Tiny Cameras

Note: This list shows cameras with slim body design (max. 25mm thick), internal lens system (no lens tube) with optical 3x zoom (or more) and at least 4.9MP. For more details on the requirements, see the notes below the table.

	Model		Wt.		Size						Display				Media		Photo						35mm FL				Max. A.				Modes					Image		Sensor				ISO Range		Video
					W	×	H	×	Th.		Size		Pixels				Pixels				MP		W	-	T		W	-	T		P	A	S	M		Stab.		Type		Size				Pixels				fps		Special Features
	SONY DSC-T30		169g		95.0	×	56.5	×	23.3mm³		3.0''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		3072	×	2304		7.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.3		+	-	-	-		Lens		Super HAD CCD		1/2.5''		80,100,200,400,800,1000		640	×	480	@	30fps		Optical Image Stabilizer (moving lens element)
	SONY DSC-T10				89.7	×	54.9	×	20.6mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		3072	×	2304		7.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.3		+	-	-	-		Lens		Super HAD CCD		1/2.5''		80,100,200,400,800,1000		640	×	480	@	30fps		Optical Image Stabilizer (moving lens element)
	SONY DSC-T9		185g		89.7	×	54.9	×	20.6mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		2816	×	2112		5.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.3		+	-	-	-		Lens		Super HAD CCD		1/2.5''		80,100,200,400,640		640	×	480	@	30fps		Optical Image Stabilizer (moving lens element)
	SONY DSC-T7		134g		91.7	×	60.0	×	14.8mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SONY DSC-T5		136g		93.6	×	60.0	×	20.3mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SONY DSC-T33		150g		99.4	×	60.9	×	20.7mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.4''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SONY DSC-T3		186g		91.0	×	60.0	×	17.8mm³		2.5''		230,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.4''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SONY DSC-T11		186g		102.5	×	60.0	×	17.3mm³		2.5''		211,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.4''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SONY DSC-T1		180g		91.0	×	60.0	×	21.0mm³		2.5''		211,000		MS PRO Duo		2592	×	1944		5.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		Super HAD CCD		1/2.4''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Samsung NV3				94.5	×	57.0	×	17.7mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD/MMC		3072	×	2304		7.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	4.5		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		80..1000		640	×	480	@	30fps		ASR: Image calculated from underexposed and blurred shot
	Samsung Digimax i6				96.0	×	61.0	×	18.5mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD/MMC		2816	×	2112		5.9		39	-	117mm		f/3.5	-	4.5		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Samsung Digimax i50				92.3	×	60.2	×	17.7mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD/MMC		2595	×	1944		5.0		39	-	117mm		f/3.5	-	4.5		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Samsung Digimax i5		155g		89.6	×	59.8	×	17.1mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD/MMC		2595	×	1944		5.0		39	-	117mm		f/3.5	-	4.5		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	30fps
	SANYO XACTI E6		153g		97.7	×	59.5	×	22.1mm³		3.0''		230,000		SD/MMC		2816	×	2112		5.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.3	-	4.0		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		50,100,200,400 (1800)		640	×	480	@	30fps
	FujiFilm Finepix Z3				90.0	×	55.0	×	20.0mm³		2.5''		230,000		xD-Picture		2592	×	1944		5.0		36	-	108mm		f/3.5	-	4.2		+	-	-	-		-		Super CCD HR		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800,1600		640	×	480	@	30fps		"Picture Stabilization" simply by pushing ISO up to 1600!
	FujiFilm Finepix Z2		170g		90.0	×	55.0	×	18.6mm³		2.5''		232,000		xD-Picture		2592	×	1944		5.0		36	-	108mm		f/3.5	-	4.2		+	-	-	-		-		Super CCD HR		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800,1600		640	×	480	@	30fps
	FujiFilm Finepix Z1		170g		90.0	×	55.0	×	18.6mm³		2.5''		115,000		xD-Picture		2592	×	1944		5.0		36	-	108mm		f/3.5	-	4.2		+	-	-	-		-		Super CCD HR		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Kodak EasyShare V610				111.0	×	55.5	×	23.2mm³		2.8''		230,000		SD/MMC		2832	×	2128		6.0		130-380 + 38	-	114mm		f/4.8 + f/3.9	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800		640	×	480	@	30fps		Dual 3x zoom lens system: 38-114mm & 130-380mm, eff. 10x range
	Kodak EasyShare V570				101.0	×	49.8	×	20.4mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD/MMC		2569	×	1929		4.9		23 + 39	-	117mm		f/2.8 + f/3.9	-	4.4		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800		640	×	480	@	30fps		Dual lens system: 23mm wide angle + 3x zoom 39-117mm
	Nikon Coolpix S6				100.5	×	60.0	×	21.0mm³		3.0''		230,000		SD		2816	×	2112		5.9		35	-	105mm		f/3.0	-	5.4		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		?		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Nikon Coolpix S5				93.0	×	59.0	×	20.0mm³		2.5''		230,000		SD		2816	×	2112		5.9		35	-	105mm		f/3.0	-	5.4		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		?		640	×	480	@	30fps
	Nikon Coolpix S3		160g		89.9	×	57.5	×	19.7mm³		2.5''		110,000		SD/MMC		2816	×	2112		5.9		35	-	105mm		f/3.0	-	5.4		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		?		640	×	480	@	15fps
	Nikon Coolpix S1		170g		89.9	×	57.5	×	19.7mm³		2.5''		110,000		SD/MMC		2592	×	1944		5.0		35	-	105mm		f/3.0	-	5.4		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		?		640	×	480	@	15fps
	Nikon Coolpix S2		160g		91.9	×	59.0	×	22.0mm³		2.5''		110,000		SD/MMC		2592	×	1944		5.0		35	-	105mm		f/3.0	-	5.4		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		?		640	×	480	@	15fps
	Olympus µ720 SW				91.0	×	58.7	×	19.8mm³		2.5''		110,000		xD-Picture		3072	×	2304		7.0		38	-	114mm		f/3.5	-	5.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.3''		64,100,200,400,800,1600		640	×	480	@	15fps		Water Proof: max. 3m (IEC 529 IPX8)
	HP Photosmart R727		160g		93.3	×	61.0	×	23.6mm³		2.5''		230.400		SD		2864	×	2160		6.1		39	-	118mm		f/3.5	-	4.2		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	24fps
	HP Photosmart R725		160g		93.0	×	61.0	×	23.2mm³		2.0''		153.600		SD		2864	×	2160		6.1		39	-	118mm		f/3.5	-	4.2		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		100,200,400		640	×	480	@	24fps
	Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1		185g		95.0	×	68.0	×	19.5mm³		2.5''		118,000		SD/MMC		3264	×	2448		8.0		37	-	111mm		f/3.3	-	3.8		+	-	-	-		CCD		RGB CCD		1/1.8''		50,100,200		640	×	480	@	20fps		Anti Shake (moving CCD Image Stabilizer)
	Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60		185g		83.5	×	56.0	×	22.0mm³		2.5''		115,000		SD/MMC		2560	×	1920		4.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.3	-	4.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		50,100,200,400		320	×	240	@	30fps
	Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50		155g		83.5	×	62.0	×	23.5mm³		2.0''		115,000		SD/MMC		2560	×	1920		4.9		37	-	105mm		f/2.8	-	5.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		50,100,200,400		320	×	240	@	30fps
	SANYO XACTI VPC-A5		155g		83.5	×	62.0	×	23.5mm³		2.0''		115,000		SD/MMC		2560	×	1920		4.9		37	-	105mm		f/2.8	-	5.0		+	-	-	-		-		CCD		1/2.5''		50,100,200,400		320	×	240	@	30fps
	Pentax Optio W10		155g		107.0	×	54.5	×	23.0mm³		2.5''		115,000		SD		2816	×	2112		5.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.3	-	4.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		64,100,200,400,800		640	×	480	@	30fps		Water Proof: max. 1.5m, max. 30min (IP58 / JIS 8)
	Pentax Optio WPi		135g		102.0	×	51.0	×	22.0mm³		2.0''		115,000		SD		2816	×	2112		5.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.3	-	4.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		80,160,320,400,800		320	×	240	@	30fps		Water Proof: max. 1.5m, max. 30min (IP58)
	Pentax Optio WP		135g		102.0	×	51.0	×	22.0mm³		2.0''		85,000		SD		2560	×	1920		4.9		38	-	114mm		f/3.3	-	4.0		+	-	-	-		-		RGB CCD		1/2.5''		50,100,200,400		320	×	240	@	30fps		Water Proof: max. 1.5m, max. 30min

Requirements

Body

Slim design, no extruding lens tube, no folding or twisting parts.

Measurements

I'd say the ideal measurements for a camera would be 90-60-19.

Display

It should feature a 2.5'' - 3'' LCD with at least 200,000 pixels. For simple framing purposes, less pixel count would be OK. But when shooting at events, I sometimes take a picture of the time schedule, for example, so a higher resolution display makes the camera a better photo-notepad.
Note: A larger display will cause trouble regarding camera size and room for buttons and handling the camera. If a larger display has the same pixel count as a smaller display, then there's not much advantage. But it looks like the megapixel count madness is over and now we get a display size hype...

Photo

At least 4.9MP, i.e. 2560x1920 pixels. More is not necessarily better, the noise pattern just gets less grainy.
A 3x zoom lens, something like 35-105 or 39-117.
A maximum aperture from 3.5-4.6 or better would be nice.

Video

For decent quality, it must record 640x480 pixels at 24-30fps.

Notes

My current (and first) tiny camera is a SONY DSC-T3 Black. The only other camera that comes close is the Samsung Digimax i5, especially for the body design. The advantage would be the fact that it takes SD cards instead of MS PRO Duo - although xD-Picture Card would be worse. But once you have enough storage, this is not important anymore, especially due to the price drop for flash media. At the time I bought the T3 (January 2005), I had to pay 229 Euro for a 1GB SONY MS PRO Duo High Speed. The drawback of the i5 is the quite noisy zoom mechanism. And I don't like that strange bicolor look, I'd prefer it in either uni silver or uni black. For me, such a tiny camera is not only a tool, it's also a lifestyle item. Well, it looks like I'll stick with the T3 for a while.

In the meantime, the DSC-T9 was very tempting because of the true optical image stabilizer. But I am glad that I could resist, because now there's the DSC-T30. The detail that already kept me away from the T9 was the silly sliding cover which adds too much to the thickness of the camera. The T30 adds the 3" screen which does not leave much room for holding the camera properly. The main benefit of the T30 seems to be the fact that it will cause the T9 to drop in price. Let's wait and see what SONY will present next...

The latest gimmick is the dual zoom lens of the Kodak EasyShare V610 offering a zoom range from 38-114mm and 130-380mm. But there is no image stabilizer, so the 380mm require bright sunlight. The more interesting part is that the zoom is also available in video mode together with digital image stabilization.