At this end of the ultracompact range, good all-around options are few and far between, and usually one has to choose between solid quality and exceptional featureset. Canon’s SD770 certainly falls into the former category - aside from an image-stabilized lens (all but standard these days), there’s nothing too notable about the SD770, except for solid image quality that isn’t necessarily a given at this price point.

With an ordinary 35-105mm (3x) zoom range, the SD770 isn’t all that versatile but is fine for general use - jut don’t expect to capture sweeping landscapes or zoom in on faraway sports subjects very well. With an lens-based IS system to help combat blur, the SD770 is better than most cameras in low-light situations, even though its average high-ISO ability still produces a moderate amount of grain/noise.

The SD770 is about average in terms of autofocus and shutter lag. It takes photos continuously at 1.4 frames per second, which is just fast enough to be used as a burst mode to take a series of shots of some peak moment of action, in order to choose the best photo afterwards.

At the very budget spectrum of Panasonic’s ultracompacts, the Panasonic FS5 doesn’t offer too much in the way of features aside from its versatile 30-120mm (4x) zoom range. Though its 120mm telephoto end doesn’t zoom much further than the typical ultracompact and isn’t unusable for really long-range subjects, its 30mm wide-angle can be a big help for taking photos of landscapes or cramped building interiors, which are often encountered in travel photography.

The Panasonic’s low-light ability is a bit below average. While it does feature an image-stabilized lens to reduce camera shake, the FS5’s high-ISO ability produces blotchy/noisy photos. The FS5 is about average in terms of shutter lag and autofocus, but it can take photos at 2.5 frames per second for up to 5 photos, a useful tool for taking quick bursts of shots and choosing the best photo afterwards.