The 8.1-megapixel Exilim EX-Z850 was introduced as a replacement for its predecessor, the Exilim EX-Z750. The Z850 is not the most attractive camera model in terms of colour, design and style, but it definitely is one of the more compact cameras to tout around, not to mention its long-lasting battery life as claimed by the manufacturer.
Design
Measuring 89 by 58.5 by 23.7mm, almost the size of a credit card, the Z850 is ideal for individuals looking for an ultracompact snapshot camera. Weighing 130g without batteries, it is, however, not the lightest compact shooter available in the market right now.
We are pleased that most of the commonly accessed features are assigned shortcuts on the camera. On the back of the Z850 lies a 2.5-inch Super Bright LCD accompanied by a rotatable mode dial and a circular four-way disc-like directional pad. On the left of the LCD are the continuous shutter and EX buttons. The highly ergonomic mode dial traverses between the various recording modes with ease, a feature we find pleasantly appealing. The Z850 comes with an optical viewfinder, but the size of it really makes us question how often the user will use it. Barely a few seconds of squinting into the peephole and we find ourselves falling back on the LCD monitor, which comes as a relief.
However, we are baffled by the arrangement of the Set button at the centre of the circular keypad. On more than one occasion, we accidentally pressed the surrounding keys while attempting to hit the central Set button. The problem becomes more evident on people with larger digits.
In addition, there are Play and Record buttons which double as on/off keys. The Display button is located at the bottom right-hand corner of the Z850. Pressing it cycles through the available display settings: histogram, image details, and turning off the LCD. The histogram is, however, more useful for slightly more advanced users who are keen to know if they are missing out any shades or highlights in their pictures.
The Menu button, located just above the directional keypad, leads to the onscreen menu. We like the user-friendly and easy-to-understand interface that makes browsing through the menu a breeze.
The speaker is found on the left edge of the Z850. We're probably nitpicking, but we still prefer the speaker to be at the front since there's a possibility our fingers will block the speaker when it's at the side, especially when taking videos.
To recharge the 1230mAh Lithium-ion battery and transfer your pictures, you'll need the USB docking station that comes supplied with the Z850. Apart from using the cradle, there is no other way to transfer data unless you have a separate card reader.
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 pixelated 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 camera, this comes as a blessing. Some of the modes include ID Photo, Retro, Auction, Old Photo and High Sensitivity (ISO 400).
Performance
The Z850 was generally very responsive. The camera powered up in 1.5 seconds and shutting it down took about the same time. Time-to-first shot was approximately 2.5 seconds without flash.
When on idle mode, the Z850 clocked approximately two seconds to capture an image. With flash, it took only a bit more time (0.5 seconds more). Subsequent shooting was carried out with good speed and great ease, clocking two seconds for consecutive shoots without flash and half a second more with flash. With red-eye reduction, speed was delayed but not by much -- about three seconds. Switching between the different options of the mode dial was almost instantaneous, except between Voice Record and Manual Exposure modes which took about two seconds.
Image Quality
We conducted our tests in a variety of conditions, ranging from low-light situations to well-lit backgrounds. We were spoilt for choice with the numerous shooting modes on the Z850. Overall, we were pleased but not overly in awe of the results. Our images produced nice saturated colours which we liked but some of our pictures exhibited blown-out highlights which caused us to lose some details.
In ambient surroundings, the camera produced decent captures in Night mode. However, with flash, there was an unnatural brightness in some of our images. The objects in the centre of the picture tended to be brighter than the surroundings.
The anti-shake feature had its limitations when it came to moving subjects or shaky hands. Proper photo-taking techniques still had to be observed. Noise wasn't an issue and was reasonably contained even at the maximum sensitivity level of ISO 400.
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contax camera
26/05/2008, 02:59 PM
rating
8/10
I read these reviews. Have great features of this camera. I want to buy good camera which is cheap and with great features. This camera is suitable for my all requirements.
Pros: Unique body.
Fast and reliable.
Lens rocks.
Cons: Nothing special.
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n/a
04/09/2007, 04:14 AM
rating
10/10
i'm on a mac, and i can only get the audio from the videos i take. no picture.
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sierra
21/06/2007, 06:55 PM
rating
9/10
Great little camera for the traveller wanting quality images, long battery life and a host of useful features eg low light focus using assist lamp, rapid autofocus in normal conditions so that you don't miss too many shots, intuitive menu etc etc.
Pros: compact
good quality images and features
long battery life
ease of use
Cons: none
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DRJMC
07/02/2007, 12:13 AM
rating
9/10
Excellent ultra compact for the knowledgeable amateur. The perfect complement to your DSLR.
Pros: Ease of use, small size, pocketability, battery life
Cons: none
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