• Excellent results
• Good resolution
• Virtually no purple fringing
• Good dynamic range
• Superb build quality
• Very fast and responsive
• Easy to use
• Good movie mode
• Decent macro mode
• Good battery life
• AF illuminator
• Flash works really well at very close distances (throttles down well)
• Nice, bright screen
• Wide range of optional accessories
• Good value for money

• Limited manual controls
• Flash underpowered, occasional underexposure
• Some edge softness at wide apertures
• Accessing some advanced functions via menus is a bit long-winded
• Only two aperture settings
• Design can exacerbate camera shake at lower shutter speeds
• Limited continuous shooting capabilities

Overall conclusion

I was very impressed with the P150 when we reviewed it last year, and the P200 - though by any measure a minor upgrade - builds on and adds to its appeal. The bigger screen and the inclusion of a manual white balance option are very welcome, and the price is even more appealing now the camera has been on the market for half a year or so.

On the downside the built-in flash is nothing to write home about, being a little underpowered. Focus is not 100% reliable either, but you only really get problems with very close subjects. Ultimately, however, this is a fantastic pocket camera that would equally well suit a beginner or a DSLR user looking for a 'carry everywhere' second camera. A little gem, and one I would be happy to recommend to anyone looking for a stylish, easy to use camera with some manual controls and compatability with a wide range of add-on accessories. And it's a bit of a bargain too.

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