Well-designed ; several fun, useful features ; good low-light and overall performance

Mixed photo quality

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX1 is a great, fast-performing snapshot camera that falters on photo quality.

The X-Driven DRS-1100 viewer program pairs video with an accurate Google map showing vehicle location. Driving video and GPS information are automatically recorded

The viewer program only shows speed in kilometers per hour. Files saved to other drives couldn't be opened, and there is no way to export video to a common format

The X-Driven DRS-1100 performs its basic task of recording potential accidents well, but a number of small problems with the included viewer software hamper its usability.

Simple to use ; nice design ; excellent performance, photo quality

No AV output cable included ; no shutter speed, aperture controls

With a wide-angle, megazoom lens, a quick AF system, and generally high-quality snapshot photos, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 is a standout compact megazoom.

Very small ; simple operation ; very good photo, HD movie quality ; HDMI out

No optical zoom in Movie mode ; mixed performance

One of the best ultracompacts available, the Canon PowerShot SD940 IS nonetheless falls short of greatness in performance and photo quality.

Easy to use ; best-in-class photo quality ; manual and semimanual controls

Fewer features, slower performance, and bulkier design than competitive models

Canon's SX120 IS pocket megazoom falls behind the competition in every aspect except photo quality.

Extremely large feature set ; solid, high-end design

Photo quality dips above ISO 200

The Samsung TL320's myriad shooting options make it a very good dSLR companion, but the photo quality and performance are definitely those of a point-and-shoot camera.

Slim, pretty design ; very good feature-to-price ratio ; above average photo quality for its class

Long shutter lag

A budget ultracompact worth buying, the Casio Exilim EX-S5's only real issue is shutter lag.

Nice design, build quality ; very good color, white balance

Slow performance ; soft photos

The Olympus FE-3010 is a good-looking ultracompact camera that takes pictures--eventually.

Well designed ; very good performance, photo, and video quality

Expensive ; soft photos

A full-featured waterproof/shockproof pocket point-and-shoot, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is a near-perfect rugged camera for everyday use.

Very good feature-to-price ratio ; comfortable, sturdy design ; fast performance for its class

Photos can look overprocessed and noisy viewed at 100 percent ; small LCD

The pocket megazoom Kodak EasyShare Z915 is a good camera for those looking to step up from a fully automatic compact camera to something with more manual controls and a longer lens.