Each round of improvements to Canon's G series just makes it better. G5 owners may not be ready to upgrade; but with its great image quality and smooth controls, the G6 is very enticing.

Ideal for travelling light and happy snapping, everyday use or simply as a precautionary device, the Pod is a great, relatively inexpensive 'investment' that comes in six different sizes to suit the device being attached to it.

The Canon Digital IXUS 85 doesn't do anything revolutionary, but it follows the trend of its predecessors by offering a combination of stylish design, great image quality and some nifty features in a petite design, making it a compelling purchase for anyone looking for a compact camera.

A solid improvement on the EOS 400D, Canon's EOS 450D adds a bucket-load of new features, including 14-bit A-D, a faster burst mode and Live View. Sitting in between the 400D and 40D in price, it offers a compelling option for users looking for the middle ground between the two.

Sony's Alpha A350 is another great SLR offering a combination of incredibly high resolution pictures, a robust list of features and a simple easy interface.

There is a lot to like about the Pentax K20D. It produces some of the crispest, sharpest pictures of any camera in its class. It also has a stack of features, including live view and sensor-based stabilisation. Some users will want a faster burst mode or better live view implementation. Nonetheless, this is a great option for enthusiasts.

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FX36 is an impressive compact camera combining good quality 10-megapixel images with a smooth design and some great beginner modes. Unfortunately, the price tag will put it out of reach for some users.

Small and powerful -- thanks to an 8.1-megapixel sensor -- the P50 is suitable for almost all situations and it even has a decent manual mode to tinker with.

If you're on a budget you'll be hard pressed to find a better camera for your dollar. It doesn't take the best pictures on earth and it leaves a little to be desired in terms of style, but the Canon PowerShot A470 certainly is good value for money.

With few flaws a lot to like, the IXUS 970IS is another great compact camera from Canon. Its most noteworthy feature is the stabilised 5x optical zoom, but there should be something for most users in this package.

The Alpha A700 puts Sony firmly in contention with the other big SLR players with its combination of great image quality, a robust feature set and a sturdy design.

Another brilliant IXUS unit, the Canon IXUS 80 IS packs image stabilisation and good image quality into a compact and sexy body. A great package for users looking for a new point and shoot.