Canon PowerShot A590 IS

Keenly priced mid-sized compact in the long-running and successful 'A' series of PowerShot cameras. The A590IS is unusual in this class in that it offers a fairly comprehensive set of photographic controls (including Aperture and Shutter Priority modes) and its slightly bulkier, more traditional styling - complete with grip - shows it is clearly aimed at a more serious type of user wanting to take his or her photography beyond simple 'point and shoot' snapping. Image quality is pretty good too, so though perhaps not the first choice for the casual snapshooter, it is an excellent entry point for anyone on a tight budget wanting to take a more 'hands on' approach to picture taking. (April 2009)