Physical Tour

Front**

The right side of the front is where the 3x optical zoom lens protrudes from the EX-Z57. Around the rim of the lens are the words, "SMC Pentax Zoom Lens, Optical 3x, 5.8mm-17.4mm." Above the lens and in the top right of the camera’s front is a microphone and an LED light. The microphone is a single black hole into the camera’s body; the LED to its right is slightly larger and indicates when the self-timer will activate. In the top left corner of the Z57 is the brand name "Casio" in polished silver lettering. To its right is an oval-shaped built-in flash. Below these features in the center of the camera’s body is a raised rectangular panel that is the same color as the rest of the body, and simply adds visual interest. On the left side is a polished vertical bar that extends slightly above and below the panel; this acts as the finger grip. Between the grip and the lens is a square-shaped panel with the words "5.0 Megapixels." In the bottom left corner of the EX-Z57 is the word "Exilim." The simplicity of the overall design on the front is both pleasant on the eyes and logically arranged.

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Back**

With a massive 2.7-inch LCD screen on the left, the Casio Exilim EX-Z57 brings the notion of a "visible screen" to new heights; an attractive control panel on the right completes the look. All of the buttons are balanced and symmetrical. In the top right are the zoom buttons; the one on the left zooms out to a wide angle and the one on the right zooms in for close-ups. Directly below those buttons are two other, circular controls: the Playback button on the left and the Camera button on the right. Below is the navigational dial, which looks like a polished, shallow silver bowl. A notch in each direction shows the user the proper direction to push the dial. In the center of the bowl is a button labeled "Set." The bottom portion of the dial also controls the flash settings in the recording mode and deletes pictures in the playback mode. The top part of the dial switches into macro mode while shooting and prints photos in playback mode. Each function has a small representative icon on the dial. The left and right sides of the dial are left for the user to choose the function. Below the dial on the bottom are two rectangular buttons; the left one is labeled "DISP" and the right "MENU."

Left Side

The left side is largely free of features. A steel-colored band runs down the center of the silver-colored camera body. Other than that, there are four screws holding the metal casing together. On the slope between the left side and the back of the Z57 are three holes that serve as the camera’s built-in speaker.

Right Side

The right side of the metal frame only features a polished loop for a wrist strap in its center. Like the left side, there are four visible screws holding the sturdy casing together.

Top

The top of this digital camera is fairly simplistic. The top has a steel-colored band running from the middle to the left side of the camera; this band extends down the left side of the Z57. Printed on the band are the words, "5.0 Megapixels Digital Camera EX-Z57." To the right of this band is a raised oval-shape section of the top, which has two buttons on it. The circular button on the left is labeled "On/ Off." The button to its right is the large, oval-shaped shutter release button.

Components

Viewfinder

There is no optical viewfinder on the Casio EX-Z57. This is one of the defining characteristics that sets it apart from its sister, the Z55, but with a 2.7-inch LCD screen, who would want to use the small window?

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LCD Screen**

The Casio Z57 has one of the largest LCD screens available at 2.7 inches. The black border surrounding the display has the Exilim logo at the top. With 115,200 pixels, the LCD screen is a little short on resolution; the image on the demo model at PMA looked grainy the clarity was compromised. It has a 100 percent field of view, with live histograms available onscreen, as well as an assistance grid display to help users compose the frame using basic photographic concepts (such as the rule of thirds). Two brightness levels are available on the screen as well.

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Flash**

The oval-shaped flash is built into the front of the Casio Z57. With the following modes, the flash can reach from 0.4m-2.6m (almost 10 ft): Auto, Flash On, Flash Off, and Red-Eye Reduction. The mode selection seems a little short, but the flash intensity can be adjusted from +/-2 in 1/3 steps. This flash doesn’t reach far, so keep subjects close or well-lit in other ways.

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Zoom Lens**

The Casio EX-Z57 stocks a 3x optical, SMC Pentax zoom lens that extends from the camera body in three segments, equivalent to a 35-105mm zoom in 35mm format. Inside the rim and above the glass is an electronic lens cap that quickly opens and closes when the Exilim is powered on and off. This protects the lens when the camera is off and won’t get lost when the camera is on. The camera packs an extra 4x digital zoom that should be used sparingly, if ever. The Z57 preproduction model at the Photo Marketing Association trade show focused quickly and quietly, which is a plus for this compact digital camera and its automatic users. The Pentax glass lens should be fairly reliable as far as quality goes, but we’ll have to wait to get our hands on a review model for testing to know for sure.

Design / Layout

**Model Design / Appearance
**Built for style, the EX-Z57 has a simple, rectangular design that appears sleek and attractive. The body is constructed of aluminum, avoiding the cheap look and feel that plastic emanates. The camera has raised portions of the body that add interest, as well as comfort for gripping. This thin digital camera has a polished surface on its front with a skinny rubber vertical finger grip that works surprisingly well. It is refreshing to see a finger grip that works and is hardly noticeable. The blend of attractive form and practical placement sustains a congruent flow throughout the design of the Z57 and has become a known strength of the Exilim line.

Size / Portability

A definite strength of the Casio Z57’s construction, and much of the Exilim line, is the compact form and condensed shape. At only 0.9 inches thick, the Z57 can fit easily into a pocket. When turned off, the lens retracts into the camera body, flattening the remaining surfaces. The body is very lightweight at 4.6 ounces, which can be misinterpreted as an effort to keep costs down rather than bring portability up; however, spanning 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches, with an accompanying wrist strap, the point-and-shoot Z57 is obviously designed for easy transport.

Handling Ability

For a digital camera this tiny, the Z57 handles well. There is no bulky hand grip, but rather an attractive polished bar with a vertical strip of rubber acts as a finger grip in the front. The wrist strap loop rotates on the side of the camera, so the strap won’t get twisted up. Perhaps it’s only a subtle detail, but it’s these tiny details that make a point-and-shoot model desirable. The small Z57’s ergonomic layout is optimized for both control and comfort, surpassing many competing "ultra slim" models within its price bracket in providing users on the go with an efficient and reliable camera that suits their lifestyles.

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Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size**

Buttons and controls are laid out in an orderly manner on the EX-Z57, giving the back face of the camera an aesthetically pleasing facade. Most (but not all) of the buttons are properly sized and all of them are properly spaced. The only buttons of concern are the bottom two: the DISP and MENU buttons. They are small and shaped like very thin rectangles, so users must jam fingers into the back of the camera and hope the right button is pushed. The navigational/control dial is also less than optimal, as it is a single circular button with four directions on it. The dial could be easily pushed in between two different directions, leaving the camera to decide where to apply itself. The zoom buttons at the top are a bit on the small side, especially considering their probable frequency of use. While the power button is small and recessed, working to keep the camera from accidentally turning on in a backpack or pocket, it also keeps users from starting the camera quickly. Fortunately, Casio got the most important button just right; the shutter release button is big, polished, and raised, avoiding any direct issue when capturing the shot.

Menu

The easy-to-find, self-labeled Menu button displays three headings when the button is pushed. The three menus are labeled with file folder-like tabs across the top of the screen, with the highlighted menu’s options aligned in the lower portion of the screen. The three menus are Recording, Memory, and Setup. When the Recording menu is highlighted, the following selections appear: Self-Timer, Size, Quality, EV Shift, White Balance, ISO, AF Area, Sharpness, Saturation, Contrast, Flash Intensity, Flash Assist, Grid, Digital Zoom, Review, Icon Help, and Left/Right Key. This lengthy list takes several screens of scrolling to get through, but it’s always nice to have an abundance of options. Once the setting or option is selected with the up or down portion of the dial, it can be pushed on the right to enter the sub-menu, where a user can again scroll up and down.

The Memory menu operates in the same way with the following options: Recording Mode, Flash, Focus, White Balance, ISO, AF Area, Self-Timer, Flash Intensity, Digital Zoom, Manual Focus Position, and Zoom Position. This menu acts as the brains for the camera. All of the default settings are automatic, but they can be changed and saved within this menu.

A Setup menu offers these options to add flair and convenience to the digital camera: Screen, Sounds, Startup, File Number, World Time, Date Style, Adjust, Language, Sleep, Auto Power Off, Record/Play, USB, Format, and Reset. The Casio Z57 can speak many languages: Chinese (simplified and traditional), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. When the camera is in Playback mode, the menu appears with these selections: Slideshow, Favorites, DPOF, Protect, Rotation, Resize, Trimming, Dubbing, Create Album, Alarm, and Copy. All of the menus are easy to navigate. The Icon Help function enhances the ease of use even more. The menu options can be viewed in text and/or icons.

Ease of Use

The Z57 is definitely easier to use than its counterpart, the Z750, which has more manual functions but less overall functionality. The Casio Z57 takes only the best features, such as the Icon Help menu option and live histograms, from its manual-oriented counterpart. Users won’t have to push several buttons for menus; on this model, the Menu button covers the span of options. In Best Shot mode, scrolling through the menu is simple and even somewhat interesting, as users get a sample image of each scene mode along with a title and explanation. There aren’t many manual options, but the existing ones can easily be found in the menu.

Modes

Auto Mode

The automatic mode can be easily found by pushing the button with the red camera on it. A menu pops up, and users can scroll between Snapshot, Best Shot, Movie, Still and Sound, and Voice. Snapshot is Casio’s term for the fully automatic mode. While it would have been nice to have a one-touch auto button on the camera body, finding it in the LCD screen isn’t exactly tedious either.

Drive / Burst Mode

Unfortunately, there is no burst mode on the Z57 – an odd and critical exclusion for those reliant on speed.

Playback Mode

Images can be easily viewed on the oversized 2.7-inch LCD screen either in single frames or in pages of nine per screen. Pictures can also be viewed in slide shows, which is much more enjoyable to view when the camera is connected to a television with the A/V out cable. Each image can be enlarged 4x and resized, trimmed, reversed or rotated. A Calendar function chronologically organizes all images in the memory, which is a nice feature if users have large memory cards holding vast amounts of files. Movies can also be played back with sound.

Movie Mode

The Casio Exilim EX-Z57 has a movie mode that is good for emailing or posting on the web, but a bit limited for television viewing. With 320 x 240 pixels, the Z57 shoots 15 frames per second. This is slightly choppy, but better than flip animation. This digital camera will record audio, though the quality is not too impressive. The microphone picks up small noises, distorting the sound and reducing clarity. There are some positive features to the movie mode: the length of the movie clip is only limited to the capacity of the memory card. There is also a small amount of zoom available in the movie mode; this is a rare feature in compact digital cameras to have any bit of zoom. Beware of zooming in while recording a movie, as the more you close in on a subject, the more exaggerated jerky movement will be. Overall, the movie mode has some interesting features, but the resolution and speed (basic capture capability) isn’t up to par with other models.

Custom Image Presets

This Casio Exilim is skinny, stylish, and lacks major manual options, so it is clearly targeted towards point-and-shoot consumers. There is a huge market for fashionable, simplistic cameras with basic features, and Casio targets this crowd successfully, offering an array of scene selections, which it calls its Best Shot mode. The following scenes are available: 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, and White Board.

This long list far surpasses the basics, opting for a flashier, more eclectic inclusion of applications, such as the Coupling Shot. The Coupling Shot combines two pictures that are taken simultaneously, aligning them next to each other. This is one of those impractical, yet oddly enjoyable modes. Users can take the right side of one person and put it on the left half of another person. An included Business Cards and Documents mode is slightly more useful. This mode takes text that is shot at an angle and straightens it to make it easier to read. Perhaps the best aspect of the custom image presets is the menu layout presented when scrolling through the options. It is probably the best layout I’ve seen. As users scroll up and down through the options, there is a text title, a short five-or-so-word explanation of the mode, and a sample photo of what the scene is used for – a remarkable resource for beginner users or those not yet accustomed to digital camera terminology.

Control Options

Manual Control Options

The Casio Z57 was not sculpted for heavy manual reliance; however, there are some settings available. White Balance, ISO, Exposure Compensation, and Focus can all be controlled by the user. More details will follow…

Auto Focus

This camera has contrast auto focus, with Spot and Multi focus modes. There are several more focus modes available: Pan Focus, Auto Pan Focus, Macro, Infinite, and Focus Lock. The Casio Z57 automatically – and seamlessly - switches between the normal and macro shooting modes. In the Macro mode, the Z57 can focus from 6-50cm. In the normal modes, its focus range reaches from 40cm to as far as the lens can see.

Manual Focus

There is in fact a manual focus control on the Exilim EX-Z57, although it is extremely difficult to use. It can focus as close as 6cm and as far as the user can see, but with a sliding bar and an entire scene in a 2.7-inch box (granted, this is significantly larger than most), it is difficult to tell what is focused. As with all compact digital cameras with their "manual focus" modes, it is better to trust the auto focus than your own eyes on this one – though a manual focus ring would make it a different story.

Exposure

Exposure modes are few and mostly automatic on this compact digital camera; Snapshot, Best Shot, and Still and Sound are the only exposure modes available for still images. The exposure can be manually compensated, adjustable from +2 to -2 in 1/3 stop steps; this is a standard range for a compact digital camera and certainly nothing to get excited about.

White Balance

Fully automatic and fully manual modes highlight the selection of white balance modes. There are also six preset modes to choose from: Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, and Incandescent. The presets are represented graphically with icons, and then explained with the Icon Help option. This is particularly beneficial to those users who don’t intuitively know the difference between Fluorescent 1 and Fluorescent 2. The first option is explained as, "Under white or daylight white fluorescent light (suppresses color fogging)." Fluorescent 2 is only for daylight white lights. Despite the lack of other manual shooting controls, the Z57 contains the essential manual white balance option, customizable to the exact color of light illuminating the scene.

ISO

The ISO rating on the Exilim Z57 can be selected manually or automatically, varying between a standard sensitivity range of 50, 100, 200, and 400. This function can be found in the recording menu and can be set to appear when the right or left portion of the four-way dial is pressed. The ISO rating can also be set to auto, during which the camera will read the available light within the scene and set the rating accordingly.

Shutter Speed

This camera has a CCD electronic and mechanical shutter that operates automatically. In the Snapshot mode, the Z57 can shoot from 1/8-1/2000^th of a second; in the Night mode setting, the shutter duration extends to 4 seconds at its slowest. In the Fireworks mode, there is only one shutter speed: 2 seconds.

Aperture

The optical zoom lens on the Z57 has an aperture range from f/2.6-f/4.3. This is all controlled automatically, so users probably won’t even notice that it exists and changes with the level of the zoom, though it will have a slight effect on the visible planes of depth apparent in the image.

Image Parameters

Picture Quality / Size Options

This digital camera has six image sizes for still shots: 2560 x 1920, 2560 x 1712, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, and 640 x 480. As you can tell, there are size options in 4:3 and 3:2 aspect ratios, optimizing the camera for the popular size of 4 x 6-inch prints. Each resolution size includes three compression settings: Fine, Normal, and Economy. For example, the Fine mode on the highest 2560 x 1920 size records a 2.2 MB file while the Economy mode records the same resolution in a 1.3 MB JPEG file. At the highest resolution and in the Fine mode, users can capture four pictures to the internal memory. A memory card will definitely be necessary.

Picture Effects Mode

The picture effects are mixed in with the scene modes in the Best Shot menu. Users of the Casio Z57 can shoot in black and white or sepia. Note that on this model, sepia is called Retro and black and white is called Monochrome. These color modes can be switched on and off and act like recording modes, in contrast to the post-recording added color modes that some compact digital cameras utilize. The camera changes everything in view to the selected black and white or sepia, so users can view how their composition will truly look, rather than guessing and adding colors in the editing process.

Connectivity / Extras

Connectivity
*Software – *Casio’s Photo Loader software allows automatic transfer of images to a PC at the touch of a button on the included USB cradle.

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Jacks, Ports, Plugs - The Casio Exilim EX-Z57 has a USB cradle jack on the bottom of the camera that connects to the included camera dock. The dock has a DC in jack and a USB port that works for A/V out cables as well. The cradle is designed to streamline image transfer to computers and printers, and can also recharge the battery while performing these functions.

*Direct Print Options – *The Z57 is PictBridge compatible and prints with the touch of a button from the included camera dock. This digital camera has a Motion Print option for printing movie clips; the final product looks like an index print that could be made into a flipbook.

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Memory

The Casio EX-Z57 has 9.3 MB of internal memory and a slot for SD or MMC cards on the bottom of the camera. The 'optional' card will not be an option once four pictures at full resolution have taken up the internal memory.

Other Features
Self-Timer – The timer on the Z57 offers more options than most cameras. It can capture the photograph either 2 or 10 seconds after the shutter release button is pressed. There is also a triple self-timer feature that takes three pictures consecutively, so users don’t have to reset the timer when someone blinks in the portrait.

*Live Histograms – *The Casio Z57 displays live histograms and image file information when the DISP button is pushed, providing a breakdown of the tonal values in the exposure.

*Alarm – *There are three alarms available that work just like a cell phone alarm – but cooler. When the designated time arrives, the camera displays an image of your choosing along with a recorded message of your making.

Sleep Mode – Within the setup menu, users can choose the length of time the camera goes untouched before it falls asleep. This saves precious battery life for taking the pictures.

*Long Battery Life – *Not that the Z57 really needs to save battery life anyway - One of its best selling points is its long lasting battery life. The Casio Z57 has the same long life of the Z55, but the Z57 has a larger 2.7-inch LCD screen. Both Exilims can get about 400 shots from a single charge of the lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

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Overall Impressions

Value

For the $399.99 price, the Casio Exilim EX-Z57 packs competitive features found on more expensive models. The huge 2.7-inch LCD screen coupled with 5 megapixels and a wide variety of scene modes is a difficult package to find at this price. If users are looking for pure function, the newly released Nikon 5900 has very similar functions – mostly automatic modes, 5 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, 2 inch LCD – and sells for $349.95. However, the 5900 does not have the sleek body that the Z57 boasts. If users are looking for that sort of style, this may be the cheapest it comes. The Sony T33 has 5 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, similar functions, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen, however, it retails for $499.99.

Conclusions

Conclusion

The Casio Exilim EX-Z57 has attracted significant interest with its flashy features and relatively affordable retail price of $399.99. This camera appeals to automatic-oriented consumers, as it doesn’t offer manual adjustments for aperture or shutter speeds. Users can change a few settings such as white balance and ISO within the intuitive menus. The Best Shot mode contains a lengthy list of scene modes, with some basics such as Portrait and some other exotic modes like Coupling Shot. There are plenty of image size options in both 4:3 and 3:2 formats, enabling users to optimize the frame for specific print sizes. The 5-megapixel digital camera has a quiet Pentax 3x optical zoom lens with a built-in cover that snaps open and closed. And on the other side is the Z57’s true gem, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, which is substantially larger than any in this price range, although it seems that the most emphasized marketing point for the camera is the 400-shot battery life. This is the same as the earlier Z55, but surpasses it on the grounds that it is using a larger LCD screen (and thus, consumes more battery power). When the lithium-ion battery does run low, users can put the camera in the included camera dock, which has all the connections for easy printing and transferring of images. For those intrigued potential consumers, the Casio Exilim EX-Z57 should make its way to store shelves worldwide in late March or early April.

Specs

Specs Table
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