Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z1050

Overview:

The camera overall exceeds my expectations as a consumer device, here Casio have gone to great lengths to incorporate the latest technology into a small, lightweight and durable piece of equipment. This camera is truly pocketsize, and yet, nothing is compromised by it being yet smaller than the previous models. With the falling prices of technology, having waited for the release of this newer improved, and above all cheaper version of the camera was well worth it.

The camera offers an above all superb 10.1 Mega Pixel resolution, resulting in excellent quality imagery, and a range of different settings, meaning that the camera can be applied to any situation to capture the best image possible at almost any desired resolution.

Image:

With any digital camera, the major selling point, for me, and many prospective buyers out there is going to be the image quality, if a camera cannot offer a suitably large image quality for it's price, then it loses consumer interest, the reason why I have come to be so pleased with this camera is that it can deliver this quality at a feasible price.

The immensity of the image quality is at the frontiers of the technology available to consumers, Being less than £200 is an enormous incentive to get hold of this camera, even months later, people will still easily be willing to pay for the technology at it's original price. Once this camera was released onto the market there was no point in waiting for it, as the technology is far ahead of our time, so it will not deprecate in the very near future.

I find the major plus side of this camera, is that the superb image quality can overall improve the satisfaction of using the camera, as more detailed thumbnails are shown on the LCD screen, larger images are produced, colours are much sharper and the print quality is far superior compared to anything that I have taken on my previous digital camera, an old Olympus.

There are however, downsides to such superior image quality, any memory card inserted into the camera, needs again to be a much higher capacity, if one intends to use to camera to it's full potential and take the best quality images, I use a 1 GB SD card, which provides maximum storage possible, without possible compatibility issues that can be experienced with 2GB SD cards. The 15.4 MB internal memory of the camera is not sufficient, and is only really capable of holding a few high-resolution photos.

Design & Extras:

The camera with batteries weighs little more than an apple and is not much larger than a pack of cards in size, making it a true pocket camera. There is availability of this product in many colours both further reasons to choose this camera.

The camera comes with many high-tech add-ons that can add greatly to the user experience, being a well known brand, you can afford to spend a little more, safe in the knowledge that the initial investment, will result in a better and more full experience.

For example the blur reduction and the motion sensitive features allow the picture quality to remain superb, even in challenging conditions that would usually disrupt the clarity of the image. All the technical settings can be analysed by the camera to suit the subject, removing the need for any intervention by the user. Merely a point and shoot situation.

I rarely use these features, as I am not adventurous enough to put myself in the situation to use them, however, the little experience I have had of them bodes well, and looks right for anyone who wants that little extra from their camera.

Being a clumsy individual myself I never fail to drop my new camera, and from what I can tell so far the camera is in fact fairly durable. One would expect something so dear and complex, to be more fragile, but Casio have put as much effort into the design making it a practical durable and usable product that will I hope, put up with the wear and tear of everyday life.

If you think that you may need something a little more well built than a cheap budget camera and are at the same time looking for quality, then a camera such as this is highly suitable.

Other Advantages & Disadvantages:

I can always find that with digital cameras the amount of controls can always become overwhelming, which is why, I think, a great advantage is the way Casio have kept to a minimalist control scheme, with two modes, shoot and playback.

However, saying this, thee camera does have a mind-boggling 30+ shooting modes which can become a little confusing at times when you find you simply want to be taking a picture, not a panorama, long distance, or a night scene.

The battery life was disappointing with my last camera but here I am mildly impressed, the official figures say that the cameras will last for 370 pictures, I have found it to last for 200 shots but still this battery life is highly commendable. Especially useful for when you want to be going on holidays, it is highly capable of lasting a week or two without the need for a charger and when it does need a charge it never takes more than 3 or 4 hours.

Tech Specs:

· 10.3 million pixels
· 3648 x 2736 maximum resolution
· 640 x 480 @ 25fps
· JPEG file format
· 114,960 pixels 2.6" LCD screen
· Numerous other astounding features

Conclusion:

Above all what is most sought after in a digital camera is value for money as the price of this kind of equipment can deprecate so quickly, here you can purchase technology at a modest price which is not in any imminent danger of being outclassed at all for a fairly modest price, with it come the endless features, which can just be worth it for that little bit extra investment, and one that can be trusted from a reputable brand name. A definite bargain and one that will still be considered a bargain in the coming year.