Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself and wondered who the fatold person staring back at you was? If that sounds familiar then the Slimming mode included in HP's latest compact may appeal.

The digital camera market can be a confusing place. You can now buy a compact, prosumer or DSLR camera for around the same price. HP has stayed clear of the DSLR market and instead has concentrated on its range of seven compacts

Build QualityHP seldom builds flimsy kit and the Photosmart R817 lives up to expectations, with a sturdy metal case and a complete lack of protruding knobs and buttons that would risk getting knocked off

Macs are low-fuss machines, with owners that tend to be wary of overlycomplicated designs and gimmicky devices. The main joy of the R817, isthat it has enough controls to enable quick access to the main shootingfunctions without a confusing layout.