Casio Exilim EX-V7

Announced back in January at the CES show, the EX-V7 is the latest in a long - and generally successful - range of slim, feature-packed Exilim models from Casio. As well as an impressive set of specifications (CCD shift image stabilization, 7x / 38-266mm equiv. zoom, MPEG movies and a wealth of features) and a super-slim all-metal body (under 21mm thick at its thinnest point) the EX-V7 boasts a new version of Casio's image processing engine. This brings several new technologies to the V7; motion analysis (to ensure a higher ISO and shutter speed are used if needed to freeze fast moving subjects), Auto Tracking AF and enhanced noise reduction and tonal control. As the world's slimmest 7x zoom camera the EX-V7 is certainly an enticing product for anyone wanting a bit more lens reach without losing pocketability, but is it any good? Let's find out, starting as ever with the headline features:

• 59.8 mm high, 95.5 mm wide, and 25.1 mm thin (20.8 mm at the thinnest part)
• Cutting-edge, non-protruding 7X internal optical zoom lens (38-266mm equiv.)
• New CCD shift system actually mechanically compensates for camera shake.
• Automatically analyzes the velocity and vector of a moving subject and sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
• “Auto Tracking AF” function follows moving subjects
• Tonal control lets users keep bright areas of the scene bright by limiting the occurrence of dark pixels.
• Offers ability to selectively eliminate noise in designated color regions, such as the sky.
• Boasts faster image processing functions that enable instantaneous color correction or angle adjustment.
• High-quality movies using next-generation H.264 video encoding method
• Silent lens motion enables optical zooming while recording movies in stereo sound.
• Records 16:9 wide-aspect movies compatible with wide-screen TVs.

www.dpreview.com

Casio Exilim EX-Z1200SR

Casio Introduces Flagship EXILIM ZoomDigital Camera with 12 Megapixels

Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced the release of the newest model in the stylish series of EXILIM digital cameras, the EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1200. The new camera is Casio’s flagship EXILIM Zoom, boasting a world-leading 12.1 effective megapixels to deliver both high resolution and premium performance.

It has only been a year since Casio released the revolutionary EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1000, the first digital camera in the world to deliver 10.1 megapixel resolution in a size that fits easily in the palm of the hand. The EX-Z1000 won acclaim for making it simpler than ever to capture images at a remarkably high resolution, and its trend-setting performance put it at the forefront of the market.

Now, going one step beyond the EX-Z1000, the new flagship EX-Z1200 offers 12.1 megapixel resolution — the highest available in any compact digital camera. At this amazing level of detail, photos print crystal-clear even in large sizes or when trimmed to show just one part of the image. It incorporates CCD-shift image stabilization and the latest EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module with motion analysis technology. These innovative features work together to help prevent blurry shots due to shaky hands, subject movement or poor focus when photographing moving subjects such as children or pets. In addition, the auto-tracking AF system now combines both face detection and motion analysis technologies. With this revolutionary new system, once the focus is locked in, it follows a moving subject’s face, maintaining both sharp focus and correct exposure.

Main Features

• 12.1 million effective pixels; 3X optical zoom
• CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism
• Incorporates the latest EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module featuring motion analysis technology
• Blur-reduction technologies:
  • Automatically analyzes the velocity and vector of a moving subject and sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
  • Anti Shake DSP reduces blur due to shaky hands and subject movement, using high shutter speeds and high sensitivity settings.
  • Movie mode with electronic camera shake compensation function.
  • Tonal range control reduces loss of detail in bright and dark areas, and helps to achieve smoother expression of skin tones and clear blue skies.
  • Auto-tracking AF system maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face using both face detection*1 and motion analysis technologies
• Maximum 3 shot/second*2 shutter speed (when set at 3.0 megapixel image size)
• 2.8-inch Wide and Bright LCD display (maximum brightness of 1400cd/m2 at center of screen) makes viewing in bright outdoor light easier than ever before.

www.dpreview.com

Canon Lens EF 600mm f/4L IS USM

This lens is ideal for sports and wildlife photography. The newly designed optical system has one fluorite element and two UD-glass elements to obtain high resolution and high contrast. Also, the minimum focusing distance was reduced to 18 ft. (5.5m). Extender EF 2x II can be attached to increase the focal length to 1200mm while retaining AF (at the center focusing point with the EOS-1v and EOS-3).

Source : www.usa.canon.com

Budget Camera Shootout: Casio Exilim EX-Z75 vs. Pentax Optio M30

On the surface so many 3x zoom compact digicams look virtually identical. How do you tell them apart, and what really separates one 3x zoom budget digicam from the next? A lot of times it comes down to the little things, like menu navigation, fit and finish, and price, that make one compact camera a better deal than the next. Here we look at two cameras that at first glance could be mistaken for one another -- the Pentax Optio M30 (street $174.95) and the Casio Exilim EXZ75 (street $229.99), to see if there's really a difference beneath their almost identical skins.

It astonishes how closely the 7.2MP Casio Exilim EX-Z75 and the 7.1 MP Pentax Optio M30 compare physically. Even the lens design and embellishments look virtually identical. The shutter release on each is in the same location and both buttons have a similar look and feel. The flash on each lines up in position and strangely, even the back portions of the cameras have similar button placement. The menu button, for example, is placed on the lower right side of the preview/viewfinder screen on both cameras, with the preview button and function dial also consistently placed as well. It's as if both of these companies had a common engineering staff design one camera, and then Casio and Pentax tweaked it to their own standards. Yet, for all of these physical similarities, the Pentax is priced a full $55 less than the Casio. I had to wonder if the differences went deeper than physical attributes and if so, are they worth the upgrade in price from the Pentax to the Casio, or is the Pentax simply a great deal?

Hands on Feel

The Pentax does have a little more refinement and sculpting in the body. I like the gentle, sloping curve on the (photographer's) left side of the camera. I enjoyed the way that it molded to the gentle curve that my hand has when holding a camera of this type. I liked the combination of brushed silver and chrome mixing in the Pentax body and to me, it simply wouldn't look as good if they'd chosen a color instead of the shiny silver. The Pentax feels solid in your hands as well and it's obvious to me that Pentax has this part of the design and manufacturing process mastered. The camera feels like a high-tech rock in your hands -- and that's a good thing!

The Casio has a larger 2.6" (14:9 ratio) LCD screen that's as bright and sharp as the other Exilim models we've seen and a slightly taller body in comparison to the Pentax. The Casio swaps the rounded side and changes it to the width of the body, giving the camera a pure rectangular look when viewed head-on and a long, stretched oval when viewed from the side. The Casio also has a plethora of colors available with a linear-brushing that's similar in look and feel to stainless steel. Likewise, the Casio has a mostly solid feel to it, but does show some play in the shutter release and other controls, making its build quality slightly less solid than the Pentax. And even though the Casio has a larger screen, it shows fewer pixels and side by side, has less apparent sharpness in comparison to the 2.5 inch Pentax Viewfinder/display screen. This makes sense though, since the Pentax is cramming more pixels into a smaller space.

Source : www.popphoto.com

Casio Exilim EX-Z1050

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Casio camera. The last one I reviewed was the excellent ultra-slim EX-S770 back in January, so when I opened the box of the EX-Z1050 there was a moment of embarrassed silence. You know that feeling when you run into someone you haven’t seen for several years, and you’re rather surprised to discover that they’ve put on about ten stone in weight? I experienced exactly that feeling. I was expecting another ultra-slim fashion camera, along the lines of the EX-S770 or Z75, so by comparison the Z1050 seems, well, kind of fat.
That’s a bit unfair really, because in fact the Z1050 measures just 91.1 x 57.2 x 24.2mm and only weighs 125g, so by comparison to anything but another Casio it’s actually a very compact and lightweight camera. It’s only a couple of millimetres larger than the tiny Canon IXUS 70 that I reviewed last week, and is exactly the same weight. I’ve always been impressed by the style and elegance of Casio’s Exilim cameras, and the Z1050 has lots of both. The camera body is strong but lightweight aluminium, and is available in black, blue, pink or silver. I assume that the test sample I have here is supposed to be the silver one, but to be honest I’d have described it as more of a bronze colour.
Casio has been making digital cameras longer than almost anyone else in the industry, and its Exilim range of compact cameras are highly competitive, going head-to-head with Canon’s market-leading Digital IXUS range. The Z1050 costs around £175, which compares well with other 10MP models, such as the Canon IXUS 900 Ti (£269), Pentax Optio A20 (£198), the Samsung NV11 (£269) or even other ultra-compacts such as the 7MP Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 (£234).

The Z1050 is a fairly straightforward snapshot camera, so the control layout is very simple and uncluttered. The zoom control is a rotating bezel around the shutter button, leaving plenty of room on the back for a thumbgrip. The overall shape fits quite neatly into the hand, and although it would possibly benefit from some sort of grip on the front of the body it doesn’t make that much difference.

Source : www.trustedreviews.com

Casio Digital Camera Snorkel Housing

Casio have announced a new underwater housing for the EX-Z75 and EX-Z65 digital cameras, designed for active lifestyles and sports use, mainly for underwater shooting by snorkelers, skin and scuba divers. The casing is strong enough to withstand water pressure 3 meters (10ft) below surface.

Press Release: Glorious blue sky and sea, rich green palms and shimmering white sand: a colourful scenario that every holiday-maker yearns for. Equipped with the bright red EXILIM snorkel housing EWC-10 for CASIO's two digital compact cameras EX-Z75 and EX-Z65, aquatic athletes can now capture the resplendently multi-coloured fishes directly in the photo. Thanks to the perfect protection by the EWC-10, snorklers can take their EXILIM down to a depth of three meters. The housing is also the perfect companion on the beach, as it keeps sand away from the camera. The operability of EX-Z75 and EX-Z65 remains pretty easy with the EWC-10, as the individual control keys can be found on the housing. The new underwater housing EWC-10 from CASIO - a stylish eye-catcher and all-round protection for the two latest EXILIM Zoom models.

Source : www.buy-n-shoot.com