Best touch-screen compact: Canon IXUS 210 / PowerShot SD3500 IS

If you like touch-screen gadgets, you'll love Canon's IXUS 210 / PowerShot SD3500 IS. This latest model in the range ditches virtually all buttons for a large, wide touch-sensitive display, with a well-designed control system. In use the touch-screen works very well, especially when it comes to simply tapping the subject you'd like the camera to focus on. The screen may be the headline feature, but the IXUS 210 / SD3500 IS also sports a decent 5x (24-120mm equivalent) optical zoom, 720p HD video and 14 Megapixel resolution. Sony's Cyber-shot TX7 is also a contender with many of the HX5's clever modes, but for us the Canon had the edge overall.

Pros: Large, wide touch-screen display; 5x wide-angle zoom.
Cons: Can't zoom while filming video; flash slow to recycle.
Overall: The best touch-screen camera we've tested to date.