We took six of PMA's smallest and tossed them into a ring. Read about them all here.
Size matters in the eyes of most consumers, and it's usually the pint-sized portables that garner the most attention within the digital camera world. We scoured the PMA show floor to bring you the tiniest, most petite Ultra Compacts debuting this year. We also managed to grab image samples from each camera, though these are preproduction models, so don't base any quality assumptions until we put the official review units through our ring of torture. All samples were captured at the lowest ISO setting to attain the greatest detail. So, let's get ready to rumble!
Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
 Resembling a thin stack of credit cards, the SD780 IS was easily one of the most well-rounded Ultra Compacts we came across. First off, its demure style and metallic color themes will help the camera sell. However, the camera rocked a fair amount of advanced features and allowed us to shoot in Manual mode, while many other compacts in this price range will only take you halfway. We love Canon's intuitive menus, and the fact that the company managed to fit a shutter button zoom toggle on the camera rather than a cheesy rear-mounted button control. The SD780 IS has a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor, so let's see what it can do.
Read our review of the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS
We were surprised at the level of detail this little bugger pumped out. Colors look delicious and the intricacy of the Vegas sign texture is spot on. Macro mode was not bad either, though we couldn't bury the little 4x optical zoom lens into the dice as far as we wanted. Still, this is a great performance from such a minute compact.
Casio Exilim EX-S12
 At a mere 15mm thick, the Casio Exilim EX-S12 felt like a thin metal sheet in our hands. Weight was a drop in the bucket and most of our attention was diverted to the Exilim EX-S12's plethora of shooting features. Dynamic Photo made it possible for infoSync's Digital Imaging Editor to emerge from the hand of Casio's Angelina Jolie look-alike model at the demonstration booth, thanks to an in-camera overlay process. The Casio Exilim EX-S12 also had Multi-Motion Image, AF Tracking, and a slew of BS modes to keep most consumers busy till the cows come home. We also got a kick out of the Exilim EX-S12's in-camera video editing tool, though after years of Premiere and Final Cut, it became frustrating beyond the point of belief. The Exilim EX-S12's 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD cranked out the following images.
Though the Casio booth lighting was not optimal, the Casio Exilim EX-S12 had a problem with Auto White Balance and Focus. Both images lack sharpness and lean toward the warm end of the spectrum. Detail is not bad at all, but the Casio Exilim EX-S12 does not look to be a prime player right off the bat.
Fujifilm FinePix Z30
 Does the Fujifilm FinePix Z30's image quality even matter? This camera is not going to sell for any other reason than style, but we snagged sample images anyway. The FinePix Z30 featured the most uninviting interface we encountered at PMA, relying on an asymmetrical d-pad configuration and other assorted random buttons. But just look at that sliding faceplate. If you want a compact that stands out from the rest, this little pod-like number is the answer. Fujifilm kept the FinePix Z30 capped at 10-megapixels, though this will not be an issue for most users, especially those who will frequently take advantage of the Blog mode. Let's see what its 1/2.3-inch CCD captured.
Both images are decent, but this is not the greatest performance we saw amongst the pack. Colors look slightly radioactive and that fine, fine detail is lacking. There's also a small amount of fringing along the dots in the green die, but all of these qualms are characteristic of a basic imaging set lodged within a fashion cam chassis.
Nikon Coolpix S230
 It's small, it's sexy, and wait a minute, where did all the buttons go? The S230 flaunts a 3-inch touch-screen LCD that engulfs the entire back of the camera. We found the camera's touch-screen interface to perform better than the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900's, even with our large adult fingers. So, the camera will not only sell because it's tiny and doused in a coat of gloss, but that touch-screen interface will seal the deal. We were hooked. The 10-megapixel 1/2.3-inch CCD might pose as the camera's only retail impedance when compared to other 12-megapixel compacts in its class, so let's see if image quality will change that.
Read our review of the Nikon Coolpix S230
It appears as though the S230 has a few hiccups in the realm of noise and color. The red die in the macro image is caught between shadow and highlight, and we can clearly see some abrupt color gradation along the top ridge. Aside from a little fringing in the dice dots, detail is not bad. We'll have to give it a second chance when we get our hands on one.
Samsung TL100
 Compared to the rest of the Ultra Zoom circus we saw at PMA, the Samsung TL100 was by far the most conservative model. Minimalists will love the TL100 because it's, well, boring to look at. That's not to say this compact doesn't have anything to offer, and to tell the truth, it looks feistier in red. The 2.7-inch LCD, 3x optical zoom and standard-definition video recording really didn't stack up compared to the '09 competition, but we had fun playing with the Auto Scene mode in Bear Land. Ah yes, Bear Land. The Samsung TL100's 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor is responsible for capturing the following disturbing images.
Subject matter aside, we like what we see in both of these images. Our only gripe was that fact that it was difficult to steady the camera in order to obtain a sharp image. The level of detail within the focused portion of the first image is great, and we can see every crease in the thread pattern of Soccer Bear's gym shorts. However, look at the soccer ball and the lights in the second image. We hope that's a preproduction roadblock, because bleeding highlights always seem to ruin all the fun. Other than that, colors look good and this is one compact we will certainly keep or eyes on.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T900
 The DSC-T900 was all the rage at the Sony booth. Consumers would pick it up and marvel at the giant LCD screen and the fact that it was all touch-screen. Little did they know that Sony has not screwed with this design for quite sometime. The average consumer would probably not be able to tell the difference between the DSC-T900 and last year's DSC-T700. It's still the sexiest compact of this lot, but we really didn't stumble upon any major upgrades, other than 720P video and a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor. Sadly, Sony has not updated the DSC-T900's touch-screen interface, and it was just as much a pain in the ass as the DSC-T700's. Hopefully the image quality was given an overhaul.
Unfortunately, the DSC-T900 exhibited one of the least compelling image performances we encountered at the show. Sharpness, color and detail are off significantly, and the color gradation in the red die is beyond blatant. Hopefully this is a case of preproduction syndrome, but we will see for ourselves very soon.
And the winner is…
At the end of this grueling quest to find the ultimate Ultra Compact, we'd have to go with the Canon SD780 IS. It's the most versatile compact in the lot and the image samples were the best in its class. If fashion is at the top of the priority list, then the Sony DSC-T900 and Fujifilm Z30 are the tickets. The Casio EX-S12 will suit technophiles while the Nikon S230 will draw in those who have been searching for a quality touch-screen interface on a highly compact camera. Lastly, Samsung's TL100 is geared toward the more simplistic shooter, so it's up to you to figure out which one of these categories you fall into. We like the Canon SD780 IS as the Ultra Compact renaissance camera, no bones about it.
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