Centon DC5

Five-megapixel cameras are normally found at the higher end of the price scale, but Centon has managed to put one together that costs a touch under £200 - the price you'd expect to pay for a good three-megapixel model.

Switch it on and it's not immediately apparent that this is a 'value' model. The menus are intuitive and easy to use, while the screen for reviewing photos is clear. The various modes are accessed via a dial on the top of the camera. Shooting options such as flash, timers and macro mode (for shooting close up) can be found on the back panel buttons.

At first glance it's quite stylish, with a brushed-aluminium finish and a sturdy build quality. Admittedly, the arrangement of buttons on the back lacks the style of more expensive models but it soon becomes easy to understand which buttons do what.

As you will know from reading Computeractive, you should never judge a camera on its resolution alone. Cheaper cameras often contain components of a lower standard than more expensive models, so you might find that a budget five-megapixel device is outperformed in terms of picture quality by a more expensive four-megapixel camera.

The DC5 does, however, deliver very good-quality pictures, both on screen and in print. We used photos taken with the DC5 to print a number of 5 x 7in prints it produced superb results. Colours were faithfully reproduced and lines were sharp.

For a budget camera the DC5 also comes with some surprises too. Instead of taking AA batteries like most of the cameras in this price range, it came complete with a rechargeable battery and charger. It also contains some special features such as advanced control of the white balance, which allows you to adjust for odd lighting conditions. A 32Mb SD memory card is also included.

The only catch is that the DC5 is only available in Jessops photography stores.

Contact: Jessops 0800 652 6200
www.jessops.co.uk