Canon G11 vs Sony S980: A Hands-On Comparison of Two 2009 Compact Cameras for Modern Photographers

In my years behind the camera, testing a wide swath of digital compacts, I have found that the small sensor camera segment is often overlooked - yet these cameras release photographers from hauling heavy gear while still delivering satisfying quality for many genres. Today, I bring you an in-depth, firsthand comparison between two vintage 2009 compacts that still attract interest for their balance of portability and capability: the Canon PowerShot G11 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980.

Each embodies distinct philosophies from their manufacturers and offers very different experiences, despite occupying roughly the same price and size brackets when new. Over many months, I’ve field tested both in typical shooting scenarios, spanning portraiture, landscapes, wildlife, sports, street, macro, night, video, travel, and professional use. Alongside technical measurement and real-world output analysis, I’ll share where each shines or falls short, empowering you to decide which meets your photographic vision.

Let’s dive in.

What You Hold in Your Hands: Size and Ergonomics Matter

The first tactile impression matters immensely when choosing a camera you want to carry on every trip or daily outing. I weighed and measured both meticulously during my testing to evaluate comfort, grip security, and interface accessibility.

The Canon G11 is notably larger and thicker (112 x 76 x 48 mm) and weighs 375g, emphasizing a robust build with a deep grip that gives my fingers plenty of purchase. This camera feels like a serious photographic tool in hand, evoking confidence, even for prolonged shoots. The fully articulated 2.8-inch screen adds some bulk but opens creative framing possibilities.

By contrast, the Sony S980 is lighter (167g) and surprisingly pocketable at 93 x 56 x 24 mm. Its flatter profile and minimalistic design exude discreetness, ideal for street and travel shooters who prize unobtrusiveness. However, the smaller body sacrifices gripping comfort slightly, particularly for larger hands or when shooting lengthy bursts.

This ergonomic trade-off crops up again in control layout.

The Canon’s top plate features dedicated dials and buttons, including a command dial and mode dial that respond crisply to adjustment, ideal for photographers who prefer manual tweaking. The Sony opens with just a handful of buttons and a simple mode wheel, reflecting a design philosophy favoring novice use rather than quick manual control.

Key Takeaway

If you prefer tactile, manual control and don’t mind a larger, heavier camera, Canon’s build will serve you for nuanced work. For casual outings or stealthier shooting, the Sony’s compactness wins.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

A camera’s sensor, coupled with its processing engine, is often the primary determinant of image quality. Both the Canon G11 and Sony S980 employ CCD sensors but differ significantly in size and performance.

The Canon G11 boasts a 1/1.7-inch sensor measuring 7.44 x 5.58 mm, offering an area of 41.52 mm². With 10 megapixels, it balances resolution with pixel size to optimize noise performance and dynamic range. Importantly, the G11 supports Raw capture, providing photographers full creative latitude in post-processing, a boon for professionals and enthusiasts.

The Sony S980, meanwhile, uses a smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor at 6.17 x 4.55 mm (28.07 mm²), with a higher 12-megapixel resolution - pushing pixels into a tighter space. This design tends to trade noise performance and highlight retention for higher megapixels, coupled with JPEG-only output, limiting flexibility.

Looking at DxOMark scores (not available for Sony but evident in testing), the G11’s color depth of 20.4 EV and dynamic range of 11.1 EV outclass what typical 1/2.3" CCDs offer. Low-light performance also tips heavily toward the Canon, with an ISO sensitivity usable to 3200 compared to the Sony’s less robust noise control.

In practical terms, when shooting portraits or landscapes, I observed cleaner shadows, better highlight recovery, and more faithful color rendition from the Canon, especially in mixed lighting. The Canon’s anti-aliasing filter also helps reduce moiré in detailed textures.

Image Quality Score Snapshot

The graph underscores a clear edge for the Canon in overall quality metrics.

Screen and Viewfinder: Composing Your Shot

I use LCD screens and viewfinders constantly in my workflow, and both have critical roles. The G11 offers a fully articulated 2.8-inch LCD with 461k-dot resolution, granting flexible composition from odd angles - hugely helpful in macro or low-angle shots. The screen shows good brightness and color fidelity, making outdoor framing reliable, though not as bright as modern displays.

The Sony’s fixed 2.7-inch LCD with 230k-dot resolution is more conventional, lagging behind in resolution and articulation. No viewfinder is present on the Sony, while the Canon uses an optical tunnel viewfinder, a basic but useful addition especially in bright outdoor conditions.

From my shooting sessions, I found the G11’s articulated screen critical for composing unconventional shots, while the Sony’s screen sometimes became challenging in direct sunlight due to reflections. Lack of a viewfinder on the S980 limited accuracy in bright light and precision framing.

Autofocus and Focus Precision: Speed and Accuracy Tested

Focusing technology is vital across genres. The Canon G11 incorporates nine contrast-detection autofocus points with face-detection capabilities - a rarity back in 2009. It supports single, continuous, and multi-area autofocus modes, lending flexibility.

The Sony S980 also has nine contrast-detection AF points but lacks face detection altogether and only offers single AF with multi-area options.

From my wildlife and sports trials, the G11’s autofocus demonstrated noticeably faster and more reliable acquisition especially in face detection and tracking subjects in live view mode. The Sony, while competent in static scenes, struggled with moving subjects and low contrast scenarios.

Lens and Zoom Range: Versatility for Every Shot

Lens specifications hint at general use case and creative freedom:

• Canon G11: 28-140 mm equivalent, f/2.8-4.5 with 5x optical zoom
• Sony S980: 33-132 mm equivalent, f/3.3-5.2 with 4x optical zoom

The Canon’s wider field at the short end also offers better low-light aperture, helping creativity and usability in indoor or night scenarios. The Sony’s smaller zoom range and narrower aperture mean you’ll need more light or higher ISOs to capture a similar shot quality.

Burst Rates and Shutter Speeds: For Action or Quiet Moments

Neither camera is designed primarily for high-speed shooting, but I tested their responsiveness over bursts and exposure ranges.

• Canon’s maximum shutter speed tops out at 1/4000 sec, useful for bright daylight or freezing fast motion, although its continuous shooting speed is a modest 1 fps - slow for serious sports but fine for everyday capture.

• Sony caps shutter speed at 1/1600 sec with no continuous burst mode.

Practically, the Canon offers superior shutter flexibility, especially important for manual exposure photographers juggling aperture and shutter combos. Burst shooting on both is limited, but the Canon’s manual exposure modes give it the edge in creative control.

Flash, Stabilization, and Exposure: Handling Tricky Light

The Canon G11 impresses with optical image stabilization to reduce handshake blur - a clear benefit handheld, especially at longer focal lengths or lower shutter speeds. The Sony S980 lacks any image stabilization system.

Flash range is also more generous on the Canon, reaching up to 7 meters compared to Sony’s 3.5 meters, and Canon provides more flash modes (including second-curtain sync) and compatibility with external flashes. These enable better control in complex lighting.

Exposure compensation and manual exposure modes exist on the Canon but are absent in the Sony, which only offers automatic exposure. The difference dramatically affects how you can manipulate lighting outcomes.

Video Capabilities: Modest But Useful

Both cameras offer video capture, albeit limited by today’s standards:

• Canon G11: 640x480 resolution at 30 fps using H.264 codec
• Sony S980: HD 1280x720 at 30 fps but Motion JPEG format, leading to larger files and less efficient compression

While the Sony provides higher resolution video, the Canon’s superior codec quality is notable. Neither camera includes microphone or headphone ports, limiting professional video capture. Stabilization during video is available only on the Canon.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Battery details for both are sparse in specs, but my real-world sessions showed:

• Canon G11 uses a rechargeable NB-7L lithium-ion battery powering substantial shooting sessions (several hundred shots per charge with moderate LCD use).

• Sony S980 uses proprietary smaller batteries, with lower overall stamina owing to lesser capacity.

Storage-wise, Canon supports widespread SD/SDHC/SDXC and MMC cards, while Sony relies on the older Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo format plus internal storage, which offers less versatility and higher card costs today.

Neither camera offers wireless connectivity, NFC, or Bluetooth, reflecting their era.

Durability and Weather Sealing: Riding the Elements

Neither unit offers environmental sealing or rugged protection - no dustproofing, waterproofing, shockproofing, or freezeproofing. This limitation confines them mostly to fair weather shooting or tempered environments, a common trait in compact cameras over a decade old.

Practical Performance Across Photography Genres

Moving into the heart of my experiential review, I tested these cameras across categories that matter to many photographers.

Portrait Photography

Canon’s face-detection AF combined with wider aperture and Raw support means more accurate skin tone rendering and flattering bokeh. The articulated screen aids in engaging eye-level angles or candid looks. Sony’s narrower aperture and no face detection produce less separation, and JPEG trunks limits retouching.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range shines with Canon’s sensor, allowing better highlight retention in bright skies. The G11’s 10 MP sensor yields adequate resolution for prints, while Sony’s 12 MP output is higher but noisier. Weather sealing absence in both is a downside for outland shooting.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Low burst speeds and contrast AF limit both for fast action. Canon’s slight edge in subject tracking and shutter speed helps scrape by in slower wildlife movement.

Street Photography

Sony’s smaller, lighter body feels like a natural fit for urban stealth shooting but sacrifices creative control and image quality. Canon’s bulk and noise in operation are drawbacks, though discovered benefits in manual control and articulation may appeal to pros.

Macro and Close-up Photography

Canon outperforms with a 1 cm macro focus distance and stabilization; Sony only goes to 10 cm minimum. Articulated screen also facilitates difficult angle framing.

Night and Astrophotography

Canon’s higher ISO usability and manual controls make it a better albeit modest astro choice. Sony’s limited noise suppression struggles in darkness.

Video Shooting

Sony offers HD but poorer compression; Canon provides stable codec and optical stabilization for smoother clips.

Travel Photography

Sony’s compactness and lighter weight win for minimalist travel, while Canon demands more space but delivers image quality and control for serious travelers.

Professional Work

Canon’s Raw support, manual controls, and familiar ergonomics adapt better to professional workflows needing post-processing and tethering. Sony is primarily consumer-grade.

Sample Images Comparison

Canon G11 front Canon G11 screen back Sony S980 front Sony S980 screen back

Examining direct output under similar conditions highlights the Canon’s superior dynamic range, richer colors, and cleaner low-light shots. Sony offers good daylight sharpness but falls short in shadows and highlight preservation.

Summing Up With Genre-Specific Scores

Here’s a detailed breakdown of genre performance ratings based on my combined testing and benchmarks:

Canon’s strengths span portrait, macro, night, and professional categories; Sony's shooting excels minimally in discreet travel and casual snapshots.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose the Canon PowerShot G11 if:

• You prioritize image quality and control over portability.
• You seek manual exposure modes and Raw shooting.
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, or macro seriously.
• You appreciate articulated screens and optical stabilization.
• Your budget allows a modest premium for versatile performance.

Choose the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 if:

• You want a lightweight, pocketable camera for casual shooting.
• You value a straightforward, no-fuss interface.
• Travel and street shooting stealth is your priority.
• Your budget is tight and you don’t need Raw or advanced features.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, the Canon G11 remains a commendable compact capable of satisfying demanding photographers in multiple disciplines. Its heavier body and deeper controls translate into a rewarding hands-on experience with superior image quality, emphasizing skill and purpose.

The Sony S980 epitomizes a consumer compact tuned for convenience, offering HD video and portability but paying a toll in creative freedom and quality. It may suit beginners looking for an upgrade from camera phones at a budget.

In closing, I've found no perfect compact; the choice rests on your priorities between versatility, control, and portability. Given my extensive experience with similar tools, I confidently recommend the Canon G11 for photographic enthusiasts requiring technical excellence and flexibility, while the Sony S980 fits casual users emphasizing convenience and simplicity.

Thank you for reading this detailed comparison. I hope my layered technical analysis and firsthand insights guide your next camera purchase wisely. If you have questions or want to explore other options, feel free to reach out - I’m always excited to share my experiences with fellow photography explorers.

Happy shooting!

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