Tiger Tales

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NIKON 1

Sometimes you stumble on a camera that simply feels good, looks great and serves up bold and beautiful photographs - enter Nikon's latest stylish hero, a solid little digital that stands out from the rest.

Still and movie recording results are impeccable and built-in pre-post capture technology means it starts thinking before you do, so you won't miss a trick. For such a small camera, the HD-video quality simply beggars belief.

You also won't find a faster autofocus in a compact model and the continuous shot 10 frames per second in subject tracking AF mode is a winner. The Nikon 1 comes with twin zoom kits, too, with slick interchangeable Nikkor lenses, and is available in silver, pink and red in addition to the black and white models.

In short, it's a pocket rocket with pizzazz. From A$899/S$1,185 http://mynikonlife.com.au

PENTAX Q

It may not weigh much but the Pentax Q packs a mighty punch for a miniature camera, one that comes with interchangeable lenses.

The Q matches up with the best compact snappers when shooting in low-light conditions. What's more, it's loaded with features - more than 20 scene selections along with manual mode and priority options found on bigger DSLRs. And while the Q's smaller image sensor means it doesn't deliver the same quality as more advanced cameras, it has been cleverly designed and offers some fun features. These include smart effects, digital filters and even a blur control function that allows you to throw the background out of focus in order to manipulate the depth-of-field in your photos.

Pin-sharp images are guaranteed thanks to its seamless contrast-detection autofocus system, with a face recognition function and 25 selectable focus points. From A$799/S$1,054 www.pentax.com.au

SONY A77

If you take photography seriously - and have a fat enough wallet - it's time to consider Sony's offerings alongside those of big boys Canon and Nikon when shopping for a pro-standard, entry-level DSLR.

Tested with an amazing all-rounder - the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar 24-70mm lens - the A77 proves itself capable of making even a novice lensman look like a pro. Play around with panorama sweeps, continuous shooting mode, creative style settings and effects such as the toy camera and retro features.

On the stills front, the camera's speedy 12-frame per-second burst shooting and 24.3-megapixel sensor ensures razor-sharp images, while the colour balancing makes for very little tweaking. The hi-def video results are impressive, though it's best to use a tripod and do as little panning as possible. Overall, Sony has hit the big time with this quality DSLR. From A$1,899/S$2505 (body only) and A$2,799/ S$3,693 (single lens kit) www.sony.com.au