 IS for Daily Photography

Canon SD940 IS has a score of 54 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body
120g

Body Thickness 20mm
4.0X Optical Zoom

Read the details of how we scored Canon SD940 IS for Daily Photography

Canon SD940 IS for Landscape Photography

Canon SD940 IS has a score of 15 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theSD940 IS.

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage

Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Canon SD940 IS for Landscape Photography

Canon SD940 IS Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon SD940 IS compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon SD940 IS alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon SD940 IS

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon SD940 IS amongst Camera Decision readers.

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Canon SD940 IS Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon SD940 IS with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Canon SD940 IS's price range.

Canon SD940 IS Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Canon SD940 IS has an Overall Score of 30/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Canon PowerShot SD940 IS is ranked #444 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #1062 out of 1259 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#1062 out of 1259 in Top Ranking Cameras
#444 out of 631 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
#73 out of 152 in Top Ranking Ultracompact Cameras
#551 out of 740 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
#52 out of 536 in Lightest Compact Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(120g)
#737 out of 918 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
Geek Score: 0

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Frequently Asked Questions about Canon SD940 IS

Does the Canon SD940 IS have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon SD940 IS have RAW support?
Does the Canon SD940 IS have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon SD940 IS have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon SD940 IS?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon SD940 IS?
is the Canon SD940 IS a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon SD940 IS have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon SD940 IS have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon SD940 IS?
What is the Weight of Canon SD940 IS?
What are the Dimensions of Canon SD940 IS?

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon PowerShot SD940 IS
Also known as	Digital IXUS 120 IS
Announced	2009-08-19
Body Type	Ultracompact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-112 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2.70"
Screen Resolution	230k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	15s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/1500s
Max Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	4.00 m
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	1/2.3-inch
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	12 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4000 x 3000
Max Native ISO	1,600
Min Native ISO	80
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
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720
Video Formats	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	120g
Physical Dimensions	89 x 55 x 20mm
Battery Model	NB-4L
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2, 10, Custom, Face)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus
Storage Slots	1