The Canon PowerShot SX120 IS is a budget super-zoom compact with a 10 Megapixel sensor, 10x optical zoom with image stabilisation and 3in LCD panel. Launched in August 2009 it replaces the popular PowerShot SX110 IS, increasing the Megapixel count ...

Good low light performance.; Uses broadly available AA batteries.; Integral lens cover.; Full Manual control over exposures.; Good low light performance.; Uses broadly available AA batteries.; Integral lens cover.; Full Manual control over ...

Poor wide angle coverage (36mm equiv).; Flash needs to be manually raised.; Noisy zoom motor.; No HD video nor optical zoom when filming.; Poor wide angle coverage (36mm equiv).; Flash needs to be manually raised.; Noisy zoom motor.; No HD ...

The Canon PowerShot SX120 IS builds on the success of its predecessor to deliver a decent range of features and a long zoom range in an affordable and fairly compact body that's well-styled and comfortable to use. With a range of exposure options from ...

Announced at the beginning of 2009, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 / TS1 is a 12.1 megapixel compact with a 4.6x optical zoom and a 2.7in screen. It's Panasonic's first waterproof camera and can be submerged to a depth of 3 metres. Though not as slim as ...

Great image quality.; Waterproof to depth of 3m.; HD video with optical zoom.; HDMI port.; Great image quality.; Waterproof to depth of 3m.; HD video with optical zoom.; HDMI port

Slow power on button; Design and controls not ideal underwater.; Poor AF underwater.; Very stiff mode dial.; Slow power on button; Design and controls not ideal underwater.; Poor AF underwater.; Very stiff mode dial

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 / TS1 is an excellent all-round compact that can also be used in the water to a depth of 3 metres. It has a 12.1 Megapixel sensor, a good all-purpose 28-128mm equivalent optical zoom with very effective image stabilisation. ...

With its rounded corners, enclosed lens housing and corner bayonet mounts, Canon's waterproof PowerShot D10 looks, appropriately enough, like a miniature submarine. The casing is a little larger than the average compact, but the rounded contours will ...

Great styling and survives depths of 10m.; Good image quality.; Fast and responsive.; Bright LCD.; Great styling and survives depths of 10m.; Good image quality.; Fast and responsive.; Bright LCD

Limited zoom range.; No HD video.; Poor AF underwater.; A tad bulky.; Limited zoom range.; No HD video.; Poor AF underwater.; A tad bulky

The Canon PowerShot D10 is an excellent all-round digital compact that is designed specifically for use in the water and other 'challenging' environments. With a 12.1 megapixel sensor, 3x digital zoom and 2.5in LCD it's specifications may not set your ...

Most obviously (and inevitably) Canon has increased the resolution from 10.0 to 12.1 Megapixels. Much more importantly, the movie mode now boasts a 720p HD option, and there's also an HDMI port so you can watch both video and stills in high quality on ...

Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle.; Fully articulated 2.5in screen.; 720p HD video with decent sound.; Flash hotshoe and HDMI port.; Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle.; Fully articulated 2.5in screen.; 720p HD video with decent sound.; ...

Fringing around high contrast subjects.; No RAW recording.; Slow continuous shooting - just 1fps.; Handy sound recorder of SX10 has gone.; Fringing around high contrast subjects.; No RAW recording.; Slow continuous shooting - just 1fps.; Handy ...

Following our convention of using default factory and best quality JPEG settings to test cameras unless otherwise stated, the PowerShot SX20 IS was set Large Fine quality, Auto White Balance, Evaluative Metering and with 'My Colours' switched off (the ...

Released in January 2009, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 is a 12.1 megapixel slim compact with a 5x optical zoom. It sits at the top of the Panasonic's FS range, designed to be more affordable than it's FX range. The FS25 replaces the FS20, launched ...

Stylish good looks.; Responsive zoom with wide angle.; Variable brightness LCD.; Lots of Scene modes.; Stylish good looks.; Responsive zoom with wide angle.; Variable brightness LCD.; Lots of Scene modes

Switch for play instead of button.; Flimsy battery cover.; Face detection poor in low light.; Switch for play instead of button.; Flimsy battery cover.; Face detection poor in low light

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS25 is a stylish, slim compact that looks good, feels comfortable to hold and produces good quality images. Its 5x optical zoom includes wide-angle coverage and is well suited to general purpose photography from group shots to ...

The new FZ38 / FZ35 inherits a number of key features from its predecessor, the FZ28, including the same 18x optical range that's equivalent to 27-486mm in 35mm terms. It also shares essentially the body and controls, along with the same 2.7in / 230k ...

Large 18x range with 27mm wide angle.; RAW recording and correction of fringing.; 720p HD video & choice of encoding.; Compact body with full manual & HDMI.; Large 18x range with 27mm wide angle.; RAW recording and correction of fringing.; 720p HD ...

Fixed screen & same specification as before.; No flash hotshoe.; Tendency to use small apertures in automatic.; Fixed screen & same specification as before.; No flash hotshoe.; Tendency to use small apertures in automatic

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-FZ38 / FZ35 is the latest version of the company's gradually evolving super-zoom camera. Like its predecessors, this year's updates may only be minor, but since they're building on what was already one of the best super-zooms ...

Launched in February 2009, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W270 is a 12.1 megapixel compact with a 5x optically stabilized zoom lens and a 2.7in screen. Launched at the same time, the Cyber-shot DSC-W290 is identical in every respect but with a slightly ...

Ease of use.; Slick design and build quality; Smile shutter feature.; Fast flash recycling.; Ease of use.; Slick design and build quality; Smile shutter feature.; Fast flash recycling

Slightly soft image quality.; Proprietary storage and port.; No optical zoom while filming.; Slightly soft image quality.; Proprietary storage and port.; No optical zoom while filming

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W270 / W290 is a good value compact with a high resolution 12.1 Megapixel sensor, flexible 28-140mm zoom range and a wealth of features aimed at getting best result in most situations for the point and shoot photographer.

The A2100's Digic 4 sensor produces 12.1 megapixel images measuring 4000x3000 pixels at the highest resolution setting. A new Smart Auto shooting mode uses Canon's Scene Detection Technology to asses the scene and automatically select one of 18 scene ...

6x zoom with 216mm equivalent max., AA rechargeable batteries., Excellent image quality., Very close macro., 6x zoom with 216mm equivalent max., AA rechargeable batteries., Excellent image quality., Very close macro.

Bigger than most compacts, Lacking true wide-angle coverage., No optical zoom while filming., Bigger than most compacts, Lacking true wide-angle coverage., No optical zoom while filming.

Canon's PowerShot A2100 IS is a good value compact with a longer than average zoom range, excellent image quality and very effective image stabilisation. Although it lacks the wide angle coverage of the Sony Cyber-shot DCS-W270 / W290 and the ...

The Sony Cyber-shot HX1 trumps its rival's 4fps continuous shooting rate with one rated at 10fps. While it'll only capture ten frames during this burst, and tie the camera up for a while as it writes them to the card, it remains a highly impressive ...

Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle., HD video at 1440x1080 with stereo sound., Ultra-fast 10fps continuous shooting., Vertically-tilting screen., Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle., HD video at 1440x1080 with stereo sound., Ultra-fast 10fps ...

Burst mode ties-up camera for 18 seconds., No RAW or control over JPEG compression., Proprietary port and Memory Stick cards., Burst mode ties-up camera for 18 seconds., No RAW or control over JPEG compression., Proprietary port and Memory Stick cards.

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 is a camera of two sides: on the one you have the traditional super-zoom aspects which, like several rivals, deliver a massive stabilised range with full manual control and a flexible screen, while on the other you have the ...

The Nikkor DX 16-85mm VR was announced in January 2008 alongside the D60 DSLR. It equips all DX format bodies with a general-purpose range that's equivalent to 24-128mm, making it an ideal walk-around lens with wider coverage than most kit lenses

Flexible range with 24mm wide-angle ; Effective Vibration Reduction ; Relatively quick and quiet SWM focusing ; Metal lens mount with rubber sealing ; Flexible range with 24mm wide-angle ; Effective Vibration Reduction ; Relatively quick and quiet SWM ...

Telephoto shorter than some kit zooms ; Barrel shadow at 16mm with popup flash ; DX 18-200mm VR available at similar price ; Telephoto shorter than some kit zooms ; Barrel shadow at 16mm with popup flash ; DX 18-200mm VR available at similar price

We tested a final-production DX 16-85mm VR lens with various Nikon bodies, although the bulk of our tests employed the Nikon D90. The Nikkor DX 16-85mm VR is designed to work with all DX-format Nikon DSLRs, or FX-format bodies in 'cropped' mode. Our ...