Overview
The Casio Exilim EX-Z85 is a very small, pocket digital camera. It has 9 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens. It has a fairly basic feature set, but this does include a couple of different features such as a You Tube upload mode and a setting that will automatically fire off a shot when it detects someone is smiling.
Why Buy The Casio Exilim EX-Z85
This is a cheaper pocket digital camera. It takes a decent snap shot and scores well for ease of use.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
9
3x
2.6 inches
89.7 x 51.7 x 19mm
100g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
10cm
No
No
Lithium-ion Rechargeable
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
Taking into account the price of camera the Exilim EX-Z85 handles this scene very well. There is very little detail lost to sun glare and the shot is sharper than ones produced by more expensive digital cameras. The colours are well balanced too.
As with the first scene the Exilim EX-Z85 does well when the lens is fully retracted. Some parts of this scene are very distant, but the camera manages to pick out as much detail as possible. As long as you do not become over ambitious with the size of any prints you make you should be able to produce pleasant scenic snapshots.
I must admit to being surprised by the quality of my first three test shots. This shot is sharper than I thought it would be and I am impressed by the level of detail in the photo.
Sharpness across the photo is above average and I continue to be impressed by the general quality of the photos produced by such a small and inexpensive camera. I also like the warm colours it the shot.
Portraits
Moving in close the Exilim EX-Z85 continues to perform well. The skin tones are accurate, focusing is good and the camera uses the light well.
The range of the flash unit is relatively short. The burst of flash has lit up the face well, but I would like to have seen more even light throughout the photo with the hair and background being brighter too.
Without the burst of flash, lighting is more even. Having said that I think the picture would improve if the corners of the shot were not so dark. The Exilim EX-Z85 does manage to control noise well on the whole in this picture. This leads to more definition in the shot than some cameras manage.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The macro mode is limited by the fact you need to be 10cm away from the subject before the camera is able to focus. The quality of the shot is about average.
I like the colours produced in my test shots. They have a natural feel in most cases.
When using higher ISO settings noise levels are inline with what I am used to seeing. As with the indoor portrait without flash there is a tendency for dark areas to show in the corner of the photos.
Summary
I tend to find the quality of photos produced by different Casio digital cameras can vary. The Exilim EX-Z85 does well on the whole though and picture quality is good for a small, snapshot digital camera. All digital cameras tend to perform better outdoors in natural light, but with its weaker flash this is perhaps more noticeable than usual with this camera.
Style
You can see instantly that the Exilim EX-Z85 is smaller and more compact than almost any other digital camera. It has rounded corners. Taking the price tag into account it has an attractive look about it. The camera comes in 8 different colours: blue, brown, orange, green, pink, vivid pink, black and silver.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
0.32 seconds
12.59 seconds
0.59 seconds
17.33 seconds
Ease of Use
Even the more basic Casio digital cameras tend to have a few extra features than most brands. This is true of the Exilim EX-Z85. I like the way Casio displays menu options down the right hand side of the screen. This makes it easy to see your current settings. It also makes it easier to change them.
Points I Like
Ease of use - very small size - lightweight - picture quality outdoors
Where it Could Improve
Weak flash
Verdict
I found the Casio Exilim EX-Z85 to be an impressive little digital camera. It handled most of my tests well. It is one of the smallest and most lightweight digital cameras around. If I was looking for a smaller, relatively inexpensive digital camera I would place this one on my short list.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
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Related Pages
Casio Exilim EX-Z85 Review Casio Exilim EX-Z85 Specification Casio Exilim EX-Z85 Sample Images Casio Exilim EX-Z85 Features
Review Date
January 2009
