maybe the best 100 pound compact camera

Weighing barely more than 100g and costing around £100, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 is light on the pocket in more ways than one. It also captures 14.1-megapixel shots and 720p high-definition videos. But is it actually any good?

Child's play

With its rounded edges and lightweight plastic casing, the S3 feels more like a toy than a serious piece of photographic kit. That's particularly true if you opt for one of the more colourful incarnations on offer, such as the pink, purple, red or white models.

Not everyone wants to look like they're carrying around one of David Bailey's cast-offs, though, so the S3's friendly design is likely to win it plenty of fans -- not least because it makes the device so light

best camera of the year

The best camera of 2011 doesn't have an interchangeable lens, a tilting screen or even a particularly high resolution. What the IXUS 230HS does have is Canon's high-sensitivity HS system. This consistently shot well balanced exposures and vibrant colours in all lighting conditions throughout our tests. It's small enough to slip into a pocket, with buttons moved onto one end of the body rather than the back plate.

It comes with a 12.1-megapixel sensor and 8x zoom. We were bowled over by the results, with super-accurate focusing, skilful sensor noise control and excellent video performance pushing it to the top of our chart. At the time of our review, we recommended holding out until the price fell below £200. Well, your patience has paid off, as it's now retailing in some outlets at around £180. Go buy.