LCD displays

There are two main selling points for LCD displays: the size, which is usually quoted across the diagonal, and the resolution, or the number of 'dots'.

The size makes a big difference, seemingly out of all proportion to the actual figures. A few cameras still have older 2.5-inch screens, but these seem very small compared to the latest 2.8-inch and 3-inch screens.

The resolution is also an important factor. Basic screens start at around 230,000 dots these days, but this does produce a slightly pixellated display, especially with menu text and icons. 460,000 dots is much better, but the best screens available at the time of writing have 921,000 dots, and are found on better quality hybrid cameras and digital SLRs.

Viewing angle is a third factor and addressed by new OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) displays. These maintain their brightness, contrast and colour better even when the camera is tilted away from you. OLED displays offer higher contrast ratios, reduced power consumption and faster response times. Samsung uses a variation on this technology (AMOLED) in its latest cameras.

Touch-screen displays | Are they useful?

Touch-screen displays are now common on mobile phones and compact digital cameras. They're most effective where space for external control is limited, though they have the potential for some novel and interesting uses too.

The advantage for the manufacturer is simpler manufacturing and the ability to design (and update) much more sophisticated user interfaces.

They haven't appeared much on higher-end cameras, though, with the exception of recent Panasonic G-series models, where a touch-screen display is used to offer a range of camera controls as well as touch-controlled autofocus and shooting.

Here, you touch the screen to set the focus point and take the picture. It's a very intuitive and novel way of taking pictures, though it does mean that you have to take one hand away from the camera body to use it, and it could for most users prove to be little more than a novelty that you soon get tired of.

Touch-screen control is good for manufacturers, but not necessarily so good for users. Lower-quality displays can be sluggish or vague, without the tactile feedback you get from buttons and dials. And if you're using gloves, a touch-screen display could prove very difficult to use.