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Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50

Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
28
Overall
32
Canon PowerShot SD980 IS front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 front
Portability
69
Imaging
32
Features
25
Overall
29

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Key Specs

Canon SD980 IS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
  • 150g - 100 x 53 x 23mm
  • Announced August 2009
  • Alternative Name is Digital IXUS 200 IS
Sony H50
(Full Review)
  • 9MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 31-465mm (F2.7-4.5) lens
  • 547g - 116 x 81 x 86mm
  • Revealed January 2009
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Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Overview

Lets take a deeper look at the Canon SD980 IS and Sony H50, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Canon and Sony. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the SD980 IS (12MP) and H50 (9MP) but they use the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SD980 IS was introduced 8 months after the H50 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the SD980 IS grades vs the H50 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Canon SD980 IS over the Sony H50

 SD980 IS H50 
RevealedAugust 2009January 2009Newer by 8 months
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Sony H50 over the Canon SD980 IS

 H50 SD980 IS 
Manual focus More exact focus

Common features in the Canon SD980 IS and Sony H50

 SD980 IS H50 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen dimension3"3"Identical screen size
Screen resolution230k230kExact same screen resolution
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Physical Comparison

In case you're looking to travel with your camera frequently, you should take into account its weight and dimensions. The Canon SD980 IS comes with external dimensions of 100mm x 53mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Sony H50 has dimensions of 116mm x 81mm x 86mm (4.6" x 3.2" x 3.4") along with a weight of 547 grams (1.21 lbs).

Contrast the Canon SD980 IS and Sony H50 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the SD980 IS versus the H50.

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SD980 IS and H50 is 95 and 69 respectively.

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 top view buttons comparison

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, its tough to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions only by going over a spec sheet. The image below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SD980 IS and H50.

Clearly, both the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Canon SD980 IS to deliver extra detail using its extra 3MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively. The younger SD980 IS will have an edge with regard to sensor technology.

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 sensor size comparison

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon SD980 IS Portrait photography features
Sony H50 Portrait photography features
21
lack of manual focus
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW support
27
focusing manually
no external flash support
MP count low (9 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Canon SD980 IS Street photography factors
Sony H50 Street photography factors
57
has image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW support
43
image stabilization (Optical)
no moving screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
more heavy than competition in class (547 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Canon SD980 IS as a Sports photography camera
Sony H50 as a Sports photography camera
25
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow fps (1.0 frames/s)
lack of shutter priority mode
MP count low (12MP)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no phase detect auto focus
32
long zoom range (31-465mm 15.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
low frames per second (2.0 fps)
MP count low (9MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Canon SD980 IS Travel photography highlights
Sony H50 Travel photography highlights
58
has built in flash
quite wide (24mm)
does not have Timelapse recording
MP count low (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
44
flash built-in
very long zoom (465mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
more heavy than competition in class (547 grams)
MP count low (9MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not good (31mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.7)
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Canon SD980 IS
Landscape photography with Sony H50
38
quite wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
MP count low (12MP)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
no RAW support
does not have Timelapse recording
34
focusing manually
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not good (31mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.7)
MP count low (9MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
doesn't have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon SD980 IS Vlogging factors
Sony H50 Vlogging factors
31
quite wide (24mm)
touchscreen enabled
has image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
display is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have external microphone port
19
image stabilization (Optical)
wide angle not good (31mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.7)
display isn't selfie friendly
low video resolution (640 x 480 pxls)
doesn't have microphone socket
more heavy than competition in class (547 grams)
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Canon SD980 IS vs Sony H50 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon SD980 IS and Sony H50
 Canon PowerShot SD980 ISSony Cyber-shot DSC-H50
General Information
Brand Name Canon Sony
Model Canon PowerShot SD980 IS Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50
Alternate name Digital IXUS 200 IS -
Class Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2009-08-19 2009-01-15
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Digic 4 -
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 9MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 4:3 and 3:2
Max resolution 4000 x 3000 3456 x 2592
Max native ISO 1600 3200
Min native ISO 80 80
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 9 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 24-120mm (5.0x) 31-465mm (15.0x)
Max aperture f/2.8-5.9 f/2.7-4.5
Macro focus range 3cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 230k dots 230k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Electronic
Features
Min shutter speed 15 seconds 30 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/3000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate 1.0 frames per sec 2.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 6.50 m 9.10 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Front Curtain, Rear Curtain
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps) 640 x 480, 30 fps, 320 x 240, 8 fps
Max video resolution 1280x720 640x480
Video data format H.264 -
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 150g (0.33 lb) 547g (1.21 lb)
Dimensions 100 x 53 x 23mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") 116 x 81 x 86mm (4.6" x 3.2" x 3.4")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery model NB-6L NP-BG1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus Memory Stick Duo / Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots 1 1
Price at release - $80