Olympus FE-5050

At only 19mm deep the Olympus FE-5050 can make a claim for being a truly compact camera.

Its height and width are similar to a credit card so we were surprised that it also has a 5x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 26-130mm on an old film camera). Best suited to landscapes and group portraits, the lens retracts into the body when not in use, so it will easily fit in a pocket.

Feeling sturdier, less plasticky and more elegant than similarly priced rivals, the only thing we missed was a handgrip. The omission meant it was hard to hold the camera steady when shooting at maximum zoom, so images were occasionally blurred, even if they were taken in daylight. We also had to take care when using the flash, as its location meant fingertips got in its way.

More positively, the FE-5050 is fast, powering up in around a second. With its 2.7in rear screen used for both composing and reviewing pictures (there’s no viewfinder), it quickly determined focus and settings when its shutter button is half-pressed.

Take the shot and a full-resolution (14-megapixel) Jpeg file is saved to the SD memory card in two seconds – all very respectable timings for the level of point-and-shoot camera. It uses a rechargeable battery but there’s no separate charger – instead the camera must be plugged into the mains using the supplied charger and cable.

The noise of the zoom lens means the zoom can’t be used when recording video. Video resolution is low too, at 640x480 pixels, rather than the HD-level at 720p.

Rather than better quality video, Olympus has added what it calls Magic Filters that can be used to add some fun effects to your snapshots. For instance the Punk Filter apes a photograph that’s been crudely photocopied, and there are pinhole camera and Pop Art effects too, along with the less-wacky soft-focus for dreamy-looking portraits. The results were effective.

While the FE-5050 is small, compact and easy to use, there are better alternatives to be had by spending a little more money, Nikon’s Coolpix S5100 (see below) being an obvious candidate.