Casio Exilim EX-Z300
Digital Camera Review
Sep 24, 2008
- By Mark Brezinski
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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Auto Mode
While the EX-Z300 will let you set any individual shooting feature, such as white balance or ISO settings, to automatic mode,m there is no all-encompassing point-and-shoot automation mode. Since this camera is for beginners, an "idiot proof" option would have been beneficial.
Movie Mode
Movie mode can capture in 1280 x 720 format (HD) at 24 fps. While this resolution level used to be a rarity, it's becoming more and more common today, and at higher frame rates. And with no HDMI or component out cable option, you can't enjoy high-def video on your TV set, but only on a computer. The EX-Z300 can also capture 640 x 480 (standard definition) video at 30 fps.
Drive / Burst Mode
The EX-Z300 can capture full-resolution 10.1-megapixel images at a rate of 0.44 frames per second. It also has an option for high-speed continuous shutter, which maxes out at 4 frames per second at a lowered 1600 x 1200 resolution.
Playback Mode
In playback mode, you switch from view to view using the display button. There are three views in all: the first contains basic information, such as the name of the picture, its size, and the date it was taken. The next view provides additional information, such as white balance, ISO, shutter speed and aperture settings. It will also show a tiny histogram, though tiny histograms are never very helpful. Finally there's a clean full-screen view, devoid of overlaid information.
Custom Image Presets
The BS button on the back of the camera brings up the Best Shot menu, which most manufacturers would call a scene mode library. There are 38 scene modes available, such as autumn leaves, night scene portrait, fireworks, food, children and text. Several modes are quite unusual, including the digital anti-shake mode that combines several shots to produce a single clear result, move in CS, which starts shooting when a subject enters the frame, and YouTube mode, which prepares suitably sized video for uploading. Not only is this list expansive, but several scene modes provided simply aren't found elsewhere.
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