Christmas 2012: The best compact cameras with secret skills!

We’re just a few short weeks away from Christmas, but don’t worry if you haven’t done all the shopping yet: our handy guides are here to help you pick out the perfect gadget. Today, we’re not just looking at compact cameras: we’re looking at the pocket snappers with hidden skills that are bound to surprise your loved ones. Read on to find out what they are.  Submarine skills It may be getting on three years now, but the Canon PowerShot D10 is still going strong. This waterproof camera can survive at depths under ten metres, and doesn’t need any extra (expensive) housing to use in the blue. And the shots from its 12.1 megapixel sensor are still very respectable indeed. You can now pick one up online for round £210, a big discount on the original RRP of £319.  Instant Instagram skills You could just get the amateur snapper in your family a regular compact – or you could get them one that serves up shots, instantly, old school style. The Polaroid Z2300 does just that, spitting out an instant pic of your family gathering under the tree in a matter of seconds. It’s like Instagram, in real life. Not bad for £150.  Swappable camera lenses From a distance, it looks like a compact camera, but the Nikon 1 J2 is something much smarter. For one, you can swap out the lenses like a bigger, heftier DSLR, meaning pros can use whatever glass they need for the situation they’re shooting in. Of course, it costs a lot more too, with prices starting at £422.99 with a 10-30mm lens kit – but what price do you put on happiness?  Mobile apps The Samsung Galaxy Camera sounds like your regular 16 megapixel caompact snapper, but for £389, you get something much more. This camera runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, just like your phone, meaning you can shoot and share your pics over Wi-Fi or 3G, or even just play Angry Birds Star Wars if you’re bored. It gives new meaning to the phrase “camera phone”.  Video editing on the go There’s a clever little wrist strap on the 2012 iPod touch, and with good reason: its five megapixel sensor really does mean it can pull double duty as a compact camera. Stills are decent, but it’s as a pocket camcorder that the new iPod touch really stands out: you can use iMovie to edit your HD movies on the go, and upload them straight to YouTube over Wi-Fi, something most compacts cannot. 

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