Casio Exilim EXZ57 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
By: Casio Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 37
More Information
 On: 2007-01-08
I spent countless hours reading about compact cameras, and chose this one as it has a HUGE LCD screen; 2.7 inches, which is just fantastic. Other than that, it is laid out very logically and super easy to use. The buttons are a bit small, but the trade-off for such a large lcd screen is well worth it. It recyles very quickly; takes good photos, and I like the cradle and rechargeable lithium battery as well. Mine is refurbished and cost under $140!!! It is light enuf to hang from your neck with a lanyard, too. I am very very pleased.
On: 2006-12-22
I love the size, the pictures and the functions. Also it turned out to be quiet durable. We actually dropped this camera while on vacation and it still works like new.
 On: 2006-08-26
I was fine with this camera until the docking cradle stopped working, essentially rendering the camera useless once the charge stopped. This conveniently happened 3 weeks before my baby is due, leaving me without a digital camera at a pretty important time. Casio customer service was NOT helpful - even though this appears to be a documented problem with this particular camera, I was still going to be forced to either shell out my own money for a new base (even though the camera is still under warranty) - or package the whole thing and send it off to California. Obviously not a great option because who knows how long it would be before the camera gets back to me in working order? I had an Olympus before we bought the Casio and after this experience we are going to purchase a new camera - one that does NOT come with a cradle (and not a Casio). If the customer service had been better we may not have come to this decision, but I dont want to be dependent on a company that has no flexibility whatsoever in their way of dealing with problems. My advice is to buy a camera that does not rely on a docking station... fewer parts that can break! Even though I was "lucky" mine quit while under warranty, I have seem other reviews online where it broke post-warranty and supposedly people had to pay $200 to fix it - more than the camera is worth at that point.
On: 2006-08-17
I purchased this camera about a year ago, prior to a trip to London. Id had a Canon Powershot previously. This camera outdid itself! I didnt have to charge the battery during my four-day trip to London, taking over 500 pictures. The screen size is amazing, though difficult to see when outside and its at all bright. The camera is very user friendly, easy to set up and so easy to use. Since then, several people have ditched their old digital cameras to buy one of these.
The zoom is great, and I love that it tells you when youre switching from optical to digital zoom.
This is a keeper!
On: 2006-08-11
I bought this camera refirbished to take with me on vacation. After searching online for almost 2 months, this was the camera that kept popping up that had all the features that I was looking for at a price that I could afford. It has gone to Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Sandusky, Ohio and it has performed wonderful! It survived the heat and sand of the beach, and the heat and whatnot of the roller coasters at Cedar Point amusement park. The videos are great and the sound is amazing...Colors are great and very very clear! And I absolutely adore all the features it has to offer! The retro and black and whites are awesome, as well as the rest of the shot options...I got a great one of some fireworks! I love this camera, it is so easy to use, takes great pics, and is worth the money!
On: 2006-06-01
This camera was a very good choice.
- Body very solidly built;
- Excelent image quality;
- Nice big LCD screen, bright and clear;
- Battery life is quite long;
- Easy to use menu system;
- Very convenient docking cradle;
- Can be easily carried anywhere.
 On: 2006-05-04
Sweet camera, no complaints.
What is a good case for this model? Has anyone tried the Excase1, 2, or "Leather-Pouch Exilim" with it? Reading the dementions make the Excase1 seem a little too big. Thanks.
On: 2006-03-04
Ive bought different digital cameras, but this one has been the best of all. If you are looking for a slim camera, BIG LCD, long lasting battery, and quick photo shooting (not like SONY) the CASIO EXLIM should be your answer. For the price its a great deal. It has a great flash, most of the pictures I take are in nightclubs and dark places, and all of them are very well iluminated. I hope this review helps!
On: 2006-03-04
I drove all over town looking for a RadioShack that carried this camera on stock cuz all the local stores were sold out and theyre not getting anymore shipments of it. So I had to drive miles away to get myself one and once I did ... it was well worth it. The camera has such a huge screen that once you take your first picture you cant help but go WOW !! Almost one cool feature on this camera is you can change the sounds from the normal beep to a frog ribbit, a cool spaceship sound, etc. One thing I do suggest any new purchasers of this camera do is to grab a screen protector. I went out and bought a Nintendo DS screen protector and it works fine. A Nintendo DS has a 3" screen as to this camera has a 2.7" screen so a few inches different. You can trim off the excess inches if you want to make it fit nicely. But itll help keep the screen clean of finger smudges and protect it from scratches. The screen is so big Im afraid your fingernails might scratch it. Anyways overall this camera takes excellent quality photos and easy to use. Id recommend this digi-cam to anyone !
On: 2006-02-26
This camera has some great fun settings, large screen for viewing and easy to use. Only con I have found: does not print the date on the picture.
After reading the complaints about the camera, I decided to mention a few tips that may change your mind:
In Reference to the quality of the photos: Using the standard setting .. pictures are not the best quality. Solution: Choose the setting: BEST SHOT and select the option you want for example: Children, Scenery, Party, etc. You can jump from one choice another choice. Just press the button in the middle, move the arrow to your choice and press the button again. I switch from Children to Party (for high movement, dancing, rides) and back to Children again in a matter of seconds.
Also choose a pixel setting for at least an 8x10. Great quality and still holds a fair amount of photos on a disc.
On: 2006-02-26
The screen is the largest and clearest I have seen. Camera is easy to use with many features to choose from. Includes some fun features. Mico feature is crystal clear (beautiful for flowers, insects, etc). Has a fun feature which puts 2 of the same object in the photo. Took a picture of my son pointing in one direction and then the second picture of him making a face in the direction of himself pointing - comes together in one picture - Fun! Battery last a very long time (and I take a lot of pictures). Small and easy to carry and handle. The only con: Does not print the date on the picture. Everything else about the camera a excellant! Very happy with it.
On: 2006-02-23
I love this camera. I sold my old Sony Mavica 4 megapixel for this small wonder and I am very happy. The screen is huge so there is no need for a viewfinder. The screen is definately the best feaure among all they packed into this cam. The Best Shot presets are great - with the ability to save 999 of your own! I recommend buying a case for it so your screen doesnt get damaged or scratched. The battery lasts a long time and the picture quality is very good.
 On: 2006-02-14
I purchased this camera and was at first, delighted with it. The LCD screen is huge, its got many user functions, and its easy to use while still giving you many options. Its easy to charge, and view pictures, even though the attached software is nothing too advanced. The user manual is lacking---about ten pages of how to charge the camera, nothing really on the many special functions.
The main reason I gave this camera a 3 and not a 5 is suddenly, yesterday--it stopped working. I try to turn on the camera and the screen says "SYSTEM ERROR (Oe01)" and refuses to work!!! Im going to try resetting it, or calling Casio, but its really annoying that I ordered this (not cheap, mind you) camera less then three weeks ago, and already there are problems. Has anyone else had this problem? I really, really, REALLY dont want to have to buy a new camera.
On: 2006-01-15
My friend purchased the previous model of this camera about a year and a half ago and I absolutely fell in love with it. I have since purchased this model with the giant screen and couldnt be more happy with it. The pictures look a little grainy when viewed on the LCD, but once you transfer them over to the computer they look great.
Like I said, I heart this camera and you will too!
On: 2006-01-09
I purchased this camera despite reading reviews that said it takes poor quality indoor pictures. I should have listened. I had it for 3 days before returning it to Amazon. My old Canon S400, that Ive had for almost 3 years and is only a 4mp camera, takes better quality indoor pictures by far. I actually took side by side pictures to compare and the backgrounds of the Casio pictures were very grainy, even in the highest resolution. Im sure without flash in daylight, the quality might be better, but I didnt waste my time trying it, as I take most of my pictures indoors. I am going to purchase a new Canon SD450 instead, as I never had any complaints about the quality of my Canon photos.
On: 2005-12-29
Ive had this camera for almost 6 months and absolutely LOVE IT!!! It takes great pictures, the screen is huge and it takes pictures REALLY quickly. It snaps the picture before the person can realize a picture is being taken and react to it. So whomever doenst want their picture taken cant help it. The only thing is though while in Hawaii my camera just stopped working...Ive never dropped it, or harmed it in any way it just stopped working. I took it in to get repaired at Ritz Cameras where I got it and they said they have to send it to Casio costing them about $200. So I highly recommend getting an extended warranty because I would have had to pay $200.
On: 2005-12-20
This camera is above all, an attractive and functional point and shoot. It has the biggest LCD screen on the market. It has a solid feel and construction. You will not be dissapointed with the images until you are in low-light situations. With the less than adequate flash, any medium to low-light shot beyond 5-7 feet gets VERY noisy. Otherwise, the image quality is very typical of any compact 5 mp camera.
The EX Z57 has plenty of options for those of us who want more than snapshots. Manual ISO, white balance, and manual focus are nice. Battery life is also unbeatable.
This camera is intuitive, reliable, and an eye-catcher. I have shot over 1700 photos with no problems, with low-light being the only exception.
** the screen is not easily breakable and very scratch resistant
** youd never use the viewfinder if it had one
On: 2005-12-19
Feature for feature I doubt that you can find another camera for the price. The large LCD screen is really great for viewing pictures. But I think our favorite feature however is the recovery time between pictures. It is also very small which makes it a great camera for a family on the go. (We have owned this camera for about 6 weeks and upgraded from a 2.1mp Olympus that was 3 years old)
On: 2005-11-21
Esta camara es excelente, la recibi el viernes pasado y las fotos son estupendas.
Pequeña, compacta, fuerte, esta camara lo tiene todo.
Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On: 2005-11-12
Can anyone who bought this camera through Amazon please tell me EVERYTHING that comes with this camera in the bundle?
Thank you!!!
On: 2005-11-12
I had only had this camera for a week when I pulled it from my front pocket to discover the screen had broke. I do not remember bumping into anything at all, but this screen had broke under the pressure of my blue jeans.
After talking to Casios help line, they told me to send it to their repair center for repair. It was to be under warranty since I had only had it a week. Much to my suprise I recieved a bill for the repairs in two weeks time. The cost to repair $230 + shipping, which as you can see is nearly as much as a new camera. Im not going to pay Casio twice for the same camera, instead I will purchase another from a different brand. I would recommend to any one purchasing this camera to treat this baby like a newborn. Please do not buy it if you wish to take it parties, sporting events or any other place where it might bump into something.
On: 2005-10-31
I have to admit that i had my doubtsbefore buying this camera, but after deciding to purchase it, I was glad I did! This camera has a HUGE screen! Allowing you to see minor details in your picture. This, however causes your pics to appear a tiny bit blurry, but on your comp., they are crystal claer!You should also buy a case to protect the amazing lcd screen.The battery life of this camera is the longest ive ever had, it lasts up to 500 or more shots!It uses an np-40 battery which is charged in the camera. You charge the battery and load images onto your pc with the usb cradle. Picture quality is top notch competing with other cameras such as canon and nikon.It comes with 23 bestshot modes awhich cater to any kind of pic. you can take. so BUY this camera!
 On: 2005-10-17
1) CAMERA IS COOL TO HOLD AND SHOW OFF.
however ...
2) PHOTO QUALITY IS ABYSMAL:
When I first got this camera, I was so impressed. I took pictures of Queens Day in Amsterdam where the weather was sunny and everyone was wearing bright orange clothes. The pictures were perfect. Then, I tried taking pictures at night and they were horrible. I took pictures at daybreak and sunset using the so called amazing "best shot" setting. most of the pictures looked grainy and/or blurry.
I kept thinking I was doing something wrong, but the fact of the matter is this camera takes absolutely horrible photos anytime other than in perfect light or indoors. Outdoor photos in general are bad unless in direct sunlight and limited contrast is needed. It seemed like such a cool camera because of the screen size, but as my vacations memories are not at all captured well, the camera is about to go back into the closet or Goodwill. I would recommend people who want to take pictures more frequently than from noon to 2 pm, primarily of people, buy something else.
The screen size is great for showing off to people when you take a really great photo, but dont expect this to happen too often. A smaller screen that takes good pictures would make me a lot happier. I just came back from Prague, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, and I have few good pictures.
I encourage you to read review on the other sites listed below as these Amazon posters must have posted the day they got their cameras. Mail comes during the day, when this camera actually does a good job. I suspect that if they were polled again, they would probably repeat my review.
One more thing ... While the size makes the camera very cute to use, is also impacts photo quality. Pictures can come out blury due to cameras size... must focus on holding camera steady.
HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED.
On: 2005-10-17
I got this camera for my girlfriend. After much, much research, I found this one to be the best. Great size, huge screen (so far no crack like the cannon), good price. Many features, yet not too complicated for my girlfriend to use, even when drinking at a bar. Also good for everyday shots, and spontaneous shots. great picture quality.
On: 2005-10-15
As a "photographically challenged" user of any camera, I cant begin to offer high enough praise for this camera. I keep it in my jeans pocket or on the table at all times to catch those "Casio Moments" of my dogs & cats, husband, or birds, etc. in nature. I cant imagine why the previous reviewer said it was not Mac compatible; I download all my videos & pix onto my Mac with iMovie or iPhoto all the time....no problems. I have several other small cameras, but this is the only one I use. Its the best.
On: 2005-09-29
Well, I broke my 2 year old 3.2 megapixel digital camera about a month ago and have been researching buying a new one since. I finally decided on the z57 and I couldnt be happier. I knew I wanted a point and shoot digital and definitely wanted more than 3.2 megapixels. I narrowed my search down to the Olympus Stylus 500, the Konica Minolta x60 (my old digicam was a Minolta and I loved it so thats why I was considering buying another one) and the Nikon Coolpix S1. I only came across the Casio Exilim Z57 when I was reading reviews on [...] when they suggested this camera, based on the reviews I was reading. I read the review about it first and the thing that really stuck out about this camera was how fast it was. I then came here on amazon and read reviews and the one thing that caught my eye was that someone said it didnt have a trick flash, which means theres almost no shutter lag. My old camera had this which caused a lot of problems for people keeping their eyes open in my pictures. Since I was so used to a tiny camera, I wanted to go see this camera in person. I went in, saw it, held it and was amazed at how small it was!!! The screen is huge and its extremely fast. One thing that turned me away from the Olympus Stylus 500 was that the shot-to-shot review was extremely poor. If Im not mistaken, it said that if you used the flash, the shot-to-shot delay was almost 8 seconds. I know that when Im in a situation where I want to use the flash, chances are, I want to take a picture asap and 8 seconds is a lifetime, especially if youre waiting anxiously to take another pic. I think they said on the review I read about the z57 that the shot-to-shot delay with the flash was something like 2.2 seconds. What a world of difference! The best shot selections make it easy to decide which one you want to use. I thought that after having a digicam without a protruding lens, I wouldnt like that this camera had one, but I cant even tell the difference. I think this camera is a great value (less than $300!) Ive only had it for a few days and couldnt be happier. The more I keep playing with it, the more and more I love it. After doing all my research I think I made a great decision going with this camera.
On: 2005-09-26
It was just a few days ago when I was sitting in the library studying when I thought about "slimming" down my technical gadgetry. After now owning a Motorola Razor and a Game Boy Micro, it was time to choose a digital camera that could in small spaces just like the two mentioned above, it was time to look for a camera that would heed my calling.
I went to the nearest Wal-Mart and I browsed around. I was searching for a camera that fit my budget. It had to have a big, yet decent LCD screen, battery life, great picture taking ability, and of course, compact size.
And there it was. The CASIO EXILIM EX-Z57. I tinkered around with it and I found that it felt nice all around.
The LCD screen was 2.7". It was great to have because when your at a club taking pictures, you would want to have people see how it looked instead of squinting to check it out.
The menus were easy to navigate and simple to understand.
The size is decent. Since this is the first slim camera Ive ever owned, it does well. It may not be as thin as a SONYs, but it works for me.
Im impressed on how there are different modes for your pictures by choosing the right size you need, and the quality. Good!
The flash is great. Id like to say that it does not have a "trick flash." The flash bulb doesnt flicker or do strange things to make your smile or your eyes do weird impressions. Its a simple straight flash that gets things moving quickly.
Thank goodness! I dislike trick flash.
If youre looking for a camera that has great compact abilities, size, weight, and style, then this is your camera. I would recommend this brand and make to anyone who would like to buy this.
On: 2005-09-14
Small size infuluenced purchase along with battery life and fast operation, size of LCD screen and features. Only negatives is lack of view finder, which causes some movement when using zoom and only 3x optical zoom.
On: 2005-09-13
the best part of this camera for me is the large screen. it also has many background settings when you choose bestshot for scenery,portrait or night view. the only inconvenient thing is that you have to buy carrier case and memory card, which are not included in the box.
On: 2005-09-02
I took my camera to Ozzfest in the case that I bought with it, and it stayed safe and took awesome pictures even as I rocked out. The picture quality is really good on the highest setting, and the different presets for picture types are great (I think there are 30). I took it on a rollercoaster in the woods, and it took all good pics all the time. So far I havent had any negative experience other than the LCD being so large that its hard not to touch it when you hold it.
On: 2005-08-22
in the new model you have the visor and wheel for choosing camera options that was missing in this model
On: 2005-08-20
Love this camera--highy intuitive and how about the great LED screen---love the big size.
The only snag I hit with this purchase was with the Casio tech support---the guy didnt have a clue how to fix my problem which turned out to really simple. Ill preface this by saying that Im new to digital cameras. Im also a recent convert to the Mac platform. The reason I called tech support was because I was unable to install the Picture Loader software that comes with Exilim. I later found out by talking to my geek friend that if you have Mac Os X then you need to install Classic 9 in order to install Picture Loader. Classic is found on an install disc that comes with your computer entitled Additional Applications.
On: 2005-08-09
Impresionante cámara digital, puede tomar fotos a calidades únicas e incomparables, posee lentes Pentax que son de gran calidad y reconocidas mundialmente, si desean tener una cámara que haga que los demás se queden boquiabierta; esta es la que deben comprar!...
Saludos desde Venezuela
On: 2005-06-17
I purchased the Casio EX750 which is the 7.2 megapixel version of this camera and was forced to return the camera after I discovered that movies shot on any of the Exilim cameras are not usable for Mac users!
Casios choice of a Windows-centric, MPEG-4 codec is designed to decode in Windows Media Player on PC hardware ONLY. So Mac users are out of luck if they want to use Quicktime, iPhoto or iMovie for viewing, managing and editing the video they have shot with this Camera. Every other digital camera manufacturer on the market is compatible with both Mac and Windows... Not Casio. Let me make this clear, photos will transfer fine, video wont. Not a very smart move on Casios part and the reason I went with the Canon SD series instead.
If you are a Windows user then this camera is probably a four star camera as it does take nice pictures (though not as nice as Canons SD series) and has a good feature set for the money. However, for Mac users this camera loses 50% of its functionality and therefore gets only two stars.
On: 2005-05-17
I purchased this camera to replace my old and bulky Dimage S414. The dimage used to take a few snaps on a single charge. This camera has a marathon battery life. I used it for my whole graduation ceremony, and coupled with a 1GB card, it served as a great digital video camera too. The profile is slim with an excellent form factor. This does not compromise on the image quality however as it does not use the new type lenses like the Canon T33, T1. (The technology is beta).
Finally, the LCD truly makes the viewfinder obsolete.
A camera from Casio thats better than anything from anybrand short of a digital SLR.
On: 2005-05-14
Despite reading positive reviews, I initially hesitated before buying this little camera -- I wasnt sure how a Casio would stack up against brands like Canon and Nikon. But a local shop strongly recommended this model, and I decided to give it a try. Im glad to say that Ive been very pleasantly surprised by the EX-Z57s excellent performance and features.
The reason I was buying a new digital P&S in the first place was that my old Nikon Coolpix (a 775) was really, really slow; I missed way too many perfect moments or expressions waiting for that thing to actually take a picture. (In all other respects, I love the Nikon.) My other camera -- a Canon Digital Rebel -- is absolutely awesome, but its too big and heavy to take with you without a definite reason. For day-to-day shooting around town, I wanted something we could toss into a pocket or bag. (The best way to take good photos is to actually have a camera with you when the opportunity comes up!!!)
So I was looking for a fast, small, high-quality camera. The Casio is fast -- very fast -- when starting up, shooting, and displaying images or menus. The size is perfect. And the quality of the images and performance has been very high.
While researching the Casio, I wondered about the lack of a viewfinder. Again, Ive been pleased. The huge LCD is entirely sufficient for shooting pictures -- I havent missed the viewfinder at all -- and its great to have such a large screen to work with when youre scrolling through the various features. For example, if you want to check out the "best shot" pre-set modes, you can scroll through screens that have a title, a sample photo, and a one-sentence description of the settings/purpose. Its a lot of useful information that you simply cant display on cameras with standard screens.
The menu and controls are inuitive and easy to learn. The manual provides next to no information, but once you know what the features are -- the Casio site describes them in detail -- its easy to become proficient.
The image quality has been great -- even for indoor photos. The "docking station" is cool, too -- you can simultaneously charge the battery and transfer images.
So while weve only had this for a few weeks, weve already taken a few hundred photos, and were really pleased with this little camera. Its loaded with features, easy to use, and seemingly very well made. With the 5 megapixel capacity, I think its a great buy, especially compared to comparable big-name brands.
On: 2005-05-05
I purchased the EXZ57 and found it to be excellent. The large digital viewer is fantastic and the overall functions is easy to use. The long life battery is a plus and the picture quality is perfect. Highly recommend!
by: gadgester On: 2005-05-01
My local camera store just got their first shipment of Casios new Exilim EX-Z57 super-slim digital camera, and I eagerly hopped over to check it out.
The EX-Z57 is a very slight upgrade (and one downgrade... read on) of the very popular EX-Z55 model. The Z55 had a 2.5" LCD screen that was considered "huge" just a year ago, but now that so many other digital cameras also sport a 2.5" LCD, Casio decided to release a 2.7" LCD model, hence the Z57. Amazingly, the overall physical size hasnt changed, and the EX-Z55s industry-leading amazing battery life (over 300 even with flash on and LCD on full-time) has been retained, making the EX-Z57 another battery life champ.
As far as I can tell -- and from what the sales clerk told me -- the internals of the EX-Z57 are identical to those of its immediate predecessor. This means very good image quality from such a small camera. Three important issues to keep in mind as you shop for this camera or a similarly ultracompact model:
1. The tiny lens and tiny sensor necessarily limit the sharpness of the picture. If you shoot at the maximum 5MP and print out at up to 5x7", you probably wont be disappointed by the sharpness of the picture. However, as you print larger pictures, youll see the pictures tend to be softer and noisier than from larger cameras. This is simply a result of the law of physics, and its a trade-off between size and quality.
2. The small camera also means a small, limited-power flash, so your indoor pictures when the ambient lighting is dim will not come out very satisfactory. Again, this is entirely due to the small form factor. If you want to use this camera to shoot a small group of friends at a dinner party, its okay. But you should know that as you near the flash range and go beyond, youll get horrible-looking pictures.
3. A camera this small makes it very hard to hold it steady. Many people with tiny cameras like this complain about blurry pictures. This is because as you press the shutter button, youll move the camera ever so slightly. With a larger camera body (e.g., a digital SLR), the much heavier camera body requires more effort to hold which has the side benefit of providing a counteracting force to the shutter-pushing force. Hence, with a small camera like the EX-Z57, you must remember to hold the camera very steady as you press the shutter.
Whereas the older EX-Z55 had an optical viewfinder, Casio opted to remove it in order to accommodate the enlarged LCD screen without changing the overall size of the camera. Yes, the Z55s optical viewfinder was tiny and hard to use, but at least it was an option -- and looking through the optical viewfinder instead of at the screen actually helps steady your shots because you hold the camera close to your body (think the principle of leverage). Also, when you are really low on battery, switching to optical viewfinder can squeeze out a few more shots. For a camera purish like myself, its a pity that the optical viewfinder is no more on the Z57, but for most casual photographers (the Exilims target audience) this will likely be a non-issue, since they probably would never use the optical vewfinder to begin with.
In summary, the Z57 provides an unbeatable small form factor yet a crowd-pleasing huge LCD screen, amazing battery life and very good image quality (for a camera this size). You can also record movies (albeit only at a stuttering 15 frames per second) as well as sound. Its very intuitive to use, and my friends who have the Z55 are all very happy with it (once I gave them the tip about holding the camera super-steady or on a tripod to avoid blurs). While I dont have money to buy another digital camera at the moment, but if I had some extra spare dough, I would definitely buy this just for the HUGE 2.7" LCD. To a gadget freak like me, its priceless to be able to impress my friends with something this cool. :)
On: 2005-04-30
My local camera store just got their first shipment of Casios new Exilim EX-Z57 super-slim digital camera, and I eagerly hopped over to check it out.
The EX-Z57 is a very slight upgrade (and one downgrade... read on) of the very popular EX-Z55 model. The Z55 had a 2.5" LCD screen that was considered "huge" just a year ago, but now that so many other digital cameras also sport a 2.5" LCD, Casio decided to release a 2.7" LCD model, hence the Z57. Amazingly, the overall physical size hasnt changed, and the EX-Z55s industry-leading amazing battery life (over 300 even with flash on and LCD on full-time) has been retained, making the EX-Z57 another battery life champ.
As far as I can tell -- and from what the sales clerk told me -- the internals of the EX-Z57 are identical to those of its immediate predecessor. This means very good image quality from such a small camera. Three important issues to keep in mind as you shop for this camera or a similarly ultracompact model:
1. The tiny lens and tiny sensor necessarily limit the sharpness of the picture. If you shoot at the maximum 5MP and print out at up to 5x7", you probably wont be disappointed by the sharpness of the picture. However, as you print larger pictures, youll see the pictures tend to be softer and noisier than from larger cameras. This is simply a result of the law of physics, and its a trade-off between size and quality.
2. The small camera also means a small, limited-power flash, so your indoor pictures when the ambient lighting is dim will not come out very satisfactory. Again, this is entirely due to the small form factor. If you want to use this camera to shoot a small group of friends at a dinner party, its okay. But you should know that as you near the flash range and go beyond, youll get horrible-looking pictures.
3. A camera this small makes it very hard to hold it steady. Many people with tiny cameras like this complain about blurry pictures. This is because as you press the shutter button, youll move the camera ever so slightly. With a larger camera body (e.g., a digital SLR), the much heavier camera body requires more effort to hold which has the side benefit of providing a counteracting force to the shutter-pushing force. Hence, with a small camera like the EX-Z57, you must remember to hold the camera very steady as you press the shutter.
Whereas the older EX-Z55 had an optical viewfinder, Casio opted to remove it in order to accommodate the enlarged LCD screen without changing the overall size of the camera. Yes, the Z55s optical viewfinder was tiny and hard to use, but at least it was an option -- and looking through the optical viewfinder instead of at the screen actually helps steady your shots because you hold the camera close to your body (think the principle of leverage). Also, when you are really low on battery, switching to optical viewfinder can squeeze out a few more shots. For a camera purish like myself, its a pity that the optical viewfinder is no more on the Z57, but for most casual photographers (the Exilims target audience) this will likely be a non-issue, since they probably would never use the optical vewfinder to begin with.
In summary, the Z57 provides an unbeatable small form factor yet a crowd-pleasing huge LCD screen, amazing battery life and very good image quality (for a camera this size). You can also record movies (albeit only at a stuttering 15 frames per second) as well as sound. Its very intuitive to use, and my friends who have the Z55 are all very happy with it (once I gave them the tip about holding the camera super-steady or on a tripod to avoid blurs). While I dont have money to buy another digital camera at the moment, but if I had some extra spare dough, I would definitely buy this just for the HUGE 2.7" LCD. To a gadget freak like me, its priceless to be able to impress my friends with something this cool. :)
|
|
