Casio EX-P700 Exilim Pro

Pros: Excellent image quality, manual controls, fast

Cons: Weak movie mode

Summary: I have owned 6 digital cameras (1 Kodak, 1 Casio, and 4 Canons) in the past, and this is the best yet. I had purchased a Canon SD500 last month but didn't think it lived up to its hype. I did extensive research and found this less popular camera. At first, I was reluctant because I had owned a Casio before (the Z40), and I thought the images it produced were subpar. But I read good reviews on the P700. I found a store that had a good return policy and decided to test it alongside the Canon SD500.

I performed a blind test on my friends. I used all auto settings, with no photo doctoring at all. The P700 had more accurate colors and didn't have the blinding flash of the SD500. However, the P700 had a bit more noise in dark areas. 6/10 people preferred the P700 pictures over the SD500. The P700 has much more manual control than the SD500, so when I took new pictures using the manual controls, the P700 blew the SD500 away. Needless to say, I decided to sell my SD500.

What I like most about this camera is the manual controls. There is an aperture priority mode and a shutter priority mode on top of the full manual mode. Other useful things I can control are sharpness, saturation, contrast, and flash intensity - things I haven't seen in the other 6 digital cameras I've owned. Of course, I can always adjust those in Photoshop, but it's just nice to have handy. Just a few more of the features I love already: AE (auto exposure) lock, auto bracketing, 25-shot stop action images, ability to shoot in TIFF and RAW modes (RAW mode is available through a hidden menu), autofocus area controls, metering modes, and the help icons.

It doesn't have the greatest movie mode, but making movies isn't the reason I bought a digital camera - I would've gotten a camcorder instead.

Many people think the design is ugly, but personally, I love the sturdy, industrial design. That was another reason I didn't like the Canon - because of its fragile body.

As for the size, the P700 is not a super-compact, pocket camera. However, it's still small enough to fit into my handbag. The larger size also reduces hand-shake, a problem I noticed with smaller cameras.

All in all, I believe that the P700 is a great camera for someone who takes casual snapshots but dabbles in serious photography as well. It is a great choice for those who want more than a regular point-and-shoot but doesn't need/cannot afford an SLR. I highly recommend this camera!