They’re pricey, but these high end compact cameras make other power zooms look positively tubby

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)

Beautiful, ultra-compact, super-slick and friendly to use, plus great quality. A winning combination from Canon.

A great combination of new features and the usual Nikon image and build quality make this a superb camera.

The 450D’s superb sensor makes it the best choice if quality is your priority. It doesn't beat the Sony A200 for value, but for the best quality below $1500 the 450D has the edge.

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.

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

The Olympus PEN E-P1 may look like a throwback to retro photography, but it’s expensive and flawed. However, it's beautiful image quality renders almost impossible to dislike.

For a DSLR that does everything an amateur is ever likely to want, with a terrifyingly cheap price tag, look no further.

Better HD image quality than you’d expect for such a small camcorder, but the price is still a little high.