Many of today's compact cameras are great, allowing you to take sharp, printable photos using a device that'll slip easily into a pocket.

Making a camera really small, however, always means introducing some compromises, and attempting to use one for creative photography is generally a frustrating experience at best. If you want to take really good photos, you'll need a DSLR. And today we've found one for just £250 - that's less than many vastly inferior compact cameras.

Sony hasn't been making DSLRs for long, but its Alpha 200 was built using technology from Minolta. It shoots 10.2 megapixel images, has image stabilisation built into the body so it'll work with cheaper non-stabilised lenses, has a 2.7 inch display on the back and a nine-point autofocus system. It can even shoot three high-quality Jpeg images per second until the memory card fills up - try that on a pocket sized camera.

The A200 originally retailed for £380, which was pretty good considering its spec, but with a new model around the corner we've found a store selling it for a frankly ludicrous £250. Click the jump for details.