Casio Exilim EX-Z850

Features
A significant improvement on the Z850 is the inclusion of new flash modes to accommodate different settings. We tested the high-powered flash in a dark hallway and objects were illuminated as far out as 12m. Soft flash prevents overexposure of subjects photographed up close. However, what we really like is the Flash Continuous setting which allows the user to shoot a total of three frames, all with flash.

The Z850 comes with an anti-shake feature that helps to reduce the number of blurred images due to moving objects or shaky hands during our tests. However it is important to also note that the problem is not totally eradicated and we still advice our readers to practice proper photo-taking techniques.

Not entirely a snapshot camera, the Z850 also comes with barebones creative options (which we could do without). There're aperture-, shutter-priority and manual functions. At the wide end of the zoom, you can select between F2.8 and F4.0 in the aperture-priority mode. You can exercise a little more option in the shutter-priority setting from 1/1,600 second to 1 minute.

We are pleased to see an optical zoom function in the video capture mode. However, we noticed that the higher the zoom, the more pixilated the LCD display becomes.

In addition to the standard image and video recording, the Z850 also supports voice recording. During voice recording, the LCD screen goes blank--which makes sense since there's no need to view anything using the monitor. However, the onscreen display will still show how long you are into your recording.

Typical of the Exilim series, the Z850 didn't let us down in the number of scene modes. The camera comes with 34 built-in Best Shot settings and an additional user-defined slot. For those who prefer to leave the thinking to the shooter, this comes as a blessing. Some of the modes include ID Photo, Retro, Auction, Old Photo and High Sensitivity (ISO 400).

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