Canon SD980 IS (Ixus 200is) makes the Elph debut of touch-screen and 24mm wide

Digital camera historians may recall, that when it comes to compact digital cameras, Canon is usually among the last to adopt new "trendy" features, which is perhaps one of the reasons why they have better looking balance sheets than some of the other camera manufacturers.

Today marks the first touch-screen digital camera for Canon, it is the brand new Elph SD980 IS, with its 3-inch LCD display.

We would need full-fledged genealogy software to tell you where this fits in the Canon family of Elphs since it is quite twisted and confusing ;-)

Okay, let's not lose track, back to the camera! The touch-screen is the eye-catcher among consumers, but the photographers are more likely to be attracted to its 5X optical zoom lens that starts at 24mm (24-120mm f2.8-5.9), with optical image stabilization. This is also the first Elph wider than 28mm. And the camera body is wide too, to make the wide theme even more organic :)

It records HD video (30fps 720p), which will please gadgetologists, and it is a feature that often (although unrelated technically) goes hand in hand with the touch-screen. It will come out in multiple fashionably adorable body colors.

The battery is the existing NB-6L, and it gives 240 CIPA shots, which is not bad, but not terribly exciting either.

It is available for pre-order at Amazon for $330, and the Canon website expects it to ship this month.