Casio Exilim EX-Z75 Digital Camera Review
By Karen M. Cheung
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
Published on September 05, 2007
Casio introduced its entry-level Exilim EX-Z75 in January 2007 as its most basic point-and-shoot. The 7.2-megapixel Z75 carries barebones features including a 3x optical zoom lens and 2.6-inch LCD screen. Since its introduction, the Z75's price has dropped from $229.99 to $199.99 and is currently Casio's lowest-priced model. This camera caters to thrifty shoppers, but buyers should beware.
The Casio Z75 has a laundry list of flaws. Performance ranked below average and the camera’s unimpressive specifications make the Z75 a hard sell even when compared to other cameras in this sub-$200 class. The Exilim Z75 produces pictures with blue and yellow discoloration. Blue color error is common among point-and-shoots, as it enhances the hue of skies, but yellow color error can make warmer tones appear unpleasantly greenish. The 3x optical zoom lens also distorts photos, curving edges and making straight lines appear bowed at the corners.
The camera’s 7.2-megapixel resolution isn’t as effective as it should be. Cameras such as the 7.1-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD40 produce more details in images, making larger prints look better. The Casio Z75 tends to over-sharpen images and produce ghosting artifacts, or distracting ring-like effects on pictures. The camera's dynamic range, or the spectrum of tones captured in a picture, was mediocre, ranking lower than the Z75’s big sister, the Casio Z1050.
The Exilim EX-Z75 has trouble automatically focusing in low light, a nuisance when trying to quickly snap a photo. The Casio Z75 also has a low ISO sensitivity range that maxes out at 400 at full resolution, making shooting dark scenes difficult. Many of the camera's competitors offer higher ISO settings. The similarly priced 6-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd performed well in low light and is a strong competitor to the Z75 with its more extensive 80-1600 ISO range, trendy colors, wireless technology, and $229 price tag. Even with its poor image performance, the Casio Z75 has a few saving graces. Casio prides the camera's portability. At a petite 0.75-inch thick, it can easily be carried in a bag or pocket. When compared to the chunkier GE G1 or Sony Cyber-shot W55, the Casio Z75 is one of the slimmest budget cameras on the market.
The Z75, like all Casio cameras, allows beginners to select from a list of automatic presets such as Portrait and Fireworks. The Casio Z75 has a generous 34 Scene modes, compared to the Sony W55’s paltry 7 scenes and the Fuji Z5fd’s 15 modes.
The Casio Z75 has an updated 2.6-inch, 153,600-pixel LCD screen. The screen size is only slightly bigger than the competing Sony Cyber-shot W55 and Nikon Coolpix S200 with their 2.5-inch screens. That 0.1-inch difference really isn’t noticeable. The Casio Z75's low screen resolution can make pictures look grainy, too. The current resolution standard is 230,000 pixels on most cameras, which the Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd has. Budget cameras often have low resolution LCDs, though: the Nikon S200 has the same 153,600-pixel resolution and the Sony W55 has only 115,000 pixels on its 2.5-inch screen. The Casio Z75’s screen has a wide 14:9 ratio view for panoramas. While some cameras offer a wider 16:9 view, the Z75's 14:9 is still admirable.
Compared to its rivals, the Casio Z75 lacks advanced features that are becoming standard in point-and-shoots. There’s no face detection like what is included in the Nikon Coolpix S200 and GE G1. The GE G1 offers in-camera panoramic stitching and the Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd has Wi-Fi capabilities for wirelessly transferring photos. Both competing cameras can be found for less than $200.
The greatest lure of the Casio Z75 is the $200 price. However, low price doesn’t necessarily equal high value. This lackluster camera runs behind the times with outdated or missing features. Customers should look elsewhere for cameras that offer more advanced features and better performance.For a more in-depth review, visit the Casio Exilim EX-Z75 Review at our partner DigitalCameraInfo.com
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