Front (7.0)
The lens assembly dominates the front of the EX-Z57. A stationary brushed-aluminum ring surrounds the telescoping mount, which extends outward when the camera is turned on. The lens is labeled "SMC Pentax Zoom lens / Optical 3x." Above the lens, in the right-hand corner (when looking at the lens’ front element), there are two small windows. The larger one, which is farther to the right, is the self-timer indicator light. The smaller window is a hole for the microphone. To the left of the lens near the top of the camera is the fixed flash unit, flush with the camera’s front face.
The EX-Z57's decorative flourishes include a small Casio nameplate in the upper left, and an "Exilim" nameplate in the lower left. A raised, satiny bar runs from the left side of the camera to the lens mount. A vertical bar with a black rubber insert crosses the horizontal bar. While the rubber is intended to add grip, the slim strip didn’t seem as effective as advertised. A black badge that trumpets "5.0 MEGA PIXELS" in iridescent letters is centered between the lens and the vertical bar.
Back (4.5)
At least three quarters of the back of the camera is consumed by the 2.7-inch, 115,200 pixel LCD screen. It is surrounded by a thin black border, with the Exilim branding in the upper left. On the right side, the tiny zoom buttons, which double as the magnification control in playback mode, are at the top. Below them are the Playback and Camera mode buttons. Further below is the continuous four-way controller, encircling the "set" button. The four-way controller navigates menus, playback mode, white balance, flash modes and autofocus in shooting mode. Near the bottom of the frame are the minuscule Display and Menu buttons. In shooting mode, the Display button cycles through several choices for shooting information. The Menu button brings up the tabbed menu interface.
Left Side (7.0)
The left side of the Casio EX-Z57 features a vertical row of three holes which form the speaker grille. The other features filling the camera’s left side are structural and cosmetic: four screw heads are placed in a rectangular formation and another satiny metal band runs from the top of the camera, down the left side, and onto the bottom.
Right Side (7.0)
The right side of the camera features a swiveling lug for a wrist strap. The swivel is helpful in keeping the strap untangled. Other than that and four screw heads, the right side is bare.
Top (7.0)
The top of the EX-Z57 is largely plain. Placed off to the right is a small indented power button, alongside a rectangular shutter release button. The two controls are placed on a raised plane, making them easily to access by feel. The satiny metal band wraps around from the left side extends across more than half of the top of the frame. The band is engraved “5.0 MEGA PIXELS DIGITAL CAMERA EX-Z57,” which is a bit redundant when it’s placed on the top of a camera.
A ready light that indicates the status of the flash, the autofocus system, and file-saving shines through a small port at the left of the camera on the back edge of the top. The light is visible from either the top or the back of the camera.
Bottom (6.0)
The underside of the EX-Z57 contains a tripod socket placed directly under the lens, right where it belongs. Unfortunately, the socket is made of plastic, and is therefore prone to breaking or stripped threads if ever actually utilized. The EX-Z57 hides the battery and the SD card media slot under a single door on the bottom of the camera. The door closes securely, and seems relatively durable when shut; however, there is a lot of give when the door is open, and it could easily break if pushed too far. Between the tripod socket and battery door is the port to connect the EX-Z57 to its cradle.
