If there was an award for functionality in this comparison, Sony's CyberShot DSC-F505 would win it hands down, not least contributed by its use of the new Sony Memory Stick technology. This form of flash memory is easier to handle than both CompactFlash and SmartMedia and boasts fast access. Thoughtful placement of controls also makes the transition from a regular film camera less painful, and the point-of-view hat style menu button works extremely well. Macro, white balance, spot metering and auto/manual focus functions are positioned so that your left hand cradling the lens can easily reach these with your thumb. The pop-up flash also built into the lens has three user settings for brightness levels accessible via the on-screen menu.

The Cybershot DSC-F505 is also arguably the best looking digital camera in this lot. With the bulk of the camera comprised of a high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens - the way a camera should be - the DSC-F505 manages an industry-leading 5x optical zoom extended by a 10x digital zoom. To accommodate taking pictures at any angle, the lens pivots through a range of 140 degrees to the camera body, or vice versa depending on how you look at it. Viewfinder is strictly through the two-inch colour LCD screen as the nature of the rotating design makes it impossible for a physical window. As such, it is sometimes difficult to take shots in direct sunlight, though commendably, the backlighting is sufficient for all but the brightest of outdoor circumstances. The high refresh rate of the screen also makes it easy to track moving objects.

But perhaps the most impressive feature of the DSC-F505 is its ability to catch motion MPEG1 video clips in five, ten and 15 second bursts in two resolution modes - Presentation (320 x 240) and Video Mail (160 x 112). On a standard 4Mb Memory Stick fitted to our test unit, you can store up to two minutes and 40 seconds of footage in Video Mail mode. The resultant quality, while low-res, is impressive and extends the uses of a still camera to an extraordinary degree. Voice messages can also be recorded with the Voice Memo feature. Cropping an image can be done in the camera as well as taking shots using built-in effects such as sepia, black and white, solarisation and negative art.

The long-lasting InfoLithium rechargeable battery is a gem, and the USB driver support for downloading and viewing images is a lesson for others in user-friendliness.