Digital-Camera Reviews

This is a great camera in most respects. It's hard to take a bad shot -- as someone who wouldn't be able to deal with all the adjustments on a real SLR, this seems to be the next best thing... good lens but the camera does the work as though its a point-and-shoot. I've taken 1000s of shots with it. Battery life is fine. CD as storage is rather convenient.

BUT, my complaint is the lag times. Power on lag, shutter lag, and shot-to-shot lag. It's painful to think of all the shots we've missed waiting for disc writing, or power on, or slow shutters. The Burst 3 mode is a silly answer -- just doesn't work right in practice. You can't even see the subject to know if you're still lined up once it starts bursting.

Net: this is an ideal camera for non-moving situations... sunsets come to mind. Not so much for taking shots of kids, which I do.

I have used several digital cameras and the Sony MVC-CD300 is the best by far. Being able to burn a rewritable CD - at a cost of less than $5 per CD with 150MB - is a BIG advantage over memory card style cameras (a 128MB card can run a couple hundred dollars). The electronic storage problem that I faced with memory cards no longer applies (I travel a lot and always have my camera in my hand so you can imagine the number of pictures taken).

I have been able to store close to 100 pictures at the highest resolution on one CD making it very easy to file, catalog and find my pictures. I have not had the problem that the previous reviewer did in being able to delete a picture and reuse the space. He must be using regular CDs (certainly an option) rather than the rewriteable ones.

It was very easy to initially set up and use and has multiple ways to get the pictures to my PC. I usually use the USB hook-up and even use the camera as a rewriteable CD for pictures other folks send me. When I am feeling lazy, I just plop the CD in my DVD drive which also works great.

With 3.3 megapixels, the picture clarity couldn't be better. I have printed out 8 x 10s that look like they were taken by an expensive 35mm camera. The number of options for picture sizing is also enough to satisfy any "normal" requirement.

If I had to point out one issue with the camera, it is size. While certainly not the largest camera on the market, it is a bit bulkier than I would prefer (I like sticking a camera in my pocket and I need to use a fanny pack to carry this one around).

All in all, if you are looking for a camera that can take 35mm quality pictures and still stay digital, I would highly recommend this Sony.

... I, too, love this camera and pretty much agree with everyone else. This is the best purchase I've made in quite some time, so I'm just going to provide some information that I wish I'd had before I ordered the camera.

The camera is fairly bulky. It's pretty much what you'd expect for a device with a built in CD writer but, when compared to other digital cameras, this thing's pretty big. I personally think that the benefits of writing the picture to a CD more than outweigh the minor inconveniences of a larger camera, but you should probably go to a local store that carries one and see if the size will bother you. Didn't bother me much at all.

The delay in taking the picture can be annoying at times. Yes, there is a delay BETWEEN pictures as well (a more pronounced delay, in fact) due to the camera writing the image to the CD, but there's also a lesser talked about delay for even the very first picture. You need to hold the button halfway down for the camera to focus properly, and then wait 'til the camera tells you it's ready before you can take the picture. There isn't much of a wait, but there IS one and it can be aggravating at times. This particular delay, however, as far as I know, is common to ALL digital cameras, so I'm assuming that a digital camera just isn't a very good option for taking pictures that require split-second timing.

You will probably want a case for this camera. The lens DOES have a cap, but the display doesn't and can be scratched fairly easily.
You'll probably also want an additional battery and separate charger if you're more than an occasional user. The battery lasts about 90 minutes (without flash) and has a built-in chip that tells the camera how much time is left ... a pretty nice feature that's displayed for all to see in picture taking mode.

I've seen mixed reviews on the CD-R / CD-RW debate. I have used the CD-RW discs exclusively so far and haven't had any problems. One thing you should be aware of is that you can't go back and erase the pictures on the discs selectively. You CAN erase the last picture taken (if using CD-RW media) and replace it with your very next picture, but you can't go back further than one picture. Well, to be more specific, you ARE allowed to go back and erase a picture older than your last one, but it won't gain you any more disc space.
You CAN, of course, erase the whole disc and use it again whenever you wish (again, if using CD-RW), but you just can't go back, let's say, five pictures, erase one picture, then expect the disc space to increase enough to allow more pictures than it would have had if you'd left that picture on the disc.

The camera often takes dark pictures. I've found that the picture is normally of better quality if I force the flash ... even in fairly well lit areas. There may be another technical tweak that would accomplish the same thing, but I'm an extreme novice when it comes to photography.

It's VERY hard to find cases to protect these little discs! I have yet to find one. When buying these little discs, you usually have a choice of approximately 50 CD-R's on a spindle, or approximately 10 Mavica CD-R's in little cases ... both cost roughly the same price, but you can't seem to find protective sleeves or cases for the ones with a spindle. Not exactly a deal breaker, but annoying nonetheless.

One disc holds about 81 pictures at the highest quality (which is absolutely breathtaking), and over 1000 at the lowest quality (which you will probably NEVER want to use).
If you have a good printer, print the picture on photo quality paper, and use the highest quality setting, I don't think you'll be able to tell the difference between that picture and an actual photograph.
I am an EXTREME novice at photography and I have taken some stunning pictures with the default settings, but this camera also has a dizzying array of manual settings for even the most advanced photographer.

I couldn't seem to easily find what out what this camera was SUPPOSED to come with, so that's what I'm supplying.

Camera.
One battery.
Lens cap.
Adaptec Direct CD software.
MGI Photo software.
USB cable for connection to computer.
Power supply for the camera (used to charge the battery).
8cm adapter to put the mini-discs into a regular drive.
Manufacturer warranty (I think it's one year, may be 90 days).
One CD-R media.
One CD-RW media.

Well that's about what I wanted to know when I was thinking of buying this camera. Hope this review helps.

I've used Viking components in the past and never had any negative experiences with their products. When I got a digital camera, I shopped the local computer and mall stores for Compact Flash memory cards before turning to Amazon.com. I was pleasantly surprised to find an affordable Compact Flash card in the capacity I was looking for made by Viking. The card works great with my Kodak digital camera and Sandisk CF reader. A top notch product at an affordable price.

Well, I had no idea how much room a 1 MP picture would take up on a CF card. I know it is a combination of compression and format, but I never really did the math.

GREAT PRICE: I bought this card, number one, because the price was great. Now the price is even greater when you get it for about 2MB for $1.

NUMBER OF PICTURES THAT CAN BE STORED:
155 in a DC240 with 1MP.
55 in a DX3900 with 3.1 MP.
I never knew the MP versus MB formula, this practical application helped me out. I understand however, much depends on your compression and format. This was all .jpg files and on Kodak cameras.

SEEMS COMPATIBLE FOR PDA AND PC:
I know one of the concerns on these cards is compatibility. Since I have had it, I have put it in an @migo Pocket PC, on the PCMCIA card on an IBM laptop and a Kodak DX3600 and a HP315. It worked great.

Nice card and a nice size, I'm set for awhile now.

I ordered this but something happened and I got a 128 mb chip instead. Either way its great been using it for a few years now and I've had no problems.

I've been using the Finepix 4900 for several months right now and I love the camera's features. I think the one big negative point about this model is the poor battery life. If you use the flash and the LCD display, expect about 40 shots before you get the low battery indicator. I would recommend purchasing a second battery and charger for long trips.

The LCD viewfinder is another problem. The image you get from using the viewfinder isn't very clear in low light situations. My previous digital camera was the Fuji MX-2900 which had an optical viewfinder. If you get a chance to compare an LCD viewfinder to an optical one-you would agree that the optical works better. This also puts another strain on the battery life issue too.

Enough on the negatives. The best part about this camera is the image quality. It's excellent and I love the 6X optical zoom. I would avoid using the digital zoom whenever possible. The lens on this model was the main reason for purchasing this camera.

My partner and I both purchased this camera. It actually produces better resolution (2,400 x 1,800 pixels) than 5.4 MB cameras that cost twice as much. In addition, it has an auto mode that enables my wife to take picutures without the complications of adjusting an SLR. Other features that I like: Electronic View Finder, Auto/Man Focus, Auto/Man/Custom White Balance, Continuous Shooting, 6x optical with 3.75 digital zoom. The resolution is so good, that you can zoom in on the individual pores of a persons face. As a result, it is excellent for medical imaging and I have used it in the operating room with outstanding results. The only thing is that you need either a photo printer or a color laser printer with high resolution to fully appreciate the high quality of these images.

As all of the previous reviewers have stated, the Fuji 4900 is an excellent camera.
Coupled with the Epson Stylus Photo 1280, I have made excellent 16" x 20" prints that look as good or better as film prints.
My Epson Stylus Photo 820 does an excellent job with 8" x 10" prints as well.
The Fuji 4900 is just an excellent camera EXCEPT for the poor battery life. I got tired of the constant need to recharge the NP-80s ( I have 6) so I bought a PowerBank MH-DPB180M battery pack from J&R Electronics and no longer have that problem.

the sony dscs50 cybershot digital camera is a much improved design on the mavica series, while giving high resolution and delivering a compact stylish case. the resoulution is good for web pages, home photos transfer, and comes with good editing resources. The other advantage is the easy storage on the memory stick and of course the adaptors make it easy to insert as a floppy into your pc. to summarise the advantages are:

1. good resolution 2. easy to carry 3. easy storage 4. no complicated software 5. easy to transfer onto the pc

The disadvantages are:

1. The resolution is not as good as the 3+ mega pixel cameras available today. 2. THe price is not competitive enough

i would reccomend this camera to anyone who's starting out with digital cameras and wants a easy to use,stylish, camera which yields above average resoultion pics by digital camera standards. This concludes my review

Truly an amazing product... to be expected, of course, from Sony. Albeit the camera is on the pricey side, you are paying for extras you cannot find anywhere else. In particular, the LCD screen, which enables you to manipulate your photos right from the camera. You can tweak a photo, delete it, store it as a presentation, etc. When you are ready to preview the image on the computer, simply plug in the USB connection. I would recommend this model because it offers MPEG movie mode, as well as 2.1 megapixel resolution, which ties in greatly with high-end InkJet printers, such as HP. I would, however, recommend purchasing additional memory sticks, perhaps up to 64 MB, as you may be interested in storing video and additional high quality, 1600 x 1200 x 16.7m images. Currently, the unit ships with a 4 MB card, which stores appx. 4 images at the highest quality. A bit shabby for those looking to build an extensive photo collection. I was skeptical during the initial purchase, but am glad I made the move.

My dad was the one who first bought this Sony Cybershot. At the time he used it a lot but now he's letting me have a go at it. The zoom is phenomenal and the 2.1 MP resolution is perfect, and allows the photos to be crisp and clinical. It can take reasnable MPEG movies and is very simple to use. Downloading the pictures onto computer proves to be quick and simple. The LCD screen is flexible allowing you better photos from awkward positions. The only small draw-back is that the shutter takes a bit too long too catch a fast moving object such as a bird. This camera was a really pleasent experience for me!

I was looking for a digital camera and wanted to use one that allowed me to get to the taking of pictures. Later I will move on to a more complicated one. Anyway I disagree with all of you who did not like the software. I use software all the time and this is the first photo software that did what I want. I agree with all the good things said before in other reviews. If anything is wrong it is the drain on regular batteries so I bought the rechargeable ones. The fact I could use the camera as a pc cam was an unexpected plus. I think the main use of the camera is for doing e-mail, short videos and taking photos of people or things you want to display on the net. I would never expect to shoot a long shot to a stage as one person did. When you consider the size and all the features Fuji has packed into it, what a buy! Most of all I like that it slips into my pocket.

WOW, I bought this camera on holiday in New York, in Febuary, I was slightly worried about it not working in the Uk but when I found out it was USB connection I knew it would work at home, I was very excited to buy it!
I got 75photo's on the 16mb card and that is high resolution!
The only slight dissapointment is the video mode, how it cannot last longer that 20secs, HOWEVER u can video more than 1 clip, so you could have 5 video's all of 10secs long, depending on the memory you have. The AA batteries ..., get the rechearchable ones. the software is ok, very easy to install.
BEST CAMERA I HAVE EVER USED ZOON IS EXCELENT, PANNING IS AMAZING
BUY IT YOU WON'T MISS OUT !

The A201 is very Good camera and I bought it with my own money( I am eight years old). It has satisfied me very well with its price. I am impressed with the quality and I would recomend it to anyone shopping for an entry-level good-quality bash-around camera. I have sent many e-mails using the easy-to-use FinePix Software that comes in the box with the USB (universal serial bus) connector. The software comes with automatic procedures such as saving in the "My Pictures" Folder that comes with every computer. The software comes with the Update and delteable folder called "100_fugi". The only dis is that the camera for some reason makes the target father than the Human eyebut other than that the camera is very good and toped my expectations. At first I thought of buying the Canon Powershot but the store manager at [a local store] gave me a better deal, the A201.

This is my first digital camera and for folks who are like me, too lazy to organize photos and sometimes even getting films developed, I think digital is the way to go. The best part is being able to delete unwanted on-the-fly and edit the pictures at home afterwards. The camera is easy to use for a non-techie. The battery has an incredibly long life. I bought an additional battery for my trip to Thailand and never really had to use the backup (of course, I recharged every night). Another good feature, the charger is also universal (can be used or both 110 and 220 volts). In the case of Thailand, no outlet adapter was needed. The zoom is great. Deleting photos using is a little difficult for me, I had removed the wrong photos a couple of times. My biggest complaint is that the memory stick is still quite pricey. I would like to get the 64 MB one but I am going to wait for the price to come down a little more.

Also if you don't know this already, the USB port is not compatible with Windows NT. I had to get a diskette adapter for my NT laptop which requires a driver installation from the CD but the USB worked really well for my Windows 98 PC at home. Being able to show the pictures on TV using the sony-provided TV adapter was also a nice feature although I don't use it too often.

I just recently got the Sony DSC-S30 and I can't put the thing down. I think the reviewers that had problems with the battery life and the amount of pictures that can be taken possibly did not take time to read the instruction manual. This camera has many settings that you can choose from to manipulate how many pictures you can store at a time. Of course if you go with the highest quality you will undoubtedly get less pictures. This can be solved by getting an extra memory stick, or going for lower grade pictures, which are still crystal clear. This camera has many options that will make a novice photographer look like a pro. There are many picture effects to choose from. You can take black & white photos, sepia colored (to look old fashioned), redirect light sources and shadows, and much much more. The movable LCD display is great, you can even turn it backwards and take a picture of yourself. Antoher great feature that my family has used, is hooking it up to the TV. Using this we took a self portrait with the timer and we could reposition ourselves and preview the picture by looking at the television. Technology is so cool. I'm glad we didn't take our salesman's advise and go with a "starter" camera -because we are young-, I would not have been happy. Nobody gives you more cool options and buttons than Sony. Great Camera- but now I wish I had gotten the DSC-S50, for the movie feature. One thing I know for sure...I'll never go back to using film, and having strangers develop my pictures.

i think the dsc-s30 is the best digital camera sony has made. its the only one i know of with the flip screen.

After using the Mavica MVC-FD90 for several months, sending it back to Sony and carrying on a lengthy dialog with them, I can truthfully say, it's not worth the money. Of course the bells and whistles are OK, the MPEG's are fine and it takes great pictures at maximum resolution. There is no reason for it to even have the 640 X 480 or email resolutions, the pictures are horrible. In those resolutions, the subject has a "halo" around it or them, the faces looked wrinkled and the picture is of overall poor quality. After sending it back to Sony, they returned it saying that was just the way it worked. Further, I use the memory stick and it takes forever to load a picture and transferring 70 or 80 pictures from the disk to the computer hard drive takes 4 to 5 minutes. Folks, this camera is just plain clunky and there are many digital cameras out there at half the price that will do as good or better of a job. Caveat Emptor!!!!

I have one and the led screen got broken and want to replace because of the ease to use. The pictures come out like a professionals when printed if right settings are used. Absolutely would recomend to most novice of photographers.

I am a first time user of a digital camera and I am awed by the outstanding quality of the pictures and the simple use of the camera. I reviewed quite a few different companies and cameras before settling on the Sony FD-90. Originally one of my criteria was size. Yes the Sony FD-90 is a little bulky because of the standard floppy drive but all in all it is just a little bigger then an ordinary 35mm camera and is probably lighter in weight. I use my FD-90 for work (and for play) and one of the features I enjoy is being able to make copies of the disks on the spot and to hand them out to other people at meetings. The floppy disk makes this camera absolutely simple to use. Shoot a picture and put the disk in your computer and the picture is there as quick as your computer can access the floppy drive. No cables to hook up! I have not used the new Memory Stick with this camera although it is an available option. For the price of floppies I don't foresee needing anything else. I had considered the Sony FD-88 but I saw a lot of reviews complaining about red eye in the pictures. I was pleased to find on this FD-90 there is a red eye reduction feature built into the flash and it actually works. Another feature I like is the MPEG capability. For me this feature is basically a toy and is really only useful for placing small MPEG movies on a web site or for emailing. From what I've seen in reviews of other cameras is that there is a problem with battery consumption. With the FD-90 you get a lithium ion battery and a charger so there will be no problem with that. I've been getting a full hour of shots with a full charge. Consider all the functions like flash and zoom and these use battery life so an hour is pretty good. I bought a spare battery as well but so far have not had to use it. Overall I would recommend this digital camera for everybody. From the box it is very simple to use. You'll be up and running as soon as you get the battery charged (you can read the manual while it's charging) and you'll be having fun with this camera in no time at all.

The FujiFilm FinePix 2300 is an all-around great value if you're looking for a high-resolution, 2.1 megapixel CCD 1600x1200 max digital camera. The 5.8mm (36mm equivalent) focus is excellent; you get a sharp, detailed image, even in 640x480 low-resolution. The 2.5X digital zoom is only functional in low-resolution mode (640x480) but this camera takes really nice pictures even in low-resolution. The 8MB SmartMedia card can store up to 89 images at 640x480. If you invest in a 128MB SmartMedia card, you can store 1,330 images at 640x480 (or 166 images at 1600x1200 fine resolution). Overall, it's a really easy-to-use camera. I took it out on many trips so far and I find it very responsive and able to take sharp pictures on-the-fly, even while in the car moving 80+ miles-per-hour. The FujiFilm software to upload your images through the camera's USB interface is quick and easy. The price is right too!

I bought this camera a few days ago expecting to get what I payed for, a 2.1 mega pixel, mid-range digital camera. As far as picture quality it has surpassed the quality I thought I was getting. As long as you use the Normal or Fine quality picture modes in the 1600x1200 resolution the prints of the pictures were almost as clear as a non digital camera. In fact if I would have printed it on glossy photo paper, I probably would not have been able to tell much of a difference between that print out and a non digital camera's print out. I even printed some pictures the size of a whole page and it was still pretty good quality. This camera is simple to use, by the end of the first day I knew how to use almost all the features of the camera. Every camera has its downsides, however, and this camera is no exception. One downside is that the viewfinder is right above the LCD screen. This makes it hard to look through the viewfinder without putting a smudge on the LCD screen. Another small complaint I had was that the camera lens appears to be very vulnerable to scratches since it isn't protected very well by the rest of the camera. As long as you keep it in a nice case and handle it with care you should have no problem with the lens though, and you can use the LCD screen to take pictures without ever using the viewfinder. This camera can be set to automatic mode where the camera decides the type of flash, white mode, and brightness for you, or as you become advanced with digital cameras you can set the camera to manual mode and make all the choices for yourself. This allows your camera to grow with you. I mainly use the auto mode, since the camera does a pretty good job of adjusting the flash and other features on its own. This camera usually comes with a 8 MB smart media card for storing the pictures in the camera. This card can hold only 10 pictures in the camera's fine 1600x1200 mode. (the best camera mode) It can, however, hold 19 pictures in the normal mode, which I have found to be a good mode for most pictures. This is not a lot of pictures so I would advise purchasing at least one more 8 MG card, or even a 16 MG card. (the 16 MG card can hold 20 pictures in the best mode and 39 in the normal mode) These cards are very easily taken in and out of the camera, and the camera comes with a USB cable to easily transfer pictures from the camera to the computer when the smart media card is in the camera. This saves you from having to purchase expensive smart media card readers, which adds to the bargain of buying this camera. Make sure you have a USB port on your computer to be sure you can use this cable. In conclusion this camera is a bargain for a 2 mega pixel camera, and takes very high quality pictures. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a digital camera under ... who still wants good quality photos.

Guys, you can't expect from this camera some super cool things because it is basic 2.1 Mp camera but this is VERY RELIABLE and decent simple camera that has traveled with me ALL ACROSS THE WORLD and never put me down! It takes regular AA batteries and the simple optics provide unexpectedly GOOD pictures. Avoid back lighting and unusual conditions and you will be Ok. I suspect that for the price it it perfect light little camera.

I just got the dreaded e18 error message on this camera and its only two years old. canon has a problem with all of its retractible lenses and they get either jammed in the out or the in position and the camera wont power up, rendering this useless. canon will fix it for 175.00 but the problem, as i have found from others on the web will happen again. it is a mecanical flaw? and canon wont support you at all.

This is the ultimate camera for active/sporting/outdoor snapshots. It's so small you can stick it in a pocket, and yet it has flash, 3x optical zoom and 4 megapixel resolution! Because it's digital you can see the results immediately, and you don't have to worry about wasting film. Send your experiences and memories to everyone!

Pros:
* Very small and handy
* Unobtrusive-your friends will stop posing every time you try to take a picture! My friend Christine has mastered the art of stealth photography with her S410; she looks in a different direction while glancing at the LCD viewfinder!
* Uses Compact Flash (CF)- Low-cost easy to handle memory cards available in capacities up to 1 GB!
* Picture quality (so far) is excellent

Cons:
* Uses a rechargeable battery-This takes some extra planning and perhaps a purchase of a spare battery.
* Non-automatic operation is difficult-the small size makes it hard to read and navigate the controls
* Small size can be a danger! You could lose it accidentally or drop it out of a shirt pocket

I've been reading the reviews on this Canon PowerShot S410 camera before and after purchasing my own. There certainly are numerous whiners out there. It seems people love to find something to whine about. Honestly, this camera has given me nothing but pleasure, excellent pictures and compliments from others. This is a solid well-built camera (my cats knocked it off my desk and dragged around a bit and it had no scratches and still works excellently) with excellent picture quality both indoor and outdoor and easy to figure out menu and buttons. People also seem to complain about the LCD screen being small on digital cameras in general. My answer, look through the view finder. In addition, with the Canon S410 the image on the LCD screen is so vivid and clear and the colors so rich that it doesn't really matter. After all, the most important thing is both the final print and how it looks on your computer not the size of the LCD screen. When I connect the camera to my Canon CP-330 compact photo printer, it's a one press operation and away it goes printing the best quality pictures ever. Unless you love to nit-pick (there's really nothing to nit-pick about on this one) you'll love this camera. Minor note, Canon could have possibly been a little more generous in what comes with the camera, such as an AC power adapter (although I love the battery recharger). However, don't consider this a complaint, just a suggestion to Canon. If you do decide to purchase, ENJOY! And to those whiners, life is too short .......

pentax had heads turning when they introduced the optio s because that camera could fit into an altoids tin. well, pentax has upped the ante. they've managed to a full megapixel of resolution without increasing the size of this amazing camera. the result is the optio s4.

pros:
- yes, it still fits in an altoid tin! the main selling point of this camera is its small size: 3.3 x 2.0 x 0.8 in, weighing in at 3.5oz.
- relatively high "wow" factor.
- average four megapixel resolution.

- good reliable metering.
- low image noise at low ISO settings.
- fast autofocus in well lit situations.
- very good macro performance for an ultra-compact.
- wide range of focus options including manual focus!
- histogram display in live view and play modes.
- allows decent manual control for what is billed as a point-and-shoot ultra-compact.
- no color cast from flash.
- fast startup time.
- solid build quality - stylish aluminum case.
- bright LCD monitor with anti-reflective coating.
- shooting priority during play mode.
- doubles as a voice recorder.

cons:
- some chromatic aberrations.
- some vignetting visible.
- moderate barrel distortion at full wide angle.
- average photo quality with soft edges.
- images noisier than competition.
- the right most button at the top of the camera is the power button. right beside it to the left is the shutter release button. for me, the more logical button placement would be to have the shutter release button on the far right.
- no AF assist light.
- some redeye occurrence.
- poor shot to shot times - very disappointing.
- metal body scratches easily.
- RAW and TIFF formats not supported.
- longest shutter setting is 4 seconds.
- only 11MB of built-in memory provided so add $$ to your budget to buy external memory.
- below average battery life and the battery is proprietary so add more bucks for a spare.

like its predecessor, the optio S, the S4 is an amazing camera, providing a wide feature set in an ultra-compact package. it is simply the smallest camera with its feature set available today (10/2003). it is very similar to the slightly bigger casio ex-z4. so why only four stars? opportunites for improvement would be: better shot to shot times, a longer shutter setting (max right now is 4 seconds), and an AF assist lamp.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

The Pentax Optio S4 is a superb camera; the fact that it's an ultra-compact camera as well makes it even more amazing. I researched and tried out many different compact digital cameras before settling on the Optio S4. I travel quite a bit and was looking for a camera that I could slip in my pocket without sacrificing too much in the way of quality images. What I found in the Optio S4 is an extremely compact camera that sacrifices nothing with respect to image quality.

The resolution, edge-to-edge sharpness and color rendition rivals or exceeds that of larger cameras, much less other compacts. It's exposure metering is precise and handles backlit and mixed lighting scenes with ease.

In terms of size, the Optio S4's closest competitor is the Casio EX-Z4. The Casio is a bit slimmer, but it's taller and wider and the Optio S4 outperforms it in resolution and edge sharpness. The Casio uses a folded lens system, which is innovative but detracts from its optical performance. Also, the Casio (at least the US version) does not offer a movie mode, something the Optio S4 does very well. The Optio S4 is so small it will fit inside an Altoids breath mint tin!

Battery run time on the Optio S4 is quite acceptable and there are a number of built-in power saving features you can elect to activate. As with most of the compacts, internal memory is small, so plan on buying a SD data card along with the camera. A 64mb or larger card would be a wise purchase.

Overall, the Pentax Optio S4 is a superb 4 mega pixel camera in a compact package.

Just got this camera about a week ago. Love it!! Small, sleek, fits almost anywhere (including in an Altoids can). The picture quality is amazing and the colors are vibrant. The battery lasts much longer than I had anticipated. The camera is ready to take a picture a second after being turned on, which sadly was not the case with my bulky Kodak DX3500. The Optio is so easy to use, you almost don't need the manual it comes with. The only complaint is from my fiance -- he has rather large hands, and he sometimes has problems hitting the right button because of the buttons being so small. All in all, I would recommend the Optio S4 to anyone interested in a high quality, compact digital camera.