March 6, 2008 – Casio continued the overhaul of its Exilim Zoom series today, announcing the EX-Z9 point-and-shoot. The 8.1-megapixel Z9 follows the announcement of three Zoom models in January – the
EX-Z80, EX-Z100, and EX-Z200. The Z9 comes in bright orange and pink colors, in addition to the standard silver and black, and ships this month with a price tag of $159.99.
The Z9 takes over as the budget-friendly model in the Zoom series, costing $30 less than the recently announced 8.1-megapixel Z80. It has basic point-and-shoot specs: a 3x optical zoom lens, 1/2.5-inch CCD, and 2.6-inch LCD with 114,960 pixels. This falls far short of the 230,000 pixels commonly found on newly-released point-and-shoots, so images may not appear as clear on the LCD as they could.
It’s tiny, too – at 2.64 x 2.17 x 0.91 inches and 4.48 ounces, it can easily slide into a pocket or small purse.
Casio is known for its Scene modes, and the EX-Z9 does not disappoint – 23 Scene modes help beginners automatically adjust settings for nearly every shooting situation imaginable. In addition, the camera’s Easy mode limits control options to image size, flash, and self timer, making it easy for the user who only wants to point and click.
Casio’s new YouTube mode is also present on the Z9, allowing users to shoot video optimized for the online sharing website, allowing for quicker upload and encoding times.
The Z9 also features face detection technology and Anti-Shake DSP to reduce photo blur caused by shaky hands.
It has a standard ISO range of ISO 64-1600, a 10- or 2-second self timer, and a 1/2 to 1/2000 of a second automatic shutter speed range. It runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, but Casio did not supply any figures for batterry life.
"Whether you are taking snap shots of your family at the park or your friends at a concert, this high-quality digital camera is sure to satisfy all of your photographic wants and needs," said Bill Heuer, Vice President of Casio's Digital Imaging Division.
