An older Nikon wireless camera, that in its day was a superb 8-megapixel camera in its own right. Small, smart and destined for greatness

Olympus’ Four Thirds imaging system comes of age in a classy compact SLR that makes the rest look ordinary

A pint-sized camera that packs a punch, with consistently good performance in all conditions

Smart, clever and capable. A couple of imperfections keep it off the top spot, and we might be tempted by the camera-less S70, but it's a fine choice

Worth the wait. The E-3 matches pro SLR capabilities with the ease of use of an entry-level cam

An older camera, and expensive in its day, but the impressive image quality and choice of optical and LCD viewfinders make it worth a look for DSLR hunters

If you can afford one and can find one, don’t think twice about it. If not, rent one from a specialist outlet for phenomenal results

The best compact Sony yet, with bags of features squeezed into a very stylish package.

Lovely to behold, a joy to hold – and even takes great photos

Canon's reign over the compact digital camera market looks set to continue with this offering.

So why is this so different from the outgoing Pentax *ist DS? The fact is that it’s just as good and yet also cheaper. Joy.

A true pro camera that slots in nicely between the flagship Canons

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

Tiny, intuitive and a great performer, the IXUS 85 is the ideal carry-anywhere camera

Lacking a few features but for simplicity and decent quality, this has to be one of the best value camcorders around

Forget the low-ish pixel-count, this camera has the lot: handling, features and image quality. Add that to the high-powered battery, good for a claimed 2000 shots, and you have a real belter

The Vivicam 6200W is terminator-tough and cheap enough to condemn disposable underwater cameras to the low-tech graveyard

So many features and so much quality, in such a tiny body. Astounding

An ideal companion for a DSLR, this is a compact for the photography enthusiast rather than the happy snapper

Fujifilm’s FinePix Z1 is chic, clever and tough. It has a top look and feel, and is well worth the cash.