Sony is one of only a few manufacturers to use touch-screen technology in some of its digital cameras, which immediately makes its new N2 stand out from the crowd. The N2’s 3x zoom lens isn’t going to set the world alight but, with a 10MP sensor behind it, it’s a good combination for high-resolution snaps, especially with a top ISO speed of 1600 for low-light conditions. The built-in memory will hold five or 10 JPEG images – useful when your memory card’s full. The silver metal casing looks and feels well-made and the large LCD screen with its touch-screen technology means there’s little need for controls on the outside. The zoom is a bit fiddly, though, and isn’t designed for one-handed use.

The N2’s touch-screen menus aren’t as intuitive as those on the Pentax T20 but, as the Sony is mainly a point-and-shoot camera, you don’t need to visit them that often. There’s no viewfinder and, despite the large LCD size, you get a low-resolution view. The playback image is better, but it’s slow to load the large image files.

Image Quality
Although it’s got plenty of pixels, the N2 delivers average images. Noise is really only an issue when you stray above ISO 400.

Value For Money
The N2 carries a premium price, but for your money you get a robust, metal-bodied camera and touch-screen technology.