The Casio Exilim EX-V7 suffers from nearly every possible image quality problem. Although it produces images with good color and white-balance, its images are soft with blurry corners and show both strong distortion and strong vignetting. These problems cannot be overlooked. So, even though this ultra-compact digital camera packs a 7X optical zoom and full manual-controls in a sturdy shell, it is nevertheless a poor camera.

 

Competitively the Casio Exilim EX-V7 offers a unique combination of features at the expense of image quality.

 

Among ultra-compact cameras the Fuji Finepix F31fd has the best image quality, particularly in low-light with useable ISO sensitivities of up to 3200. It also boasts a very powerful flash and an amazing battery life. However, it does not have manual controls and features a standard 3X optical zoom.

 

For a relatively small ultra-zoom, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 is worth a look for its unique stabilized wide-angle 10X optical zoom lens. Its image quality is better than that of the Casio V7 but it does not feature manual controls. Since the TZ3 is a compact camera it is noticeably larger than the V7.

 

There are more options for ultra-compact digital cameras with full manual controls than with ultra-zoom lenses. Particularly, the HP Photosmart R967 is a good 10 megapixels camera with full-manual controls, plenty of features and a 3" LCD screen. Other options include the Casio Z850 and Casio Z120. All these cameras feature a non-stabilized 3X optical zoom lens. The Z120 has the distinction of being the only ultra-compact digital camera with full-manual controls that runs on AA batteries.