The problem with many of today's compact digital cameras is the size of the sensor chips that are used in them. Most compacts use a minuscule 1/2.5-inch CCD that's so small even the best lenses struggle to record enough detail

The current crop of models in Canon's Ixus range may look very similar, but they aren't all created equal. Take the 850 IS, for example... it has all the good looks of its stable mates but comes with a 7-megapixel sensor and a generously wide angle lens

We recently looked at Fuji's F31fd - a digital compact that takes great low-light shots, thanks to Fuji's new Real Photo Processor II and Super CCD HR V1. The S6500fd has the same processor and CCD, but is housed in a lightweight DSLR body

If there's a faster way to boost sales of average cameras than to give them a gleaming metal housing and shave a few millimetres from their waistlines, we haven't heard about it. So it's with a certain degree of trepidation that we approach this Fujifilm

The Finepix S5 Pro's combination of large S-type pixels and smaller R-type pixels offers a dynamic range up to 400 per cent wider than that of conventional sensors. It adds up to a generous total of 12MP...

Remember the days when digital cameras looked like digital cameras, instead of slivers of sculpted metal or retro SLRs? Picking up the chunky A640 is like travelling back to a simpler era - it's unashamedly heavy and has an optical viewfinder...

Another slim-line, handbag camera... this time in raspberry red? It may look like it, but let me tell you from the outset, this is no ordinary handbag camera. This is a sophisticated bundle of technology that makes picture-taking fun and interesting

Bridge cameras are the Rolling Stones of the photography world - sturdy warhorses that defy the whims of fashion and just keep going on and on. 'Bridge' simply means that they bridge the divide

The F31fd is an update to the F30, with the only new feature being the addition of face-detection technology. What we have, then, is a good-quality digital compact that's competing with the best of the top compacts, too

Some cameras are built up to reach a certain quality; others are built down to reach a certain price. It's not hard to guess into which category a 10x super- zoom tipping the scales at under £200 might fall

Upgrading last year's almost identical-looking Cyber-shot, the similarly flat-faced T10 snapshot brings another million pixels to the party, crammed on to the same physical size chip. Just 21mm wide, it also boosts maximum light sensitivity

Despite fashionable talk about convergence, few devices pay more than lip service to the concept of integrated digital imaging. Most cameras include a basic movie mode and many camcorders can capture sub-mobile phone stills

The last Pentax SLR we reviewed, the K100D, is pleasing enough but disappointing in certain respects. The main issue is that it's cosmetically and technically hard to distinguish from all the Pentax cameras that have gone before

You can't beat the convenience of a slimline compact camera. Slip it into a spare pocket and take it just about anywhere. However, with that portability comes an almost universal frustration...

Ricoh's digital compacts typically offer a combination of something a little different from the competition - a wide-angle lens here, high ISO sensitivity there, macro down to 1cm - plus very keen pricing

If double vision is something that kicks in after a few pints, it would come as no surprise to hear that Kodak's camera designers have been hitting the bottle. The V705 is a terrifically strange piece of kit, boasting two lenses

The PowerShot G7 is the latest in the G series cameras. These are Canon's flagship compacts, made for serious amateur photographers or SLR owners looking for a second, pocketable compact

There was a time when James Bond could whip out a gadget and the world would gasp in awe. These days it takes more to impress... a lot more. Perhaps that's why this stylish compact from Sony fails to get the juices flowing

The Fujifilm FinePix S9600 is a hybrid camera meant for the prosumer or keen hobbyist. We gave it a run for its money in various light conditions and settings, and imported images into a Mac.

We've long been enamoured with the Canon's Ixus range, but the new Optios are equally attractive. Take the S6: from the front it takes the concept of a simple silver rectangular box with a lens totally to heart...

Budget is good. Budget flights, budget holidays, budget fashion labels, sticking to the budget - it's all so now. But what about budget cameras? Are they a good thing or just cheap and nasty?

The five-megapixel Lumix DMC-LS2 replaces the DMC-LS1 in Panasonic's range of mid-level compacts, and brings much-needed updates to the budget model.

Sony's first digital SLR looks like one of the most exciting and innovative newcomers to arrive on the scene for some time. With ten-million pixels, built-in anti-shake and 20 new lenses on the way, Sony has hit the ground running.

The human eye is excellent at picking out a good-looking face from a crowd. But ask a camera to automatically do this for you and you might as well ask it to chat them up and arrange a dinner date... or so you would think.

The 400D, according to all the hype, is set to become the world's most popular digital SLR. In terms of looks, build and sheer usability, this tiny powerhouse of a camera borrows heavily from its acclaimed forerunner.