The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ6 is the best option here for pure image quality and flexibility, if you can live with its size and quirks.

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)

The market for slimline touchscreen cameras is heating up. Nikon's S60 is almost button-less and has a large 3.5in screen for showing off your snaps - but how does it shape up to Sony's classy DSC-T77.

A classy compact, but with a high price and some image problems

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

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

A lovely compact cam and a decent HD camcorder in one

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.

Full marks for effort but the i6 is trying to do too much, without doing anything very well

The Mju has hidden depths with aperture-priority and shutter-priority modes, but alas no fully manual mode

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

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

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

[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

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 fun, innovative camera but heavy and underpowered for the price

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

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

Not the slimmest any more, but still amazingly compact. A very capable cam if you don’t mind the menus

A stylish and capable camera, further enhanced by wireless tech