We like this camera a lot, and for a rugged day out it’s one of the most reliable snappers out there. We just wouldn’t shoot our best mate’s wedding on it.

The selling point of this camera is that it’s cheap – and it certainly excels in that department!

In the words of Amy Winehouse: they tried to make us buy this Kodak, but we said ‘no, no, no’

If there's someone in your life without a digital camera, there's never been a better time to get them started. Compact cameras now offer 8-12 megapixels for under $500, and provide large LCDs for easy viewfinding and shot setup as well as automatic face recognition, multiple focal points and more!

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

This Panny 'corder can shoot stills at a resolution of 4-megapixels, which makes it a match for a still camera

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

Gotta love that revolving screen – but remind us again what exactly the point of it is

The V570 is a fine camera but isn’t for everyone. The ability to take wide-angle photos is a great feature, though there’s a slight trade-off in image quality compared to similarly priced snappers

A great still camera with a decent movie mode. The restrictions on movie length mean it’s only any good for short video ‘snapshots’, though, and not ideal for that holiday of a lifetime

It's a mini adventure with the S10. A go anywhere, shoot anything cam that won't break the bank and delivers well for its size

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

Still a great looking camera that's foolproof to use, but Wi-Fi's now only half the feature it was

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.

[NOTE: This is an older Konica Minolta camera, and is no longer available in Australia.] A bit of an ugly bug, maybe, but an amazing zoom range and full-on photographic control in a camera half the size of an SLR

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