"State of the Art "

After much review of small digital cameras, I made the plunge and purchased the Optio S. The camera store price was not much more than mail order and they assisted in showing the many features this subcompact camera contains. I guess I was intrigued by the high-tech folding lens system and the miniature electronics. WOW !!

So far it does everything I wanted in a digital camera and seems to do it very well. I have only had it for a week, but have been able to use all the camera capabilities. The 3x optical lens takes excellent pictures from about 3" to infinity. The ability to make manual adjustments to the camera made it acceptable to both me and the wife - who wanted a "point and shoot".

The movie mode, with sound, seems tinney when played back on the camera, but is excellent when viewed on a TV with a real speaker using the AVD cable. Hook-up (USB)to the computer as a "portable drive" allows the included software to easily work with the pictures. Being able to put a 30 sec sound tag on each photograph is a great feature.

The main 4-way control button on the rear of the camera at first was difficult to work, but after learning how to use finger nails, it works fine. (my thumb is way too large)

Several pictures were taken and downloaded at the camera store, producing very sharp (4x6) prints. The camera also works as a audio recorder and an alarm clock. The face of the camera when closed is flat and allows placing it flat on the table when reviewing/editing pictures.

The data storage card(s) are very small, but hold up to 256 Mb of pictures (i.e. ~80 to 85 - 3 MP pictures. Even larger SD cards are promised in the future. The battery is a new Li-O design and we will probably need to buy a spare, but it did allow me to play with the camera for over 2 hours before it need a (110 minute) recharge.

The instruction book needs an index, but reads well and is understandable.

So far this camera has far exceeded my every expectation - and yes, it does fit in an Altoid box (if that's important to you)