The Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is a small, slim digital camera that will slip easily into a pocket. It has 7 megapixels and a 3x zoom lens. In terms of features the Exilim EX-Z77 is a standard point and shoot digital camera. This means that it is straightforward and you should find it easy enough to use.
Image Quality Casio Exilim EX-Z77 test shots
Outdoor 1 (Medium Zoom)
The colours the Exilim EX-Z77 manages to produce for this shot are good, but in terms of sharpness it is a disappointment. This is especially true as you move away towards the edges of the photo. The camera also struggles more than most to contain the glare from the sun.
Outdoor 2 (No Zoom)
This photo is o.k. and roughly inline with what I am used to seeing. This is a tough photo for smaller cameras with the scene being somewhat distant. Again I would like to see the photo that bit sharper.
Outdoor 3 (Maximum Zoom)
With the lens fully zoomed in there is still a loss of focusing as you move towards the edges of the shot. Sun glare again causes the camera extra problems with a lot of detail lost from the brighter areas of the photo.
Outdoor Portrait
Although I like the colours in this shot the photo has come out darker than I would like to see. Casio have added an option allowing you to adjust brightness levels after a photo has been taken, but obviously it is a lot better if the camera can get the lighting levels right in the first place.
Indoor Portrait without Flash
Despite the fact the indoor lighting is not that bad for this shot the Exilim EX-Z77 struggles to focus. It looks like a case of turning the flash unit on as soon as the light becomes anything less than perfect.
Indoor Portrait with Flash
This is a much better result. It is a sharp photo, although once again I would like to see a brighter shot.
Colours
My test for colour suggests that the Exilim EX-Z77 is capable of producing strong colours. This is especially true for blues.
Macro
The minimum focusing distance in macro mode is 10cm. This is further away than most digital cameras and my test photo has been cropped. Even then this is quite a weak shot in terms of sharpness.
ISO 400
Even at ISO 400 noise has started to play a fairly major role in the photo. This leads to a loss of picture quality and I would suggest only using this setting if it is more or less impossible to take a photo using any other settings.
ISO 800
At ISO 800 picture quality has slipped further away.
Overall
Overall I have to say my test shots are below average. The lack of sharpness in the photos is the biggest disappointment to me.
Shutter Lag
It took 0.30 seconds to capture a photo and 8.07 seconds to take 5. With the flash on a single photo took 0.48 seconds and 5 took 10.14 seconds. These are all standard times.
You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.
Style: The Exilim EX-Z77 is one of the smallest and most lightweight digital cameras around. It fits easily into a pocket. It comes in blue, silver, pink, red and black.
Dimensions: 95.0 x 59.0 x 19.8mm
Weight: 118g
Batteries: Lithium ion (NP-20). Casio suggest you should be able to take around 190 shots before the battery needs to be recharged.
Memory cards: 11.4 megabytes of storage have been built into the camera. It is also compatible with SD and SDHC cards. I was able to take 8 shots before the internal storage was full.
Click here to save money on SD cards.
Ease of use rating: Good. In terms of features this is a very standard point and shoot camera. The menus are easy to read and you should be able to find the setting you are looking for without too much problem.
Points I like:
Simplicity - simple design - LCD screen shows key menu options
Where it could improve:
Sharper images - brighter shots
Alternatives
A small camera for roughly the same price, but capable of better photos is the Panasonic DMC FX10. A larger camera that will give you better quality and save you a small amount is the Canon Powershot A560
Verdict:
The Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is one of the less expensive pocket sized cameras. It is disappointing that the photos it produces are not sharper. Personally I would either pay more for a better quality pocket sized camera or pay the same for a larger camera that takes a better photo.
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
| Casio Exilim EX-Z77 Summary |
| Description: | 7 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens |
| Ease of Use: | 9 |
| Features: | 7 |
| Colour: | 8 |
| Macro: | 6 |
| Indoors: | 6 |
| Value for Money: | 7 |
| Style: | 8 |
| Movie Mode: | 8 |
| Image Quality: | 6 |
| Build Quality: | 8 |
| Total: | 73 |
| Verdict: | "If you are looking for a cheaper pocket sized digital camera then the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is a possibility. It is not the best on the market, but then again the price tag is not one of the highest." |
| Review Date: | November 2007 |
| Click for: | Specification Sample Images Features |
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