WHICH COMPACT CAMERA SHOULD I BUY?

Which Compacts Is Right For You?

There are though, long zoom, fixed lens and manual control compact cameras to choose from, so which type is best for you?

Anything with a fixed lens is in essence, a compact camera. This covers models that can fit in a pocket through to those with huge optical zooms. Since there's such a wide range of options it's worth paying attention to the feature lists, because there often have a huge impact on the aesthetics.

The more traditional shape of compact camera is wider than it is tall, and can fit into a pocket quite easily. The feature set can differ quite wildly between models, from those with large, touch-screen displays to those with wide-angle lenses, or the ability to withstand the cold and rain.

At the budget end factors such as the zoom range. LCD Screen and designs are quite basic. Batteries are often lithium-ion rechargeable options (some still use AA alternatives) but a decent models can be picked up for cheap. This makes the lower end of the market perfect for Amateur Photographer or as Christmas or birthday gifts.

Head up a price band and you'll find the longer optical zooms, larger screens and manual controls becomes more commonplace. Lithium-ion batteries are also virtually assured, alongside a more solid build, while the likes of GPS - in order to bag images by location - also begin to appear.

At this price range (tough) cameras also become available. Although outwardly they look quite similar to a standard model, these compacts are able to stand up to being dropped from a height onto a hard surface. drunken underwater and frozen, which makes them perfect for extreme sports.

Heading toward the upper end brings about the large optical zoom range, huge displays (up to 4.8in), an full manual controls. Some models, such as the Fujifilm X100S and Canon PowerShot G1 X, even offer a larger sensor to improve image quality.

Bridge cameras, also called (super-zoom) models, are aimed almost entirely at providing the user with the largest possible zoom in a fixed lens camera. The bodies are thus quite bulky. Looking like a reduced size DSLR with a large grip and an electronic viewfinder.

Some compacts, especially the more expensive one, offer a fixed lens not a zoom lens. Although this gives the camera the best possible optical quality (as the lens is only optimised for a single focal length, and indeed, a single sensor too) to lack of optical zoom does make them far less versatile. Which compact camera should i buy?