Tiny But Mighty Digicams

Features packed into these diminutive cameras belie their candy-tin sizes.

Small cameras are like sports cars: They're fun, fast, and full of personality. Now you have additional reasons to consider one--they're more feature-rich than ever.

For example, the new $499 Canon PowerShot S400 Digital Elph has 4-megapixel image resolution. Meanwhile, both the $400 Casio Exilim EX-Z3 and the $400 Pentax Optio S deliver 3.2 megapixels, and each camera offers specifications that are nearly comparable to the PowerShot S400's--such as a 3X optical zoom lens and the ability to capture video--in a smaller package (see the Features Comparison chart below).

Although the various cameras in Canon's Digital Elph line are no longer the smallest full-featured models on the block, they still hold their own. The shipping S400 that I looked at felt very solid--albeit a little heavy--and sported an elegant stainless-steel body. The S400 costs more than the other two units, but it does offer more. In addition to a higher resolution of up to 2272 by 1704 pixels, it has a 32MB CompactFlash card.

Both the Casio and the Pentax offer limited internal storage and come with a slot for removable media, but neither includes a memory card.

The PowerShot S400 has a nine-point autofocus system that quickens focusing even with off-center subjects. Canon also improved the S400's movie-mode function: The camera records up to 3 minutes of video with sound, compared with the 30-second capacity of previous Digital Elph models.

The photos I took with the S400 looked good overall. But some colors--especially red--were too warm. In a couple of outdoor photos, contrast was off: Reds and blues looked too bright, while whites and yellows were overexposed. In some shots, my subject's skin tone appeared too pink when it should have been bronze.

LCD Advantage

Of the three cameras, the Casio Exilim EX-Z3 provides the largest LCD screen, a crisp 2-inch display that provides plenty of viewing and framing area and stays relatively bright even in sunny settings.

The Casio, with its brushed-metal case, has similar features to the Pentax Optio S. In fact, the Exilim EX-Z3 uses Pentax's lens. Other specs the two have in common include the ability to take 30-second, 320-by-240-resolution AVI movies with sound.

Menu systems and control-button design vary, however. The Casio's buttons are slightly bigger than the Pentax's, making them easier to use. The Exilim EX-Z3 also starts up quickly, and it allows you to resize, rotate, or invert a photo in the camera.

The quality of the images that my preproduction unit produced was mixed. Most of my outdoor shots were bright, though some appeared a little blurry. In one case, my subject's skin tone looked too yellow. Indoor shots were so-so; the camera tended to lose detail with dark areas and colors. These flaws may disappear when the Exilim EX-Z3 becomes final.

You can store images using the camera's 10MB of internal memory. Even so, I'd recommend buying a 32MB Secure Digital card or MultiMediaCard for around $35. The Exilim EX-Z3 has a rechargeable lithium ion battery and comes with a USB 1.1 cradle charger. (For a slimmer Exilim--without an optical zoom lens--check out the $349 EX-S3.)

Curiously Small

The Optio S is so thin and light, you can pop it inside a metal mint tin. The camera has a ridged aluminum alloy body, small control buttons (such as on/off and an arrow thumbwheel), a tiny optical viewfinder, and a small flash.

People with big hands or stubby fingers may find the lilliputian controls of this Pentax too petite, but I had no trouble operating a shipping unit. It starts up in just 4 seconds, and its intuitive menu lets you adjust settings such as resolution and white balance. The camera's photos looked good overall, but some colors seemed flat, some light hues (such as yellow and white) appeared overexposed, and one indoor shot was too dark.

The Optio S also includes modes for various shots (such as night scene and panorama assist) and pictures (such as landscape, portrait, and surf and snow). It comes with 11MB of internal memory, a Secure Digital/MultiMediaCard slot, a rechargeable lithium ion battery and charger, and ACD Systems' ACDSee photo-organizing software.

Good Fit?

Which pocket-size camera is right for you? If you want a solidly built model with lots of pixels, the Canon PowerShot S400 is a good choice. For the smallest and lightest, opt for the Pentax Optio S. For a camera with a nice-size LCD, the Casio Exilim EX-Z3 is the way to go.

Buying Information

Canon PowerShot S400 Digital Elph 4 stars (05/07/2003) Maintains rock-solid design and improves on terrific features. Price when reviewed: $499 Current prices (if available)

Buying Information

Casio Exilim EX-Z3 0 stars (05/07/2003) (Preproduction unit, not rated) Large LCD, snappy performance, but no memory card. Price when reviewed: $400 Current prices (if available)

Buying Information

Pentax Optio S 3.5 stars (05/07/2003) Innovatively small; tiny control buttons; no memory card. Price when reviewed: $400 Current prices (if available)