Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX38 is a great compact camera for cashed-up consumers. It combines impressive image quality with a slim, stylish and sturdy design as well as a 25mm wide-angle lens, making it suitable for a variety of tasks.

If you can put up with the difficult user interface and the not-so-sleek body, the DSC-H50 from Sony is an extremely competent and feature-packed camera.

The Ricoh GX200 provides plenty of SLR-style functionality in the body of a point-and-shoot camera. Despite some unfortunate noise issues it is a solid option for those who can afford it.

Nikon's CoolPix P60 is a good all around enthusiast compact which packs in a basic manual shooting mode with good image quality and a fairly petite design.

A solid compact camera from Nikon, if you have a bit of money to spend the S600 offers a few nice features such as vibration reduction and in-camera red-eye correction on top of some fairly good 10 megapixel images.

Olympus' Tough 1030SW doesn't take massive leaps ahead of its predecessors, but it does introduce a few minor improvements and remains a good choice for users after a unit that can take more than its fair share of punishment.

Due to the high price tag, Ricoh's GR Digital II will not be for everyone, but if you're an enthusiast after a backup camera for your SLR this model makes a stylish choice.

Ricoh's R7 is a great compact camera for those after a speedy model with a big zoom and optical image stabilisation. There are units out there that take better pictures but this model is more than adequate in that regard.

Sigma's DP-1 is a very interesting camera. On one hand it captures some of the best shots we've ever seen from a non-SLR camera, making it great for enthusiasts. However it also has slow performance, an annoying interface and lacks a viewfinder. The price will also buy you a good, entry level digital SLR.

For $179, this camera is a good buy. It'll produce decent shots with good colours and acceptable detail, and it's very easy to use. It's recommended for anyone who wants an inexpensive, basic point-and-shoot camera.

That you must place your camera and the Eye-Fi card close to your router, and keep your camera on to allow time for transfers over a slow connection, somewhat limits the Eye-Fi Card's appeal to me.

The Canon PowerShot A2000 departs a bit from some of its predecessors in terms of features and design. It is nonetheless an attractive option for entry-level users looking for a no-fuss unit that takes high quality snaps and has a larger than normal zoom.