Much lighter and smaller point-and-shoot cameras are available, but the S60 is a great choice for people seeking a camera that has powerful creative controls.

A solid compact camera that offers a great set of features, and is only really let down by long load and save times.

A great option for the more experienced photographer, the P600 offers all the functionality you could want from an advanced camera; the only downfall is the four figure price tag.

If image quality is all that matters to you, then the F10 is a good choice, but it's let down by a few omissions and a price tag to rival some 7 megapixel models.

This is an attractive combination of a competitive price, small size and capable imaging, with a few advanced extras thrown in. The built-in help would benefit novice photographers.

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

If you can handle its slowness between shots and other minor flaws, you'll have yourself a great camera.

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.

Ricoh has come up with a groundbreaking compact camera that we're sure will have many of you reaching for your chequebooks. It's not pretty or fun, but it's excellent value. Bear in mind that you'll need a capacious SD card.

A very interesting take on the standard point-and-shoot camera.

This point-and-shoot camera takes high-quality photos, has a big LCD, and offers some manual controls for users who want to do more than just select scene modes.

For snap shooters who like big prints, the Sony is up to the task.