Holiday's '08 : Premium point and shoot group test

DPreview.com carried out group test for premium point and shoot cameras recently. What they've got here are the top spec 'point and shoot' models from Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony. Generally they've got the most pixels (as many as 14.7 million of the things) and almost all have wider zoom ranges. As some of the most expensive cameras in their respective ranges they also boast the latest 'must have' gadgetry; image stabilization, high ISO modes, face detection and - for the most part - large, high quality screens and solid all-metal cases. Having said that, what you're mainly paying for are all those pixels; the cameras themselves aren't significantly different to their less expensive brethren further down the range.

The contenders are

• Canon Powershot SD880 IS (IXUS 870)
• Fujifilm FinePix F100fd
• Nikon Coolpix S710
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX150
• Samsung TL34 HD (NV100HD)
• Sony Cybershot DSC-W300

The overall winner of the test is Fujifilm F100FD, the F100fd did well in every one of tests carried out, whether shooting in broad daylight, in the studio or in a dimly lit bar. It's fast, reliable and has the best zoom range of any camera here. That it's also one of the cheapest is merely the icing on the cake; add it all together and you've got a winner - even if it is by the smallest of margins.



Other highly recommended camera from the list is Canon Ixus 870IS or SD880 IS. Canon's Ixus / Elph range is one of the most successful in the short history of the digital camera, and there's a good reason why. Love them or hate them, Canon makes compact cameras that do exactly what they should; take good pictures in a range of conditions with the minimum of fuss. The SD880 IS was the nicest camera in the group to use, has a sensible range of features and - despite the fewest pixels - produces some of the best results here. It has more than a dash of style, is fast and responsive and small enough to carry with you anywhere you go. For many users it will actually be a better choice than the Fuji - which beats it by a whisker - simply because it's a camera you're more likely to actually want to use.

Detailed group test report at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q408premiumgroup/.