Manual Control Options
The Casio Z57 was not sculpted for heavy manual reliance; however, there are some settings available. White Balance, ISO, Exposure Compensation, and Focus can all be controlled by the user. More details will follow…
Auto Focus
This camera has contrast auto focus, with Spot and Multi focus modes. There are several more focus modes available: Pan Focus, Auto Pan Focus, Macro, Infinite, and Focus Lock. The Casio Z57 automatically – and seamlessly - switches between the normal and macro shooting modes. In the Macro mode, the Z57 can focus from 6-50cm. In the normal modes, its focus range reaches from 40cm to as far as the lens can see.
Manual Focus
There is in fact a manual focus control on the Exilim EX-Z57, although it is extremely difficult to use. It can focus as close as 6cm and as far as the user can see, but with a sliding bar and an entire scene in a 2.7-inch box (granted, this is significantly larger than most), it is difficult to tell what is focused. As with all compact digital cameras with their “manual focus” modes, it is better to trust the auto focus than your own eyes on this one – though a manual focus ring would make it a different story.
Exposure
Exposure modes are few and mostly automatic on this compact digital camera; Snapshot, Best Shot, and Still and Sound are the only exposure modes available for still images. The exposure can be manually compensated, adjustable from +2 to -2 in 1/3 stop steps; this is a standard range for a compact digital camera and certainly nothing to get excited about.
White Balance
Fully automatic and fully manual modes highlight the selection of white balance modes. There are also six preset modes to choose from: Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, and Incandescent. The presets are represented graphically with icons, and then explained with the Icon Help option. This is particularly beneficial to those users who don’t intuitively know the difference between Fluorescent 1 and Fluorescent 2. The first option is explained as, “Under white or daylight white fluorescent light (suppresses color fogging).” Fluorescent 2 is only for daylight white lights. Despite the lack of other manual shooting controls, the Z57 contains the essential manual white balance option, customizable to the exact color of light illuminating the scene.
ISO
The ISO rating on the Exilim Z57 can be selected manually or automatically, varying between a standard sensitivity range of 50, 100, 200, and 400. This function can be found in the recording menu and can be set to appear when the right or left portion of the four-way dial is pressed. The ISO rating can also be set to auto, during which the camera will read the available light within the scene and set the rating accordingly.
Shutter Speed
This camera has a CCD electronic and mechanical shutter that operates automatically. In the Snapshot mode, the Z57 can shoot from 1/8-1/2000th of a second; in the Night mode setting, the shutter duration extends to 4 seconds at its slowest. In the Fireworks mode, there is only one shutter speed: 2 seconds.
Aperture
The optical zoom lens on the Z57 has an aperture range from f/2.6-f/4.3. This is all controlled automatically, so users probably won’t even notice that it exists and changes with the level of the zoom, though it will have a slight effect on the visible planes of depth apparent in the image.
