The DMC-FS3 is capable of producing instant, good quality photos that will more than satisfy its intended user base of casual photographers. If you want to capture great looking shots with a minimum of effort, this compact camera will not disappoint.

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.

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.

A strong choice if you're after an ultra zoom camera, the Cyber-Shot DSC-H9 sports a 15x optical zoom and captures some good shots, however it does have issues with haloing and purple fringing, which will be irritating for many users.

The DSC-W100 takes brilliant pictures and offers decent functionality. It is only really let down by a weak burst mode.

While it isn't the best ultra zoom on the market, Kodak's EasyShare Z812IS is a good all around package combining a ton of features with solid image quality and a big zoom. The high-definition video recording in particular will appeal to some users.

Nikon's CoolPix S51c offers a good option if you want to quickly and easily share photos with family and friends, however image quality aficionados maybe a little put off by the noise and slightly soft look of the shots.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 is a great ultra-zoom camera. Its compact build makes it ideal for travellers and it has a boatload of features along with capturing some fairly good shots.

Another solid touch screen offering from Sony, the Cyber-Shot DSC-T70 is a slightly slimmed down version of the T200. It offers relatively good quality pictures and combines them with a touch screen interface and a slick design.

Sony's Cyber-Shot DSC-T200 is an interesting camera. Its pictures suffer from some sharpness and chromatic aberration issues, but are still good enough for small and medium sized prints.

If you want a camera with a powerful zoom, a long focal length, and extensive controls, but an SLR is too big or too expensive for you, the Coolpix 8800 makes an excellent choice. Be prepared to invest some time in mastering the controls, however.

A little disappointing, the MJU 810 doesn't quite live up to its predecessor's name offering a solid if not awe inspiring compact model with poorer than expected image quality.