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 ...

Nikon's COOLPIX P90 is the company's latest super-zoom digital camera, sporting 12.1 Megapixel resolution, a tilting 3in screen and a 24x optical range that's equivalent to 26-624mm. Announced in February 2009, it's the successor to the COOLPIX P80 ...

Massive 24x range with 26mm wide angle ; 3in monitor which can tilt up or down ; Ergonomic body with full manual control ; Interval and time-lapse shooting ; Massive 24x range with 26mm wide angle ; 3in monitor which can tilt up or down ; Ergonomic ...

Smearing on images and fringing at telephoto ; Coarse-looking screen ; No optical zoom when filming video ; Smearing on images and fringing at telephoto ; Coarse-looking screen ; No optical zoom when filming video

Viewed in isolation, Nikon's COOLPIX P90 is a fairly decent camera. It features one of the longest optical zoom ranges on the market, a large tilting monitor for creative composition, and a number of neat gadgets in addition to simply feeling good in ...

Both the Canon and Panasonic additionally feature 3in screens, automatic scene detection, HD movie recording in the 720p format and HDMI ports for output to an HDTV. They're also roughly the same size and weight. As such both cameras have a great deal ...

12x zoom in a pocket camera., HD movies in the 720p format., Full manual control over exposure., Good auto mode and helpful hints., 12x zoom in a pocket camera., HD movies in the 720p format., Full manual control over exposure., Good auto mode and ...

No optical zoom while filming video., Flash always raises at power-up., Pointlessly slow 0.8fps 'burst' rate., No optical zoom while filming video., Flash always raises at power-up., Pointlessly slow 0.8fps 'burst' rate.

As we said at the top of this page, the PowerShot SX200 IS is Canon's first attempt at a pocket super-zoom, and it's certainly impressive, packing a 12x zoom, 3in screen, HD movies, an HDMI port and full manual control into a pocketable form factor. ...

Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TZ7 (or ZS3 as it's known in North America) is a 10.1 Megapixel compact with a detailed 3in screen, HD video recording and a 12x optically-stabilised zoom. Launched in January 2009, exactly one year after the best-selling Lumix ...

12x zoom with 25mm wide angle ; HD movies and choice of formats ; Good-looking 3in / 460k screen ; Great auto mode and fast burst options ; 12x zoom with 25mm wide angle ; HD movies and choice of formats ; Good-looking 3in / 460k screen ; Great auto ...

No manual control over exposure ; AF issues when filming and zooming ; Noise visible throughout ISO range ; Shutter won't exit playback. Need to switch ; No manual control over exposure ; AF issues when filming and zooming ; Noise visible throughout ...

Set to 10M Fine mode, images typically measure between 4 and 4.5MB each, and Panasonic has fitted the TZ7 / ZS3 with around 40MB to get you started - since this is only good for about ten 10M Fine JPEGs though, you'll be wanting to fit a bigger card ...

Canon's PowerShot SX1 IS is a 10 Megapixel super-zoom camera with a 20x optically-stabilised lens and a 2.8in flip-out screen. Announced in September 2008 alongside the SX10 IS, both cameras jointly replace the best-selling PowerShot S5 IS. The SX1 IS ...

Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle., Full HD video in 1080p with stereo sound., Fast continuous shooting at 4fps., Fully articulated 2.8in screen., Massive 20x range with 28mm wide angle., Full HD video in 1080p with stereo sound., Fast ...

Fringing in corners with high contrast subjects., Battery life shorter than SX10 IS., Small viewfinder image, especially at 4:3., Slightly noisier than the SX10 IS., Fringing in corners with high contrast subjects., Battery life shorter than SX10 ...

Canon's PowerShot SX1 IS is arguably one of the most technologically successful hybrid cameras to date, offering both 10 Megapixel stills and Full HD 1080p video recording in a compact body with a 20x zoom, fully articulated screen, fast continuous ...

The Fujifilm FinePix F60fd is a 12 Megapixel compact with a 3x zoom lens, built-in stabilisation and a 3in screen. Announced in August 2008, it's the successor to the popular FinePix F50fd, and shares the same sensor, same lens and the same chunky ...

Control over aperture and shutter., Sensible approach to people shots., Great face detection., Auto Scene recognition., Control over aperture and shutter., Sensible approach to people shots., Great face detection., Auto Scene recognition.

Lacking true wide angle coverage., Stabilisation not as good as rivals., Screen bettered by top rivals., Lacking true wide angle coverage., Stabilisation not as good as rivals., Screen bettered by top rivals.

It's becoming increasingly common for many new compacts to be minor updates over their predecessors, and the FinePix F60fd is a prime example. As described above, it's identical to the earlier FinePix F50fd, bar Scene Recognition, improved face ...

The Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G was announced in September 2008 as the company's flagship standard prime lens. It shares the same bright f1.4 aperture and standard focal length as the much older AF 50mm f/1.4D, but features an SWM focusing motor, which ...

Yeah, that looks ugly at f/1.4 in the corners of even the smaller DX frame, so we can presume it's worse still when fitted to an FX-format full-frame body. Point sources of light closer to the centre though look more normal and as you can see above, ...

Next-up a tougher test, snorkelling under the chilly surface of Queenstown's Lake Wakatipu at a temperature of around 8 degrees Celsius. The murkier water sapped the sunlight, and low temperatures ate through the batteries, but the 1050 SW still ...

Fully waterproof to depths of 3m ; Shockproof and freeze-proof ; Live thumbnail previews of adjustments ; Unique tap-controls ; Fully waterproof to depths of 3m ; Shockproof and freeze-proof ; Live thumbnail previews of adjustments ; Unique tap-controls

Pedestrian 3x zoom range with no 28mm ; No optical or sensor-shift anti-shake ; Softness and fringing towards corners ; Pedestrian 3x zoom range with no 28mm ; No optical or sensor-shift anti-shake ; Softness and fringing towards corners

Over the past few generations, Olympus has carved out a real name for itself in the tough, waterproof digital camera market, stealing the thunder from arch rival Pentax. The Olympus SW range - now rebranded as TOUGH - became the models to go for if ...