High ISO Performance on Compact Cameras

DPReview have written a guide on ISO performance, with a number of compact cameras offering ISO3200 (and more!) they compare the results to see if High ISO is useful on compact cameras. They conclude that it's all marketing hype, apart from the Fujifilm FinePix F series, for example the recently reviewed Fujifilm FinePix F40fd (aka F45fd), Fujifilm FinePix F30, and Fujifilm FinePix F20:

"The issue of high ISO performance on compacts first raised its head with the launch in 2005 of the Fujifilm FinePix F10, which was the first camera to offer anything close to usable ISO 800 and ISO 1600 performance (later refined in the FinePix F30 and FinePix F31fd) - a unique selling point in a market full of barely discernible models from a wide range of manufacturers. Within 18 months every compact camera worth its salt was offering ISO 800, ISO 1000, ISO 1600 or even higher."