Casio Announces Three New Digital Cameras

Casio has announced three new Exlim digital cameras; the 5 megapixel EX-Z55 and EX-Z50, and the EX-S100, the smallest optical zoom digital camera in the world.

Casio, Inc., in conjunction with its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, has announced the release of the world’s smallest digital camera with an optical zoom (2.8X), the Exilim Card EX-S100. The camera and its lens owe their exceptionally compact packaging to another world’s first – the application of ceramic Lens technology providing a great advance in optical quality with even greater strength than glass. The EX-S100 will be available in October, MSRP $399.99.

Key features of the 3.2-megapixel EX-S100 include use of the world’s first transparent ceramic lens in an ultra-slim 2.8X optical zoom lens unit, and Casio’s proprietary Exilim Engine, an ultra-compact image processing LSI module that enables the camera to achieve high-image quality, high-speed operation and low power consumption – all within an extremely slim and compact body package. As a result, the EX-S100 is the world’s smallest optical zoom-equipped digital camera, with a volume of just 79 cc and very compact measurements of 3.46” x 2.24”. Moreover, it is only .66” thick, and just .56” at the thinnest point.

The EX-S100 features a stainless steel body, a hallmark of the Exilim Card series, which has been polished to a brilliant shine through a special process. It is created entirely of metal, right down to the screws, for a true feeling of high quality. The front of the camera features a stylish theme of circular patterns that highlight the shape of the lens, while the back of the unit features a more square look that matches the impressively large 2.0-inch LCD screen. In keeping with the distinctive form of the other models in the Exilim Card series, the lens area itself protrudes slightly from the body of the camera.

Casio also announced the 5-megapixel EX-Z55 and EX-Z50, two new models in the Exilim Zoom range of digital cameras with long battery operation and large LCD viewing screens. The cameras will be available in October, MSRP $449.99 for the EX-Z55 and $399.99 for the EX-Z50.

Casio’s new Exilim Zoom models, the EX-Z50 and the EX-Z55, both incorporate Casio’s Exilim Engine, “the compact image processing module with a 3 layer stack LSI that enables high picture quality and speedy response using a 1.8V low-power system,” said John Clough, President of Casio, Inc. “They now feature circuitry enabling even lower power consumption providing users with a much longer battery life, allowing them to take up to 400 pictures on a single charge. This means that these cameras are perfect for work or travel applications where it may not be possible to regularly charge the battery.” In addition, continued Clough, “both the EX-Z50 and the EX-Z55 introduce the ‘Business Shot’ function. This enables users to take a trapezoidal distorted picture of a projector, white board, document or business card from a side angle and correct it to a rectangle automatically. This empowers the professional consumer with enormous convenience and flexibility.”

The EX-Z55 is equipped with a high resolution 5-megapixel CCD, a 3X optical zoom lens and a larger 2.5-inch LCD screen incorporating an optical viewfinder. With its compact and stylish design, the EX-Z55 can take approximately 400 pictures (based on CIPA* standards) on a single charge. The EX-Z50 has a 2 inch LCD screen and can take approximately 390 pictures. Both models offer extended battery life, making them ideal for use during long vacations and business travel, in fact any occasion requiring the amazing stamina that these cameras now offer.