Canon IXUS 120 IS / PowerShot SD940 IS / IXY 220 IS

alaTest has collected and analyzed 500 reviews from magazines and websites. People really like the connectivity and image stabilizer. The build quality and zoom also get good feedback. Some have doubts about the manual image adjustments and screen. There are some mixed opinions about the flash.

image quality, zoom, build quality, stabilizer , connectivity

shutter, features, viewfinder, screen, manual adjust.

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Digital Compact Cameras the Canon IXUS 120 IS / PowerShot SD940 IS / IXY 220 IS is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 90/100 = Excellent quality.

See all Canon Digital Compact Cameras

Review analysis

(Based on 500 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (43% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (32% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (13% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (7% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (5% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

Image quality
  Show positive (44%)Show negative (6%)(Show all)
Zoom
  Show positive (28%)Show negative (16%)(Show all)
Build quality
  Show positive (57%)Show negative (4%)(Show all)
Stabilizer
  Show positive (84%)Show negative (4%)(Show all)
Flash
  Show positive (11%)Show negative (11%)(Show all)
Connectivity
  Show positive (44%)Show negative (11%)(Show all)
Features
  None yetShow negative (50%)(Show all)
Shutter
  Show positive (16%)Show negative (28%)(Show all)
Exposure
  Show positive (38%)Show negative (4%)(Show all)
Usability
  Show positive (64%)Show negative (3%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 345 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 345 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (177)

Expert review by:

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

 

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS ($300 as of 1/19/2010) might look familiar to you, especially if you've seen the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS. Both models have an eye-catching design--including a lens casing that's the same color as the camera's body--and...

Fashionable looks ; Very good image quality with and without flash

Small zoom ring and buttons ; Flimsy doors cover battery and A/V ports

The slim, stylish PowerShot SD940 IS is an upgrade over the sexy PowerShot SD780 IS, offering a wider-angle lens and a handful of enhancements for $50 more.

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Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

 

The $299.99 (list) 12.1-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD940 IS offers the best of both worldsit's incredibly small (think cell-phone size), but it's also fast and big on features. The 4x optical zoom lens features a 28mm wide-angle view, you get...

Very small build. Simple user interface. Fast shooting speeds. HD video capture. Mini-HDMI out

Small control buttons. Images are soft

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS packs lots of goodies into its ultracompact body, but if photo quality is paramount, you'll be disappointed by soft images-even under well-lit conditions.

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Canon PowerShot SD940 IS (Silver)

 

A follow-up of sorts to the SD780 IS , the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS is another very small, very lightweight 12-megapixel camera. It drops the SD780's optical viewfinder, and in its place gets a larger 2.7-inch LCD in back, and a wide-angle...

Very small; simple operation; very good photo, HD movie quality; HDMI out.

No optical zoom in Movie mode; mixed performance.

One of the best ultracompacts available, the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS nonetheless falls short of greatness in performance and photo quality.

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Expert review by:

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

 

If you're in the market for a high-resolution compact point-and-shoot camera, the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS is a good value for the street price. Some of the competition may be priced lower, but doesn't include all of the features offered by the SD940...

12.1 megapixel resolution4X zoom with true 28mm wide angleOptical image stabilizationLarge 2.7 inch LCD display

Poor image quality in low-light situations

The Canon PowerShot SD940IS is a compact 12.1 megapixel, 4X optical zoom...

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Expert review by:

Review: Canon PowerShot SD940 IS camera

 

One of the best ultracompact point-and-shoots we've seen in the past year.

The similarities between the two cameras go beyond aesthetics. Both offer 12-megapixel image resolution, effective optical stabilization, 720p high-def movie capture (in MOV files at 30 frames per second), an HDMI-out port, the same fun Color Accent...

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Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

 

At 12.1-megapixels, the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS is a powerful digital camera with plenty of features and it comes in a small sized device. The shooting speed is also very quick and the price is not much either, so it will go easy on your budget as...

Small, lightweight size ; Fast shooting speeds & low shutter lag ; HD video capture & output via mini-HDMI port

Buttons are small ; Image quality is mediocre at times

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Expert review by:

Canon IXUS120 IS Review

 

This article reviews the Canon IXUS120 IS digital camera. Canon touts it as the slimmest wide angle camera from its stable and one of the most good looking models to date. But does it live up to all the hype? The article looks at various aspects of the...

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Expert review by:

Review Of The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS Camera

 

The menu system, has undergone renovation, and boy oh boy does it work. Whenever you get confused as to which mode would click the perfect shot, or  you have no clue in which mode you have stepped into, the menu system  helps you out with prompts and...

Compact; easy to use interface; good image quality; HDMI out; high-def movie quality

Inconsistent performance; optical zoom absent in movie mode

Canon has produced some good cameras over their period , and the SD940 can be included in that bracket too. In spite of that sloppy performance, it offered good quality images ,decent functions, and a design some might find attractive, all at a very...

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Expert review by:

Canon PowerShot SD940 IS Review

 

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS bears a striking resemblance to the previous generation PowerShot SD780 IS.

Small size ; Good build quality ; HD video

Soft at high ISO ; Some chromatic aberration ; Smaller controls

The SD940 IS is a pleasure to use. It has excellent build quality and is very quick and responsive. Its small size makes it convenient to carry everywhere you go, so you're always ready to take advantage of an available photo opportunity.

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Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

 

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS will provide high performance and high-quality photos and videos for its users. The advanced LCD display screen, high portability and powerful HD video recording features make this point and shoot digital camera ideal for...

This Canon product features a scratch-resistant and anti-reflective 2.7-inch LCD display screen

This point and shoot digital camera lacks an optical viewfinder

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS’s features make it portable, convenient and simple to use.

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Product Specifications

Your camera says a lot about you - and according to Canon's PowerShot SD940 IS, you're into hot design and cool technology. Emerging from your jeans pocket or purse like a sleek little jewel, the PowerShot SD940 IS makes a statement before you even take a picture. And the menu ensures easy access to all its advanced Canon technology, where 12.1 megapixels, improved smart auto mode and 720p HD movies are just the beginning.

Audio Input

Microphone Operation Mode:Mono
Microphone Technology:Electret condenser
Type:Microphone

Battery

Battery Form Factor:Manufacturer specific
Manufacturer Battery Name:Canon NB-4L

Cable

Cable Subcategory:Power / Serial
I/O Cable Type:Serial / power cable
Left Connector Gender:Female
Left Connector Type:9 pin D-Sub (DB-9)

Camera Flash

Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Type:Built-in flash

Digital Camera

Digital Camera Type:Compact
Supported Flash Memory:SD Memory Card / MultiMediaCard / SDHC Memory Card / MultiMediaCardplus

Dimensions & Weight

Depth:0.8in
Height:2.2in
Weight:4.2oz
Width:3.5in

Display (Projector)

Diagonal Size:2.7in
Diagonal Size (metric):6.9cm
Display Form Factor:Built-in
Technology:TFT active matrix
Type:LCD display

Exposure Parameters

Shooting Programs:High sensitivity / Snow / Night snapshot / Digital macro / Kids & pets / Beach / Foliage / Indoor / Sunset / Underwater / Fireworks / Stitch assist / Slow shutter / Portrait mode / Aquarium

Header

Compatibility:PC
Manufacturer:Canon/Datalogic
Model:CAB-418/SD940 IS Digital ELPH
Packaged Quantity:1
Product Line:Canon PowerShot/Datalogic

Lens System

Lens Aperture:F/2.8-5.9
Max Focal Length:20mm
Min Focal Length:5mm
Optical Zoom:4
Type:Zoom lens

Miscellaneous

Color:Black/Blue/Brown/Silver

Optical Sensor

Optical Sensor Size:1/2.3 / 1/2.3"
Optical Sensor Size (metric):11 mm ( 1/2.3 ) / 11 mm ( 1/2.3" )
Optical Sensor Type:CCD
Sensor Resolution:12.1Megapixel

Optical System

Built-in Optical Image Stabilizer: Yes
Image Stabilizer:Optical (image sensor shift mechanism)

Storage Floppy Drive

Type: None

Video Input

Digital Video Format:H.264
Digital Zoom:4
Face Detection: Yes
ISO (Max):3200
Light Sensitivity:ISO auto / ISO 1600 / ISO 80 / ISO 200 / ISO 400 / ISO 800 / ISO 100 / ISO 3200 (2Mpix)
Shooting Modes:Frame movie mode
Special Effects:Vivid Red / Vivid Blue / Vivid Green / Darker Skin Tone / Lighter Skin Tone / Color Swap / Color Accent / Sepia / Black & White / Positive Film
Still Image Format:JPEG
Type:Digital camera

Viewfinder

Viewfinder Type: None
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