|
Casio has been bringing out ever increasingly clever designs in the Exilim range. I was very impressed when we reviewed the Z850 but the latest arrival, announced today, has several improvements that make it even more lust-worthy. It's no mean feat to squeeze a 7x superzoom into that svelte body, kept very slim by an internal zoom, rather that the protruding barrel of a conventional digicam.
And for all of us shaky types there are FOUR blur reduction technologies built in.
The EX-V7 should be on the shelves in March and we should have our review unit in a few weeks time so that we can bring you an in-depth coverage of its features.
Check out the Press Release and all the specs.
|
Casio Introduces the World’s Slimmest Digital Camera with a 7X Optical Zoom Lens
Motion Analysis Technology Reduces Photo Blur, Enables Auto Tracking AF Function and Built-in Camera Shake Compensation Uses Mechanical CCD Shift Technology
LAS VEGAS, NV, January 8, 2007 – Casio, Inc. and its parent company Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today the release of the 7.2-megapixel EXILIM Hi-ZOOM EX-V7, the most powerful zoom in the stylish EXILIM® series of compact digital cameras. This new model is the world’s slimmest digital camera with a 7X optical zoom lens*. Thinness is a defining quality in the EXILIM line, and the EX-V7 is no different as it easily fits in a shirt pocket or small purse.
In recent years, a number of compact, high-performance digital cameras have appeared on the market, but the trade-off between zoom power and camera size was evident in those models. Users who wanted to capture subjects at a distance were forced to buy bulkier cameras while other consumers sacrificed zoom for portability.
“The newest edition to the EXILIM line, the EX-V7, solves this problem, giving users the best of both worlds,” said Bill Heuer, Senior Vice President of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “It’s an exceptionally portable, great-looking digital camera with a powerful zoom lens — just what the world has been waiting for.”
The new camera also introduces an innovative function for reducing photo blur, made possible by Casio’s mechanical CCD shift technology. It also combines Casio’s well-received Anti Shake DSP, which reduces blur due to shaky hands or a moving subject by using higher ISO sensitivity and faster shutter speeds, with new motion analysis technology that uses the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed to capture a moving photo subject. Even at high zoom settings, the EX-V7 reduces most occurrences of image blur. Everyone from first-time photographers to seasoned professionals will love this latest photographic marvel from Casio.
* As of January 8, 2007, for digital cameras with a zoom ration of 7x or above. Based on a Casio survey. |
|
Main features:
• The world’s slimmest* digital camera with a 7X optical zoom lens, as stylish as any EXILIM
• 59.8 mm high, 95.5 mm wide, and 25.1 mm thin (20.8 mm at the thinnest part)
• Incorporates a cutting-edge, non-protruding 7X internal optical zoom lens.
• Offers 10X-equivalent zoom without loss of picture quality (in 3.0-megapixel mode).
• Four blur reduction technologies with new CCD shift system
• New CCD shift system actually mechanically compensates for camera shake.
• Automatically analyzes the velocity and vector of a moving subject and sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
• Anti Shake DSP reduces blur due to shaky hands and subject movement, using high shutter speeds and high sensitivity settings.
• Electronic camera shake compensation function eliminates blur when shooting in movie mode.
• Newly designed EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processor
• “Auto Tracking AF” function follows moving subjects, keeping them continuously in focus until the photo is taken.
• Tonal control lets users keep bright areas of the scene bright by limiting the occurrence of dark pixels.
• Offers ability to selectively eliminate noise in designated color regions, such as the sky.
• Boasts faster image processing functions that enable instantaneous color correction or angle adjustment.
• High-quality movies using next-generation H.264 video encoding method
• Creates movies at high compression ratios that save storage space.
• Records about 1.5 times longer, with the same capacity and same picture quality as conventional MPEG-4.**
• Silent lens motion enables optical zooming while recording movies in stereo sound.
• Records 16:9 wide-aspect movies compatible with wide-screen TVs.
* As of January 8, 2007, for digital cameras with a zoom ratio of 7x or above. Based on a Casio survey.
** Casio comparison, at Normal picture quality setting.
EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V7 Specifications:
Effective Pixels: 7.20 million
Imaging Element: 1/2.5-inch square pixel color CCD (total pixels: 7.41 million)
Image File Format:
Still images: JPEG (Exif Version 2.2), DCF standard, DPOF compliant
Movies: H.264/AVC, MOV format (Motion JPEG AVI format when the image quality setting is “LP”)
Audio: WAV (stereo)
Recording Media: Built-in flash memory (image area: 11.6 MB), SDHC Memory Card / SD Memory Card / Multimedia Card compatible
Image Size (Pixels): Still images: 3072×2304, 3072×2048 (3:2), 2560×1920, 2048×1536, 1600×1200, 640×480
Movies: 848×480 (UHQ Wide/HQ Wide), 640×480 (UHQ/HQ/Normal), 320×240 (LP)
|
Still images |
Image Size(Pixels) |
Image Quality /
Recording Time |
File Size |
Built-in Flash Memory (11.6 MB) |
SD Memory Card 256 MB*1 | | |
3072×2304 |
Fine/Normal/Economy |
Approx. 4.3 MB/2.31 MB/1.57 MB |
Approx. 2 shots/5 shots/7 shots |
Approx. 56 shots/105 shots/155 shots | | |
640×480 |
Fine/Normal/Economy |
Approx. 330 KB/190 KB/140 KB |
Approx. 35 shots/61 shots/84 shots |
Approx. 738 shots/1282 shots/1740 shots | | |
Movies |
640×480 (UHQ) |
Maximum Recording Time per File
(4 GB)*2 |
Approx. 6.0 Megabits per Second
(30 frames/second) |
Approx. 16 seconds |
Approx. 5 minutes,
35 seconds | | |
848×480 (UHQ Wide) |
Approx. 7.2 Megabits per Second
(30 frames/second) |
Approx. 13 seconds |
Approx. 4 minutes,
38 seconds | | |
640×480 (HQ) |
Approx. 3.0 Megabits per Second
(30 frames/second) |
Approx. 32 seconds |
Approx. 11 minutes,
15 seconds | | |
848×480 (HQ Wide) |
Approx. 3.6 Megabits per Second
(30 frames/second) |
Approx. 27 seconds |
Approx. 9 minutes,
21 seconds | | |
640×480 (Normal) |
Approx. 1.5 Megabits per Second
(30 frames/second) |
Approx. 1 minute, 5 seconds |
Approx. 22 minutes, 28 seconds | | |
320×240 (LP):
Motion JPEG |
Approx. 2.4 Megabits per Second
(15 frames/second) |
Approx. 39 seconds |
Approx. 13 minutes, 34 seconds | |
*1. When using Panasonic (Matsushita) 256 MB card. *2. Within limits of memory and battery life.
Operating Speed:
Power on to first shot: approximately 1.2 second*3
Shutter release time lag: approximately 0.008 second*3
Image playback: 0.1 second/image
Shot to shot time: approximately 1.0 seconds*3*4
Continuous shutter: approximately 0.7-second intervals*4
High-speed continuous shutter and Rapid Flash: approximately 3 frames per second
*3. With built-in flash off
*4. With image size set at 3072x2304 and using normal image quality
Lens/Focal Distance: F3.4 to 5.3, f=6.3 to 44.1mm (equivalent to approximately 38 to 266mm on a 35mm film camera), 12 lenses in 9 groups, including aspherical lens
Zoom: 7X optical zoom, 4X digital zoom (Image size: 3072x2304 pixels, 28X in combination with optical zoom)
Focusing: Contrast Detection Auto Focus,
Focus Modes: Auto Focus, Macro Mode, Infinity Mode, Manual Focus
AF Area: Spot, Multi or Tracking; with AF assist lamp
Approximate Focus Range: Auto Focus: 30cm*5 to ∞, Macro: 10cm to 40cm*5, Infinity Mode: ∞, Manual Focus: 10cm*5 to ∞*5. Range is affected by optical zoom.
Exposure Control: Metering: Multi-pattern, center weighted, spot by imaging element
Exposure: Program AE, Shutter Speed Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual Exposure
Exposure Compensation: -2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
Shutter: CCD shutter, mechanical shutter
Program AE: 1/2 to 1/800 second*6, Aperture Priority AE: 1 to 1/800 second*6, Shutter Speed Priority AE and Manual Exposure: 60 to 1/800 second*6, Shutter speed range may be different depending on the BEST SHOT scene.
Aperture: F3.4/4.6/9.2*7; auto switching. Using optical zoom causes the aperture to change. F9.2 is the aperture when an ND filter is being used.
White Balance: Auto, fixed (6 modes), manual
Sensitivity: Still images: Auto*8, ISO64, ISO100, ISO200, ISO400, ISO800. Maximum sensitivity is ISO1600 when “High Sensitivity” BEST SHOT scene is selected.
Movies: Auto
Recording Functions: Still images; still images with audio (maximum around 30 seconds); macro; self-timer; continuous shutter (normal speed, high speed, rapid flash), BEST SHOT, movies with audio (Normal Movie, Short Movie, Past Movie, Movie BEST SHOT), voice recording
Self-timer: 10 seconds, 2 seconds, Triple Self-timer
Built-in Flash: Flash Modes: Auto, On, Off, Soft Flash, Red Eye Reduction
Flash Range: approx. 0.1 to 2.8 m (W), approx. 1.0 to 1.8 m (T)
Rapid Flash: approx. 0.4 to 2.1 m (W), approx. 1.0 to 1.4 m (T)
Monitor Screen: 2.5-inch TFT color LCD, 230,400 pixels (960×240)
Timekeeping Functions: Date and time: Recorded with image data; Auto Calendar: To 2049, On-image time stamp function
World Time: 162 cities in 32 time zones, City name, date, time, summer time.
Input/Output Terminals: USB cradle connector, USB2.0 (Hi-Speed) compatible
Microphone: Stereo
Speaker: Monaural
Power Requirements: Rechargeable lithium ion battery (NP-50) ×1
Battery Life: Approx. 240 still images*9 (CIPA Standards)
Continuous playback: approx 6 hr. (still images)
Continuous recording: approx 1 hr. 40 min. (movie)
Continuous recording: approx 4 hr. 20 min. (voice recording)
*9. Auto Mode, standard brightness monitor setting
Dimensions: 95.5 (W) x 59.8 (H) x 25.1 (D) mm (excluding projections, 20.8 mm at thinnest part)
Weight: Approximately 149 g (excluding battery and accessories)
Bundled Accessories: Rechargeable lithium ion battery, USB cradle, USB cable, AV cable, Special AC adaptor, AC power cord, strap, CD-ROM
|
