Performance Results
Like most other Canon point and shooters, such as the PowerShot SD780 IS, the SD980 is fast. The camera can start up, focus and take a shot in an average of 1.8 seconds, while the wait time in between shots averages 2.6 seconds—both impressive results. Using Shooting Digital's Shutter Lag test, the camera averaged just .44 seconds from shutter press to image capture. Many point-and-shoot cameras, like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230, average more than .50-second of shutter lag, while sluggish cameras like the Nikon Coolpix S230 average above a full second.

Like its predecessor, the SD980 has issues with image quality at the lens' widest angle, 24mm. Using Imatest to collect objective information about image quality, I found that the SD980 registered a heavy amount of barrel distortion at the wide-angle position. This isn't uncommon for a wide-angle lens, but the distortion is especially noticeable with the SD980.; the 24-mm lens warps the image a considerable 2.97 percent. To compare, the also-wide 25-mm lens on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 distorts only 1.65 percent of the image at its widest angle.

At the wide-angle position, the center of the SD980's image is very sharp, averaging 2231 lines per picture height. By comparison, the Panasonic ZR1 is also sharp, but averages only 2029 lines. This number drops significantly on both cameras as you move to the outer regions of the frame, mostly due to barrel distortion. Subjects in these areas of the frame will appear soft. The Panasonic ZR1 drops by an average of 52 percent at the outer areas of the frame, while the SD980 drops by 56 percent. The Samsung SL820, which features a less-wide 28-mm lens, bests both cameras, capturing an average of 2521 lines per picture height and dropping by only 18 percent at the outer areas of the frame.

One of the SD980's stronger features is its ability to shoot great-looking and sounding 720p high-definition video at 30 frames per second. Like many digital cameras, you can't use the optical zoom while recording video. When you are able use optical zoom, it often comes at a cost: To avoid zoom-motor sounds, audio is muted while zooming on the Samsung SL820. And zoom speed is slowed on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 to limit noise.

Displaying the SD980's HD video or still images on an external display is a snap—there's a mini HDMI port on the camera's side, which offers a simple, one cable digital connection to an HDTV for HD playback. Right now, Canon is one of the only manufacturers to offer mini HDMI on point-and-shoot cameras—other compact models like the Samsung SL820 or the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T90 require optional HD docks or proprietary cables.

While battery life isn't something we formally test with cameras, I've noticed dismal battery performance is often a trade-off that comes with a touch-screen camera. Some Sony models can only shoot for a couple of hours before needing a recharge; the SD960 lasted the length of my testing period without running out of juice.

Overall, the Canon PowerShot SD980 IS offers an impressive feature set, including an intuitive and responsive touch screen, a wide-angle lens, speedy operation, and HD video capture. But unacceptable levels of wide-angle barrel distortion prevent this camera from earning a top rating. If a wide-angle lens tops your feature list, consider the $280 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1—its 25-mm lens captures wide images with significantly less distortion. If it's a touch screen you're after, Sony's HD-video-capable Cyber-shot DSC-T90 is worth a look, just be prepared to recharge the battery often.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS: Check out the test scores for the Canon PowerShot SD980 IS

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