The Casio Exilim EX-Z300 is a 10.1-megapixel point-and-shoot with a zoom range of 28-112mm (35mm equivalent). The thin metal body easily slips into a shirt pocket, but getting a good grip can be an issue. The new image processor enables you to shoot at higher ISOs (range is 64-3200) with relatively low noise levels. I shot at night and indoors at ISO 1600 and, although there was noise and loss of detail, I was impressed with overall dynamic range and image quality of Casio’s new Exilim EX-Z300. Camera movement is minimized by mechanically shifting the sensor or raising the ISO to allow faster shutter speeds.
The Exilim EX-Z300 really takes auto exposure to a whole new level, with a limited selection of shooting modes. Auto: A limited auto shoot mode, with metering, white balance, and various other adjustments. Best Shot: Casio’s general preset mode. Best Shot Auto: A fully auto scene selection tool, where the Exilim EX-Z300 selects from one of the Best Shot mode’s 39 presets. And finally Movie: The movies are captured by the Exilim EX-Z300 at an astounding 1280X720 at 24 frames per second.
Sadly, the zoom becomes disabled in movie mode on the Exilim EX-Z300 which is a bit of a drawback. Face recognition stores up to six faces as references for future shots. Press the dedicated Make-up Shot button before taking a shot, and the Exilim EX-Z300 applies 12 degrees of airbrushing to smooth blemishes, wrinkles, and remove harsh shadows without over softening. The Exilim EX-Z300 uses SD cards and records JPEG, MOV, and WAV formats. The 3″, 230,400-pixel LCD screen holds up well in bright outdoor light. To the right of the LCD is an intuitive five-button control panel and a four-way navigational pad whose right- and left-navigational arrows can be programmed to adjust ISO, EV compensation, etc.
Pressing the Set button on the Exilim EX-Z300 brings up a panel of frequently used features on the LCD that can be adjusted quickly, sparing a trip through the menus. This is a totally automatic camera with no aperture or shutter priority modes. On the Exilim EX-Z300 there are 38 Best Shot preset scene modes that can be used as a workaround: Landscape gives you maximum depth of field; Sports gives you a fast shutter speed; etc.
Image quality on the Exilim EX-Z300 is very good up to ISO 400, but general performance suffers with a 3-sec. lag between shots. Overall, Casio has created a decent beginner level camera at a decent cost.
by Haley Hutzel