Casio Exilim EX-Z700 First Impressions Review

Front
The front of the camera is branded with the Casio logo in the top left corner and the Exilim logo in the center of the left side. Below the Exilim logo, the camera boasts of its 7.2 megapixels of strength. As with many compact models, the camera's lens overtakes almost the entire right side of the front. The lens extends in three segments from a silver-lined barrel. Around the inner rim, it is labeled, "Exilim Optical 3x, 6.2-18.6 mm.' The actual window portion of the lens is slightly rectangular and enclosed by a plastic frame in the barrel. Two diagonal doors snap open and closed when the Z700 is turned on and off. To the top left of the lens is a bubble-like LED that serves as an auto focus assist lamp and an indicator. To its left is the built-in flash, which has a skinny oval shape. Just above the Casio logo, the zoom ring peeks out from the top of the camera. The metal housing itself peaks slightly so that the center, where the Exilim logo resides, is the thickest part of the camera.

Back
The back side of the Exilim EX-Z700 is typical of other Casio digital cameras. The left side has a large LCD screen framed in black and garnered with the Exilim logo at the top left. To the right of the screen is an inch-wide strip of space filled with buttons and controls. At the top are two rectangular buttons; the left one has a green playback symbol on it and the right one has a red camera icon. In the center of this real estate are two more buttons; the left one has "Menu" engraved into it and the right one has "BS" engraved there. Below it is a square-shaped multi-selector with four lines pointing in the four directions and a central 'Set' button. Above the square is a label, "Disp" for the upper portion of the selector and at the bottom are two icons: flash and trash.

Left Side
The left side of the Z700 is boring. From this view, users can see two screws at the top and two at the bottom holding the camera's two metal panels together. The shallow right curve of the lens barrel can be seen too.

Right Side
The right side looks similar to the left in that it has two screws at the top and bottom holding the two panels together. However, the shape of this side is a bit different; it is peaked like a rooftop in the center. Also in the center, but toward the rear side of the Z700, is the silver-colored strap eyelet.

Top
A "Digital Camera EX-Z700" label is printed on the left side of the top. On the right side of this skinny camera is a shinier metal platform with several features on it. The platform starts almost in the center of the camera with four holes in it that serve as the microphone. To its right is an "On/Off" label and a very skinny and recessed power button. On the right side of the platform is the domed shutter release button surrounded by a zoom ring and labeled with wide and telephoto icons on both sides. Directly behind the zoom ring is a tiny LED indicator that is on the diagonal step between the top and the back of the camera.

Bottom
The bottom has a battery door on the left, below the handgrip, that slides to the left edge and opens with a hinge near the center of the camera. The hinge is exposed and makes a weak point in the design where dust and dirt could climb into the housing. Just below the hinge is the port to the docking station. From the docking station, users can access USB, AV, and DC-in functions. To the right of the hinge is a hard plastic tripod socket. Indeed, most of the camera's housing is metal but the docking station port and the tripod socket are surrounded by plastic. On the right side of the bottom are six holes that make up the speaker.