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Introduction
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01.Testing / Performance
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02.Physical Tour
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03.Components
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04.Design / Layout
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05.Modes
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06.Control Options
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07.Image Parameters
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08.Connectivity / Extras
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09.Overall Impressions
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10.Conclusion
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11.Specs / Ratings
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12.Photo Gallery
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13.Comments
Casio Exilim EX-Z700
Previous: Page 2
Physical TourNext: Page 4
Design / Layout
The Casio Exilim EX-Z700 has a 2.7-inch Super Bright TFT LCD screen with 153,000 pixels of resolution. The size of the screen is ideal, but the resolution isn’t great. Most Kodak EasyShare V-series cameras in this price range have similarly sized screens but come with 230,000 pixels. Still, there are some inexpensive Canons that still have 115,000 pixels on their big screens. The camera automatically adjusts itself in bright and dark situations, but the brightness can be manually adjusted as well in the setup menu. The Screen option reveals Auto 1, Auto 2, +2, +1, and 0 choices. These titles are a bit ambiguous. The +1 and +2 options brighten the screen and are recommended for outdoor use. The two automatic settings go from the normal brightness setting to the +1 or +2, with the Auto 2 option adjusting faster than the Auto 1. The LCD screen can be viewed from side to side at a decently wide angle, but holding the camera above or below eye level will solarize the on-screen image. Overall, the LCD screen isn’t bad but still has lots of room to improve.
The Casio Exilim EX-Z700 has a 3x optical zoom lens that telescopes outward from the front of the camera body. The camera remains balanced whether the lens is tucked away in the camera or extended outward. The lens extends in three barrels on the outside, but is comprised of 6 lenses in 5 groups including an aspheric lens on the inside. The lens measures 6.2-18.6 mm, which is equivalent to 38-114 mm in the 35 mm format. This isn’t very wide at all, so snapping portraits of large families will be difficult; you’ll have to squish everyone into rows and stand far away from them. The zoom of the lens is controlled by a zoom ring that surrounds the shutter release button and protrudes from the front of the body. The zoom ring isn’t very sensitive; it provides about six stops of focal lengths within the zoom range. When the ring is moved, a horizontal bar appears across the bottom of the LCD screen. The bar shows where users are at currently in the range. It also shows when users enter the realm of digital zoom, the Z700 has 4x but users should avoid it. When users move within the zoom range, there is some noise but nothing like a herd of elephants tromping through the room. It’s more of a mouse tip-toeing. Overall, the lens performs decently. It has some downsides: the insensitive zoom ring, the narrow 38 mm focal length, and no true optical image stabilization (don’t let that Anti-Shake mode fool you!). However, it does have decent features too: a maximum aperture of f/2.7 and only a tiny bit of barrel distortion.Shop for the Casio Exilim EX-Z700
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