Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 Digital Camera Review
By Richard Baguley
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
December 11, 2006
It seems like a simple sell: a 10.1-megapixel digital camera now available for less than $300. However, the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 proves digital cameras are about more than just resolution. The images it captures are lackluster at best.
For starters, the colors are inaccurate with oversaturated and exaggerated blues and greens. Although colors are recognizable, they differ wildly from the original, lending a cartoon-like appearance to some subjects. Despite the high resolution, the images are lacking in detail. In our resolution tests, we found many cameras with less resolution actually picked up more detail than the EX-Z1000. Both the 8-megapixel Sony W100 and the 6-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD700 produced more detailed images, even though the images were composed of less megapixels.
The Casio Z1000's images had a significant amount of noise, especially when pushing the ISO setting to its maximum of 400. But even images at lower ISO settings show obvious and unattractive noise.
Shooting in low light is also a problem. The images produced in our tests were extremely blurry, as the camera had problems focusing. It used a beam of white light to illuminate the scene while focusing, although this didn't seem to help it lock focus. The maximum 1-second shutter speed is a problem too; don’t count on this camera if you are looking to take long exposure night shots.
The Movie mode on the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 is unimpressive. Although the image quality was adequate, the sound was awful. We heard a constant low hiss, and the noise of button presses and handling was picked up by the microphone.
But there are things to like about the Z1000. The camera itself is very small and light (at under 0.9 inches thick and less than 5 ounces), and the thin profile ensures that it will fit easily into a shirt pocket. The 3x zoom lens telescopes out of the camera’s nicely designed front face. On the back of the camera is a large 2.8-inch widescreen-formatted LCD screen, which is bright and can still be seen under direct sun. With a reasonable 230,000 pixels, it shows enough detail to check an image for problems after capture. The screen looks much better than similarly priced cameras like the Canon A640 and Casio Z750, both of which have 2.5-inch LCD screens with 115,000 pixels.
Casio goes the whole hog when it comes to Shooting modes, offering a bewildering selection of 38 modes. This means it takes some time to scroll through the selection of "Best Shot" modes, making finding the one you want rather inconvenient. Some of the modes seem pointless. Do you really need a dedicated mode for shooting autumn leaves? There are some useful presets though. The eBay mode shoots images in the right size to use in listings on the popular online auction site. White Board mode may also be useful. It automatically applies a keystone adjustment that corrects the perspective if you are trying to get a shot of lecture notes on a white board, for instance. But, despite this huge selection of modes, there is no option for full manual control. If you want a bit more control, check out the 10-megapixel Canon A640.
The buttons and dials on the back of the camera are small but easy to use, and the on-screen menus are clear and simple to navigate. Although the camera is small, it sits comfortably in the hand, with the shutter button under the index finger and the zoom control under the thumb. The polished metal surface can be a little slippery, but an included wrist strap ensures it won’t fall far if it slips (as long as you remember to put it around your wrist, of course).
The Casio Exilim Z1000 is compact, easy to use, and has some enticing features. The 10.1-megapixel image sensor will attract people who equate resolution with image quality. But the truth is that the images don’t look as good as other similarly priced cameras with lower megapixel numbers, so don’t be blinded by the figures. More megapixels, in this case, does not mean better image quality.
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