Casio cameras hop on YouTube bandwagon
Branded scene program mode is the highlight of Casio's Exilim EX-Z880 and EX-Z77.
Casio Exilim EX-Z77
(Credit: Casio USA)With the introduction of its eBay mode in 2006, Casio brought the concept of the branded scene mode to digital photography. So color me unsurprised that this summer's new launches, the Exilim EX-Z880 and the EX-Z77, introduce YouTube mode, a combination software bundle for direct upload to YouTube plus a camera preset that captures H.264-compressed QuickTime-format movies.
Casio Exilim EX-S880
(Credit: Casio USA)On one hand, I hate these branded modes--they don't really do anything new, they just create the perception of it. For instance, the YouTube mode captures a far-from-unique 640x480 30frames per second. On the other hand, if it keeps people from running out and spending $150 to $200 on a device specifically designed to create these unnecessarily low-quality videos, I'm all for it.
- EX-Z77 key specs:
- 7 megapixels
- f/3.1-5.9 38mm-114mm 3X zoom lens
- 2.6-inch, 114,960-pixel LCD
- EX-S880 key specs:
- 8 megapixels
- f/2.7-5.2 38mm-114mm 3X zoom lens
- 2.8-inch, 230,400-pixel LCD
When they ship next month, the $300 EX-S880 will come in red and black, and the $230 EX-Z77 will wear black, blue, pink, or silver.
