Toshiba PDR-M81

Considering their relatively recent introduction into the mainstream, digital cameras have progressed rapidly in terms of technology. The debate has usually been about megapixels and how many you actually need. The Toshiba PDR-M81 boasts one of the highest for non-professional cameras at 4.2 megapixels, but optics are just as crucial and the PDR-M81's Canon lens needs to be just as advanced.

Like its junior brother, the PDR-M61, the PDR-M81 isn't much of a looker. The PDR-M81 is arguably more stylish, but it lacks the wow factor associated with the more adventurous designs from Fujifilm and Ricoh.

The PDR-M81 is much more of an enthusiast's camera than the PDR-M61 and this is reflected in the number of features. The shutter speed range of 15 to 1/1,000th of a second is fast enough for most situations, but it's still shorter than many of the cameras on test, particularly the Nikon Coolpix 995, which can operate at 1/2,300th of a second and has an option for bulb photography.

The optical zoom also isn't the best here at just 2.8x. However, shutter speed and aperture can be manually controlled and there are three ISO settings of 100, 200 and 400. Fill-in, red-eye reduction and automatic flash options are available and exposure compensation can be set +/-2 EV. There are also options to shoot in sepia, monochrome or the highly saturated vivid mode.

The menu system is excellent, although slightly over-designed. That said, navigation is smooth and the extra details give a sense that the PDR-M81 is more than just a run-of-the-mill camera.

This is further confirmed by the image quality results, with the PDR-M81 impressively topping the pile. It shone in the indoor and outdoors tests, producing superbly focused, detailed and perfectly exposed images. The benefit of a four-megapixel CCD can really be seen, and the image size of 2,400 x 1,600 is great for producing printouts at A4.

The Toshiba PDR-M81 may not be pretty or have the same level of features offered by Nikon's Coolpix 995, but there's enough to suit photographers looking for more control. Image quality is stunning too, but the price of £595 is a little high. Overall, the Fujifilm 6900 Zoom is a better package, but the PDR-M81 is still a great camera and one worth investigating, especially if you can find it cheaper.