Two of the best small compacts on the market. Quality differences are on a knife edge, but the Canon wins for superior features and handling.

We've been lucky to have hands-on review time with two of the most hotly-anticipated compacts cameras we've seen for some time. See our photos and first impressions of the Powershot SX200 IS and Lumix DMC-TZ7 (also known as ZS3)

Successor to the ubiquitous 350D, Canon's affordable yet powerful 400D D-SLR is a serious weapon whether an amateur or pro.

If you had asked me a few weeks ago what the advantages of eight megapixels (MP) were over five, I would have said very few. However, that was before I discovered the fun factor in being able to play with an image that is up to 115cm by just over 86cm (72dpi).

The Canon EOS 500D is capable of great results, but a wallet-draining way of getting HD video on a DSLR.

Superb build quality and performance make this a worthwhile upgrade for serious amateurs.

Canon typically puts out a good digital video camera and for a while had the market fairly well sown up. However, there is now plenty of competition and Canon can no longer just rely on its reputation to keep it at the top. The MVX250i is a mid range camera designed for average users who want something more than the bare basics. Its 860,000 pixel (effective) CCD provides a good quality picture in most cases, including in night mode. However, it can be slow to find a good colour balance.

Once upon a time not too long ago, your average inkjet printer had a single tricolour ink cartridge. Of course, the print quality was fairly ordinary, but it did the job. Today, with digital cameras the norm and home users wanting to print their own photographs, your photo printer may have as many as eight different ink cartridges.

As a reviewer, there is no greater thrill than being privy to a product that you know will either revolutionise or turn the world upside down. The first Palm Pilot, USB devices, and the Canon 1Ds.

Great image quality and plenty of enthusiast features for a very reasonable price

Not much to tempt you over last year's HV20 but Canon still rules the roost when it comes to raw picture quality

Canon’s SLR fails to make the enormous splash of its predecessors, but it’s still a great camera in its own right.

Like the others in Canon’s MV500 series, the MV530i is about twice the size of Canon’s MVX2i mini cam, but is still comfortable to hold and use.

Forget gold plated and diamond encrusted – if you've got three grand to spare and don't mind weighty snappers, this is the camera to blow it on

Superb, stylish, solid... but sabotaged by poor controls

A significant overhaul and a great camera. At this price it’s the best all-round package on the market

Running costs are high, but with a high resolution and superb performance, it’s a groundbreaking product.

High performance with a matching price tag.

Portability has been talked about a lot recently, and people are starting to get used to the fact that their printer can be just as portable as the rest of their equipment. Canon has been offering portable laptop printers for several years and selling just enough of them to persevere, however, with the digital camera boom they are starting to come into their own.

The Canon A300 is an entry level 3.2-megapixel camera with rather plain specifications and an average range of photgraphic features.