Power compact camera group test

What exactly is a power compact camera? Well, if you want the flexibility and power of a digital SLR or even a bridge camera without the bulk, then this is the category you should be looking at.

All these cameras can be bought for well under £400, but all five have at least one big feature that sets them well apart from the average point-and-shoot compact. Things to look out for when buying are, as always, the number of megapixels (although don’t always assume more megapixels means sharper photos), the range of the optical zoom and image stabilisation technology to counter shake when shooting handheld. And if you’re buying with a view to learning more about the mechanics of digital photography, we’d recommend opting for a model with manual shooting controls.

Canon Powershot G10

A solid and serious compact that delivers bags of flexibility married to a good zoom lens and superb screen. It’s capable of taking fantastic photos when used properly, and the various knobs and dials make flipping between different ISO, aperture and shutter settings a breeze. The bulky size could put off those looking for a true compact, though.
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Go to the Canon Powershot G10 product page >>

Olympus mju tough-8000

The Olympus is a fantastic camera to have in your backpack if you’re climbing a rock face or barreling through some rapids in a kayak, but outside of the extreme life it becomes just another unremarkable point-and-shoot snapper.

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Go to the Olympus mju tough-8000 product page >>

Nikon CoolPix P6000

A nice compact size, a solidly built body, superb photo quality and a handy bonus feature in GPS geotagging – this is, along with the Canon G10 and Panasonic DMC-LX3, one of the best non-DSLR cameras currently on the market.

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Go to the Nikon Coolpix P6000 product page >>

Leica C-Lux 3

The C-Lux 3 takes great, hassle-free photographs, but if you’re looking for the ability to tweak and shoot creatively you won’t find it here – there’s no option to shoot to RAW and no manual controls whatsoever. That said, it is perfectly proportioned for carrying in your pocket, and looks absolutely beautiful.

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Go to the Nikon Coolpix P6000 product page >>

PriceRunner recommended
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

If you’re looking for a camera that delivers a shedload of options and versatility, excellent photo quality and a compact, easy to carry size, then we’d recommend the DMC-LX3 without question. It can even capture 720p hi-def video! There are one or two things to consider – the 2.5x optical zoom is the main one – but really this is just a great, flexible compact that shoots great pictures and oozes retro style to boot.

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Go to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 product page >>

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