Canon SD970 IS vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Lets look closer at the Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Canon and Olympus. The resolution of the SD970 IS (12MP) and the XZ-2 iHS (12MP) is fairly close but the SD970 IS (1/2.3") and XZ-2 iHS (1/1.7") feature totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The SD970 IS was launched 4 years earlier than the XZ-2 iHS which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise summation of how the SD970 IS matches up against the XZ-2 iHS in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SD970 IS & Olympus XZ-2 iHS. The complete galleries are viewable at Canon SD970 IS Gallery & Olympus XZ-2 iHS Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Canon SD970 IS offers external dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 26mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 160 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Olympus XZ-2 iHS has specifications of 113mm x 65mm x 48mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.9") having a weight of 346 grams (0.76 lbs).

Compare the Canon SD970 IS and Olympus XZ-2 iHS in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the SD970 IS versus the XZ-2 iHS.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the SD970 IS and XZ-2 iHS is 94 and 85 respectively.

Often, it's hard to see the gap in sensor dimensions merely by viewing a spec sheet. The picture here will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SD970 IS and XZ-2 iHS.

As you can see, both cameras posses the exact same MP but not the same sensor dimensions. The SD970 IS uses the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallower DOF more difficult. The more aged SD970 IS will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.