Casio Exilim EX-Z300 Digital Camera Review

Casio Exilim EX-Z300

Digital Camera Review

2.1 The Casio Exilim EX-Z300  is a new $400 point-and-shoot model from Casio, due to ship in October. It has a 3-inch screen, 4x optical zoom, 10.1-megapixel resolution, and the option to capture HD video. Overall it struck us as an average effort, although it did have two interesting features. The first is family priority face detection. You access the "Set Family" function, snap photos of your loved ones, and the camera stores them internally and gives them focus priority next time you take a picture. The second innovation is Make-up Mode, which puts a quick Photoshop-style airbrush job a button-press away...
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Casio EX-Z300

Viewfinder
The Casio Exilim EX-Z300 does not have a viewfinder. Camera-pointing operations will be conducted courtesy of the LCD screen.

LCD Screen
The  LCD screen measures 3 inches diagonally and contains 230,400 pixels, a fairly standard point-and-shoot display. We panned the camera around quickly and the on-screen image responded quickly, with minimal blurring.


The camera layout makes the screen looks quite large.

Flash
The EX-Z300's flash is located above and to the left of the lens. The power output for the pre-production unit we were testing seemed a bit weak, though this could change by the time the camera hits the market. Assuming the position of the flash doesn't change, the close proximity to the lens will likely increase the occurrence of red-eye in your photos.


A flash that's close to the lens runs the risk of red-eye.


Lens
The 4x zoom lens ranges from 4.9mm - 19.6 mm (equivalent to 28 to 112mm on a 35mm camera, with an aperture range of f/2.6 to f/5.8. A 4x digital zoom is also available.


The 4x zoom range exceeds some competitive models.

Connections
The only port on the EX-Z300 is the proprietary USB port, which is used for outputting video and transferring data when you're too lethargic to remove the SD card (or, in the case of this unit displayed at a trade show, when the SD card hatch is glued shut).


The USB port is located on the bottom of the right side
of the camera.
Battery
The EX-Z300 uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Casio claims the battery will last for 300 stills on a full charge.

Memory
The EX-Z300 has enough built-in flash memory for approximately 6 shots at highest resolution or 17 at lowest. The camera also accepts SD and SDHC cards.


A single hatch with a latch conceals the battery and the memory card slot.

Other Features
Make-up Mode – Since the overwhelming majority of us will fall far short of physical perfection, the EX-Z300 offers us a solution: it will digitally airbrush our photos so we look more like people on the covers of magazines. Wrinkles are minimized, blemishes vanish, your subjects smile when presented with their photos for review. Since not everyone requires the same degree of assistance in this department, you can choose from 12 levels of digital cosmetic surgery.


Women's studies majors, take note: the above screen shot could
easily provide enough material for your next paper.

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