Pentax Optio S4i Digital Camera [4mp 3x Optical]

Amazingly, picture quality hasn't been compromised. The 4 mega pixel sensor produces very good quality images, and the 3x optical zoom is very responsive. (For quality pictures, so-called digital zoom should generally be ignored.)

The on-screen menus are intuitive and easy to use.

It also takes movies with sound. Movie length: up to the capacity of your memory card. The picture quality on movies isn't great (320x200 at 16 frames per second) but more than enough to capture moments when you don't have a camcorder with you.

Downsides? The camera is well built with a metal case, but due to its size it's not going to stand up to bumps as well as a larger camera. A carrying case is essential, particularly as the large LCD screen is prone to scratching. The camera may well be too small for some: in particular, it can be hard to keep it steady when taking shots without the extra bulk to reduce vibration. Either use both hands to steady the camera, or bring along a mini-tripod. Finally, the optical viewfinder is so small as to be quite awkward to use. It can come in handy for composing shots in extremely bright sunlight, when you may have difficulty seeing the screen: otherwise, I tend to compose shots on screen.

All in all, a beautiful piece of optical engineering, almost unbelievably small, taking very good pictures. Strongly recommended.

The Optio s4i is certainly no disappointment by any means having had good reviews since the s3 was out. The Optio s4i has simply evolved from something great and become the best! It boasts a 1.8-inch TFT LCD (offers a 100% field of view), 4.0 effective megapixels, 3x optical zoom and a movie mode that allows you to record up to the memory capacity available.

There're 21 shooting modes you can choose from and also a green mode that takes excellent pictures without you having to adjust the settings manually because it’s done automatically and it works very well indeed. The flash on the camera is very powerful and you can take some very good pictures even in low light conditions - certainly surprised me!

The build of the camera is very sturdy and not cheap at all made of aluminium alloy. Battery life is very good, but if you're going to be out for a long time I would recommend a second battery otherwise you'd be fine. The only bad thing about this camera, well not even the camera itself, but the hand strap can scratch the camera so get a case or not use the strap. After all, the s4i has been improved with a grip, which works well because it has not slipped out of my hand even in the most drunken moments - definitely a thumbs up.

Don't be put off with the non existent memory card because once you start using the camera you would've forget about it completely. The s4i even comes with an optional remote control, which is a very nice touch for an ultra compact camera - it wouldn't surprise if the remote ended up bigger than the camera.

I love this camera and no doubt anyone who buys this will feel the same. Great pictures, great functionality and ultra compact what more can I say.