Unfortunately the Tough 1050SW is a bit of a step backwards in the otherwise excellent tough series. Its extreme levels of haloing are problematic and the overall performance is downright slow. The tap control system is pretty innovative, however, and the pictures are good aside from the chromatic aberration.

Nikon's CoolPix S51c offers a good option if you want to quickly and easily share photos with family and friends, however image quality aficionados maybe a little put off by the noise and slightly soft look of the shots.

Olympus's MJU 820 doesn't capture brilliant pictures, but its combination of a stylish and sturdy design along with some nifty features and funky guide mode make it a reasonable happy-snap camera for novice users.

FujiFilm's FinePix A900 won't suit experienced photographers, but if all you're after is a basic point and shoot model without the bells and whistles it may satisfy your needs.

While the Kodak EasyShare M893 IS carries a relatively low price tag, it can be slow at times while the image quality leaves a little to be desired at times.

FujiFilm's FinePix J50 doesn't do anything to separate itself from the pack. However, the 5x optical zoom will appeal to users who want a budget camera that can get in that little bit closer.

Nikon's CoolPix L18 is a basic, entry-level compact camera that does little to separate itself from the pack. It will be fine for novice users but anyone more discerning will be frustrated by the image quality and speed issues.

A decent but not noteworthy compact camera, the Nikon CoolPix S550 sports a 5x optical zoom with image stabilisation but it is let down a little in the image quality and speed departments.

While Samsung's i8 is a fairly decent digital camera, its media functionality could use a little improvement (particularly in terms of audio quality).

The Ricoh R50 is an average compact camera that provides a fair-to-middling performance across the board. While image quality could be better, it offers an assortment of useful modes and features to make the beginner's life easier.

Samsung's L201 is fairly solid overall but is let down by its horribly over-sharpened pictures. For small prints it's fine, but at larger magnifications this really becomes an issue.

Kodak's EasyShare V1273 is a decent compact camera that is hampered by its poorly implemented touch-screen interface. The shots are fairly good although a tad soft, but the controls will get the best of even the most tolerant user.