Digital Cameras, Compact

Olympus mju Tough-6010

Ernest Shackleton would probably have been mightily taken with the shockproof, waterproof and freezeproof mju Tough-6010. Its picture quality isn't going to blow anybody's mind, but it looks smart, offers good value for money, and can withstand a fair degree of punishment

Editor's rating 6.1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZX1

The 12.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-ZX1 offers an 8x super-wideangle zoom in a compact body, and manages to produce clearer and sharper pictures than the majority of its rivals. It also offers solid build quality and straightforward controls. As such, buying it is almost a no-brainer

Editor's rating 9.0

Canon Digital IXUS 200 IS

Canon has played it safe with the Digital IXUS 200 IS, aiming for steady evolution rather than technical innovation. The result is a perfectly decent compact camera. It offers good colours and details at low ISOs, its touchscreen is effective and its 5x extra-wideangle zoom is very useful

Editor's rating 7.5

Canon PowerShot S90

The 10-megapixel PowerShot S90 is brilliant. At last, we have a compact camera that really does have dSLR-style features, really does approach dSLR image quality and really will fit in your pocket. As well as offering a straightforward interface, it's extremely well-built and elegant to boot

User rating 10.0

Editor's rating 9.1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX550

The 12.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-FX550 compact camera offers a surprising amount of manual control and oozes hi-tech features, including a touchscreen interface and 5x super-wide zoom. It's also capable of shooting decent pictures, and offers decent value for money too

Editor's rating 6.8

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

Part of a new breed of camera that aims to combine the image quality and features of a digital SLR with the convenience of a compact, the 12.1-megapixel Lumix DMC-GF1 is a tantalising proposition. It costs a packet, but its photos are excellent and its build quality is really something special

Editor's rating 8.9

Fujifilm FinePix Real 3D W1

Fujifilm deserves a substantial pat on the back for creating the FinePix Real 3D W1. Not only does it function as a normal compact camera, but it can also use its two lenses to produce strikingly effective 3D images. This snapper's not without its downsides, but it's capable of some impressive results

Editor's rating 6.5

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1

Sony has packed an impressive amount of technology into the 10.2-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-WX1, while keeping it tiny and lightweight. Capable of delivering some very good photos, it's also one of the quickest cameras we've tested in its class, making it well worth considering

Editor's rating 8.0

Ricoh CX2

The 9.3-megapixel CX2 compact superzoom with 10.7x zoom offers capabilities that wouldn't be out of place on a cutting-edge digital SLR, including plenty of focusing options and an excellent dynamic-range mode. It also feels very well-made and responsive

Editor's rating 7.1

Canon PowerShot G11

The pro-orientated, 10-megapixel PowerShot G11 is expensive and heavy, but it's one of the best serious compacts on the market. Its cast-iron body and chunky external dials are excellent, its image quality is good, and its 5x wideangle zoom is sharp right through its focal range and right to the edges of the frame, too

Editor's rating 8.2

Nikon Coolpix S1000pj

The world's first camera with an integrated projector, the 12.1-megapixel Coolpix S1000pj's most interesting feature will either have you chortling with delight or feeling totally unimpressed. But it's not all about the projector -- the S1000pj is a pretty good compact in its own right

Editor's rating 7.8

Casio Exilim EX-Z90

Casio's stuffed plenty of features into the 12.1-megapixel Exilim EX-Z90 compact camera, including a 3x zoom and an intelligent autofocus system that can work out what to focus on and how to adjust the exposure to match. The body's very neat and attractive, and it's fairly inexpensive too

User rating 9.0

Editor's rating 5.2

Samsung ST550

Its pictures are fairly ordinary, but the 12.2-megapixel ST550 is a stunningly successful exercise in interface design. With a front-mounted touchscreen that makes taking self-portraits a piece of cake, a rear-mounted touchscreen that delivers haptic feedback, and a motion-sensitive menu system, it's a joy to use

Editor's rating 8.1

Samsung WB1000

The 12-megapixel WB1000 offers more control over your photos than the vast majority of other compact cameras, making it a good option for digital SLR users seeking a pocket snapper. Its photo quality and performance are what you'd expect from a compact, but it's a beautifully made machine

Editor's rating 7.8

Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR

Sporting Fujifilm's EXR sensor, the 10-megapixel FinePix F70EXR compact superzoom with 10x wideangle zoom is capable of delivering some truly impressive pictures, particularly in low light. It's sometimes susceptible to colour fringing, but its size, build and handling are all great

Editor's rating 8.0

Olympus mju-7010

The 12-megapixel mju-7010 is a great little camera that combines a compact body with a 7x wideangle zoom. Its pictures could be crisper and other cameras have longer zoom ranges without costing more, but the mju-7010 is so slim and neat that it's hard to resist

Editor's rating 8.1

Olympus FE-3010

The 12-megapixel FE-3010 isn't the fastest camera in its class when it comes to taking shots, but it offers good colour and white-balance performance. Considering how cheap it is, it also sports an attractive and impressively compact design, as well as solid build quality

Editor's rating 6.2

Ricoh GR Digital III

With a fixed-focal-length lens and steep price tag, the 10-megapixel GR Digital III won't appeal to the average user. But photography professionals and enthusiasts who want a 'proper' camera in a compact body will be delighted with its rock-solid build and fantastic photo quality

Editor's rating 8.8

Casio Exilim EX-H10

The Exilim EX-H10 superzoom has plenty of appeal for travellers. Despite its highly versatile 10x zoom, it's slim enough to slide into a pocket, it sports a battery that'll last between four and five times longer than that of the average snapper and it offers a hi-def movie mode, too

Editor's rating 6.4

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220

In order to keep the price down, Sony's trimmed the 12-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-W220's features, but left enough in so that it's still a worthwhile proposition. Also offering fairly speedy performance and decent photo quality, this is a well-rounded and attractive compact camera

Editor's rating 7.2