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Auto Mode (6.25)
The Casio Z1000's Auto or Snapshot mode is a messy combination of other cameras' “Simple” or “Easy” modes and a less automated Program mode. The EX-Z1000 refers to it as both Auto and Snapshot. If the camera has not been set to remember any settings (in the Memory heading of the menus), turning the camera on starts in Auto mode, and everything but zoom is determined by the camera. On the other hand, the user has the option of setting ISO, white balance, focus mode and exposure compensation, among other settings. This is unlike Simple and Easy modes, which lock the user out of those parameters. The Casio Exilim EX-Z1000, which will appeal to very casual snapshooters, should have a setting like that, for people who want a setting that will keep them out of trouble.
Movie Mode (4.5)
The EX-Z1000's movie mode has three quality settings: HQ shoots 640 x 480-pixel resolution at 25 frames per second, with low compression; Normal also shoots at 640 x 480 and 25 fps, but with more compression, and LP shoots at 320 x 240 and 12.5 fps, with more compression. The Casio Z1000 locks its optical zoom while shooting movies, and does not activate its auto focus system in movie mode. Focus is set to Pan focus, which maximizes depth of field, or infinity. The 4x digital zoom is available in movie mode.
The EX-Z1000's sound quality is poor. There was a low hiss in all of our movies, and the camera picked up the sound of buttons being pressed on the camera. Because the camera doesn't focus or allow optical zoom in movie mode, there was no noise from those functions. Casio warns against shooting movies from too far away, because the microphone won't pick up the sound. Unfortunately, the camera doesn't focus very close in movie mode, so it's a tough balance.
Drive / Burst Mode (7.5)
The EX-Z1000 has four continuous shooting modes, so called. Three of them are real. Normal shoots at less than a frame per second, but goes on indefinitely. High Speed shoots a burst of 3 frames in less than 3/4 of a second. Flash Continuous shoots 3 frames in less than 3/4 of a second, with flash. Zoom Continuous is not really a burst mode. It shoots a single frame, and records that image, plus a cropped version of the same shot.
The fast bursts are significantly faster than most compact cameras, and border on usefulness for action photography.
Playback Mode (8.5)
The Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 plays back saved images full-frame, enlarged up to 8x, or as 12 thumbnail images at a time. It has a calendar interface that can be called up to search for images by date. When a single image is displayed, the user can display shooting information, including a histogram, superimposed.
Playback has a menu option to make a composite image from several frames of a movie clip. The keystone tool for distortion correction can be used manually on images, and existing images can be color-corrected. Other options include cropping, resizing, rotating, printing, adding voice memos, protecting images from deletion, saving as favorites, and copying to and from internal memory. The EX-Z1000 can edit the capture date of photos.
The EX-Z1000's slide show feature allows the user to show snapshots, movies or both in sequence, or to show only the images saved as favorites. The user can set the slide show to run for 1 minute to an hour, and can set images to display for from 1 to 30 seconds. The Z1000 plays the full audio track for movies, or an audio memo associated with a snapshot, regardless of how short the interval is set. That leads to images showing up over completely unrelated sound, and unintentional hilarity.
Custom Image Presets (8.25)
Casio is generally heavy on the custom presets, and the EX-Z1000 offers a good share of them, ranging from commonplace to wacky. The wackiest thing about them is that they are accessed by pressing a button labeled “BS.” It stands for “Best Shot.” No, really, it does. Nothing barnyard about it.
The settings are: Snapshot/Auto, Portrait, Scenery, Portrait with Scenery, Children, Sports, Candlelight Portrait, Party, Pet, Flower, Natural Green, Autumn Leaves, Soft Flowing Water, Splashy Water, Sundown, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Fireworks, Food, Text, Collection, eBay, Backlight, Anti-Shake, High Sensitivity, Pastel, Illustration, Cross, Monochrome, Retro, Twilight, ID Photo, Old Photo, Business Cards and Documents, White Board, and voice recording only. The Casio Z1000 can also save an indeterminate number of user-defined modes. To define a mode, users select an image that has been shot with the parameters they want to save.
A few of the BS settings require some explanation: Candlelight Portrait boosts ISO as high as 3200, and sets white balance to keep candlelight looking yellow and warm. Collection and eBay are similar, and help the user line up the subject squarely, but the eBay mode sets the resolution low, for use on the Web. Business Card and Documents, and White Board, automatically start up the keystone adjustment to square up images that might be skewed. Soft Flowing Water forces a slow shutter speed to blur moving water, while Splashy Water forces a fast shutter to freeze the motion of moving water. Retro is a sepia-toned monochrome. Twilight tints things purple, Sunset tints them red, and Natural Green boosts existing greens. Pastel and Illustration find edges, sharpen and posterize, though pastel lightens tones that aren't along edges. Old Photo is supposed to restore old snapshots by boosting saturation and allowing keystone adjustment; it does those things, but that's often not enough to get a natural picture. If the faded snapshot has as a color shift, the Old Photo mode will produce an image with colors that are bright, but wierd.
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