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.

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.

Nikon's D60 is a fantastic entry-level SLR that takes brilliant pictures and offers a robust feature set. It is ideal for users looking to take the plunge into more creative photography.

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.

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.

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.

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 IXUS 960 IS is a great compact camera from Canon. Consumers looking for a high-end camera to back up their SLR or to take their photography to the next level will love this unit.

Bland styling and a small LCD display detract for an otherwise impressive package.

This point-and-shoot camera takes high-quality photos, has a big LCD, and offers some manual controls for users who want to do more than just select scene modes.

For snap shooters who like big prints, the Sony is up to the task.

A very complete camera in a small package.