Toshiba PDR-M1

In fact, the more I examined the test images, the more I became disappointed by the general quality of the PDR-M1's output. What compounded this feeling was the realisation that by stretching your budget by just £100, you could afford an Olympus C-840L, which is by far the superior product in terms of image quality.

Sadly then, after some positive first impressions, I find it very difficult to recommend the Toshiba PDR-M1. While it's a well-designed, pleasingly built and easy-to-use device, I just can't get away from the feeling Toshiba has pitched it at the wrong price point, with so many better cameras only a small financial step away. If it had been £100 cheaper, the Toshiba could have been classed as a good budget buy and some of the imaging shortfalls could have been excused. However, as it stands, it's a mid-range camera that, despite a high-resolution 1.5 megapixel CCD, fails to make the grade.

Author: Martin Cooper