Crave

Does the body color of a camera say anything about how it performs?

(Credit: Pentax)

On September 16, Pentax launched the K-x, an entry-level-ish digital SLR that it's offering in navy, red, white, and black versions. While different body colors are not unusual for point-and-shoot digital cameras, offering more than a black dSLR is still rare. (In fact, just Pentax and Sony offer color options, currently.)

Unfortunately, after testing many snapshot cameras available in a single color as well as those offered in several colors, I've developed a working theory that the more colors a camera comes in, the more likely there's something wrong with the model.

It's not the case with all cameras, but more often than not that's how things shake out. It's especially true if its available in more than four options and if the company has gone with two-word color names like flaming red or warm silver.

Want examples? Check out the Nikon Coolpix S220, the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS, and the Casio Exilim EX-S5. The Nikon and Canon come in six different colors, the Casio in five. And all three of them have issues with performance, photo quality, or both. (Though, if forced to go with one, the SD1200 has the fewest issues.)

All of these are lower-end models, too, which brings me to my next point: expensive point-and-shoot cameras come in three colors or fewer, and usually only in one: black. Serious photographers only buy black cameras, right?

Which brings me back to the Pentax K-x. The camera colors are definitely refreshing and will likely get people questioning you on the street. They also make the K-x more approachable for those switching from a pocket camera, which fits its entry-level status. But would you take someone seriously if they were shooting with a bright red digital SLR? I'm leaning toward "no." Much like laptops, colorful cameras are great until you want to be taken seriously.

(Credit: Casio)

Casio's going full force after consumers shopping for digital cameras in the $100-$200 price range. First, the company announces the Exilim EX-Z450 and EX-Z90, $199.99 and $149.99, respectively. And then Monday, it announces the $179.99 EX-Z280 and $119.99 EX-Z33.

The Z280 (pictured right) is a 12-megapixel ultracompact with an f2.6-5.9 26-104mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, 2.7-inch LCD, and Casio's newest image processing engine featuring a dual-processor design for lower power consumption and better photo results. It also gives you 720p HD-quality video capture and the latest iteration of Casio's green-screen Dynamic Photo function. A very compelling package for what will probably street at around $170.

With a more entry-level feature set, the Z33 is a 10-megapixel model with a 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD. It does the basics I expect to find on a camera at this price--VGA movie mode, face detection, lots of scene modes--but its also very thin at 0.7 of an inch and weighs roughly 4 ounces with SD card and battery. Plus, it has built-in compatibility with Eye-Fi's SD cards for wireless transfer of photos.

The EX-Z280, available this September 2009, will be offered in a silver body color (though Casio has photos of gold and pink versions so maybe those colors, too). The EX-Z33 will also be available in September in black, light pink, vivid pink, silver, and blue.

Casio Exilim EX-Z280 and Z33--photos

(Credit: Casio)

(Credit: Casio)

If you've got a point-and-shoot with face detection, you may have noticed that the feature's handy if you're shooting faces, but if left on when shooting other subjects the autofocus system is less than accurate. Casio's apparently fixed this with a new Intelligent AF found in its 12-megapixel Exilim EX-Z450 and EX-Z90 ultracompact cameras announced Tuesday.

The AF will detect faces, as well as "non-human photo subjects," so that an animal, flower, or alien invader will be in focus and properly exposed.

Also tweaked in these models is Casio's Dynamic Photo feature, which works sort of like in-camera chromakeying allowing you to cut out a subject--moving or still--and drop it into another photo. It's an interesting, innovative feature and the newest version of it simplifies the process.

The Z450 (above) is the higher end of the two models featuring a 28mm wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom, 3-inch LCD, sensor-shift image stabilization, and an extended battery life of up to 550 shots. It also has a Handheld Night Scene mode to help with camera shake and motion blur in dim lighting. It comes in the color pictured and that's it, and it will sell for $199.99.

The $149.99 Z90 comes in the three colors shown on the right. Its zoom is only 3x, its LCD is smaller at 2.7 inches, and it does not have mechanical or optical image stabilization. Its battery life is considerably shorter, too, rated at up to 230 photos. It is, however, smaller and lighter than the Z450.

Look for them both in October.

OK. So we promised you on last week's episode that we would do a single-purpose gadgets episode this week. Turns out, promising that type of thing in advance isn't such a good idea as we actually had to work to find gadgets that fit the theme. So we made it, but admittedly by the skin of our collective teeth. It's all worth it for the segments, though. Patience, young grasshopper!

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(Credit: WireImage/J. McCarthy)

Casio might be ripe to the world of mobile phones, but it certainly made a splash last night with a unique party for the launch of its Exilim C721, a versatile phone that combines rugged durability and a 5.1-megapixel camera in a stylish handset.

Casio canonized the launch by offering the Exilim mobile to several handpicked photographers with the challenge to use the short-form medium to document a week of their lives. Ricky Powell, Richard Kern, Dave Potes, and 11 other prominent artists were all in attendance at last night's event at the Stephen Weiss Studio in downtown New York, where several wall-to-wall digital projects were used to bring their distinctively playful snapshots to elaborate scale.

Casio Exilim C271 launch event -- photos

Casio also had the Exilim C721 handsets on display, cleverly submerged in a sterile tank to show off their military-spec (code MIL-STD 810F) resistance to water, rain, shock, dust, salt, fog, and high altitudes. The phones continued to play their video and photo slideshows underwater, and surprisingly maintained their monochrome OLED display as well.

While the phone does come with a pretty stiff price tag ($280 with a two-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate), last night's gala proved that its creative innovation and tough-guy attitude may very well be worth the cost.

Read our full review of the Exilim C721 mobile phone.

(Credit: Casio)

Casio joined the list of manufacturers with a pocketable megazoom Thursday with the announcement of the EX-H10. In retail around mid-July, the $299.99 12-megapixel camera is fronted by a wide-angle 24mm lens with a 10x zoom with CCD-shift image stabilization in a body that's 0.96 inch thick and weighs only 5.8 ounces. Even more impressive, though, is Casio's battery life claim of a 1,000 shots on a single charge.

That number comes courtesy of low-energy requirements of the the multi-CPU Exilim Engine 4.0 circuitry and operational controls coupled with a high-capacity battery. Usage is based on CIPA standards calculated with the LCD monitor on; a full zoom back and forth every 30 seconds; the flash used every two shots; and the power cycled every 10 shots.

Underneath it all it's still a typical Casio camera, too, with a gazillion Best Shot scene modes (OK, just 38, but that's still a ridiculous amount), high-speed shutter continuous shooting, and 720p HD movie capture at 24fps.

Casio Exilim C721 Photos

A couple of months after Casio's steamy YouTube leak of its first ever Exilim phone, the Casio Exilim C721 is finally official. The Casio Exilim C721 is as slim and sleek as Casio's other Exilim point-and-shoot cameras, but it's military certified to withstand the elements like Casio's own G'zOne Boulder from Verizon Wireless.

Not only that, the Exilim C721 is equipped with a 5.1-megapixel camera lens, which makes it one of a few high-megapixel camera phones available on a U.S. carrier. To enhance the camera experience, the front flip of the Exilim C721 can be twisted so that the display faces outward, thus becoming the camera viewfinder. You can then hold it in your hand like you would a regular point-and-shoot camera. If you choose to leave the front flip twisted half-way, you can use the display as a self-portrait viewfinder as well. The camera comes with a slew of settings, including 15 "Best Shot" modes that adjust the camera settings to a particular need, like Portraits, Night Mode, and Scenery. And, of course, there's a built-in camcorder as well.

Aside from the camera, the C721 has a ton of features, like a music player, EV-DO Rev. A, stereo Bluetooth, and more. Surprisingly, the C721 even comes with a HTML Web browser. It's not quite as advanced as we would like--you need to enter the URL in a separate page, for example--but it's still nice to have in a flip phone like this.

The Casio Exilim C721 won't come cheap, however; it is available for $279.99 with a two-year contract and a $50 mail-in rebate from Verizon Wireless. You can read our full review of the Casio Exilim C721 to see if it's worth the price.