The Nikon D40X is the big brother to the D40, which is Nikon’s entry-level digital SLR (dSLR) camera.

To look at, the Nikon D40X is almost identical to the D40, however it offers better resolution (10.2-megapixels, as opposed to six). Although it’s slightly heavier, the D40X is faster, offers better batter life and has a better lens than the D40.

The Nikon D40 was already a good performer for anyone looking for an entry-level dSLR camera, and the D40X builds on that success for only a little extra cash. Image quality is good and there is enough in the way of modes to help anyone who isn’t all that comfortable with dSLR yet.

The Nikon D40X better suited to anyone who is slightly above beginner level - perhaps if you’re looking for a second digital SLR camera.

Click here to find offers on Nikon digital cameras near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The EasyShare M853 is one of Kodak’s so-called “point-and-shoot” digital camera models.

It’s affordably priced but the trade off is its basic features, making the Kodak EasyShare M853 more suitable for newcomers to the world of digital cameras.

The EasyShare M853’s lack of features can be good when you’re just starting out with digital cameras - after all, all those buttons, symbols and modes can be hard to decipher without your handbook, and consulting your handbook can be frustrating if you’re keen to get snapping and sharing your digital photos.

On the other hand, if you’re already au fait with digital camera operation and are interested in tweaking your photos, the EasyShare M853 will simply not be enough of a digital camera for you, and you should probably look at something with a few more features.

Click here to find offers on Kodak digital cameras near you.

By Caroline Warnes

Canon has long been a leader in the digital camera market in Australia, and the IXUS 860 IS looks set to continue that tradition over the busy Christmas shopping period.

The IXUS 860 IS is designed to replace the popular 850 IS model, and taken at face value, the specifications are fairly similar. That’s not a bad thing - the 850 IS is a solid performer.

The key improvements are to the CCD sensor (8.3-megapixels for the IXUS 860 IS) and a larger LCD viewing screen (it’s now three inches). Notable absent in this model is an optical viewfinder.

If you have previous experience with other brands of digital camera, you may also miss the manual exposure controls. Canon rarely includes these, however you really only need them if you are an experienced photographer - if you just want something for point-and-shoot purposes, manual exposure is superfluous.

To compensate, Canon has included Advanced Face Detection technology which sets auto-focus and exposure by sensing up to nine faces in a frame.

Click here to find offers on Canon digital cameras near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The Sony Cyber-shot DSCW55 compact digital camera (known for short as the W55) boasts some striking looks externally, but we found that it’s not just a pretty face.

If you love good looking accessories, be prepared to fall in love with the Sony W55 at first sight. It comes in four attractive colours - pink, blue, black and silver - each with a muted brush finish. It’s a small, compact camera that will fit in most pockets and handbags.

But don’t let the compact design and candy colours of the exterior fool you. The DSCW55 digital camera is capable of taking some very good photos, courtesy of the 7.2-megapixel resolution. This allows you to produce prints of up to 35×26cm.

If you tend to take a lot of digital photos in one hit, another feature you’ll love is the 56MB internal memory - extremely generous for a compact digital camera.

On the downside, it must be noted that the W55 does take a little long to fire up. But if you can overlook that, it’s a stylish, functional camera that will appeal to a wide range of digital photography enthusiasts.

Click here to find offers on Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras near you.

By Caroline Warnes