With its 5x zoom lens the Canon IXUS 970 IS offers a little more zoom power than other digital cameras in this part of the Canon range. The lens has image stabilisation built into it. This can help to reduce the chances of photo blur being caused by camera shake.

As well as a 2.5 inch LCD screen, Canon have squeezed a viewfinder onto the back of the camera. During my tests of the IXUS 970 IS I found the LCD screen easy to see even on sunny days.

Another key feature gives you the ability to add short voice commentaries to photos after you have taken them. This can help to preserve the memory of the moment.

The IXUS 970 IS also has a time lapse movie mode. In this mode the camera will take a series of still photos that can be played back together as a movie. These are commonly used to plot the movement of clouds across the sky or a flower opening.