Ultra-slim Casio shoots for style

At just 11.7mm thick, Casio's credit card-size Exilim digital camera is one of the thinnest and sleekest available. It is also one of the few ultra-compact digital cameras that have features which make it a decent camera.

The new Exilim EX-Z3 has a 3x optical zoom and gives 3.2 million effective pixels and a 2,048 x 1,536 pixels image size.

The EX-Z3's main improvements over its predecessors besides pixels are the larger two-inch viewing screen and a faster release time lag of 0.01 seconds, allowing pictures to be taken faster.

It comes with 10 megabytes of built-in memory and an expansion slot which takes secure digital (SD) cards. It takes up to 30 seconds of AVI format video clips.

The EX-Z3's biggest selling points are its weight and size. Everything comes packed in a thin and stylish design, weighing just 126 grams. A lens barrier protects the lens from impact and dust when the camera is turned off. The lens has a maximum aperture of F2.5 and a fixed focal length equivalent to a 37mm lens on a 35mm camera.

The case is made of lightweight magnesium alloy, which gives a high-quality silver finish. The built-in flash is automatically activated in unfavourable lighting conditions.

Unlike many of the cheap compact digital cameras, the charge-coupled device (CCD) on the Exilim series reduces image blurring caused by the subject moving his hands or body.