The Casio QV-3500EX is nearly everything you would expect in a 3.3-megapixel digital camera: 2,048-by-1,536 maximum resolution, a 3X auto-focus zoom lens, a CompactFlash Type II memory card slot that can accommodate an IBM Microdrive, full-automatic to full-manual exposure modes, video capability (but alas, no audio), an impressive list of features and functions (including a best-shot selector and 60-second time exposures), and an extensive command and menu structure.

Boot-up time, shutter delay, and click-to-click speed are well above average, and playback is fast-paced and quite versatile. Although captured images are razor-sharp, they are, paradoxically, also slightly flat. What makes the feature-laden QV-3500EX a standout is its $600 price tag, which makes it one of the more affordable 3-megapixel digital cameras on the market.