Overview
The Casio Exilim EX-Z57 is a five megapixel digital camera with a three times optical zoom lens. It is an ultra compact model that is slim enough to slip easily into a pocket or small bag. It is easy to use and is aimed at causal photographers who are looking for a digital camera they can take anywhere and will have no trouble operating.
Image Quality
Looking through the test shots I have taken with the Exilim EX-Z57 I would have to declare myself very satisfied with the quality of the photos produced. There is just one shot where I felt the camera struggled up against its competitors. All the other photos I took were successful.
My favourite shots are the outdoor scenic shots. Whilst it is true that digital cameras tend to make an acceptable stab at this type of photo I felt the Exilim EX-Z57 produced a series of results that stood up pretty well against its rivals. If I have one criticism in this area it is that the pictures do tend to lose a degree of sharpness towards the edges of each shot. This does happen from time to time with some digital cameras. This is especially true in my experience with ultra compact models like this one.
The strength of the outdoor shots is the colours the camera manages to produce. This is also supported by the dedicated test for colour. The colours retain a natural feel to them.
I also like the outdoor portrait. I tried taking this shot with and without flash. The test shots were taken in December at a time of the year when there is little warmth in the sunlight. Therefore adding flash can perk up the lighting and improve the shot. In this case I preferred the picture taken without flash. This highlights the fact that the Exilim EX-Z57 can do a pretty useful job at warming up a picture even in cool conditions.
The one shot I was left disappointed by was the indoor shot of beer bottles. This was taken in more or less complete darkness, but many digital cameras are able to overcome this handicap. By contrast the indoor portrait is well focused and the lighting is good as well. My only complaint is a touch of red eye in the shot.
The macro test produced a pleasing result. This is a sharply focused shot and is another example of the right level of lighting.
This section of the review has been updated in December 2005. I would like to thank Paul-Henri Cahier for his help in resolving a number of focusing issues I had previously had with the is camera.
Shutter Lag and Recycling Times
Shutter lag is the time it takes to take each picture. A constant criticism of digital cameras is the delay in between clicking the shutter button, the picture being taken and also the camera being ready to take the next picture. From a pure shutter lag view the EXILIM EX-Z57 took a picture and recorded it in 0.09 seconds. This is an extremely fast time.
In terms of recycling times I was able to take five pictures in the space of 10.51 seconds. That works out at a rate of 2.10 seconds per picture. I am not claiming that this is the most scientific tests, but it should give you an indication of the recycling speed of the camera. Again this is a faster than average time. My test is carried out indoors under standard conditions and it is possible that you would see better results outside.
Features
The three times optical zoom lens has a focal length that is the equivalent of 35 - 105mm in 35mm format. This is supported by a 4x digital zoom feature. For close up photography the macro mode can get you in as close as 6cms.
When you first turn on the camera you are likely to use automatic mode. In this setting all you need to do is line up the shot and press the shutter button. As well as automatic mode there is one of the widest selections of scene modes that you are likely to find. These are pre programmed modes that help the camera to take the best possible shot. All you need to do is select the most appropriate scene before you take the shot. The scenes available are: portrait, scenery, portrait with scenery, coupling shot, pre shot, children, candlelight portrait, party, pet, flower, natural green, sundown, night scene, night scene portrait, fireworks, food, text, collection, monochrome, retro, twilight, business cards and documents, white board etc. You can also register your own scene.
Another stand out feature of the EXILIM EX-Z57 is its 2.7" LCD screen. This is a big help when you are lining up a shot or accessing the menu system. The only downside is that owing to the size of the screen there is not room for a viewfinder.
The built in flash unit has a maximum range of 2.6m. This falls to 2m when the zoom lens is fully extended. There are flash settings for always on, always, off, automatic and red eye reduction.
For when you would like to appear in the picture there is a self timer. The self timer can be set to a two or ten second delay. There is also a setting that allows you to set a delay before taking three shots in quick succession.
Movie recording time is only limited by the capacity of the memory card. The maximum resolution is 320x240 with a maximum frame speed of 30 frames per second.
Among the more advanced features are shutter speeds that range from 4 to 1/2000 seconds, sensitivity (50, 100, 200 and 400), exposure compensation (-2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)) and white balance (sunny, cloudy, shade, florescent 1, fluorescent 2, tungsten and a manual setting). You can also choose between multi pattern and centre weighted metering. There are no manual exposure controls.
Casio supplies all the necessary cables and software to connect the EXILIM EX-Z57 to a computer and PictBridge compatible printer.
Ease of Use
If you are a bit nervous about menu systems then you should feel at home with the Exilim EX-Z57. The menus are well thought out and it is just a case of scrolling through them to find the setting you want to change.
Casio have also found a way to keep under control the number of buttons on the camera. On the back you will find ones for the key controls such as zoom and flash, but all in all everything is kept as simple as possible.
Cost
You can pick up a Casio Exilim EX-Z57 for around £210. This compares to around £220 for a Canon IXUS 50, £205 for a Pentax Optio S5z and £215 for a Nikon Coolpix S1. This is a very fair price based on the camera's features.
Style
The Exilim EX-Z57 is a fairly typical slimline digital camera. It has a rectangular shape and a metal body. The build quality appears to be good and it has a solid feel. It has dimensions of 88.5 x 58.0 x 22.5mm and weighs in at around 130g. This places it comfortably in the ultra compact category.
Batteries and Memory Cards
Power is supplied by a rechargeable lithium ion battery. Casio supplies both the battery and charger with the Exilim EX-Z57. Also supplied is a cradle that you place the camera in for recharging.
The camera has 9.3mb of built in storage. I was able to take five shots before the internal memory became full. This is an area where I feel Casio could be more generous. Therefore you will need to pick up a memory card to go with the camera.
Click here to save money on SD cards.
Points I like:
Design and build quality
Overall ease of use
Great menu layout
Lightening fast shutter response
Where it is not so hot:
Very small internal memory
Summary
The Casio Exilim EX-Z57 is strong on ease of use and offers a very large 2.7" LCD screen. There is a lot to like about this camera and is worth a close look.
Casio EXILIM EX-Z57 Front View
Casio EXILIM EX-Z57 Back View
Casio EXILIM EX-Z57 Top View
Sample Menus
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