Overview: The Umax PowerCam Z330 and Z430 digital cameras are compact and sleek, featuring 3.2- and 4.1-megapixel resolution respectively.

Ease of use: Weighing just 160g without the battery, the cameras are light and easy to use.

The PowerCam Z330 features a five-way joystick navigation control that enables quick and convenient access to functions while the higher end Z430 has four navigation buttons.

Both cameras can be easily connected to a PC or Mac using the USB 1.1 connection for file transfer.

Features: The cameras come with 3x optical and 2x digital zoom.

Though there is a built-in optical viewfinder, it is small and difficult to use, especially if, like me, you wear spectacles.

It is easier to use the 1.5-inch TFT CCD display, which is sharp and clear, for composing pictures.

Unlike most other digital cameras that I have tested, these cameras enable unlimited video recording with audio. A microphone and speaker are built in.

The only limitation to shooting long video clips is the 16MB built-in flash memory.

For more storage, users can add SD and MMC memory cards. Recordings can be viewed or played back on a TV set with the video output.

The more advanced PowerCam Z430 has a Quick View function that enables users to shoot and view the last taken picture simultaneously. What this means is that you do not need to toggle between Still Mode and Playback Mode for smoother operation and shooting.

The rechargeable lithium batteries work well for the casual photographer, but if you plan to take on a long photography expedition, I would advise you to carry an extra battery.

Image quality: Photos taken with both cameras turned out vivid and clear.

Different image quality settings are available so you can decide whether you prefer quality (better resolution and less compression) or quantity (more photos and compression).

Reviewer's comments: The plus points for these cameras are that they really look and feel good, and produce great images at a very affordable price.

Edward Lim runs his own editorial consultancy.