Pros

• It’s hard to imagine a camera getting any smaller. At 98 by 57.5 by 31 millimeters, it looks like it could’ve come right out of a Happy Meal box.

• Presumably because of the lack of surface area, the inventors have found unique ways to pack in features such as the scene modes toggle, which is a cute little numbered knob on the front. And when activated, the flash pops out on an extension arm—Inspector Gadget style.

• When a point-and-shoot like this claims to be comparable to a DSLR, it usually means the physical controls take up a good part of the hardware, leaving behind a miniscule screen. However, we’re very happy with the Q’s three-incher.

• You can opt for toy lenses such as the fisheye and telephoto, which add some creative flare to your snaps.

Cons

• No space for video-editing magic here; you can’t even adjust focus once you’ve begun filming.

• At about 200 shots per charge, the battery power isn’t DSLR quality.

• The camera on its own is just a hop, skip and a jump away from a four-digit sum. Add $389 for a standard zoom lens and you could easily have bought yourself a real DSLR instead.

• The camera’s sensor is half the size of most compact cameras, including the newly-launched Nikon J1; but at least its high ISO compensates for that.