THE $299.99 Casio QV-R62 is a 6-megapixel digicam that’s easy to use and a good choice for snapshooters who want a little more than just the basic point-and-shoot. Newbies will love the QV-R62’s 23 Best Shot scene modes, especially because each mode is accompanied by a text explanation and photographic example.

Equally useful is the rollover help system, which uses pop-ups to identify settings as you change them. Casio also attends to the needs of more-experienced users with a wide selection of tweaking tools.

The 3x optical zoom was responsive and moved smoothly through its six steps, but using the flash was frustrating, taking more than 6 seconds to recycle for the next shot. Also, unlike many competitors, the QV-R62’s Movie mode doesn’t record sound.

Color rendition was, with only a couple of exceptions, quite accurate, but nonflash photos looked notably soft, regardless of illumination or shutter speed.