Olympus has taken things to extremes with the Mju 1030 SW. It isn't just rugged - it's super-sexy

Almost unbreakable. Stylish. Simple to use

No image stabiliser. Noisy high-ISO shots

It may only be small but Canon's little Ixus holds enough tricks to conjure up some imaging magic

Tiny yet solid. Fast. Excellent pics. Optical viewfinder. Simple controls

Not great over ISO 400

It's a big-money compact, but does the FX500 deliver enough bang for your bucks?

Great image quality. Versatile lens. Good HD video. Innovative touch controls

Expensive. Sluggish zoom

This wedge-shaped IXUS is aiming to prise a gap in the premium camera rockface. Does it succeed?

Optical viewfinder. Good images. Great image stabiliser

Cheap, plasticky feel. High price. Small LCD

Sony's slinky, svelte T-series has taken the jump up to 10 megapixels. But has the quality been affected by the quantity?

Classy build and feel. Great use of touchscreen

Images look oddly over-processed. Pricey

We've seen many a super-slim camera - but not many that offer the wealth of features promised by Fujifilm's stylish 8MP newbie

Great features. Solid and stylish design. High-quality LCD screen. Some cracking pictures

Slow beyond belief at times. Tricky to use

Planning an adventure to remote lands? The SPOT satellite messenger might just save your life if you hit trouble

Lets friends and family track your progress. Three levels of messaging means it isn't 'all or nothing'. Waterproof and shockproof. Good battery life

Global coverage blackspots. Service charges can add up

Canon's latest IXUS trades in the series' traditionally boxy shape for a more premium design. Can its snaps match the makeover?

Solid build and sexy styling. Exceptional shots. Great image stabiliser

Convoluted controls. Pricey. Only 3x zoom

It's not all about megapixels. This 35mm film Lomo camera takes 120-degree panoramas in a single sweep with stunning results

Takes fantastic panoramic shots. Distinctive styling. Solid build

Basic exposure control. It's not compact

Casio's latest Exilim is flat as a pancake, but does its wafer-thinness stop it taking full-bodied photos?

Super-skinny. Simple controls. Nice colours

Hard to hold steady without image stabiliser. Poor screen. Quality drops off at ISO 400