The Casio QVR-40, the cheapest four-megapixel digital camera from an established digital camera maker, is easily the best digicam deal available for those looking for a good Christmas buy for yourself or someone else.
Retailing at $2,460, the camera may sell for even less in some Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui shops.
The QVR-40 is no lightweight in performance. One of the main complaints from those familiar with digital cameras is speed. Many entry and mid-range digital cameras take a couple of seconds after your finger has left the button to adjust the lens before executing the shot, and often losing the moment you wanted to capture.
A mid-range four-megapixel Sony digital camera this writer bought two years ago excels in most aspects except speed (an unfortunate setback because the subject of most of the photographs taken with this camera is a small child, and the perfect moment for framing can rarely be captured.)
So when local distributor Jebsen & Co left the Casio QVR-40 on our desk for a test, claiming that speed was the camera's key selling point, it was a pleasant surprise to find that the gadget lived up to its promise.
It takes less than a second (Casio claims a time lag of 0.4 seconds) for the QVR-40 to deploy its 3x zoom lens and take the shot, a feat few cameras, especially digitals in that price bracket, can match.
The unit weighs 200 grams, with batteries, and is attractively clad in a compact, metal body, and the external controls are easy to operate, making it an ideal gift for anyone who wants a basic digital camera for Christmas.