This camera caters to both amateur and more experienced photographers, but has some minor problems.

The Pro815 is a good first attempt by Samsung, but it is missing a few things that would allow it to compete with the big guns. The most practical feature is the 15X zoom, and if that is important to you then this may be a consideration

The Z5fd is a good balance of size, style and function and its video capture is very impressive for a compact digital camera.

"The little dwarf" is a reasonable purchase. It has no extremely bad features, and offers some exceptionally sharp pictures in the right setting.

The Cyber-shot DSC-W120 is a fashionable camera that is simple to use and captures crisp, rich photos, although it’s slightly expensive and doesn’t have many advanced features.

A good camera that does many things very well. It is let down a little by its design and the fact that it costs about the same as many higher resolution models.

If you don't want to fool with interchangeable lenses (or you prefer framing shots with an LCD panel), and you don't need the gee-whiz features found on other advanced models, the S9500 is a good compromise

The MJU 760 is a strong compact camera with particular appeal for beginner photographers thanks to Olympus' guide system and its intuitive interface. Combine these with good picture quality and a classy design, and have you a great product.

A brilliantly designed unit, the MJU 780 will please a variety of consumers with its optical image stabilisation, 5x optical zoom and high ISO sensitivities. Its pictures aren't the best on the market but they are more than adequate for most uses.

Designed specifically for a niche market, the Tough 770SW is an ideal camera for those into the rougher side of life. Its pictures aren't the best we've seen, but for some that isn't the primary concern when buying a camera, and for those people this model may be a good choice.

A solid all around compact camera, Sony's Cyber-Shot DSC-W55 will appeal to users looking for a no-fuss entry into the digital photography market.

A good but not great entry-level ultra-zoom, the Kodak EasyShare Z1012 IS should satisfy users looking to take the next step up from a compact, as long as they can put up with a bit of lag between their shots.