After flirting with groundbreaking ideas such as like twin-lens cameras (to make both long-range and wide-angle shots possible without bulking up the thickness of the camera), Kodak has now returned to producing more conventional compact cameras.

Like the 8-megapixel model, the V803, this 10-megapixel version has neat looks in a cute, round-edged body.

The lens is an industry-standard 3x zoom, and the screen is an average 2.5in. The camera is flexible enough to suit varied lighting conditions, so it can in theory shoot in poor light without the flash.

In practice, higher ISO settings, to make the most of the sensitivity available, resulted in too much noise. The camera fared rather better in situations with decent light, using a lower ISO setting.

The wide range of scene settings, with modes for landscapes, fireworks and children, sport, and scenes lit by sunset or candles. In all, there are 22 settings, so there should be something for most occasions, providing you have the wherewithal to work your way through all the options in time.

Menus, at least, are clear and easily accessible and for beginners the clearly labelled buttons on the back make things simple. The delete button on the V1003 includes an undelete function so it's possible to restore a shot you rashly wiped (though you have to change your mind straight away). On top of all this, it’s competitively priced for a 10-megapixel camera.

Like many digital cameras, though, there’s noticeable shutter lag - the time between depressing the button and the picture being taken - which can be annoying.

In all, then, it’s not the perfect camera. But for a novice who wants to explore the world of digital photography, who wants something simple but not simplistic and who doesn’t want to break the bank, it’s a good choice.

Vista compatible: Yes