Canon Ixus 980 IS review

Discover the pros and cons of this pixel-busting compact, which is the first in the IXUS line to offer full manual control

Meet the Canon IXUS 980 IS – a pixel-pushing compact that’s leading the way, with full manual control, for the IXUS line of cameras. As you can expect, a camera of this stature does not come cheap, retailing at a suggested price of £350. Luckily, the internet provides a decent mark-down, enabling you to pick one up for around £230, which isn’t quite so painful.

This model certainly looks the part of an expensive compact, brandishing a solid, stocky frame available in black, silver and red. It’s not the lightest compact in the world at 184 grams, but this adds to the feeling of solidity. The lens and top panel is trimmed with chrome-coloured plastic, and the body relies on its curves for sex appeal.

The shutter sits on top, along with the zoom control, which offers a decent level of control. Around the back you’ll find the 2.5-inch LCD, a separate viewfinder (although extremely tiny), as well as a neat set of controls running top to bottom. At the top is the Mode dial, providing access to Auto, Program and Manual, Quick Shot mode, scene modes and the Movie mode. Underneath this is the Playback button, d-pad and Display and Menu button. It sounds like a lot, but all these buttons fit quite cleanly onto the back panel, without compromising on spacing or size.

As well as the rather extreme 14.7-megapixels to its name, this camera also offers a great selection of features, including a great Face Detection system, which works even in profile. It also has a Stitch Assist mode for those moments when only a panoramic will do, plus a Servo AF mode, which enables you to capture excitable kids and pets on camera without risk of blurring. Our favourite features have to be the optical stabilisation system, which helps keep your shots steady even when your hands are not, plus the opportunity to work in full Manual mode. The optical stabilisation is reliable and effective, although it’s only worth using up to shutter speeds of around 1/10sec. Anything longer than this will only be safe with a tripod, which can easily be attached to the robust metal tripod attachment.

The Manual mode offers a fantastic range of 45 shutter speeds, including a 15-second option, which is fantastic for night photography and creative images. The f-stop side of things is more limited unfortunately, but this is something that can easily be worked around.

Do some digging and you will discover a few more gems, although why you should dig for them in the first place is beyond us. Tucked within the MyColours menu is a sharpening feature, enabling you to select your preferred level, ranging from weak at -2, to default at 0, up to strong at +2. The difference is noticeable and is a handy feature to have on board.

Image quality is generally very good – shining in a blaze of glory at the telephoto end and stumbling sheepishly at the wide angle. Sharpness at the telephoto end is fantastic, offering fantastic detail and clarity. Switch to the wide angle (which is not very wide really) and shots become infested with corner softness and a certain degree of chromatic aberration, too.

As with most compacts, we found the noise to be well controlled at ISO 200 and under. In fairness, small prints are pretty good even at ISO 800, but if you want to go poster size then stick at 200 or below. As the ISO increases, you will notice a slight desaturation in the colours, which is a shame, although at lower levels the colours are spot on, just like the white balance. We even took some shots at an indoor market with garish fluorescent lights and the images came out perfectly.

All in all, this is a superb model for the DSLR user looking for a handy compact to have on hand. Alternatively, those looking to learn how manual photography works will find this a great companion to learn with.