Now consider that you’ll receive all of these top-end features in a digital camera that measures less than 1 inch in thickness, and you’ll understand why Casio has created one of the best values in models currently available.

If its excellent picture quality doesn’t get you, its fast-operation and ease-of-use certainly will.

If I was looking for a sleek compact that got me great results and had plenty of pixels then I would almost certainly buy the Z1000. However, I still think 10MP may be a step too far for many users. If you want a great looking compact, routinely crop your pictures (or use digital zoom) and are happy paying a premium for larger file sizes then it’s unlikely you will do better than the EX-Z1000. Personally, I’d shop hard and get a bargain on the Z600 while it’s still around.

Bottom line – the EX-Z1000 is an awesome addition to Casio’s already popular Exilim Zoom line. With robust performance, great image quality, and loads of easy to use exposure modes, this model will make a great choice for anyone in the market for an “ultra-compact” consumer model. And with a street price of $399 or less, it offers an outstanding value for a 10-megapixel digicam.

The EX-Z1000 is not the leading camera its specs suggest it might be. It demonstrates why other manufactures haven’t made 10-megapixel ultra-compact cameras: 1) they can’t get good image quality out of such small sensors; 2) snapshooters don’t need that much resolution; 3) it’s a pain in the neck to store and download such large files.

So we’re not quite sure what Casio had in mind when it created the Z1000. A landmark achievement for sure, but not the stunning, crowning home run it could have been.

Given the 10 megapixel boast, the Casio Exilim Z1000 proves to be a pleasantly surprising decent all-round performer. And by combining lots of understandable Best Shot modes with a decent quick settings shifter, there’s no reason why first timers and digital camera veterans alike won’t be at home with this camera. Aside from the high resolution though, this camera isn’t pushing many technological boundaries – but that has helped keep the price down at a competitive sub-£250 mark.

This camera is a good choice if you want a high resolution compact camera, combining style, size and image quality into a single package.

As one of the very few 10 megapixel, compact point and shoot cameras on the market, the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 doesn’t have too much competition (yet). It’s an attractive camera that has a nice LCD and takes good images in good light. When you move indoors, good image quality is harder to come by, but is not impossible. If you’re looking for a compact camera and to make very large prints that a 10 megapixel image can provide, then the Z1000 is your best option.

The Casio EX-Z1000 takes great photos, which is what matters most. It has more scene modes and a higher resolution than you’ll ever need, but you won’t find a more feature-packed point-and-shoot camera under $400.

All in all then, an excellent ‘carry always’ pocket camera that’s got an awful lot to offer – as long as you realize its limitations and are prepared to pay a little extra for the privilege of being able to boast about a double-digit megapixel count.

As one of the most compact, highest megapixel digital cameras currently available, the low price makes this model tempting, however I would personally recommend a different camera, as this model’s image quality severely counteracts the benefits of the 10 megapixel sensor. It’s a shame, as this is a very enjoyable camera to use.

So, at first the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z1000 looked a cracker both in terms of its design and build and its easy to use feature set. But once you start to get deeper, problems rear their head and I have to say left me very disappointed.

Unfortunately I am less impressed with the images produced by this camera, especially as the 10 megapixel resolution is one of the major selling points of this camera. Noise at high sensitivities and sharpening artefacts detract from what should be a fantastic camera on paper.