With Christmas looming large here's our selection of the best Christmas gifts for girls...

CHRISTMAS GIFTS
FOR GIRLS

With Christmas looming large here’s our selection of the best Christmas gifts for girls…




For the girl who likes to be unique…


Pentax Optio LS465




£80


Available in a choice of black, purple or pink the Pentax
Optio LS456 is a smart little compact that comes with a set of 10 snap-on front
covers that can be used to customise the appearance of the camera. Internally,
the LS456 packs a 16MP CCD sensor and a 5x optical zoom that provides the 35mm
focal range equivalent of 28-140mm. In addition the camera can also record 720p
HD movies. Stylish and easy to use, the LS456 is very much a point-and-shoot camera,
but one that comes at an attractive price.






For the young lady about town…


Fujifilm FinePix Z110 EXR

£100


The Fuji Z110 EXR is a stylish little all-metal compact
that’s available in a wide range of colours including pink, purple, jade, blue, white and black. The design
incorporates a sliding front cover that not only acts as the main on/off switch
but also protects the lens when snapped shut – handy if the camera is likely to
be carried loose inside a bag with an assortment of girly clutter. The Z110 is
super easy to use also offers the ability to shoot 720p HD video. There’s even
a small circular mirror on the front allowing for easier framing of
self-portraits.




For the girl who wants instant results…


Polaroid z340




£165


The z340 uses ZINC mobile printing technology to provide a
neat update on the company’s legacy of instant film cameras. The camera uses a
14MP sensor to capture images and it’s possible to print either immediately
after the moment of capture or to print from the Playback menu. If you choose
the latter option then you can also choose to add a number of effects,
including a traditional Poloraid border to your images. Image quality isn’t the
best, but then it never was – the z340 is much more about having fun with
instant results.




For the first-time compact user…


Canon A800




£55


You’d be forgiven for thinking that a fifty quid compact wouldn’t
be all that good, but in the case of the A800 you’d be wrong. Okay, so the
resolution of the rear LCD monitor isn’t all that great and resolution is
‘only’ 10MP, but in all other areas the A800 is a surprisingly competent little
snapper. Image quality is certainly better than anything you’ll get from a
mobile phone, while the 3.3x optical zoom lends the A800 a bit of added
flexibility. Best of all is the price – £55 for a compact camera as good as
this really is a steal.




For the well-connected teen…


Samsung SH100

£100


A slightly older model than the others listed here (and
therefore cheaper, but in shorter supply) the SH100 is a clever little Wi-Fi
enabled compact that allows you to upload your images to Facebook and the like
straight from the camera without the need to transfer your images to a computer
first. The camera itself is a neat little number that sports a 14.6MP sensor
and a 5x optical zoom. Movie recording is possible at 720p HD and the camera
even offers a range of fun digital filter effects. Hurry though – online
availability for the SH100 is dwindling fast!




For the aspiring DSLR photographer…


Canon EOS 1100D




£300


The Canon EOS 1100D would make an ideal gift for the younger
woman looking to get serious about photography. For around three hundred quid
you’ll get an APS-C equipped DSLR (plus an 18-55mm kit lens) that’s great to
learn the basics of DSLR use with, while also offering the ‘safety net’ of
fully automatic shooting. Built around a 12.2MP CMOS sensor the EOS 1100D offers
a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-6400, a 9-point autofocus system, 720p
HD movie capture and, last but not least, a gateway to Canon’s extensive lens
collection.






For the young woman enjoying fun times with friends…


Samsung MV800




£120


The MV800 is another fun little Samsung compact. While it
lacks the built-in Wi-Fi functionality of the SH100 the MV800 does come with
smartphone-like touchscreen controls and a more than generous range of digital
filter effects, framing options and in-camera editing tools. Better still, the
rear screen flips up by 180 degrees to enable easy framing of self and group
portraits, making it the perfect social camera for teenage girls.