The Nikon Coolpix S9100 takes fantastic shots even in difficult low light and bright conditions. Its 18x optical zoom is ideal for getting shots of distant subjects, and it has a 25mm wide angle and resolution of 12Mp. The image stabiliser takes care of shaky shots. The high resolution, sharp, colourful, 3-inch LCD screen does tend to be reflective in bright sunlight.  The S9100 can capture Full HD 1080p video of impressive quality. Fast-moving subjects can display some judder, though this is quite typical for a digital camera.

• Pros 18x optical zoom, Full HD video, good image stabiliser, great picture quality
• Cons No viewfinder, lacks manual adjustments

As well as offering a big zoom lens, the F550EXR is capable of great shots in both bright and low light conditions. The 15x optical zoom is great for distances, while the 24mm wide angle is superb for landscapes. The 15.9Mp resolution captures plenty of detail. The 360-degree panorama mode and the image stabiliser add to the features. The Full HD video mode (at 1080p) provides decent image quality. However, the camera lacks a viewfinder and its flash is awkwardly placed.

• Pros Great shots –  even in low light, large zoom, 24mm wide angle, great image stabiliser
• Cons No viewfinder, poor flash placement

It’s a compact camera with in-built GPS/compass features aimed at travellers and adventurers. The 15.9Mp camera with its 24-384mm lens provides strong image quality for wide landscapes, tight indoor shots and distant close-ups, in low light as well. You can capture 3D photos. The three-inch LCD screen on the back has a good viewing angle. It comes without a viewfinder and is slow to start up, with a full two seconds elapse between shots in single shot mode, yet in burst mode, you can take eight shots a second. Apart from Full HD video recording, it can also record in AVCHD. Quality is very good, sharp, with accurate colours. In low-light conditions, video and sound quality is decent. A weakness is macro photography. The autofocus finds it hard to lock onto the subject if you are very close to it.

• Pros Excellent image and video quality, GPS included, impressive low-light performance
• Cons Power-up is not as quick as some others

This is an interesting camera with a useful 24-300mm lens, a high speed mode and high image quality. In low-light, it produces images that retain detail. Image noise is under control, focus is reliable, and the image stabilisation system effective. The Casio is efficient in macro photography. It needs just 0.8 second to ready itself for the next picture. It can take 40 shots per second in continuous shooting mode. The Casio can record Full HD movies in good quality, with plenty of fine detailing. It also lets you play super-smooth slow motion videos. Under low-light, the exposure is a bit off, leaving the video a bit too dark. Easy to grip comfortably and use, it weighs over 200g and is just 3cm thick. The only gripe being the power on/off button which is on the small side and recessed.

• Pros Very fast, good image quality, slow-motion video mode, wide-angle lens
• Cons Power button fiddly to use

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20 is a compact model with lots of features helpful to a novice photographer. The GPS functionality allows you to pin point the location of a picture on the map. The zoom range is 16x, the wide angle lens starts at 24mm and widens out to 384mm. The generous wide angle is useful for landscapes and group photos. Image stabilisation is decent. It takes solid pictures in natural, artificial and low light, too.  Along with a 14Mp resolution, there are 26 scene modes and face detection, too. The 60×45mm LCD screen, although reflective, offers decent resolution. It records Full HD video at 1080p, and you can even capture 3D images. It is slow to start up, but the time between shots – just over a second – is quick.

• Pros 14 Mp, good pictures, GPS function, manual adjustments, full HD video
• Cons No viewfinder

The SZ-30MR is not the smallest compact camera we’ve seen, measuring 11×7x4cm, and weighing in at 228g. However, it packs in a lot of features to help a novice photographer. You’ll find a panorama mode, 3D still photo shooting, Full HD video and Eye-Fi card compatibility for automatic wireless uploading of images to a website or PC. But this Olympus lacks manual adjustments, such as priority modes for shutter speed, that would allow you some creative control when taking pictures. The wide angle is a generous 25mm – useful for landscapes. The 24x extended optical zoom range is impressive too. This camera takes great pictures in natural and artificial light. Even in low-light conditions photos are impressive.

• Pros 24x optical zoom, great photos, impressive burst mode, full HD video, 3D playback
• Cons No viewfinder, lacks manual focus

This super-slim Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX100V, which is less than 1.5cm thick and weighs just 150g, is an everyday camera that takes nice pictures and videos, and is pretty easy to use. The TX100V has a 15.9Mp sensor, with an effective image stabilisation system that helps keep the dreaded blurry pictures away. Overall, image quality is good, even in low-light. It can also record 3D images.

The Sony TX100V records video in AVCHD, a format more often seen on camcorders. The quality is very good and sharp, and the sound quality is adequate. The TX100V isn’t a particularly fast camera, but it’s not too sluggish either.

The zoom buttons to zoom in and out, however, are very small and inconveniently positioned. There is a 3.5-inch touchscreen placed at the back of the camera which is very reflective, and colours look washed out. The TX100V accepts both SD (including SDHC and SDXC) and Memory Stick Duo-type memory cards. There’s a small 19MB internal memory to get you going, which is enough for a handful of photos.

• Pros Slim and easy to carry, good video quality, image quality good for a compact
• Cons Zoom buttons are small, screen suffers in bright light

The Samsung SH100 offers a few nifty features including the possibility of sending emails or uploading photos directly to a social networking site. It’s just 2.2cm thick and weighs 136g. Thanks to its Wi-Fi connection you can use the camera in a Wi-Fi enabled area, or with tethering, you can sync SH100 with a cell phone that enables a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.

Along with 14Mp sensor, there is a 5x optical zoom and 26mm wide angle, but it lacks a mechanical image stabiliser. There are 23 scene modes and face detection, too. Other features offer effects you can apply to your photos – including soft focus and half-tone dot for a comic-book look. It takes good photos in all conditions – even in trickier low-light situations. The HD video mode (720p resolution) lets you capture sharp, colourful footage.The 65×36mm LCD touchscreen offers somewhat poor resolution and is also reflective in bright sunlight. Start up takes nearly three and a half seconds but is on the slow side between shots when using the highest quality settings, taking nearly four seconds.

• Pros 26mm wide angle, good photos, customise your photos, 14Mp sensor, HD video
• Cons No viewfinder, micro SD cards only, poor image stabilisation, slow burst mode

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX10, available in black, silver and hot pink, is aimed at novice users with few manual adjustments when it comes to taking pictures. It is less than 2cm thick and 139g in weight, it is waterproof, pressure-resistant down to 5m, dust resistant, cold resistant to 10°C and shock proof for drops of up to 1.5m.

It has 15.9Mp resolution, a 4x optical zoom, a 25mm wide-angle lens and a great image stabiliser that is useful for landscapes and group photos. There are 16 scene modes, face detection, tracking focus and a panorama mode that cleverly stitches together images to create a wide shot of your chosen scene.

This Sony also boasts a Full HD video mode at 1080p. The video footage is impressive – although sound is somewhat mediocre. The 65×37mm LCD screen offers middle of the road clarity, but is reflective in bright sunlight. The monitor also doubles as a control pad for the camera thanks to touchscreen functions. Start up takes more than four and a half seconds, but you can take a maximum of ten shots in a single burst.

• Pros Slim and compact, waterproof, 25mm wide angle, good pictures in good light, touchscreen
• Cons No viewfinder, struggles in low light, slow to get started

The Olympus VG-120 is a basic digital camera suitable for everyday use that comes in a range of colours. This entry-level camera is fine for those with basic requirements, but offers few manual adjustments and lacks the features and functions you’ll find on competing models. This slim, light camera will fit nicely into a pocket and is competent at taking everyday shots, but lacks some features like an image stabiliser. With 13.8 Mp, the wide angle is a generous 26mm and the 5x optical zoom range is about as good as you can expect from such a slim model.You’ll find 22 scene modes to help you compose pictures in different situations, and it has face detection, too.

This Olympus has an HD video mode (720p), letting you capture sharp, colourful footage. The 60×45mm LCD screen is rather poor and is further compromised by reflections in bright sunlight.

The VG-120 starts quickly in just over two seconds, but is slow between shots. You’ll wait nearly five seconds between photos when using the highest quality setting without flash.

• Pros Slim and light, good photos in all conditions, quick to start, HD video mode
• Cons No viewfinder, poor image stabilisation, very slow between shots, lacks manual focus

This is a simple, everyday camera with limited features, but there are some handy manual options and picture quality doesn’t disappoint. The 5x optical zoom won’t get you particularly close to distant subjects, but with the lens starting at a wide angle of 26mm you’ll be able to fit more people into close-up shots without having to take a few paces back. You can manually adjust the white balance and choose from among six pre-defined lighting conditions. There’s a manual focus option as well as autofocus, so you can choose whichever best suits the picture you’re taking. There’s no continuous focusing though, which may make it harder to keep a moving subject in the frame.

There are 20 program settings including the regular portrait and landscape scene options, but there’s no panorama function. As with most slim compacts there’s no viewfinder – you have to use the LCD screen to line up shots.

The screen can be hard to see in sunlight or poor lighting. Indoor portrait shots with flash have a blueish tint – the flash is only really good for distances of a few metres.

• Pros Some manual settings, light, low price
• Cons Slow shutter delay, no viewfinder, video could be better

The small size of the ST30 is matched by its bright colour options – pink, purple and yellow amongst others – offering a small and cute camera that can go everywhere with you. It weighs just over 106g and cameras don’t come more portable than this. However the small size means there isn’t room for much functionality, and this is a basic camera fine for everyday use but lacking manual adjustments.

There is a 3x optical zoom – on the small side but as you would expect from such a slim model. The 28mm wide angle is an asset when you are looking to take wide landscape shots or indoor photos, as you can fit a large amount into view without having to stand further back.

This Samsung offers sufficient megapixels – thanks to a 10Mp sensor – for getting your prints enlarged or if you’re digitally cropping and editing your photos. And the ST30 takes good photos in all conditions – even in trickier low light situations. The camera captures video in standard definition only and while video footage is decent, it isn’t this camera’s strong suit.

• Pros 26mm wide angle, good pictures, copes well in low light
• Cons No viewfinder, lacks an image stabiliser, LCD screen offers mediocre resolution

For wide angle pictures

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3, available in black, silver, red, pink and purple, is a compact digital camera with a 14Mp sensor, weighing 118g and is just 2.2cm thick. However, it lacks manual controls and is a point-and-shoot camera. It’s ready to use about three seconds after you switch it on. You’ll wait just over two seconds between shots. The burst mode isn’t the quickest – it can take just one picture every 0.62 seconds. The wide-angle lens starts from 28mm and is great for capturing indoor group shots or wide landscapes without having to stand too far back from your subjects. The 4x zoom lens will get you fairly close to distant subjects. It has an outstanding image stabiliser. Picture quality is generally impressive; it is competent even in difficult low light situations. The camera also has 15 scene modes and face detection technology. The DMC-S3’s HD video recording mode lets you take movies in 720p resolution. Unfortunately, the 54×40mm LCD screen offers rather poor resolution, and is further compromised in bright sunlight when it is reflective.

• Pros Good picture quality, wide-angle lens, good HD video footage, excellent image stabiliser
• Cons No viewfinder, poor LCD screen, no manual controls

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1 is a light, 117g camera suited for beginners, with simple functionality and limited manual adjustment options. It has a 20MB built-in memory, 12Mp resolution, a standard wide angle of 28mm and a 4x optical zoom, which will get you reasonably close to distant subjects. The screen suffers a bit from reflections in all lighting conditions and you can’t adjust the brightness. The built-in optical image stabiliser works relatively well. The Intelligent Auto mode of the camera helps automatically select what it thinks is the best mode for the scene you’re shooting. There are 15 scene settings, panorama functions and face detection technology installed. Pictures taken in low light look decent. Start-up is quick too – it’s ready to shoot 2.52 seconds after turning it on. With the Lumix Image Uploader software you can upload and share images and videos on Facebook and YouTube, but the camera must be connected to a computer with a USB cable provided in the box. The camera shoots 720p HD video and, while sound quality isn’t as sharp, it’s generally good enough for a camera of this size.

• Pros Lightweight, short shot-to-shot time, manual white balance adjustment
• Cons Disappointing video audio, only 4x optical zoom, no viewfinder

A standard compact aimed at a beginner photographer, the Nikon Coolpix L23, available in black, silver, red, blue and pink, measures 10.5×6.5×3cm, weighs 180g and takes two AA batteries. The camera takes satisfactory pictures and manages a respectable score in our tests.

The L23 has an opical zoom of 5x and a generous 28mm wide angle lens, useful for landscapes and group photos. However, it lacks image stabilisation, resulting in shaky shots. It has a 10Mp resolution. Photos taken in natural light are good, and the camera is also competent in low light conditions. There are 16 scene modes in total, and face detection, too. This Nikon only records standard definition video – no HD recording. Video quality is rather run-of-the-mill and you can’t zoom in during recording. The 54×40mm LCD screen is on the small side and is reflective in bright sunlight.

You’ll wait just less than three seconds to get started with the L23, but it is a little slow between shots, taking more than three and a half seconds. The burst mode is also pretty unimpressive speed-wise.

• Pros Respectable picture quality, available in a range of colours
• Cons No image stabilisation, mediocre video, Poor LCD screen, lacks manual controls

A standard compact for beginners, the Nikon Coolpix L24, available in black, silver and red, lacks manual controls, with no features like shutter speed and aperture priority and manual focus. The L24 measures 10.5×6.5×3cms, weighs 191g and takes two AA batteries. With an optical zoom of 3.6x, the L24 has a tight 37mm wide-angle lens, so you will struggle to fit in lots when shooting landscapes and group photos. This Coolpix model also lacks image stabilisation, resulting in shaky shots. It has a 14Mp resolution. Photos taken in natural light are good and the L24 is also competent in low light conditions. There are 15 scene modes to try out and face detection, too. This Nikon model only records standard definition video . The video quality is rather average and you can’t zoom in during recording.  The 60×45mm LCD screen offers mediocre resolution and is reflective in bright sunlight.

You’ll wait less than three seconds to get started with the L24, but it is a little slow between shots, taking nearly three and a half seconds. The burst mode is not great, as the shots are not fast enough.

• Pros Respectable picture quality, available in a range of colours
• Cons No image stabilisation, mediocre video, second-rate screen, lacks manual controls

The Olympus VR-310, available in black, silver and livelier purple or red, is an entry level model billed by Olympus as a glamorous all-rounder. This slim model measures 10.5×6.5×3cm and weighs nearly 150g.

Though it pushes the budget slightly, this camera offers excellent features. Along with an impressive 10x optical zoom, it provides a generous 24mm wide angle lens useful for landscapes and group photos. The VR-310’s image stabiliser is top-notch. Pictures in natural, artificial and low light are decently detailed. The VR-310 has a 13.8Mp resolution, 21 scene modes to help you compose pictures in different situations and face detection, too.

This Olympus boasts an HD video mode (720p), letting you capture sharp, colourful footage. However, the video quality is not great and even the sound is poor.The 60×45mm LCD screen is further compromised by reflections in bright sunlight.

The VR-310 is quick enough between shots; you’ll wait just over two and a half seconds between photos when using the highest quality setting without flash, so you can use it for some quick shots in daylight.

• Pros 10x optical zoom, good photos, excellent image stabiliser, HD video mode
• Cons No viewfinder, poor burst mode, lacks manual focus

The Samsung ES80 is a simple, all-purpose camera without any special functions but perfectly suitable for basic photo taking. Weighing just 142g, it is light, portable and a decent scoring point-and-shoot model.

With a 5x optical zoom, a 12Mp resolution, a decent wide angle of 27mm, and an image stabiliser, the ES80 takes good pictures – capturing satisfying detail with good colour accuracy. Even in difficult low-light conditions it delivers impressive shots for a model of this class. The built-in flash works well, although the flash strength isn’t adjustable, there’s a red-eye reduction mode.

There are 12 scene modes and a face detection feature too. The camera  takes over 3 seconds to come on and be picture ready. The ES80 records only standard definition video, the quality of which is rather middle-of-the-road – this applies to both moving pictures and sound. You can zoom in during recording. The monitor, on the small side, measures 48×36mm, and is let down by severe reflection in bright sunlight. There is no viewfinder as an alternative means for composing a shot.

• Pros Wide lens, good colour reproduction, great photos in low light
• Cons No viewfinder, poor monitor, lacks image stabilisation