From Steves Digicams
Best Ultra Compact - Pocketable
Canon Powershot SD40
Nikon Coolpix S9
Sony Cybershot T10
Casio Exilim EX-Z700
Canon Powershot SD700 IS
Casio Exilim EX-Z1000
Sony Cybershot W50
I can VERY highly recommend the Sony cybershot range. I have the DSCW70 and Simmons has the W80. Have tested the exilims and the Nikon on that list and parents have a higher end Canon powershot and the Sony cybershots are the nicest.
Best camera Ive ever owned but nowhere near the most expensive. I probably use it for 99% of all my photos with maybe 1% being my digital SLR when I want to get really fancy and take my time over a shot. For almost everything else its more than good enough and just having it with you all the time and working flawlessly in all light conditions really makes the difference. My older Nikon coolpix and several other ultra compacts Ive used really struggle in low light conditions or have problems focusing in ultra bright conditions.
Most impressively its survived both mine and Simmons lifestyles totally unscathed - which isnt bad when you consider how often our lot are out drinking/rock clubs or throwing ourselves off mountain bikes, out camping or smacking each other about. In the same conditions, my iPod lasted about a month of pocket abuse before being scratched to hell. My Sony Ericsson mobile (got at the same time) has lost just about all the paint from pocket abuse but the camera is nearly unscathed. When its not in my pocket its in the bottom of my bag which Im not immensely careful with. The same bag has been the death of a Dell laptop and an apple iBook so this thing is tough.
Picture quality is great, no fringing or purple stuff round the edges. The point and click auto settings are pretty much always spot on what you want but you can set it manually.
It does reasonable video which you may remember from filming people playing bongos at the last party in Leicester. Screen is bright and clear and the battery lasts for ages even when looking through hundreds of photos and watching video back.
The only down side really is the red eye reduction doesnt work amazingly so some photos you still get red eye in dark shots (easily corrected in any photo package).
