Aesthetically please high-res ultra compact camera.

[sky r e d u x]

Basically, I need something small and light enough to comfortably keep in a front pants pocket. I would like something with atleast 5 megapixels, the higher resolution the better. I need to take indoor and outdoor shots, and I would prefer the camera to be relativly pleasing to the eye, as I would need to occasionally use it at work. The only camera I had in mind so far was the Casio Exilim EX-Z750, everything about it looks great, except I heard it had a fairly weak flash, and I need to take detailed indoor shots at times. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks!

Budget

* Preferrably below $300-400, but I doubt I will buy the camera retail, so retail prices arn't that much of a concern.

Size

* Ultra compact, as light, small and thin as possible.

Features

Atleast a resolution of 5 megapixels, and atleast a zoom of 3x, the higher of either the better.

On camera controls I would like to be as automatic as possible, I'm not that familar with digital cameras. However I'm tech-savy when it comes to most things, so having alot of manual options for when I figure everything out would be nice as well.

And I would prefer the camera to use SD memory, as I have a few of those lying around. No memory sticks or anything like that. I would also like the camera to have an internal rechargable battery that does not need to be taken out to be charged, it wouldn't be that big a deal if I had to take it out thou.

General Usage

For the most part I need the camera for taking detailed shots of objects in and outdoors for sales and auctioning purposes. Besides that, I would use the camera for basic things like landscape shots and for anytime I just need to take a photo of something.

Miscellaneous

The only brand I would like to avoid is Sony.

And I had the Casio Exilim EX-Z750 in mind.

Being waterproof would definitly be cool, but not very necessary.

[capedeci]

I would also like the phone to have an internal rechargable battery that does not need to be taken out to be charged, it wouldn't be that big a deal if I had to take it out thou.


You wan't a camera phone?:D

Ok, here goes my suggestion, Casios are nice, they have the anti-shake DSP (a welcome bonus), and MPEG4 movie. In my knowledge, the only brand you hate-Sony is one of the market leaders in the type of camera you seek. Their card-type T9 is excellent, featuring impressive image for its class, as well as image stabilizer. But if you really don't want them, Panasonic's FX7 (forgot, what I mean is the 5mpx one, less noise) has a really nice look, it's pretty, and have nice features too. Nikon Coolpix S3 is also another contender for you.

The important thing to know is folded optics is slower (typically f/3.3), for indoor shots, you have to rely on the flash, or to have image stabilizer.

Casio's Z850 has 8 megapixels, brighter optic, and larger sensor, so this one while bigger, is presumably better than the card-sized cameras I said above.

One more thing, the Exilim Z850 is coming soon.

[sky r e d u x]

You wan't a camera phone?:D

Ok, here goes my suggestion, Casios are nice, they have the anti-shake DSP (a welcome bonus), and MPEG4 movie. In my knowledge, the only brand you hate-Sony is one of the market leaders in the type of camera you seek. Their card-type T9 is excellent, featuring impressive image for its class, as well as image stabilizer. But if you really don't want them, Panasonic's FX7 (forgot, what I mean is the 5mpx one, less noise) has a really nice look, it's pretty, and have nice features too. Nikon Coolpix S3 is also another contender for you.

The important thing to know is folded optics is slower (typically f/3.3), for indoor shots, you have to rely on the flash, or to have image stabilizer.

Casio's Z850 has 8 megapixels, brighter optic, and larger sensor, so this one while bigger, is presumably better than the card-sized cameras I said above.

One more thing, the Exilim Z850 is coming soon.

Sorry about that, just bought a phone for my brother yesterday, and I havn't slept...You can imagine how that happened, heh.

I just checked out the Panasonic "Lumix" FX cameras, I like the FX9 espicially, looks very nice. Only thing is it lacks a view-finder, which I find pretty odd. Most of the time when taking spur of the moment photos I would prefer to just avoid the LCD altogether and take pictures the old fashioned way...

Do you know when the Exilim Z850 is due out? If it's soon I could wait to check that one out.

And I've got no idea what you're talking about with folded optics, you lost me there.

[capedeci]

I'm too lazy to read all the Casio's Press release, check with the main page of this site.

Folded optics is used in ultra slim cameras, like the Sony T9, or Nikon S3, where the camera have typical 3X optical zoom, but the lens do not protrude out of the body.

Some examples of protruding lens are almost any Lumix model, Sony W/P series, Canon Powershot series, A series, etc. You can easily notice that the lens barrel moves in and out when you zoom in and out. It usually retracted into flat position when you turn off the cam, and on compact models, the automatic lens cover will shut,

[David Metsky]

The Canon SD line also would fit your description, except for the manual controls. If you are willing to give up the manual controls you get everything else you are looking for.

-dave-

[Duwenbasden]

>I would also like the camera to have an internal rechargable battery that does
>not need to be taken out to be charged, it wouldn't be that big a deal if I had
>to take it out thou.

Card-thin or AA -- There is nothing that is both (AA is thicker than an ultra compact)

You can also forget manual controls on an ultra compact.

Try the Canon SD450/600 compact -- not folded optics (which tends to reduce quality), or the Panasonic FX8 compact. My personal favorite right now is the Fuji F30 (F10's successor), but it does not use SD cards.