The Mju 1040 is an impressive compact camera characterised by style, portability and lightning-fast results. Aside from a few minor performance issues, it ticks nearly every box on a casual photographer's wish list.

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.

Unfortunately the Tough 1050SW is a bit of a step backwards in the otherwise excellent tough series. Its extreme levels of haloing are problematic and the overall performance is downright slow. The tap control system is pretty innovative, however, and the pictures are good aside from the chromatic aberration.

Samsung's L201 is fairly solid overall but is let down by its horribly over-sharpened pictures. For small prints it's fine, but at larger magnifications this really becomes an issue.

A great option for the more experienced photographer, the P600 offers all the functionality you could want from an advanced camera; the only downfall is the four figure price tag.