Group Test All the cameras included in this group test performed reasonably well, though they have their inevitable quirks.

Here's are the cameras in the test:

• Canon PowerShot G11
• Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR
• Nikon CoolPix S8000
• Panasonic Lumix LX3
• Ricoh CX3
• Samsung WB1000

Prices range from £210 for the Fujifilm to £599 for the Canon, but with a little searching you can find all of these cameras for a lot less than the 'official' price.

On this and the following pages you can view the results of comparative tests.

Startup and Shooting Results

Time in Seconds (s)

Burst Mode Results

Frames per Second
Longer bars are better

ISO 100

Canon G11	Fujifilm F200EXR
Nikon S8000	Panasonic LX3
Ricoh CX3	Samsung WB1000

ISO 3200

Canon G11	Fujifilm F200EXR
Nikon S8000	Panasonic LX3
Ricoh CX3	Samsung WB1000

Macro Mode

Canon G11	Fujifilm F200EXR
Nikon S8000	Panasonic LX3
Ricoh CX3	Samsung WB1000

Wide Angle

Canon G11	Fujifilm F200EXR
Nikon S8000	Panasonic LX3
Ricoh CX3	Samsung WB1000

Zoom

Canon G11	Fujifilm F200EXR
Nikon S8000	Panasonic LX3
Ricoh CX3	Samsung WB1000

Where do all these tests leave us?

Good cameras all, some are nonetheless better than others. Samsung's WB1000 and Nikon's Coolpix S8000 scored equally and were just pipped by Fujifilm's FinePix F200EXR. It's perhaps no coincidence that these are also the cheapest of the cameras on test.

Panasonic's LX3

But the Panasonic Lumix LX3 and the Ricoh CX3 both had them beat, and each receives a Reg Hardware Recommended award.

But the clear winner - its victory sullied only by its high price; it's almost twice the price of the (slightly) lesser models - is Canon's impressive PowerShot G11. If you want the best, this is the premium compact to go for, and for that it gets the Reg Hardware Editor's Choice award.

Canon's G11

Less demanding buyers - and folk on a tighter budget than the G11 will allow - will do well to check out the LX3 and CX3 in their local camera shop. ®

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