The first thing that the reviewer saw in this camera is its sleek and slender look. As for its size, its thickest areas measure only 0.63 inches. It weighs only 4.7 ounces - the lightest in a roundup of compact cameras. Despite its tiny size, all the labels and buttons are clear and readable. Overall, this camera is very simple to use. The EX-S500 has a 2.2-inch LCD, smaller than what most competing compact cameras have. It also offers a 3x optical zoom, with the zoom lens cleanly retracting into the camera body when not in use. The features are also user-friendly, except when the reviewer tried to record sound (it doesn’t simply record, you need to enable sound via the menu). The reviewer also liked the movie mode, which captured 680x480 pixel movies at 30 frames per second. An anti-shake feature is also integrated in the camera, as well as 33 scene modes, and an auto focus assist light that helps the camera focus in dim areas. The SX-S500 comes with a cradle that lets you watch slide shows of your pictures as well as to charge the battery and sync the camera with your computer.