Casio Exilim EX-V8

Manual Control Options
Unlike some point-and-shoots, the Casio V8 comes with a specific "M" option on the mode dial for manual shooting, which is usually reserved for compact or SLR cameras. Beginner photographers and more experienced point-and-shooters will appreciate the wide range of options for either completely auto functions or more manual Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority functions.

Focus
Auto Focus (7.75)
The Casio V8 has three types of focus modes and three AF areas. The Exilim camera can normally focus from 15.75 inches to infinity. For close up shots, the Casio camera reportedly focuses from 3.94 to 19.69 inches in Macro mode, but we found that zooming in, the camera had to be at least a 6 inches away from the subject to properly focus. The Infinity AF focus was more effective in producing focused images during zoom.

Users can also adjust which focus areas are used, switching between Spot, Multi-Area, or Tracking AF Area. Spot and Multi-Area focusing are average, but Tracking AF Area performed surprisingly well, with a green highlighted box following moving subjects to keep them in focus.

Manual Focus (2.0)
Since autofocus can sometimes be less-than-precise, manual focus is an accurate, although more time-consuming, substitute. The Exilim EX-V8 focuses at a range of 3.94 to 19.69 inches. Users can control the manual focus via the four-way controller. The implementation is a bit clumsy, but it's a nice inclusion nonetheless.

Exposure (8.0)
This V8 camera adds Priority modes, offering more options for exposure than many other point-and-shoots. During Snapshot and Best Shot modes, the camera has the standard exposure compensation set (+/- 2.0 in 1/3 EV stops) with live preview, so users can view the adjusted image before hitting the shutter button. Users can also adjust exposure in Aperture, Shutter, and Manual modes.

EV Shift allows users to compensate for inaccurate light metering that sometimes occurs with back-lit situations. For a more precise representation, the V8 has live histograms, displayed using the "Disp" function on the multi-selector.

Metering (7.0)
Users can access the three metering modes, Multi-Pattern, Center-Weighted, and Spot, slightly buried in the second page of the Quality menu. The metering functions are better suited to the first Record menu, but users can still find it easily once they’ve used the menu system once or twice.

Users can switch between these modes depending on high-contrast scenes. While advanced shooters will welcome the Manual metering function, most beginners are more apt to select the Backlight Best Shot mode, which does the same thing.

White Balance (7.75)
Like the Exposure and Metering modes, the Casio V8 offers white balance adjustments. In addition to Auto, the Exilim camera offers Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Incandescent, Fluorescent N, and Fluorescent D preset modes. The white balance settings aren’t labeled and are simply represented by graphic icons. It may be a little difficult for a new user to decipher that a light bulb icon means Incandescent white balance. In addition to the six presets, Casio V8 offers a Manual white balance setting so users can get accurate reading from a white card.

ISO (7.0)
Within recent years, point-and-shoot manufacturers have been pumping up ISO settings to compensate for low light shooting, up to 1600 or 3200, in some cases. Casio’s V8, however, maintains a moderate sensitivity range of 50 to 800 ISO. This sensitivity range suffices for indoors but provides limited coverage for extremely low light situations.

In low light conditions, the camera can reach 1600 ISO when shooting in High Sensitivity mode. But like Barry Bonds’ home run record, the High Sensitivity mode comes with some asterisked fine print. The High Sensitivity mode boosts sensitivity, but at a lower 5-megapixel resolution. Pictures taken in High Sensitivity mode came with some noticeable image noise, so this mode should generally be avoided.

Shutter Speed (5.0)
The Exilim EX-V8 has a variety of modes to control shutter speed. The most expansive shutter speed ranges offered on the camera can be found in the Shutter Priority or Manual settings, accessed through the mode dial. In these priority settings, users can adjust shutter speed from 60 seconds down to 1/800 of a second. While shutter control is admirable on a point-and-shoot, other cameras usually offer a more expansive range, often as fast as 1/2000 of a second. The limited 60-1/800 of a second allows users to comfortably shoot nighttime scenes, but not high-speed action.

The Program AE has a shutter speed range from 1/2 second to 1/800 second. The Aperture Priority mode allows for shutter changes from 1 second to 1/800 second, while the Night Scene Best Shot has an expanded range from 4 to 1/800 second, which is set automatically.

Aperture (4.0)
In Automatic mode, the lens shoots at a maximum aperture from f/3.5 to f/5.3, which is limited, even for an Automatic mode.

Users can change the aperture range through Aperture Priority mode and Manual mode with a choice of three stops: f/3.4, f/4.6, and f/9.2. That expanded range in Aperture Priority will give some flexibility to users, although the three settings are still restrictive. Users have a much wider range to choose from with shutter speed, but the Aperture Priority and Manual modes limit users to three f-stops, which might prove irritating for users who desire more manual control.