Nikon's P5100 is a solid advanced camera and while it has a few issues, most notable is the difficulty in high contrast shooting scenarios and a very slow burst mode, it provides an adequate option for users after manual functionality in a sturdy and slim body.

The Kodak P880 would have been a great camera but for problems with image quality, and massive write times for the advanced file formats.

If you subscribe to the theory that more megapixels is better, then Casio's Exilim EX-Z1200 will be right up your alley. Sporting a 12.1 megapixel sensor, it captures extremely crisp pictures and offers a range of manual shooting options combined with a sturdy design, making it a strong all around choice.

Ricoh's Caplio GX100 is a high end camera for experienced users. While average photographers may not fully appreciate the wide angle shooting and extremely crisp shots it produces, there is no doubt it's a great camera if you can afford it.

Overall the Z850 is a solid advanced camera. It doesn't take the best photographs in the world, but it performed above average in most of our tests and crams a robust feature-set into a relatively small design.

Sony's Cyber-Shot DSc-G1S is a very interesting product. Its 3.5in LCD combined with 2GB of onboard memory and music player make it stand out from the crowd, and it should be a good purchase if you're after an all purpose digital camera that can fulfill a variety of roles.

With high levels of chromatic aberration and slow operation, the SP-350 is far from a perfect camera, but the images look great at smaller levels and so it could definitely be worth a look if you need a compact, powerful advanced model

Whilst the V700 may have a solid design with an average feature-set, the image quality and shutter lag simply make it very difficult to recommend over any of the competition.

If you can live without optical zoom and want a classically designed camera to remind you of the good old days, then the GR Digital might be for you. It is, however, extremely expensive.

Another great Canon advanced camera, the PowerShot A540 is a great choice for those looking to move up to more manual photography as it combines a strong feature set with great pictures.

If picture quality is paramount, you are not going to find a much better point and shoot than the A620.

Another great advanced compact camera from Canon, the PowerShot A630 is a wonderful choice for those after a little more control and versatility. It offers great image quality and comes with plenty of useful features.