Labs

On paper, the PowerShot A610 doesn't look anything special. It's relatively bulky compared to most of the competition, only has a 4x zoom and the resolution is five megapixels - no better than any of its rivals.

It doesn't come with a particularly generous amount of memory as standard either - just one 16MB SD card is included in the box. In fact, on first impression the Canon's only noticeably unique feature is its fold-out screen. Handy for those above-your-head or down-on-the-floor shots, but not exactly a killer feature.

Specifications alone rarely tell the full story and with the PowerShot A610, your money is going towards quality optics and electronics rather than every gimmicky feature the manufacturer can think to squeeze in. It's clear as soon as you switch it on that this camera means business.

First off, it's very quick. Power-up and shot-to-shot times are comparable to the FinePix F10. Autofocus is fast and the camera takes no time

The PowerShot features a selection of standard pre-programmed modes for things like action photography and shooting at night. It's also equipped with more serious shutter speeds and aperture priority modes, as well as a fully manual one, giving you full control over depth of field and exposure. The system the A610 uses to indicate what the autofocus is doing is also very useful. Press the shutter button down halfway and you can see in an instant whether or not the camera is focusing on what you want it to. If it isn't, you can select the fixed-spot metering mode and point the camera at your chosen subject.

These are not the most impressive aspects of the A610, however. It's in picture quality that the Canon truly excels. In indoor, outdoor and long-exposure tripod test shots, the results produced by this camera were markedly superior to both the Kodak Z740 and the Fujifilm F10.

There was little evidence of purple fringing around the edges of objects shot against bright backgrounds - buildings against sky, for example - and even more remarkable was how smooth and noise-free pictures looked. Any visible blotching and smearing through over-compression was refreshingly absent while pictures were hardly ever over or under-exposed.

In short, the Canon PowerShot A610 produces highly impressive results in all circumstances. It may not have the zoom of the Kodak or the high sensitivity of the Fujifilm, but its smooth, detailed shots more than compensate. Overall, it's well worth a Best Buy award.