---- Materials and workmanship ----
Casio has built with the Exilim a very robust digital camera. The front side is coated with a resistant clearcoat. I did not see any fear of scratches. The back consists mainly of a large, clear and well-lit display (screen protector is recommended). All control buttons make a very sophisticated look and have a good pressure point. At this camera determines the haptics. It is very compact, fits comfortably in your hand and looks very stylish. A compliment to the designer
---- ---- Operability
The Exilim you have to discover. You can try a lot. There are numerous pre-programmed settings, such as landscape, portrait, sunset, etc., but which already provides any digital camera. The automatic function helps one to pretty pictures, but who want to have something special and perhaps fine-tuned images that should use the HDR function. She brings a lot to get out of the pictures. One does not make a lot of thought to ISO settings, white balance or contrast themselves. Simply choose desired setting, make photo check, maintain favor delete when not favor and choose next setting. It's amazing how different one and the same motif may act. Here applies "Try before". The digital camera does everything with no snags.
Short an overview of possible settings:
Image size set from 3M, 5M, 8M to 12M. Moreover, can the 16: 9 format and especially for Print 3: 2 with a resolution of 4000x3000 pixels. The ISO sensitivity is of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 to 3200 to be adjusted manually. White balance offers several preset modes such as daylight, tungsten, cloudy, shade, etc.
In addition, you can manually adjust the contrast also. The result is, as the white balance, immediately on the display can be seen.
Love attitude muffle: Take the automatic function or the HDR mode, like me. As leaves a lot to try to reach and with great results ;-).
---- Features ----
Here is a brief description of the functions that are most fun for me and I therefore use the most:
Premium Auto function
The Premium Auto function is for setting muffle. She recognizes the subject (sometimes more, sometimes less successful) and you can quickly create a harmonious overall impression. The result is not always optimal (contrast, illumination etc.), but for beautiful snapshots, it is perfectly adequate.
For "sophisticated" shots, the following features are:
HDR and HDR-ART
The HDR function offers the possibility without flash to create a very high-contrast image. In the normal automatic function I lit the fire, especially when taking pictures indoors, too many details. The image looks garish and inharmonious.
The HDR function provides several images together an optimal, all without using the flash. The result has amazed me, because the motif looks like as seen on the display. Finally presentable and uncomplicated interior shots!
The HDR-ART function is really a nice thing. The images are very colorful. This may not be to everyone's taste, but you can make really great, "kitsch-inspired" images. Particularly candles shooting or representation of an open fire act properly glowing ". It can also create very interesting exteriors with it. I have to admit that the subject has to be right. For each subject, this function is not suitable. But as a gimmick, it is entirely to use and fun.
High speed movie
Flying birds, dogs running or flowing water, all these are ideal motifs for the high-speed movie function. There are a lot of frames per second recorded and played back in slow motion. The effect is, in my opinion, very well done and is very nice to use for motion studies.
High-speed continuous shooting
WOW. Super !!!! Ideal for taking pictures of animals with fast motion sequences. With up to 30 frames per second one escapes so quickly no more detail. I initially expected by the function is not much, because I thought that most of the images from the series are anyway out of focus and therefore unusable. Since I was wrong. Many beautiful and sharp images! This feature has convinced me and I will use them often.
---- Features -----
The Exilim is fast, very fast. Since advertising holds finally what it promises! In the automatic mode and in normal mode, it breaks through the sound barrier. In the HDR function they need, understandably, for the conversion of the data a little time. But it is not much more than a few seconds. The wait will be rewarded with a great result.
The zoom is to use absolutely. If you use the 7-times optical zoom, you get decent recordings using the image stabilization or a steady hand. The multi-frame zoom, which enlarges again on 14 times, this also creates, but the result is not always convincing. The Image Stabilizer has to fight hard, and especially when the lighting conditions are not good, the picture looks muddy and indistinct. Nevertheless, I have an advertising Ranzoomen shield from a few hundred meters away and can take a picture readable.
In conclusion, I consider briefly the pros and cons and give a final conclusion:
Pro:
+ High-quality workmanship
+ Great look
+ Simple and intuitive operation
+ In automatic mode convincing and rapid fire picture taking
+ HDR Mode invites users to experiment and you can create amazing shots
+ Various settings
+ Hotkeys for the most important functions, such as automatic or automatic premium; HS mode; Video recording etc.
+ Connecting cables (USB and AV)
Contraindications:
- Menu a bit confusing and not self-explanatory enough. But anyone who has ever found its settings, it will also help keep
- Zoom is too fast
- No Cover
Conclusion ---- ----
My favorite camera! When one deals with her and gives her the necessary attention, they rewarded a with many beautiful pictures and video recordings. She has a lot of settings that need to be explored intuitively. Of course, a good photo very by the chosen motif is dependent. With the Exilim but may also consist of a somewhat boring motif, thanks to the different modes, a successful picture emerge.
It is important that the Exilim, despite the praise, can not conjure. You should be able to make great pictures, but this is largely user-dependent. The camera does its job well and convincingly!
Update 02/02/2011:
Please note the set of my photos that I've taken a few days ago with the camera. They are designated by Figure 1.1, Figure 1.2 and Figure 1.3. Shown are "duck" on a riverbank. The pictures I've taken with the automatic function. Figure 1.2 is the same motif with zoom function and Figure 1.3 shows an enlargement in order to assess the quality of the recording better. The weather conditions were bad. It was a cold and gray January day. So no optimal lighting conditions. In spite of this very presentable pictures were taken. The zoom and the focus I find totally convincing. Just look for yourself. I think the quality of the recordings super!
