I can't give you too many answers, but I am weighing my options between the Casio EX-S500 and the EX-Z57, so I know a little bit about it. If you do a little research for user opinions of the Powershot SD line that you are looking at, many are having trouble with extremely fragile LCD displays, which is something to consider before you invest in a Digital ELPH. The S500 is still really new, so you are paying a premium at this time for the "latest" ultra-compact camera. If you wait 3 or 4 months you will probably be able to pick one up for $300 instead of $390, using a site like dealtime.com or similar. The Casio line has GREAT battery life, which is a really good selling point in my opinion. The S500 isn't the best of the Casios, but it does get an apparent 200 shots with regular use before the battery is down to 33% capacity: pretty impressive.

85,000 pixels on a 2.2" screen is what you get on the S500 compared to ~110,000 on a smaller screen on the Canon. It will appear to be grainy, and some have commented that they have a yellowish tint, but nothing too catastrophic. The Pentax that you mentioned sounds like a decent contender, but in my opinion it loses points for being bigger, not as stylish, and not having the "Best Shot" scenes that the Casio line has. The lack of the optical viewfinder is not a big deal. Go to a photography store to get a look at the ultra-compact camera lines out now: the Canon Powershot SD line's optical viewfinder is small, blurry, and basically useless in most cases.

Nikon and Sony's ultra-compact lines do not have optical viewfinders either, so think about it: if the big names in digital photography have dropped a feature (Canon excluded), then it must not be important enough in the situation to keep. I am by no means an expert on this. I do not own any of the cameras that I have talked about, and most of what I have said is based on what I have seen at stores and what I have read online. But I have done a lot of research, and I hope I helped you out a bit! Good luck with your purchase...

Understand S500 is using USB cradle for charging. Just wonder is there any possibility to purchase an external charger ??..

I posted a coupon of my EX-S500 and have been updating some of the pictures. I've had requests for photos showing evening capability. I posted some good examples of evening shots and a movie. Also I have a shot showing the range of settings and their effects. http://www.redhouseon7th.com/reviews/s500/ I've had many great responses from people who've read my review. I hope you find it helpful too! Give it a read and see what you think. -Mike..

Hello,.

I am thinking of buying a digital camera. My option right now is between Casio Ex-S500 and Sony P200. I have done a little research on these two cameras and found them equally attractive(sony is highly rank in general). I am looking for a good digital camera that last long, compact/small, good battery life, take excellent pictures. And advices? Thanks..

The other camera which I am considering buying vs the S500 is the panasonic FX8. Hard to find (well now anyway) but supposed to have better pics and better image stabilization vs the S500. Any comments on this choice?..