Casio Z600
July 7th, 2008
The EXILIM EX-Z600 Zoom offers 6.0 megapixels of resolution, a 3x optical zoom lens and an extra large 2.7-inch Super Bright LCD, all housed in a slim, durable, and pocket-sized package. The Z600’s Super Life Battery now has an even longer battery life, supporting an amazing 550 shots per charge. The camera also features Casio's Anti Shake DSP which, along with the Auto Macro and Quick Shutter functions, considerably reduces the incidence of blurred images due to moving subjects or shaking hands.
The extra large 2.7-inch Super Bright LCD is approximately three times brighter than the previous EX-Z500 model, producing an impressive luminance of 1200 candelas per square meter. This significant advancement makes the LCD easier to see, especially when viewed in the sunny outdoors. In auto mode, the LCD automatically adjusts to the brightness of the surrounding environment.
New and exclusive to the Casio EXILIM line of digital cameras in the U.S., is the eBay Best Shot mode. The eBay Best Shot takes photos at a size that is image optimized for display on eBay, allowing picture takers to more quickly and easily create photos for selling items on eBay. eBay Best Shot mode also includes Auto Macro, an ideal setting for capturing images of small items such as jewelry, tags, etc., thus automatically adjusting the focus from acquiring fine details in close up shots to capturing large items from a distance. eBay Best Shot mode allows users to capture optimized images at an ideal size for eBay.
In addition to its compact and stylish design, the EX-Z600 functions include “Old Photo” Best Shot Mode, which refreshes faded colors of old photos by bringing them back to life in digital format, automatically adjusts for obliquity even when photos are shot while still in the album. The Rapid Flash function enables three consecutive, high-speed flash photos in only one second, ensuring that no special moments are missed. The Easy Mode setting provides a simplified, easy to understand, and convenient version of the settings menu and camera interface, designed especially for first time users but also helpful to those who prefer a basic camera settings interface as well. The BEST SHOT Button enables convenient, one-touch access to 33 scenes chosen from an image menu and providing the user with a wide range of camera settings for taking hassle-free photos every time.
The EX-Z600 has features like: “Auto Macro” mode which allows for automatic switching between macro and auto focus modes. “9-Point Multi AF” clearly indicates the areas of focus when photographing subjects with multiple focus points. The “Quick Shutter” function reduces mistakes by facilitating simple and easy high-speed focusing. “Flash Assist” mode compensates for poorly illuminated areas within the shot. “Exposure Warning” mode warns over or under exposure via an on-screen display. The “Icon Help” function provides icon guidance when adjusting camera settings. The “Direct On” button allows quick startup in both shooting and playback modes.
In addition to high-resolution still images the EX-Z600 also records movies with sound in VGA (640 x 480 pixels) size at 30 frames per second. Using the “Motion Print” function, movies can be converted into a series of nine or just one snapshot for printing. Movies can be zoomed in during replay and the “Movie Editing” operation offers three ways (beginning, middle, end) to cut unwanted scenes from a movie.
Camera data is stored in its 8.3 megabytes of internal memory and on optional Secure Digital (SD) type cards. The camera is powered by a Li-ion battery that is good for up to 550 shots and is charged with the included docking cradle. Data is transferred to computer via USB and you can print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer. Still images are ExifPrint and PRINT Image Matching III compatible.
Casio Exilim
June 6th, 2008
The Exilim Card series are ultra-compact models. The cameras were first branded as "Wearable Card Cameras" and are about the size of a credit card and 9mm-16mm thick. The early models only had digital zoom, though more recent models have optical zoom as well.
The Exilim Zoom series is the all-purpose line, all including an optical zoom.
The Exilim Professional is the bridge digital camera line, with higher-quality optics and greater zoom.
All models use Secure Digital (SD) or Multi Media Card (MMC). They come with a small amount of internal memory and therefore are not bundled with a memory card. Many Exilim cameras come with a bundled charging and docking cradle. The cradle is used to recharge the camera's battery and to connect the camera to a PC or PictBridge compatible printer.
Images are recorded as JPEGs with Exif data. Raw images from the CCD are not available by default, though on some models a service menu can be accessed allowing images to be recorded as the raw data .
Most models use a Casio proprietary lithium ion battery, though some use AA cells. All the later models have 2.5" or wider LCD screens and come with more than 20 shooting modes.
Exilim models that incorporate MPEG-4 video benefit from extended recording times due to higher quality compression. On "normal" quality, MPEG-4 allows more than an hour of 640x480, 30fps video to be recorded on a 1GB memory card.
Apple Computer's QuickTime video player could for some time not play the MPEG-4 files created with the specific codec that Casio uses. Casio's original response to this incompatibility was, "Movies recorded with this camera cannot by played back on a Macintosh." Casio later bundled an "AVI Importer" software to convert MPEG-4 videos into a format that QuickTime can decode. Applications other than QuickTime, like VLC and MPlayer, are also available that can read the videos without conversion, as can more recent QuickTime versions.
Right now, it's one of the best selling Casio cameras on the market.
