The Pentax Optio E50 is an 8 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. This is a simple point and shoot camera and is priced at the lower end of the market. Its strength is ease of use and shutter delay times were low for a camera in this ...

Ease of use - shutter delay times

Picture quality

This is a cheap digital camera, but I'm not convinced there is a great deal of value for money. My tests photos suffered from noise and a general lack of clarity and sharpness. There are other cheaper cameras out there that I would much prefer over ...

The Olympus FE-370 is an 8 megapixel digital camera with a 5x optical zoom lens. Its main attractions are ease of use and the extra zoom the camera offers over more basic models. Based on my tests picture quality is better than many peer cameras ...

Ease of use - picture quality compared to other cameras in its class.

Not a great deal

This is a good quality, snapshot digital camera. It performed well in my tests and is capable of producing decent photos in most situations. It scores well for ease of use and that bit of extra zoom can come in handy too.

The Casio Exilim EX-Z250 is a straightforward, pocket sized digital camera. It is available in black, red and silver. One of the biggest plus points is how easy it is to use. It has 10 megapixels and a 4x wide angle zoom lens.

Options displayed on the right hand side of LCD screen - movie options

Overall picture quality - closer macro mode

I was a bit disappointed with the picture quality produced by the Exilim EX-Z250. Looking at the price tag I think there are cameras with similar specifications offering better value for money.

The Canon IXUS 870 IS is a stylish compact digital camera. It will fit into larger pockets. Picture quality is very good indeed. The design and build quality of the camera also stands out too. The IXUS 870 IS has 10 megapixels, a 4x wide angle zoom ...

Design - picture quality - build quality - start up time

Nothing really springs to mind

I like the IXUS 870 IS. It performed well in my tests and I found very few points where the camera struggled. This is a reliable camera that should take good quality snapshots in most situations. It looks good and was very fast to turn on and take a ...

The Canon IXUS 980 IS has 14.7 megapixels and a 3.7x optical zoom lens. This gives you plenty of scope for large prints or to crop photos. This camera looks very good and picture quality is up there with the very best compact digital cameras. This is ...

Design - picture quality

Slow when flash is turned on

If a combination of excellent picture quality and stylish design are what you are looking for then you should strongly consider this camera. Price wise it comes in at the top end of the market.

The Canon Powershot A1000 IS is a step above more basic digital cameras, offering image stabilisation, a viewfinder and extra flash controls. It is a bit bigger than pocket sized. For many people this makes it easier to take a good grip and hold the ...

Picture quality - value for money

Slow when flash is turned on

The Powershot A1000 IS produces good quality photos in most situations. It has more features than the most basic point and shoot cameras and this gives you the chance to set the camera up for your own requirements.

The Fuji Finepix F60FD is a good quality compact digital camera. During my tests I was impressed by the colours the camera produces and also the amount of definition in the photos. It also hit a fast time in my shutter lag tests.

Colours - detail in photos - shutter lag speeds

Nothing springs to mind

I like this camera. It does what it sets out to do and does it well. Picture quality is good with vivid colours and plenty of detail. The shutter delay was also noticeable short. Ease of use is good and the camera also offers shutter and aperture ...

The Fuji Finepix J150w is a budget digital camera. It has one or two nice features for an entry level model. These include a 5x wide angle lens and a 3 inch LCD screen. It has a neat and tidy design and will fit into most pockets. Shutter lag times ...

Large LCD Screen - Easy to use - Build quality for price

Picture quality

This is a cheap and cheerful camera. As you would expect it scores well for ease of use and I like the large 3 inch LCD screen. The build quality also feels above average for this type of camera. You do get what you pay for when it comes to picture ...

The Nikon Coolpix P6000 stands out as one of the most advanced compact digital cameras around. Nikon have done well to add so many features and still managed to make the Coolpix P6000 easy to use. Picture quality matches the specification. This is a ...

Ease of use, features, build quality, picture quality

Shutter lag and start up times are poor

This is a very impressive, advanced digital camera. Considering the number of features the camera has it retains a degree of ease of use. Picture quality is impressive. Build quality is also very good too.

The Olympus MJU 1060 has a longer lens than most smaller compact digital cameras. Other features worth mentioning include image stabilisation, a 3 inch LCD screen and a super macro mode of 2cm. Picture quality is standard for this type of camera as ...

Style - ease of use - length of zoom

The MJU 1060 does most things well enough. Perhaps focusing could be that bit sharper.

When it comes to picture quality, shutter design and the majority of features the MJU 1060 is a fairly typical point and shoot digital camera. The main attraction is the 7x optical zoom lens in a compact body. This is a very handy feature in a smaller ...