Another brilliant IXUS unit, the Canon IXUS 80 IS packs image stabilisation and good image quality into a compact and sexy body. A great package for users looking for a new point and shoot.

Small and powerful -- thanks to an 8.1-megapixel sensor -- the P50 is suitable for almost all situations and it even has a decent manual mode to tinker with.

Another strong entry into the compact camera market by Canon, the A560 produces similarly high quality pictures to its sister model, the A550, and this time around they have packed in Face Detect, which will be a big selling point for some users.

Users looking for an entry-level digital camera are spoiled for choice at the moment and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 is one of the better options, providing good quality pictures and a ton of features at a very affordable price.

While the pictures could be a little sharper, the Digital IXUS 75 excelled in all other areas and is a brilliant choice if you're after an all purpose camera to throw in your pocket and forget about.

Another great compact camera from Canon, the PowerShot A550 won't compare to some more high-end units, but considering the price tag and the features on offer, it's an excellent value-for-money product.

Extensive in-camera coaching and some convenient extra features make the easy-to-use HP Photosmart R717 a great choice for an ambitious beginner.

Nikon's diminutive 5.1-megapixel camera is simple to use, and it delivers more-powerful features than you'd expect from a camera priced at under $300.

The PowerShot A590IS is another great entry-level unit from Canon. It is fully featured, with manual shooting modes and optical image stabilisation. Its 8-megapixel sensor captures impressive pictures.

Bland styling and a small LCD display detract for an otherwise impressive package.

Another great compact camera from Canon, the IXUS 70 excels with a tiny design and good quality pictures, making it ideal as an all purpose happy snap camera.

Another great tough model from Olympus, the Tough 850SW only improves on its predecessor in a few small ways but it is still one of the best options if you're after a camera that can take a little more grief than normal.