Three new digital cameras from Casio
Friday, September 12th, 2008Casio’s popular Exilim series of digital cameras has been extended with three new models - the 9.1 megapixel EX-Z85 and two offering improved night-time and portrait capabilities, the EX-Z300 and EX-Z250.
These last two models take advantage of Casio’s new imaging engine - a high-speed module that packages the existing high-performance CPU with a new dedicated image processing CPU.
One result of this increase in processing power is that users can quickly and easily shoot and view complex images. However, these models don’t just offer improved performance in the usual range of features, they also offer completely new functions.
Casio promises the cameras are capable of delivering fantastic photos of people’s faces, night scenes and other subjects that have long caused amateur photographers to tear their hair in frustration.
It says the EX-Z300 and EX-Z250 can both detect difficult environments and automatically apply the necessary corrections. This might include night scene photography where camera shake could be an issue, or subjects that are backlit, carrying the risk of faces coming out too dark.
According to Casio: “This all means that users get great, well-balanced photos of family and friends against any background with no more worry than it takes to press the shutter button.”
Another feature is the ‘makeup’ function, aimed at improving photos of faces by using high-end image processing to smooth skin and soften hard sunlight shadows. There are 12 levels of this effect available, and the user can use the LCD monitor to preview which is the best to choose.
The EX-Z85 is a bit less fancy, but it does still have a couple of useful functions designed to help the less-than-confident photographer.
Its face recognition function can detect up to 10 faces and then give priority to any that have been pre-registered with it, picking the correct focus and exposure for them. And its auto shutter automatically takes a picture the moment the user’s hand stops shaking and the camera is still.
It also comes in eight colours - silver, black, two types of pink, blue, green, brown and orange - and users can customise the design of the focus frame and the colour of the menu screen.
Reviews of the new models have been generally positive, comparing the makeup function to an on-the-fly version of the image editing software used by graphic designers to improve rough photographs. However, some comments have suggested this feature is very similar to the ‘Picture Perfect’ mode available on some Samsung cameras.
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