Canon PowerShot A640

Canon PowerShot A640

As compact cameras chase ever-higher resolutions and gimmicky features, it's great to find one that concentrates on the basics instead: image quality, creative features and ease of use. Perfect for anyone who wants people to ooh and ahh over their images, rather than their camera.

Megapixels:10Mp
Zoom range:4x
Shutter speed:15 - 1/2500 sec
Storage type:SD, 32MB supplied
Battery type:4xAA batteries and card
Sensor dimensions:1-1.8-inch
Lens focal length:7.3 - 29.2mm
Exposure modes:Includes Program, Aperture, Shutter, Manual, Custom, Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Stitch Assist, Movie, Night Snapshot, Kids
ISO range:80, 100, 200, 400, 800
Dimensions
Weight:340g

Canon Powershot A620

Canon Powershot A620

There’s no doubt; the PowerShot A620 is an awful lot of camera for a bearable outlay. We still have reservations about some aspects of the image processing and those AA batteries, but if you fancy some further experimentation beyond simple point-and-shoot, this is a great place to start.

Megapixels:(7.1Mp effective)
Zoom range:4x
Shutter speed:1/2000-4sec
Storage type:3.2Mb Int, SD card supplied
Battery type:2AA
Sensor dimensions:1/2.5-inch
Lens focal length:7.3-29.2mm
Exposure modes:Auto, programme, +20 scene modes
ISO range:50-400
Dimensions:66x49x105mm
Weight:285g

Canon PowerShot A520

Canon PowerShot A520

For anyone on a budget who wants as much control and customisation as possible, the Canon PowerShot is hard to beat. Slight niggles with low-light autofocus and red-eye tendencies are our only real criticism. The handy size and easy controls make it a dream to use – it’s a brilliant ‘out and about’ camera.

Megapixels:3.3Mp(3.2Mp effective)
Zoom range:4x
Shutter speed:1/2,000sec
Storage type:16Mb Multimedia
Battery type:2x AA
Sensor dimensions:1/2.8-inch
Lens focal length:35-140mm
Exposure modes:PASM, 12 scenes
ISO range:50-400
Dimensions:64x38.4x90.7mm
Weight:180g

Canon PowerShot A510

Canon PowerShot A510

The Canon A510 is a very capable camera and at this price, a terrific bargain. Image quality is exceptionally good, with spot-on metering and good auto-focus. Shutter lag is non-existent and the start-up time of just a second is very good for the price. In short, this is a nicely built piece of kit that works exceedingly well.

Megapixels:(3.2Mp effective)
Zoom range:4x
Shutter speed:1/2,000sec
Storage type:6Mb SD/MMC
Battery type:2x AA
Sensor dimensions:1/2.8-inch
Lens focal length:35-140mm
Exposure modes:Program, Shutter, Aperture, 12 scenes
ISO range:50-400
Dimensions:64x38.4x90.7mm
Weight:180g

Canon Powershot A410

Canon Powershot A410

For under £100 there are a few decent cameras around however 3.3Mp is only just on the right side of acceptable. There are a lot of camera phones that will be stepping up to this challenge before long. The Powershot A410 takes decent, colourful images for the money and is a basic, safe choice.

Megapixels:3.3Mp(3.2Mp effective)
Zoom range:3.2x
Shutter speed:1-1/2000 sec
Storage type:16Mb, MultiMedia Card
Battery type:2 AA cells, alkalines supplied
Sensor dimensions:1-3.2 - inch
Lens focal length:41-131mm
Exposure modes:Auto, Manual, (8 settings)
ISO range:50-200
Dimensions:52x40x103mm
Weight:198g

Canon Ixus i Zoom

Canon Ixus i Zoom

The Ixus i Zoom is a truly beautiful object and it can shoot some beautiful snaps. It’s good to see that Canon has now included an optical zoom. However, an underpowered screen and a mediocre lens reduce it to more of a fashion accessory than a super-slim snapper. Nice to look at but not a serious photographer’s option.

Megapixels:5Mp
Zoom range:3x
Shutter speed:15-1/6,000sec
Storage type:SD/MMC
Battery type:Lithium-ion
Sensor dimensions:1/1.25-inch
Lens focal length:38-90mm
Exposure modes:Auto, Manual, Scenes
ISO range:50-400
Dimensions:96x45x24mm
Weight:105g

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Sure, £3,500 is a lot to pay for a digital SLR, but this is an awesome camera. First there’s the eight-megapixel resolution; then there’s the 8fps continuous shooting and the ability to take RAW and JPEG versions of the same shot. It’s built like a tank, fantastically responsive, and also capable of the highest-quality studio work.

Megapixels:8Mp
Shutter speed:30-1/8,000sec
Storage type:Compact Flash I/II
Battery type:NiMH rechargeable NP-E3
Sensor dimensions:28.7x19.1mm
Lens focal length:Depends on lens fitted
Exposure modes:PASM
ISO range:100-1600
Dimensions:156x157.6x80mm
Weight:1220g