• Look at effective pixels, they should be between 18 and 22 mega pixels

• With all those megapixel and most modern cams now sporting HD video recording, consider the price of a 8Gb, 16Gb or even 32Gb memory card. Be aware that each camera only supports it's own media / storage type so make sure you buy the right one for your camera (e.g. SDHC, Compact Flash, Sony M2, etc..)

• Look at the optical Zoom (if applicable) the average is x3 or x4 (24-105mm equivalent)

• A USB3 or USB-C connection plus HDMI and/or DP connection to a 4K-TV.                                                  

• Waterproof, shock resistant features - link to Sony, Richo and Panasonics

• For the more astute, f stop of f/1.8 and CCD sensor size of 1" plus Full HD (1080p) or 4K video

• Don't worry too much about digital zooms - all they really do is make the picture 'look like' it is zooming in - in reality it is only 'stretching' the picture / pixels and you are therefore losing quality.

• Avoid gimicks - do you really need a facebook optimised camera? Facebook will automatically optimise your images when you upload them via your PC / Mac!

• Avoid unbranded devices - a low end Canon, Sony or Panasonic come in at £120-150, Yea the supermarkets will do a compact digital camera at £49, but do these 'unknown manufacturers' spend millions every month on R&D? I think not!

It is alot about personal preference, so do plenty of reading and pop along to your local Jacobs Digital to have a play before buying, for prices it's Amazon.

Fixed zoom (compact digitals) will always struggle in low light conditions, however things are improving, with larger CCD sensors and high ISO settings (upto 6400). Most people will be be more than satisfied with a fixed lens camera, but If you want a camera with more professional features i.e. full manual control / RAW / interchangable lenses etc.. you have to sacrifice the size, and of course the money !

Digital SRL's are rapidly becoming a realistic option, as prices have dropped dramatically . The Canon EOS 600D with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens starting at £640 is something well worth considering (March 2012).

But wait ..... there's a new camera category in town, namely EVIL. These small, mirrorless cameras can fit in a pocket and can often outperform bulky DSLRs. The name sports a great acronym for cameras like the Fujifilm X100, the Olympus Pen, the Panasonic DMC-GX1, the Sony NEX-7 and the Samsung NX200. And if you were wondering ........... EVIL stands for Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens !

As a new category, the EVIL is still relatively expensive, and you'll pay as much for a body and lens as you would for a prosumer level DSLR. For many, even the size difference alone is enough to justify this. For everyone else, you could wait until the likes of Canon and Nikon inevitably enter this sector. Then prices will start to fall, and things will get really interesting.

The above info is of course only my opinion ! For more professional advice / detailed reviews I strongly recommend visits to ....

The 3 cams listed shouldn't be taken as a definitive dictum on what to buy, it's just where my money would go. If you want to do a little more reading then "The Verge" offers an excellent guide to making that all important informed decision by separating the meaningful data from the meaningless. It's definantely worth a read and can be accessed here.

DSLR: Canon 5D Mk3

EVIL: Fujifilm X100 (firmware 1.20) or the Sony NEX-7

Compact: Canon S100

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