Though it's shaped the same as its lower-resolution brothers, the PowerShot A60 and A70, the A80 adds to its allure with a couple of design improvements: the flip-out LCD and two options for custom settings accessible via the mode dial. The plastic body, which comes in two-tone champagne, weighs 12.8 ounces with a CompactFlash card and four nickel-metal-hydride AA batteries. Though the camera is no lightweight, it feels solid and well made.

The A80 and its kin bear the same controls on their backs, but for the new model, Canon changed the layout a bit and used some different mechanisms. For instance, the company replaced the old navigation keys with a five-way rocker switch. It's difficult to press in exactly the right place, so we're thankful that you can still push Set to select menu options, though both Set and Menu are a little stiff. A slider lets you choose between capture and playback, and the easy-to-feel Function button pulls up a menu devoted to the important shooting settings, including image quality, white balance, metering, and exposure compensation. The camera's menu system, which is the same as its brethren's, is simple to understand and navigate.

The LCD no longer has the A70's annoying reflective border, but it's still 1.5 inches. That's a bit small, but at least the screen flips out. And other complaints we had about the A70 still hold: the plastic cover of the CompactFlash card slot feels flimsy, the power button sits flush with the top and is sometimes difficult to locate blindly, and you must manually power on the camera to play back images. Nevertheless, we liked the design's overall feel and operation.