A solid entry into the compact camera space, the Casio Exilim EX-Z1050 isn't the best camera we've reviewed, but the 10 megapixel sensor captures some great pictures, making it a good choice for those that want to make larger than regular size prints.

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.

A solid advanced ultra-zoom camera, FujiFilm's FinePix S8100fd offers an 18x zoom lens with sensor shift stabilisation and captures good but not outstanding photographs.

A good choice for novice photographers, the Canon PowerShot A1000 offers a mixture of high quality 10-megapixel pictures and a beginner-oriented feature set. It does, however, capture quite noisy shots, making night photography somewhat difficult

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.

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.

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.

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.

A fairly good big zoom advanced camera, the Canon PowerShot SX110 IS has a few image quality issues but its 10x zoom lens, 3in screen and manual controls make it an appealing all-purpose unit.

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.

The DSC-T700 is a well-rounded compact camera that can also moonlight as a digital photo album. It might be a little pricey for a 10.1-megapixel camera, but its excellent playback functionality is arguably worth the extra dosh.

Nikon's P5100 is a solid advanced camera and while it has a few issues, most notable is the difficulty in high contrast shooting scenarios and a very slow burst mode, it provides an adequate option for users after manual functionality in a sturdy and slim body.