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Tiny 5-Megapixel Camera

Ultracompact digital camera offers high resolution but doesn't make best-quality images.

By Alan Stafford   

Complete Coverage

Kyocera says that its $600 Finecam S5 is the world's most petite 5-megapixel camera. The size is indeed wonderful, but the quality of the camera's images leaves much to be desired.

The Finecam S5's small, stainless-steel case is its finest feature: Despite weighing just 6.9 ounces, it feels well-made and substantial, though I prefer the sliding lens safeguards of other cameras to the S5's black metal curtain protector.

This camera captures large files (over 2MB at its best setting), which usually translates into lots of image detail. But many of our test images showed extensive graininess, and they weren't as sharp as you might expect. Pictures taken with Canon's PowerShot G3 (which costs $200 more than the S5, but has a resolution of only 4 megapixels) looked much sharper.

In fairness, the S5 is a snapshot model not meant to compete with enthusiast cameras. It provides few controls beyond a simple white-balance calibrator and settings for sharpness and color intensity (chroma). More important, it lacks a low-light focusing aid, and indoor photos came out fuzzy, even with flash. However, the battery was hardy.

The Finecam S5 certainly packs in the megapixels, but remember: That's not the only indicator of a good camera.


SUMMARY
Kyocera Finecam S5



A lot of megapixels per ounce, but its pictures are so-so.

Street: $600

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