The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 is a great ultra-zoom camera. Its compact build makes it ideal for travellers and it has a boatload of features along with capturing some fairly good shots.

The PowerShot SX100 is a solid ultra-zoom advanced camera. While there are bigger lenses on the market, the 10x optical zoom here means the unit still fits comfortably in a pocket and the images, while a little noisy, are good at low ISO sensitivities.

If you want a camera with a powerful zoom, a long focal length, and extensive controls, but an SLR is too big or too expensive for you, the Coolpix 8800 makes an excellent choice. Be prepared to invest some time in mastering the controls, however.

The Z2 delivers a wealth of features for a cheap camera and turns out fairly nice photos. With a little practice, you should be able to get better images using its manual modes.

While the big zoom and advanced feature set will appeal to some users and the price certainly is low, the sluggish operation and underexposed over-sharpened pictures produced by this model may be an issue.

An easy-to-use camera that delivers versatile and adaptable functionality and performance.

A good but not great entry-level ultra-zoom, the Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS should satisfy users looking to take the next step up from a compact, as long as they can put up with a bit of lag between their shots.

A great advanced camera that offers enthusiasts everything they could want.

A competent entry into the 8 megapixel arena.

This was Sony's first mega-zoom camera, and its combination of lens, price, big LCD, features and build quality, makes it a strong contender in the big-zoom market.

The FZ30 is a joy to take pictures with. If not for the price tag, and the image noise problem, this would be one of our favourites. As it stands, it is a solid entry by Panasonic, and will satisfy most users.

A pretty solid advanced camera. It is functional, comfortable, has all the features one could expect, and above average sharpness. It is only let down by overly saturated pictures.