Canon has announced a new ultra compact camera, the 8 megapixel Ixus 80 IS, or DigitalElph SD1100 IS for our readers in the States.

Compared to the year-old Ixus 70/SD1000, the new camera gets an extra megapixel and, more importantly, image stabilization. The flat, featureless, yet elegant design of the Ixus 70 has been dropped in favor of the "perpetual curve" look. There are new colors too, apart from silver you can go for chocolate, pink candy and caramel.



The new ultra compact measures 86.8 x 54.8 x 22.0 mm and weighs 125g. It comes with a 2.5" 230k pixel screen and the usual features of Canon's popular Ixus/DigitalElph series, including Canon's ridiculous and annoying product naming habits. Hopefully Canon will drop this nonsense and stop giving this particular series of cameras three different names and numeric designations for the US, EU and Japan.



If the price ends up anywhere near the sub-$200 Ixus 70/SD1000, this might turn out to be a very popular camera.