AWESOME CAMERA!!!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Compact size; long battery life; ease of use; many features

Cons: no continuous mode; no af assist for low light shots

The Bottom Line: 
Fantastic camera for the Price. Can take it everywhere b/c of small size--and it takes great photos.

Author's Review
THis camera is fantastic!! I am a point and shoot guy--just need something that takes decent photos, is not too complicated, and is easy to use and compact so I can carry it in my pocket. This camera fills the bill on all accounts.
The size of this camera is something you will fall in love with. It is slightly bigger than a credit card, and the width is a bit over half an inch---it is comfortable in your pocket. The Olympus Stylus 410 and Canon S410--both of which I have used, and since given away--are much bulkier.
The photo quality is very good--much better than the Olympus and in 90% of situations, on par with the Canon. The S410 gets better marks in low light situations and action situations because of its af light assist and continuous mode, neither of which is available on the Casio. The Olympus is terrible for low light, and even worse for action shots--they invariably turn out blurry. Bottom line is that the CAsio takes very good photos that will satisfy most everyone in most situations.
One of the best qualities of this camera is the battery life. You can take over 300 shots on one charge! you could literally go on vacation for a week and never recharge and probably be okay. If you do need to charge it, the Casio is much simpler than the Olympus or Canon--simply place the Casio on the included cradle, battery intact, and in couple of hours it is ready to go--no need to remove the battery and charge it separate from the camera. The same goes for downloading your photos--simply place the camera in the cradle, and download--it is not necessary to remove the memory card.
The menu is easy to use on the CAsio. I have never even opened the manual--everything is very intuitive and easily understood on this camera. The Canon is a bit more complicated. The Olympus is pretty easy to use, but that doesn't help much if the picture turns out lousy because of the camera's faults.
A great feature on the Casio is that it contains 21 preset modes for different lighting situations and/or backgrounds. Not being a camera guy, I would never venture to change settings, but with the Casio, if it is a nice sunset I want to capture, I simply hit "twilight" on the menu, and the shot comes out great!
The size of the screen is another thing you will appreciate on this camera. At approximately 2" x 2" it is much larger than most, which makes it easier to read and use the menu, and also is nice for viewing your photos right after you take them. And the 4.0 megapixel and 3x optical zoom help make for some great shots.
A feature that some cameras, such as the Sony T-1, are getting away from is a viewfinder. The Casio has one, and I much prefer using the viewfinder to centering my shot in the screen--especially in bright sunlight.
On a scale of 1-10, I would rate the quality of photos with the Casio and the Canon about the same --a 9-in most situations--but would give the Canon a slight edge--a 9 to the Casio's 8--in some indoor shots. The Olympus finishes a distant third, in my opinion. The Olympus takes nice outdoor shots, if they are not action, and okay indoor shots if they are very close and the light is not too low. But many indoor and/or action shots on the Olympus will end up blurry--Not so with either the Canon or the Casio.
All around, the CAsio trounces the CAnon and the Olympus. The Canon takes great photos and would fare better against the Casio if it had a battery life indicator--it would indeed be a closer question then, but this failure is inexcusable, and, with the Casio's additional plusses of smaller size, ease of use, and better overall features, the Canon has no chance. I am more satisfied with this camera than with any I have ever used. The nice-looking photos, compact size, long battery life, ease of use, and many nice features make this a camera you will long enjoy.