These days, that configuration is my general recommendation for an all-around family camera. Many cameras meet these specifications on paper and take some very nice pictures, but only the Casio is the size of a deck of cards, despite a spacious 2-in. LCD. Even before I charged it up, I was impressed.

When I took it out in the field, I became only more smitten. In typical settings it's point and shoot, no more photography skills required. When your environs get a little less sunny or posed, you can switch to BestShot mode for a multitude of scenario presets from Scenery and Portrait to Pets and Fireworks. There are even some tricks, including the Coupling Shot: you pose in one half of the shot, then your compatriot poses in the other half, and the camera's computer morphs the two halves into a functional (but not always attractive) whole.

With the above features plus voice recording and snapshot audio (up to 30 seconds of narration for each pic), it's surprising that the EX-Z4U doesn't have a video mode. Sure, it's the king of digi-cam gimmicks, but I find video is the only thing that can do justice to had-to-be-there attractions like zoos and aquariums.

My only other complaint is shooting in low light. Shots often turn out blurry, and worse yet, covered in a blue-and-red confetti where a deep black should be. BestShot's Candlelight setting alleviates some, but not all, of my low-light headaches.

The bottom line is that Casio didn't compromise too much to make the EX-Z4U so small. Because it fits in the front pocket of a pair of jeans, you won't ever again have to have that "Honey, should we take the camera?" discussion — or get stuck sending a holiday greeting card with your family's photo taken on cousin Jeremy's camera phone.