Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 BK Casio - Review 🏆

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 is a compact digital camera released in 2006. It features an 8 megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 38-114mm), and a 2.6 inch LCD display.

Some key specs of the EX-Z8 include:

• 8 megapixel resolution
• 3x optical zoom
• 6.6cm (2.6") LCD display
• MPEG-4 movie recording
• 21 shooting modes
• Available in black

The EX-Z8 was designed to be a stylish, slim, and easy to use point-and-shoot camera. It combines a decent set of features and image quality in a portable body. The camera was targeted towards casual photographers looking for a pocketable digital camera that can capture vacations, events, and everyday life.

Design

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 has a compact and lightweight body, making it very portable. It measures 3.7 x 2.2 x 0.8 inches and weighs 5.4 ounces with the battery and memory card installed. The mostly metal body feels sturdy and durable. The camera comes in a sleek black color.

The EX-Z8 features a retractable 3x optical zoom lens, so the lens retracts into the body when not in use. This helps keep the camera slim. There is a built-in lens cover to protect the lens when retracted. The compact size and retractable lens make the EX-Z8 easy to slip into a pocket or bag.

In addition to the EX-Z8, the Casio Exilim EX-ZR20 offers enhanced capabilities with its 16.1 megapixels and high-speed burst shooting. It features a larger 24mm wide-angle lens, allowing for more expansive shots. The EX-ZR20 is designed for capturing high-quality images in various conditions, including low light, thanks to its advanced back-illuminated sensor. Its sleek design is equally portable, making it a great companion for photography enthusiasts on the go. Both cameras exemplify Casio’s commitment to blending style and functionality.

Image Quality

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 features an 8-megapixel CCD image sensor, which allows it to capture high-resolution images up to 3264 x 2448 pixels. This resolution gives you plenty of flexibility for printing large prints or cropping into photos.

The sensor itself is 1/2.5" in size, which is fairly standard for point-and-shoot cameras in this class. It utilizes Casio's EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processor to help optimize image quality and provide quick operation.

Overall, the image quality from the 8MP sensor is quite good for a compact point-and-shoot. Images show good sharpness and detail in ideal lighting conditions. However, low light performance is just average, with increased noise in dim environments. The limited aperture range of the lens also restricts depth of field control. But for casual daytime shooting, the EX-Z8 can capture nice snapshots and vacation photos. Just don't expect DSLR-like image quality from the small sensor.

Another noteworthy model is the Casio Exilim EX-ZR10, which boasts a 12.1-megapixel back-illuminated CCD sensor that excels in low light conditions. It features a faster autofocus and burst shooting capability, making it ideal for capturing action shots. The EX-ZR10 also has a higher ISO range, which contributes to its improved performance in challenging lighting. Additionally, it supports HD video recording, expanding its functionality for video enthusiasts. This camera is perfect for those who want both quality stills and video versatility in a compact form.

Optics

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 has a 3x optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal length range of 38-114mm. This provides a moderate zoom range, allowing you to get closer to subjects without sacrificing image quality. The lens has a maximum aperture range of f/2.6 at wide angle to f/5.1 at full telephoto.

The 3x zoom is driven by a precision lens shift OIS (optical image stabilization) system that helps reduce blur caused by camera shake. This is useful when shooting in low light situations where shutter speeds are slower. OIS enables sharp images even when zoomed in. Overall the optics deliver good image quality throughout the zoom range in a compact form factor.

Features

The Casio Exilim EX-Z8 has a range of useful features for a compact digital camera. Some of the notable features include:

• 8 megapixel CCD sensor: Provides enough resolution for printing photos at sizes up to 11 x 14 inches. The CCD sensor also helps provide good image quality in various lighting conditions.

• 3x optical zoom lens: The 38-114mm (35mm equivalent) lens provides a moderate zoom range to get closer to subjects. The optical zoom avoids the loss of image quality you can get with digital zoom.

• Anti-Shake DSP: This uses digital image stabilization to help reduce blur caused by camera shake, especially in low light shots. It's useful when you don't have a tripod.

• BEST SHOT scene modes: The camera has preset modes for common situations like portraits, landscapes, night scenes and more. This makes it easy to get good results without having to adjust settings manually.

• Movie mode: You can record video clips at sizes up to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 fps. The optical zoom can be used while recording movies.

• Skew correction mode: This fixes slanted images of documents and whiteboards so the text appears straight. Helpful for taking notes and sharing.

The camera offers a good set of features for casual photographers who want point-and-shoot simplicity with some added flexibility from the optical zoom lens and useful shooting modes. It lacks manual controls but provides handy tools for typical shooting scenarios.

Performance

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 offers decent performance for a point-and-shoot camera in this price range. The start-up time is quite fast at just over 1 second. Autofocus speed is also respectable, locking focus in about 0.4 seconds in good light.

Shutter lag is minimal, around 0.1 second when pre-focused and 0.4 second with autofocus, which is very good for a compact camera. Shot-to-shot time is approximately 1.7 seconds when shooting JPEG images. The EX-Z8 has a continuous shooting mode that allows up to 1.6 frames per second, but only for 5 shots.

Overall, the Casio EX-Z8 performs well for everyday shooting. While not the fastest camera, the speed is sufficient for capturing moments reliably without much delay between shots. The rapid start-up enables you to be ready to shoot very quickly after powering on the camera.

Display

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 comes with a 6.6 cm (2.6 inch) LCD display. The display size is decent for a compact point-and-shoot camera, providing enough real estate to compose shots and review images and videos. However, some users may prefer a slightly larger screen for easier operation.

The display has a resolution of 114,000 dots, which is quite standard for cameras in this class. Images and menus look sharp and detailed on the screen. The LCD is bright enough for use in most lighting conditions, including bright sunlight. However, visibility does decrease under very harsh, direct sunlight.

A viewfinder is not included on the EX-Z8. Lack of a viewfinder may frustrate some users, but it's understandable given the emphasis on portability and affordability with this model. Photographers who desire a viewfinder may need to look at higher-end point-and-shoot or DSLR cameras.

Overall, the display is fairly typical for an entry-level point-and-shoot camera like the Casio EX-Z8. It offers good image preview and playback quality in a compact and portable body. The resolution and brightness are decent for the price point. Lack of a viewfinder may disappoint some, but likely meets the needs of the target consumer for this model.

Connectivity

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 has decent connectivity options for a camera of its class. It has a USB 2.0 port for transferring photos and videos to a computer. The USB port utilizes a proprietary USB cable, so you'll need to use the one that came with the camera.

For wireless capabilities, the EX-Z8 has no built-in WiFi, which is expected for a 2006-era point and shoot. However, it was fairly innovative for its time in offering Bluetooth connectivity. You can pair the camera to a smartphone or another Bluetooth device to transfer photos wirelessly. The Bluetooth function works decently well for basic transfers, though the range is limited. Overall, the connectivity options are fairly basic but cover the essentials.

Battery Life

The Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery that provides enough power for around 300 shots per charge, according to Casio. This is a decent battery life for a compact point and shoot camera.

The battery itself is rated at 3.7V and has a capacity of 700mAh. It takes around 120 minutes to fully charge the battery from empty using the included charger.

One nice feature is that the camera can also be powered directly via USB, so you can essentially keep shooting indefinitely while plugged into an external power bank or USB charger. This helps offset the mediocre battery life.

Overall, the battery life is fairly average for this class of camera. 300 shots per charge should be sufficient for a day or two of casual shooting before needing to recharge. Just be sure to charge fully before any long shooting excursions.

Pros and Cons

Overall, the Casio EXILIM EX-Z8 point and shoot camera has both advantages and disadvantages that are worth considering.

Pros

• Compact and lightweight body makes it highly portable
• Fast start-up and shot-to-shot times
• Good image quality in bright lighting
• Simple and intuitive button layout
• In-camera editing features like cropping and red-eye removal
• Face detection technology helps focus on people
• Decent battery life

Cons

• Image quality suffers in low light settings
• Limited manual controls and settings
• No optical or sensor-shift image stabilization
• Small screen can be hard to see
• No RAW shooting mode
• Mediocre video capabilities

The EX-Z8 delivers good snapshots thanks to its compact form factor, simple interface and fast performance. However, more advanced photographers may be frustrated by its lack of manual controls and subpar low light image quality. It's a good casual camera if portability is the priority, but not ideal for serious photo enthusiasts.