Can a compact replace a camcorder?

[Mousketeer]

We are about to do a family holiday in Orlando, and I am considering buying a new compact camera that I can stick in my back pocket and know that it's on hand to capture some (hopefully) magical memories.

I like the idea of combining photos and film footage, and would be very grateful for any recommendations - i've been looking at the Olympus Mju Tough range.

Any thoughts or pointers on where to start to narrow the field of choice down would be much appreciated.

[Matt]

We've found both Panasonic and Sony to be superb on the HD video quality front recently, closely followed by Canon. In fact there's a group test in the coming issue of WDC on sale in May, comparing the Nikon S8000, Canon powershot SX210, Sony HX5 and Panansonic TZ10. Some are better than others due to the lens quality and video format used, as we've discovered the Motion JPEG file type is often poorer than AVCHD.

Panasonic do a 'Tough' compact called the FT2 which is well worth a look if the shock proof element is important.

[Mousketeer]

Thanks for 'heads up' and I shall wait for the piece in May before parting with my cash!

Kind regards