Kodak Easyshare Mini M200 pocket-sized camera

Kodak's Easyshare Mini (model M200) lives up to its name: the camera measures just 8.5x5cm, is 2cm thick at most, and it weighs 100g.

That makes it handy for carrying around in a pocket or bag. There aren't many controls. On the top there is a power button, one for switching between photos and videos, and the shutter button. On the back there is a small screen, zoom control and a few other tiny buttons.

It takes standard SD memory cards and has a micro-USB socket for charging and connection to a computer. A mains charger is supplied.

Technically it takes pictures at a resolution of 10 megapixels, but in reality a modern camera phone, with a five-megapixel camera, will provide shots of the same quality, or better. In bright light the M200 provided decent shots, but it struggled in low light.

When magnified, the pictures from the M200 didn't look as sharp as those from our test iPhone 4, or from a £200 digital camera. Video, likewise, was useable but quality was poor in comparison to the HD video from modern compact cameras or some phones.

Like a phone, it has a tiny convex mirror on the front so people taking pictures of themselves can see where to point the lens, and there is a Share button on the back (hence the Easyshare name) which allows users to send photos to pre-set destinations such as a Flickr or Facebook account, or email.

Unfortunately, as the camera has no communication hardware of its own, you can only share photos when you plug the camera into the computer and use the supplied Kodak software.

If you don't have access to a camera phone, or would prefer a separate snapper, this one fits the bill, but for anything other than throwaway snaps, spending another £50 on a camera will pay off.