Casio Exilim EX-Z750 First Impressions Review

by Emily Raymond
Published on February 22, 2005

Navigation
Intro	Physical Tour
Components	Design / Layout
Modes	Control Options
Image Parameters	Connectivity / Extras
Conclusions	Specs

Model Design / Appearance
The Exilim Z750 has more brains than brawn. It is not as attractive as other compact cameras, but has more megapixels and neat features than most. The body isn’t ugly, but it is plain without being elegant. The Z750 has a silver-colored brushed aluminum casing with words printed randomly on it.

 

Size / Portability
The 4.5-ounce digital camera has slim measurements of 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches. Its flat features and slight profile make it easy to slip into a pocket and carry around without hassle.

Handling Ability
The Casio Exilim EX-Z750 uses on-camera features to double as finger grips. The mode dial sticks out enough to act as a thumb grip on the back of the camera. On the front, a shallow divot about an inch from the side acts as a finger support. Although there is no real texture applied to the camera, potentially causing handling problems if the user’s hands are wet or sweaty.

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
Most of the buttons on the Exilim Z750 are appropriately spaced and sized. The Power button is the only exception; its miniscule size makes users slide their fingers around hunting. It does ever-so-slightly protrude, so not all is lost. The back of the camera isn’t too busy, so finding the right button is not a difficult task. Everything is clearly labeled except the ambiguous EX button, which ends up being a menu for random shooting options.

Menu
While most digital cameras keep all the options within their menus, the Casio Exilim Z750 spreads the settings around. Aperture and shutter speed appears on the information that directly overlays the LCD image; it can be changed using the Set button. When the Menu button is pressed, three menus appear at the top of the screen. In what looks like the tops of filing folders, the user can scroll between the Recording, Quality, and Setup menus. In the Recording menu, the following options are available: Self-Timer, AF Area, AF Assist Light, Quick Shutter, L/R Key, Audio Snap, Grid, Digital Zoom, Review, Icon Help, and Memory. Perhaps the most unique feature in this menu is the L/R Key option. This lets users choose which shooting settings they use most often, then set the left and right sides of the four-way dial for easier access. The Quality menu has the following options: Size, Still Image Quality, Movie Quality, EV Shift, White Balance, ISO, Metering, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Flash Intensity, and Flash Assist. Some of these options can also be found in the EX menu and can even be set to the right and left sides of the 4-way dial. In the Setup menu, the following options can be found: Screen, Sounds, Startup, File Number, World Time, Date, Date Style, Language, Sleep, Auto Power Off, Rec/ Play, USB, Video Out, and Format. The menus are all text, so deciphering obscure graphics won’t be a problem.

 

Some shooting options, such as the Image Size, White Balance, ISO, and Auto Focus, are found in the Exilim menu. This menu appears when the EX button on the left side is pressed.

Ease of Use
The Exilim EX-Z750 likely won’t be remembered for its ease of use. Digging through different menus and shooting options isn’t exactly the one-touch solution offered by other compact digital cameras. Perhaps after a big bowl of popcorn and a few hours with the Z750 manual, users will find the camera is simple to navigate. However, one hour is not enough to gain the intuition needed to operate this camera easily.