Product Review: Casio Exilim Z75

After my previous digital camera suffered an unfortunate accident, my fiancé and I began hunting for a replacement. We searched countless web sites and finally came upon the Casio EX-Z75. After heavily researching the camera to ensure that it had all of the features and qualities that we desired, we purchased it from Amazon.com. It is one of the best digital cameras that I have encountered thus far and I am very happy with it.

This particular model is available in several colors, including: silver, black, pink and blue. I originally wanted a pink one, but due to the high demand, they were sold out almost everywhere. They were available on Amazon, but only from individual sellers. They are also slightly more expensive than the others since they are so popular. After some deliberation, I chose the blue one, which I am extremely happy with.

The camera comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty. For those of you who need a longer period of coverage, Amazon offers a two-year replacement plan for $27.99. The price of the camera on Amazon was approximately $20 cheaper than it was on other sites, including bestbuy.com and circuitcity.com. In addition, free shipping and tax exemption are applied to any Amazon purchase over $25.

The Casio Exilim is one of the more recent slim model cameras. It is 4''x 3''x 1" and weighs 12 ounces. It comes with a wrist strap to prevent it from being dropped. It is 7.2 mega pixels and the picture quality is outstanding and very clear. The LCD screen is 2.6'', which is perfect for those who do not see well like myself. It also has 3X optical zoom.

There are several flash settings, including: no flash, auto flash and soft flash. There is a feature that allows you to take pictures that are optimized for being displayed on eBay. It is also great for taking myspace pictures, as you do not have to alter the size of the photos before posting them. The camera has 8.0 MB internal memory, but is compatible with the SanDisk memory cards. The camera is run by a rechargeable lithium ion battery, which lasts several hours. I charge mine every two days or so and the battery has not died on me yet. The camera also features several self-timer settings. It has many advanced features, but is very simple to use. One of my favorite features is the optional anti-shake setting, which allows you to take a clear picture even if your hand is not steady.

Because digital cameras are very fragile, one of the factors to consider when choosing a camera is whether or not there is a case of the proper size to store it in. It was very easy to find a case that fit the Exilim. I found one for $4.99 from Imax on Amazon. Simply type in Casio Exilim camera case and several hits should turn up. I chose a pink case, but there were several colors available (red, blue, green, black and orange) in a choice of nylon or EVA. After shipping, the total cost of the case was $9.99, which is significantly lower than most. The case accommodates the camera perfectly and is 4.13''x3.13''x1.13''. It has a safety strap to secure the camera and a mesh pouch to store memory cards/batteries. Imax also sent (at no extra charge) a plastic LCD screen protector (which adheres to the screen and shields it against dirt, fingerprints and scratches) and a cloth to clean the screen with.

Included with the camera itself are: the lithium ion battery, the battery charger, the AC power cord, the USB cable, the AV cable, the wrist strap and the computer software.

Overall, this is an excellent product and is very simple to use. The pictures are clear and the quality is wonderful. I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever about this product and if I had to do it over, I would make the same decision.