Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon Digital IXUS 970 IS Compact Camera - Silver (10.0 MP, 5x Optical Zoom) 2.5 inch High Resolution PureColor LCD II

I thought it was time to upgrade my 8 year old digital camera which had become obsolete and so set about exploring which camera to get for the money I had. I chose the IXUS 970 IS because it has everything on it that I need and plus the bonus of a x5 optical zoom made it even more appealing to me.

I had read a number of reviews about how because of the shape of the camera tapering off at the right hand side, it made it hard to hold but I have to say that for me with big hands, it fits into them perfectly.

Overall the camera looks and feels very high quality. The menu and navigation of it are very simple to use and I would say that anyone who has a basic understanding of digital cameras could pick this one up and use it in full auto mode or the scene mode without any problems at all.

There is a manual setting which I've yet to get into.

Also another reason for buying this camera was because I want to use it to take movies. Most digital cameras now have this feature. The one thing I would like to have seen would be the ability to pause while filming rather than just start/stop. This isn't something major, just something I had on my old camera which I miss on this one.

Picture quality is amazing! The camera reacts fast and in a split second has auto focus, white balance and ISO sorted for you so all you need to do is press the button and capture your scene.

I bought SANDISK EXTREME lll SD 8GB memory card for the camera. On advice taken by someone who knows her cameras it is suggested that a class-6 (speed) card is used if you're going to be making movies as you need that extra transfer speed for a smooth operation.

Nothing else to say other than to summarise that if you're looking for a compact camera which is easy to use yet feature packed, a camera that will give you great results, I recommend that this could be the camera for you.

Have owned Canon cameras for many years now and they have never let me down. I always carry a camera with me and this one is an ideal size to carry on my belt. It is simple to use with many optional functions if you wish to become more adventurous. I mainly use the LCD panel for composing my photos but opted for this one with a viewfinder for use in very bright daylight. It has enough megapixels to produce good size enlargements. I have used it a lot since purchase and can find no fault with it yet.

i've had this camera for quite a while now but it isn't getting a lot of use-i prefer to use my other canon's.why??
for 2 reasons really....
i am a real canon fan with numerous canon camera's.
i really want to like this but:
1) i am disappointed by slightly poor picture quality in the corners compared to ixus900ti and ixus960is models.
2) i also am not keen on the tapered design of this camera.
so only 4 stars not 5. sorry canon.
on the plus side this camera has a 5x optical zoom (normally only a 3x or 4x on a camera this size) which gets you that little bit nearer.

In search of a good quality replacement for my old Fuji Finepix, I've chosen the Canon IXUS 970 IS, bought from Amazon. As an amateur, my requirements were: good quality camera, light/easy to carry, and simple to use. I haven't been disappointed at all! It takes absolutely beautiful pictures in all conditions. Its image stabiliser allows you to take great photos of fast moving animals, or at concerts or at sporting events.

I'd recommend taking some time reading the booklet to familiarise yourself with all its features, because there are very interesting artistic features should you use the manual controls: panoramic photography, colour/black & white, face recognition, plus excellent close ups (macro) & a stunning quality zoom.

A few comments about the flaws listed in the above reviews:
- the ON/OFF button isn't tricky to use at all. Just press it!
- there is a manual control to stop the flash if needed.
- The ISO can be set manually to maximise quality of night scenes/dark rooms.

DO buy an extra card, as the one provided will only allow to save about 10 pictures. Most camera manufacturers don't provide large storage cards, so Canon isn't different from its competitors on this issue.

I'd also highly recommend buying the case, because it does protect the camera from scratches & damage, plus it's very useful to attach to a belt.

The metallic surface of the camera is very smooth & slippery indeed (especially when it rains), so make sure to tie the strap (included with the camera) securely around your wrist at all times to avoid dropping the camera.

It's an excellent camera for this price range. I'm extremely happy with this item. Thank you Amazon!

I purchased the IXUS 970IS as a replacement for my 6 year old Canon Powershot A40. The Powershot is still a stunning camera with a picture quality that still beats newer 6 MPixel cameras (it's a 2 Mpixel) My wife however wanted a handbag sized camera that she could slip away on holidays and we decided against using my Canon 400D, and it's associated add-ons, for things such as skiing and beach holidays due to it's bulk. The IXUS is really neat with a stunning picture quality and now comes with an even better price tag (approx £200). It's easy to use and get up and running with simple buttons and controls, which in fairness most modern cameras have. One MAJOR downside is the supplied memeory card. Where on earth do Canon find the supplied 32 MB SD cards ? They are woefully inadequate for this camera, taking only 11 full quality shots. The first thing you will need is a larger card so order it at the same time, you'll need it. I'm still waiting for mine though via an Amazon supplier. If it's not here tomorrow (3 days past latest estimated delivery) then I'll be firing off an e-mail. Nearly 2 weeks for a first class delivery is not acceptable for something the size of a postage stamp.