Canon SD970 IS vs Pentax 645D

Below, we are reviewing the Canon SD970 IS vs Pentax 645D, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Canon and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the SD970 IS (12MP) and 645D (40MP) and the SD970 IS (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) feature totally different sensor size.

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The SD970 IS was introduced 12 months before the 645D so they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras come with different body type with the Canon SD970 IS being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before going in to a in depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SD970 IS grades versus the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot SD970 IS and Pentax 645D. The whole galleries are provided at Canon SD970 IS Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and size. The Canon SD970 IS provides exterior measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 26mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 160 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Analyze the Canon SD970 IS vs Pentax 645D in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is the front view size comparison of the SD970 IS versus the 645D.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SD970 IS and 645D is 94 and 50 respectively.

Typically, it is very hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements just by going through a spec sheet. The graphic below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the SD970 IS and 645D.

Clearly, each of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The SD970 IS having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax 645D will produce extra detail using its extra 28MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The older SD970 IS will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.