Support needed for Decision - Ixus 870 (880) or Ixus 980 (990) IS

No, I agree that the OP should probably be getting an ultra-compact, just as asked (which is exactly the category into which the Ixus cameras fall). What I disagree with are the misconceptions about compact cameras and whether or not the G10 should be defined as one.

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glossary/Camera_System/viewfinder_01.htm

Quoting that

"The viewfinder is the "window" you look through to compose the scene. We will discuss the four types of viewfinder commonly found on digital cameras."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viewfinder

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At least until the world stops going 'round

As you can see, the 870 doesn't have one:



The 980 does ...



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At least until the world stops going 'round

ultra-compact / compact...

w h d 'volume'
EOS100D 126 98 65 802620mm3 DSLR
SX10 128 88 87 979968mm3 compact
G10 109 78 46 391092mm3 compact
IXUS980 98 62 28 170128mm3 ultra-compact
IXUS870 94 57 24 128592mm3 ultra-compact
IXUS90 92 51 21 98532mm3 ultra-compact

'volume' is clearly not the volume of the camera itself but rather the volume of the smallest box it would fit in. (WxHxD)

Ok, so clearly the 1000D is without a lens, so, ignore it, but in anycase it is nice to have in there to show the difference between an SX10 which the marketing department have identified as being "compact" and an SLR, which is generally considered as not being so...

As far as I am concerned, something which is almost 5cm thick (G10) is not 'compact'. That is all.

Sorry I took so long to get back, and it looks like others have answered your question, but for completeness I will answer it too.

I guess, for complete clarity, I should have said "optical viewfinder". This is the little glass hole in the camera that you can look through and compose your picture. Many folks just use the LCD screen to compose their shots, but others prefer the more old fashioned method of looking through a viewfinder.

An optical viewfinder is not a necessity to everybody, but to those who like them, they can be very important. The 880 does not have an optical viewfinder, but the 990 does.

-barry

Xenakis said:

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Thanks but what do you understand as " viewfinder "

Click to expand...

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Please carefully read the post(s) by glenncombs as the 870 has a problem that can drive you crazy. Terrific camera except for white "orbs" that show up in a lot of flash pictures. Think of the floating ball that Glinda the Good Witch used to arrive in when you watched The Wizard of Oz. I am not kidding it can be a pain. I LOVED my 870 but the orbs stopped it from being one of the top point and shoot compacts.

BTW: the G10 is a large P+S/compact..almost too big . Very nice but big.

Anyway please consider Mr. Combs advice and check the models after the 870. I bet they are great.

Good luck !

SD880 is = Ixus 870 is = 28 mm with very few distorsion. I like this.
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SD 880is full size samples: http://canon-samples.blogspot.com/

So to clarify, the SD880 does NOT appreciably have the dust orb problem. I've seen it in only one photo of roughly 500, of which maybe 10-20 percent used the flash.

Glenn
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Alexander...our wild child



Canon S2, A610, SD880

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What is this dust orb problem ... I don't realy understand what that is ....

Oh no....not again.....

Xenakis said:

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What is this dust orb problem ... I don't realy understand what that
is ....

Click to expand...

Alright, let me try to explain it. It's rather complicated, and actually occurs with many cameras, but rarely for most. It was however, very common in flash photography for the Canon SD870.

What it seems to be is reflected light that comes to the image sensor on cameras from dust particles that are airborne, in the frame of view of the camera, and within the influence of the flash. (Probably generally limited to about 15 feet, but maybe more, depending on the darkness of the scene, and depending on the camera. Anyway, these dust particles cause the reflected light to appear as "images" that seem to be circles or spheres in the photo when the flash fired, because of low light. They disturb the appearance of the image, and sometimes ruin it, if there are several orbs, depending on just where they show up. They can be in front of the subject, for instance, a person, distracting from the intent of the photographer.

What causes them? That's the complicated part, that even the camera makers cant resolve. That is, they can't make a camera that absolutely won't produce them in a flash photo. But, some cameras are more prone to causing these orbs. The Canon SD870 has become famous for it. Thus the extended forum conversation about the new SD880, and does it have the orbs issue? Seemingly not, up to this point, and from my experience.

I hope this helps you.

Glenn
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Alexander...our wild child



Canon S2, A610, SD880

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sorry I'm french .... and sometimes I've got some doubts in some terms ....

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Thanks a LOT ....

Now I understand .... Hope that my SD880 will by fine ....

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Which color do you recommend ? the silver or the gold ....