Lab

Digital cameras

Buying a digital camera can be a bewildering experience with so much choice. We tested 10 on the market and the winner surprised us.

The digital photography market is jam packed with models of varying quality and capability. This is great news for you as it means that whatever your needs there's usually a camera specifically suited to matching them. The downside to all this choice is that if you're not sure exactly what you want then the dizzying array of alternatives simply muddies the waters.

One question we tend to get asked a lot is whether a person should buy a compact or go for a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) and in this labs we're going to help you make exactly that decision. The seemingly nonsensical megapixel ratings and range of options available do nothing to make the job of choosing a camera any easier, so we're going to test them on performance and pit them against each other head-to-head.

We'll be looking at the divide between the low-end DSLR market and more expensive compact cameras to see whether any of the compacts can successfully bridge the gap between the lower and higher ends of the market. We'll identify the differences between the two in terms of quality and usability and help you decide which type of camera is right one for you.

We asked manufacturers to submit a low-end DSLR and compact, stipulating that the compact should have 8 megapixels or more and have a feature or features that each manufacturer thought would tempt the undecided buyer away from purchasing a DSLR. Each camera was put through its paces and subjected to the same tests to find out which offers the best combination of handling, performance and price.

Most of all, in this labs test, we're looking for balance. Every aspect of each camera will have to perform well to win, and only the most impressive mixture of price and performance will do.