Kodak C713

Kodak's EasyShare brand has always done what it has said on the tin, and here we look at the latest additional to the beginner-friendly C-rane, the C713. At just £70, this is firmly placed in the budget market, which means that it will appeal to younger users and those who are coming to digital for the first time. Therefore, don't expect any manual operation or top-of-the-range features – this really is just point and shoot.

Looks-wise, this isn't going to set the world on fire. It's chunky, which is great if you find  slimmer compacts fiddly to use, which makes it feel more durable. The lens extends from the front to cover a 3x optical range, which is pretty standard, but it incorporates a digital image stabiliser to remove the effects of hand-shake, which is less common at this price point.

When it comes to getting started with the camera, you'll pick it up in no time. The Kodak menu system is known for its simplicity, and here you get two main shooting options: Auto and scene, which has 16 settings. You can also capture video at VGA resolution at 15fps. So far, so standard. But the Kodak has a trick or two up its sleeves to set it apart from other budget options. First, and most importantly, is the inclusion of HD-ready technology when shooting still images. If you've invested in a HD TV recently, then it's fantastic to watch your images back on this for the ultimate in clarity and sharpness. Second, the Kodak has a passable ISO 1250 option, which works better than many of its rivals.

When it comes to image quality, the Kodak brand lives up to its good reputation, with far better shots than you have the right to expect at £70. Only the Macro mode disappoints, reaching down to a minimum focusing distance of 13cm, and sometimes you just want to go that little bit wider than the 36mm (35mm equivalent) allows. Talking of the zoom, we were very impressive with the speed of travel from one end to the other, making it easy to compose shots in seconds. Speed remains a theme, with minimal shutter lag and a short start-up time.