Panasonic's Lumix DMC-LX3 is an impressive high-end compact camera with a wide-angle 24mm lens and a host of manual features.

A very quick advanced camera. The 1/10000th of a second shutter speed makes the S7000 very attractive for certain purposes and it is only really let down by a reasonably hefty price tag and poor wide angled shooting.

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.

This camera is a good choice if you want a high resolution compact camera, combining style, size and image quality into a single package.

The small and rugged Canon Digital IXUS 700 is a good companion for capturing everyday mementos, though image quality may disappoint more demanding photographers.

If you're after an enthusiast camera but don't yet want to venture into the land of SLRs, or just need a backup for your main camera, Canon's PowerShot G9 is a great choice. While there are a few minor issues for the most part, it captures brilliant shots and the feature set and build quality are sure to keep all but the most demanding professional satisfied.

Although it's quite bulky, the S80 offers an excellent list of features for a compact digital camera.

Panasonic's FZ18 is a solid ultra-zoom camera. While the price tag is high, many users would be better served spending that money on an SLR, whereas those after a huge zoom lens and a mass of features along with several beginner-friendly shooting modes may find what they're looking for here.

FujiFilm's FinePix S100fs is a great pseudo-SLR camera. Its 11.1 megapixel sensor and large 28-400mm lens capture great snaps and the manual shooting modes combined with speedy operation make it flexible and powerful.

A great advanced camera that offers almost all the features you'd expect in a sturdy and stylish case.

The Nikon D40 is a great entry level SLR, and a good competitor to Canon's EOS 400D. It captures high quality pictures, has speedy operation and great low light performance, making it a wonderful choice for the budding enthusiast.

Wide-angle lens lovers will be thrilled with the shots the Coolpix 8400 can take. It's a powerful, flexible camera; but it's not the easiest or fastest camera to use.