Testing / Performance

We uploaded the Casio Z850’s pictures of that chart into Imatest Imaging Software, which analyzed the data and returned the following modified chart. It shows the original chart in the vertical rectangle of each tile, with the Z850’s version of the color in the outer square of each tile and the inner square showing the luminance-corrected ideal.

Below is another chart that helps us understand how accurate the colors are on this Exilim digital camera. The circles on the chart show the Casio Z850’s colors, and the squares represent the ideal colors from the original GretagMacbeth chart.

Most digital cameras have problems with the red portion of the spectrum; cameras tend to exaggerate these for more flattering skin tones. This isn’t the case with the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 though. This camera has troubles with the blue part of the spectrum. Its overall result yielded a 7.12 overall score with a 9.3 mean color error. There are some definite color balancing issues here, and colors were over-saturated by an average of 14.7 percent.
Still Life Scene

The colorfully saccharine still life scene shown below was captured by the Casio EX-Z850.  For a link to the original full resolution file, click on the image.

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](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=Z850-StillLife-LG.jpg)

**Resolution ***(2.57)*

The Z850 is marketed with 8 megapixels, but in general Casios haven’t performed well in resolution testing – despite the claims of higher and higher resolution on the image sensors. We used the Z850 to snap several pictures of an industry standard resolution chart. After experimenting with several focal lengths and apertures, we used Imatest to determine that the sharpest results came from an image shot at f/5.1 and 23.7mm (shown below). These are nearly the same settings that the Casio Z1000 had in its sharpest shot: f/5.4 and 23.7mm.

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Click on the chart above to view the full resolution image](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=Z850-ResCH-LG.jpg)

The camera’s resolution results are expressed in units of line widths per picture height (lw/ph), which explains how many theoretical black and white lines could fit across the frame in both the vertical and horizontal directions without blurring. Looking at the full-resolution file linked above, consumers should be able to see the blurred lines to the right of the frame’s center. The numbers confirm our suspicions. The Casio Z850 resolved 1387 lw/ph horizontally with 9.35 percent under-sharpening and 1438 lw/ph vertically with 10.6 percent under-sharpening.

There was a lot of fluctuation in the amount of in-camera sharpening, or under-sharpening in this case. Under-sharpening in pictures ranged from 9 to 25 percent. The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 does have a sharpening tool in the playback mode, but will be needed to realize the lost resolution.

**Noise – Auto ISO ***(2.64)*The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 isn’t stocked with an accurate metering system, which led to lackluster results in this test. In our brightly lit studio, many digital cameras automatically choose the lowest ISO setting and produce little noise. This model, however, produced the amount of noise found at the manual ISO 200 setting. This unfortunate metering problem brought unfortunate results – an overall score of 2.64.
**Noise – Manual ISO ***(5.79)*

The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 has only four manual ISO settings available in full resolution: 50, 100, 200, and 400. We tested the camera’s noise levels at each ISO setting while shooting in optimal lighting. We took the noise garnered at each sensitivity setting and put it into a regression analysis to determine an overall score. The chart below shows the manual ISO settings on the horizontal axis and the noise levels on the vertical axis.

This steady rise in noise looks similar to that of the Casio S600 and Z1000. The Z1000 got by with a 5.7 overall manual ISO noise score, while the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 received a 5.79 score. Noise levels are acceptable at the camera's ISO 50 and 100 setting, but its two higher sensitivities contain more noise than we would have liked to see - particularly with a limited ISO range. This performance isn’t awful, but it certainly isn’t anything to brag about either.

**Low Light ***(2.5)*Most compact digital cameras can take decent pictures in the optimal lighting of a studio, but it is much trickier to shoot good pictures in low light. We tested the Casio Z850 by photographing the color chart under lighting conditions of 60, 30, 15, and 5 lux. The first two tests of 60 and 30 lux are fairly common photography situations found in night clubs, living rooms with shades drawn, and dimly lit restaurants. The last two tests are aimed more for challenging the camera to see where the image sensor’s limits are rather than get a gorgeous picture. Below are the images taken during this test, modified by Imatest Imaging Software to show the ideal colors like the color testing chart. 

The camera’s auto focus system was an absolute nightmare when shooting the low light tests. Sometimes it worked (like in the 30 lux test) and sometimes it didn’t (like in the 60 lux test). We shot dozens and dozens of photos, and these are the sharpest we could come up with. Other problems occurred while shooting in the low light, color accuracy went out the window, color saturation went below normal levels, and noise crept into the picture and increased the longer the shutter was open.

Below is a chart showing just how much noise infested pictures in the four different tests. The shutter speeds are shown on the horizontal plane and the resultant noise on the vertical plane.

The shutter speeds range from a quarter-second at 60 lux to 2.5 seconds at 5 lux. Noise increased dramatically at 30 lux, when a 1-second exposure was used. It just kept rising from there. In a word, the low light performance of the Casio Z850 is terrible. Colors suffered, the auto focus system was touchy, and pictures are noisy. This Exilim still performed better than the Casio Z1000, but is still a camera users should keep out of the dark and in optimal lighting. If pictures must be taken in less than ideal conditions, set the ISO as low as possible and use the built-in flash.

**Speed / Timing
***Start-up to First Shot (8.34) 
*The Casio Z850 isn’t the slowest compact digital camera out there, but it still takes 1.66 seconds to extend its lens and snap its first shot.

*Shot to Shot (8.84)
*The normal burst mode was not very impressive. It took a picture every 1.14 seconds, which is fast enough to capture a caterpillar crawling across a leaf. Better hope your subjects aren’t any faster.

*Shutter to Shot (8.98)*There was very little shutter lag when the camera was pre-focused on a subject. We measured 0.01 seconds between the moment the shutter release button was pressed and the time the picture was actually taken.

Physical Tour

**Front ***(7.0)*

When facing the front of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850, the 3x optical zoom lens is on the right side of the camera. To the top right of the lens is a tiny circular viewfinder along with a bright LED that functions as an auto focus assist, movie recording indicator, and self-timer indicator. The built-in horizontal flash is located to the left of the lens near the top edge of the camera body.  A small monaural microphone is tucked away at the bottom of the camera to the left of the lens barrel housing.  The smooth camera body may be aesthetically pleasing with its clean lines and sleek appearance but the lack of a grip or an ergonomic design could easily lead to discomfort and possible slippage in wet conditions. There is a slight peaking at the center of the camera body when traveling vertically across the frame.  This subtle design feature will hardly provide any sort of handling advantage over a rectangular frame, but it adds some variety to the look. The EX-Z850 is plastered with Casio’s name and camera line on the front, top and back faces of the camera.  

**Back ***(7.0)*

The 2.5-inch LCD screen consumes two-thirds of the back face of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 with larger controls positioned along a vertical strip on the right side. The LCD screen is framed and set above the main camera body. The glossy LCD screen showed finger smudges quickly, so it requires maintenance to keep the surface looking clean and visible.  Above the LCD’s upper-left corner is a miniscule and relatively pointless real image optical zoom viewfinder. While an optical viewfinder can come in handy when shooting on low batteries, the secondary viewing device found with this camera is horrifically inaccurate and should be avoided for the most part. To the right of the viewfinder are two LEDs that indicate the operation state of the Z850.  Moving farther to the right, in the thin margin between the top of the camera and the top of the LCD, are two buttons clearly labeled for users to switch between record and playback modes. The external interface and position of these buttons will allow for quick transitions between modes. To the right of the LCD, in the aforementioned vertical strip, are (from the top) a mode dial, menu button, four-way controller with set button centrally positioned and a display button.  The mode dial moves between settings easily with a catch occurring each time a new mode is entered.  The menu button is undersized and  hard to access in a pinch but it is well labeled and over time users shouldn’t find it hard to locate.  The polished silver four-way control is a good size and easy to engage. The display button suffers from the same problems as the menu button, however, it is still well labeled and easy to find. The two buttons that allow users to switch shooting modes and the shortcut to the menu are on the back face of this camera. These two small vertical buttons are located on the transition between the LCD and the left side of the camera body.  The top button switches the camera through shooting modes while the bottom button functions as a shortcut menu when in shooting mode; however, they aren’t easy to find  because of their position.

**Left Side ***(7.0)*

The only feature on the left side of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is the small playback speaker located beneath a mesh grill near the top of the camera body. It is also from this angle that the two vertical rectangular buttons near the back can be seen; they are located on a plane that is tilted from the left side to the back. The burst button sits on top, with the "EX" function menu on the bottom.  

**Right Side ***(7.0)*

The right side of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is as minimal as the left side. The only notable feature is the eyelet for the optional wrist-strap.  There are no other design or control considerations on the right side of the camera.  

**Top ***(7.5)*

The shutter button is a large and polished silver control located on the right side of the EX-Z850’s top face. Surrounding the shutter button is a zoom ring which is controlled via a small tab toward the front.  When in playback mode, the zoom ring will switch between display modes and will also deploy up to 8x digital playback zoom. To the left of the zoom ring and shutter button is the small oval on/off button that is set into the camera body. This design helps avoid accidental engagement when transporting or handling. 

**Bottom ***(7.0)*

The only port on this camera is located in the center of the bottom face. This port connects the camera to a docking station which is included and is the only way to transfer images or charge the camera. Directly next to the port is a plastic tripod mount that can be easily stripped if improperly connected to a tripod.  Next to these two features is a cover that is opened by pressing inward slightly and sliding to the right. Once open, this cover swings on a hinge located at the center of the camera body. This cover masks the battery and the SD memory card slot for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850. The hinge for this cover is well constructed and seems durable, which is good because the cover opens a bit too easily and could be jostled open during transport. 

Components

Viewfinder* (1.0)*

This camera does come with an optical viewfinder. Normally, a secondary viewing option with larger cameras is an advantage, however, the inclusion of this feature on the petite Z850 is largely negative.  The viewfinder is grossly inaccurate and the marginal size and placement directly above the LCD monitor makes using it difficult. Instead of using the viewfinder, do yourself a favor and buy a second battery if you are concerned about running low on shooting time. It’s worth the extra cost to avoid using this viewfinder and if a second battery isn’t a feasible option just skip the viewfinder and shoot at random. Chances are, the results will be comparable to those found with this inadequate feature and you won’t smear your sweaty nose across the LCD or have to ruin your eyesight while struggling to look through the viewfinder.

**LCD Screen

 ***(6.75)*

The LCD screen is 2.5 inches when measured diagonally which is standard for this price range. The TFT color LCD screen has an underwhelming total pixel count of 115,200 (480 x 240) pixels and users will find the displayed images to be sub-par to those found with manufacturers like Sony which provide 230,000 pixels on their 2.5 inch displays.  Fingerprints smeared the LCD easily and since there really is no place to put the left thumb when making adjustments to settings or camera angle, smudging will be a constant problem. The screen is viewable at more extreme angles which is great and should be beneficial when shooting awkwardly or quickly. Also aiding in the viewing of the screen is Casio’s Super Bright technology that keeps the image visible and contrasy.

**Flash ***(6.5)*

Flash settings for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 give users several options to tailor their flash parameters to produce lighting qualities which are more nuanced than a standard auto flash.  The flash settings for this camera are accessed by pressing the down arrow of the four-way controller.  Pressing this button will open an on-screen menu in the upper left corner of the LCD with options for auto flash, on, off, high power flash, soft flash and red-eye reduction. 

The flash range for this camera is 0.33 feet to 14.11 feet at wide angle; in telephoto the range adjusts to 1.64 feet to 7.87 feet. The flash performed quite well, in terms of distance, especially when the high power flash setting was engaged. The soft flash feature is helpful when shooting portraits in low light and results in images that are, for the most part, more flattering than those attained with auto flash. The soft and high-power options are the more automatic versions of the included manual flash power adjustment. This provides users with a +/- 2 range in full steps for a total of 5 different power levels. The flash is positioned to the left of the lens, often resulting in shadows cast to the right side of photographed subjects, although this is to be expected when shooting with a flash in an off-axis position.

When shooting with flash in burst mode, the range will shorten and users will find that the new flash coverage will extend from 1.31 feet to 10.83 feet in wide angle and 1.64 feet to 5.91 feet in telephoto. Casio calls this feature Rapid Flash.

**

Zoom Lens ***(6.25)*

The lens for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is a typical 3x optical zoom that measures 7.9mm (wide-angle) to 23.7mm (telephoto).  When converted into 35mm, these measurements are approximately 38mm-114mm.  The lens is constructed using 7 lenses in 5 groups with an aspherical lens that has a wide max aperture of f/2.8 in wide-angle and f/5.1 in telephoto.

Zoom is controlled through the zoom ring that surrounds the shutter button.  The zoom ring has a small tab which is pushed and then pulled to the left or right to make adjustments to zoom length. We found the control to be too sensitive, with jumps occurring when shooting within the optical zoom range.  When shooting in regular focal modes, the zoom and focus relationship produced sharp results.  The macro focus mode did struggle to focus when zoomed all the way in and it was necessary to adjust camera position and/or zoom level in order for the macro focus feature to work properly.

In addition, this camera does have 8x digital zoom, but as always, it is important to remember that image quality degrades quickly when using even marginal amounts of digital zoom and should be avoided if possible.

Design / Layout

**Model Design / Appearance ***(6.25)*

The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 features a silver metal body that feels sturdy. However, the camera is definitely a downgrade in terms of  styling, compared to the more expensive 10-megapixel Casio Z1000.  This camera is boxier and includes an optical viewfinder and numerous external controls that have been purged from the cohesive Z1000 to provide a thinner body frame and a larger LCD.  In terms of functional design, the EX-Z850 is mostly on the mark but it falls slightly short in terms of visual appeal.

**Size / Portability ***(6.5)*

The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 can fit in your pocket but it’s a bit uncomfortable with measurements of 3.5 inches in length, 2.3 inches in height and 0.93 inches in width. The approximate weight of 4.59 ounces, not including the battery or memory card, makes the EX-Z850 a solid camera with a dense feel. The port cover for the battery and memory card tends to open when being pulled from a  pocket and the potential for this plastic cover to snap seems fairly likely.  An eyelet for an optional wrist-strap is located in the center of the right side. 

**Handling Ability ***(6.0)*

Handling and controlling the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is compromised because the camera lacks a right hand grip or ridge to enable a better one-handed shooting style. This isn’t as much of a problem on a thinner or lighter camera but with this camera’s girth and heft taken into consideration, two-handed shooting became the default method for capturing snapshots. On a transition face, between the left side of the camera and the LCD, are two small buttons that were occasionally triggered inadvertently during grip adjustments. The extending lens barrel will help keep users’ fingers away from the lens, which is great considering how often it happens when shooting with a compact point-and-shoot. There really isn’t a place to comfortably put the thumb of the right hand and it ends up resting in between the four-way selector and the mode dial. Overall, comfortable handling on the Casio Z850 takes a backseat to the compact design.

 **

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size ***(5.5)*

The larger controls on the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are placed appropriately and are easy to engage when shooting quickly. The mode dial snaps succinctly when transitioning and users will immediately know when new modes are being engaged without having to visually monitor adjustments. With this camera, smaller external controls are not as accessible, forcing users to take their eyes off the LCD to hunt for features such as the EX menu shortcut, burst/continuous shooting, menu, and display. The zoom ring that surrounds the shutter button had a tendency to jump rather dramatically when adjusted. Nuanced zoom control won’t be possible with this interface. The shutter button is well placed and large enough to enable quick snapshots without hassle. Initially concerned about the design of the four-way navigational ring, this external controller didn’t hinder navigation and wasn’t a problem during hurried maneuvering.  

**Menu ***(7.5)*

The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 has a number of shooting menu options including full and abbreviated menus. When the menu button on the back of the camera is pressed, a three column menu structure is displayed as text on a transparent live preview background. The three menus are Record, Quality and Setup and can be easily scanned using the four-way controller and set button. The Quality menu is the default menu and is initially displayed when the menu button is pressed. It provides users with the following options and settings. 

 

To the left of the Quality menu is the Record menu. It provides users with the same text overlay on a live preview background which is found when entering the Quality menu structure. The Record menu provides users with the following control options.  

The third and final menu is the Setup menu located to the right of the Quality menu heading. The following camera settings can be manipulated by the user of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850.  

In addition to these full menus, the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 also has a shortcut shooting menu. It helps users avoid opening the lengthier Quality or Record menus. With the shortcut shooting menu, each option is listed as a tab along the bottom edge of the LCD screen. Scanning between control options is done with the left and right arrow. The up and down arrows alter the parameters of each individual option as they are highlighted. The options listed within the shortcut menu allows for access to these controls. 

When in playback mode, the same menu button on the back of the camera used for shooting menu access can be used to access two separate menu tabs. The first tab is the Play tab and  provides the following control options. 

Overall, the menu system is nicely organized but some users may be confused about finding the white balance options in two different menus.
**Ease of Use ***(5.75)*

The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is a straightforward point-and-shoot digital camera that enables full auto, partial manual, preset scene, or full manual shooting formats to be engaged without strain. Users of this camera would be wise to spend an afternoon experimenting prior to more important shooting because the included manual is neither informative nor helpful. Further, the lengthy list of preset shooting modes tends to complicate matters rather than simplify.  For example, just in the Best Shot mode there are 34 presets. The camera’s overall ease of use with regards to shooting modes and menus disappears when the camera is switched into playback mode. While controls like movie edit, rotation and trim work as expected, other features like keystone and color correction, produce results that are sure to confound any user. The keystone feature applied an extremely heavy crop and zoom technique that lost most of the information found in the original photograph. The color correction feature also had lackluster results. The color correction feature  doesn’t actually correct color at all; instead it corrects keystone issues. How this managed to happen with one camera model is embarrassing, but the fact that this problem also happens with the Casio Z1000 and several other Exilim models makes this manufacturing error inexcusable.

Modes

**Auto Mode ***(7.0)*

The auto mode on the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 allows users to shoot with all controls in full auto or to individually alter manual parameters which control exposure compensation, white balance, metering, focus and ISO, in addition to digital filters, auto focus area and flash parameters. The auto mode does have a momentary delay as the camera adjusts settings before image capture. Users may find it necessary to shoot in continuous capture mode during moments of candid photography. Although this camera doesn’t have a designated "Easy" mode, the auto mode on this camera model should appeal to a novice user.  If settings become too complicated or muddled during capture, the user can quickly reset everything back to its default setting by turning the camera off and then on. 

**Movie Mode ***(7.0)*

The movie mode allows users of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 to shoot in several resolution and frame rate permutations. The movie mode quality settings can be adjusted within the Quality menu. The MPEG-4 movie mode options for the Z850 are HQ (640 x 480 resolution at 30 fps and an approximate file size of 4.0 MB/sec), Normal (640 x 480 at 30 fps with an approximate file size of 2.1 MB/sec), and LP (320 x 240 at 15 fps with an approximate file size of 745 KB/sec). The recording duration of the camera is limited only by available memory and power. The movie mode can be engaged by turning the mode dial to the movie camera icon. Settings in movie mode can be adjusted prior to shooting. Capturing video files is done by pressing the shutter button. Available time remaining and current time captured are displayed in the upper right corner of the LCD.

In addition to the standard movie mode setup, the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 also comes with a Best Shot Movie Mode option that is directly on the mode dial beside the movie mode option. This mode offers a handful of presets that cover the following general parameters: Portrait, Fireworks, Silent, Scenery, Backlight, Short movie, Night scene, High sensitivity and Past movie. The Past movie option is unique to Casio digital cameras; it records the 5 seconds prior to the shutter release button being pressed, so users will never miss the surprise moment. The Z850 has an electronic image stabilization system that doesn’t work nearly as well as an optical setup, but is better than nothing at all.

Audio quality for this digital camera is monaural and suffers from handling and camera noise when capturing. Manual controls like exposure and white balance are available when shooting while manual focus can be adjusted prior to beginning video capture. Zoom can be adjusted during recording, although users will find the resulting footage degrades quickly because only digital zoom is available when recording video. Zoom levels can be adjusted optically before recording but once recording begins the zoom will switch to a digital zoom only format.  Movies can be edited in playback mode with cropping applied to the front, middle or end of video clips. The camera has a Motion Print function that randomly extracts still images from a file for printing.

**Drive / Burst Mode ***(6.0)*

The Casio Z850 digital camera has a few burst modes available from a slim button on a transition platform between the rear and left panels. The button isn’t the easiest to access, but it’s better than wading among menu options. The following modes can be found there: Normal, High speed, Flash continuous, Zoom, and Multi. The normal burst mode shoots only one frame per second, but can fill up the memory card like this. The high speed mode is considerably faster, but only snaps three shots and takes awhile to write them to the memory card. The flash continuous, also called Rapid Flash, is a new feature to the Casio lineup. This snaps three pictures in one second and uses the flash in all three; this is very unique, as most cameras disable the flash in the burst mode. The zoom mode snaps two pictures with one push of the shutter release button; the second picture is digitally enlarged in the center; this is hardly worth using. The multi burst mode snaps 25 tiny pictures and stitches them into a single image file.

**Playback Mode ***(6.25)*

The playback mode for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 lets users engage in a number of in-camera viewing and editing options prior to exporting still or video images to a personal computer, printer or external viewing monitor.  The playback mode can be quickly accessed by pressing the Playback button, prominently positioned on the back of the camera, above the right corner of the LCD screen. 
 It is possible to scan images through the four-way controller as either single frames, nine images or in a calendar format.  If wishing to view individual images in a slideshow format, the user can engage the slideshow option within the Playback menu. The amount of control over the slideshow feature is interesting and will be helpful to many usersas it includes choices on included images, time of display, interval rate and transition effect.  The motion print feature enables users to select either one or nine still image frames. The one frame option is far more usable if printing or publishing is wanted for the future. Unlike images which were originally captures as stills, still image frame grabs from video; however,  files cannot have their settings such as rotation, color correction, white balance and trim altered.   The movie editing control allows cropping movies by either cutting from the front, center or end of the clip. The user sets in and out points for the edited footage by pressing the down arrow and scanning left and right along the horizontal time bar located on the bottom of the LCD screen. Although this would be time intensive for trying to edit numerous or lengthy video files, the in-camera editing of video files will take less time than uploading footage into an editing software platform.

Other features like white balance and brightness work well on still images but the Keystone and Color Correction options need some work. The Keystone feature worked okay but had a tendency to crop and zoom too much to really be used with success. Unfortunately, the color correction option is not actually an option.  When the user selects color correction from the playback menu, the camera will most likely state that it "Cannot correct image!"  Personal distaste for unwarranted exclamation points aside, most of the images that were used to test this control were in dire need of color correction.  When an image finally was accepted for color correction, the camera displayed the trim frame used in keystone correction and then corrected the image for keystone problems.  This hardware problem not only appears on the EX-Z850 but also the EX-Z1000.

**Custom Image Presets ***(7.5)*

The custom image presets for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are extensive and to be quite honest, excessive and somewhat unnecessary. Preset shooting modes are intended to simplify the shooting experience for users by providing a quick and easily identifiable preset that matches the general parameters of a scene. The ease and simplicity of preset modes quickly disappears with the overwhelming multitude of "unique" settings. The menu structure is simple to navigate but with 34 offerings on three screens of thumbnails it takes just as much time to choose a preset as it would to manually set the camera.  A more conscientious selection should emerge that doesn’t reflect the current "everything but the kitchen sink" mentality shown with the Z850. Settings for this camera let users  select from the following scene parameters once the mode dial is turned to the Best Shot mode and the set button at the center of the four-way control is pressed: Portrait, Scenery, Portrait with Scenery, Children, Sports, Candlelight Portrait, Party, Pet, Flower, Natural Green, Autumn Leaves, Soft Flowing Water, Splashing Water, Sundown, Night Scene, Night Scene Portrait, Fireworks, Food, Text, Collection, For eBay, Backlight, Anti Shake, High Sensitivity, Pastel, Illustration, Cross, Monochrome, Retro, Twilight, ID Photo, Old Photo, Business Cards and Documents, White Board and Best Shot Register User Scene. The register user scene mode allows users to select previously captured images to serve as additional setting referents for additional modes. This user controlled preset mode can add up to 999 scene modes to the camera memory, so the menu can expand even longer.  The Z850 is one of the first Casio digital cameras to include the eBay Best Shot mode. This mode activates the auto macro mode for product photography and outputs images at the optimal 2 MB file size for perfect eBay uploading straight from the camera.

Control Options

Manual Control Options
**The manual control options for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are impressive considering the sub-$400 price tag and novice-friendly layout. Users can easily transition from full auto mode to partial or complete manual control at their own pace. When shooting in auto mode, the user can still control focus, white balance, exposure compensation, metering and ISO. Switching to the full manual mode enables access to both shutter speed and aperture simultaneously while shutter and aperture priority modes allows control over only one of their respective parameters. 
  Focus
***Auto Focus (5.5)
*The auto focus for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 can be left in full auto mode or adjusted slightly to the preset offerings of macro or infinity focus. There is also a pan focus option only available in the movie mode. The focus settings are accessed by pressing the up arrow on the four-way control. A small macro-tulip icon is the indication that focal control is available. Focus adjustments take a second or so to engage when shifting depths. Dramatic and slight and appropriate focusing depths were achieved most of the time when relying solely on the AF setting. In addition to these auto focus control parameters, users of the Z850 will find that they can manipulate the focus areas of the camera through a sub-menu located within the Record menu. This sub-menu lets users select between settings for spot, multi and free AF focal modes. The contrast detection auto focus system can focus as close as 3.94-19.69 inches in the macro mode and 15.75 inches to infinity normally. For shots in low light, the camera sends out an auto focus assist beam from the front to help the camera achieve focus.

Manual Focus (2.0)
*The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 does have a manual focus control which is accessed by pressing the up arrow on the four-way control.  When engaged, the manual focus control will display the MF icon in the upper right corner along with the word "FOCUS" in the lower left along with " < " and " > " arrows that indicate the potential directionality with which the user can manipulate focal length.  Additionally, a sliding scale with full focal range and currently selected fousing depth will be displayed horizontally along the bottom edge of the LCD screen.  When in manual focus mode, a yellow square will fill the center of the LCD, and when either the left or right arrow is engaged this frame will switch to a full-screen zoom view for the user to make adjustments. This crop-and-zoom focusing display will switch back into standard viewing mode after a few seconds of non-activity or when the shutter is depressed slightly.  Making adjustments to focus was actually a breeze, and although digital focusing is still a long cry from a true physical focusing ring, the resulting focus on captured images should be more than satisfactory.  With this easy to use and understand interface, even beginning users should feel comfortable using this manual control. The only drawback to the manual focus mode was the poor resolution of the LCD screen.   
*Metering (7.0)
Metering modes can be controlled when shooting with the Exilim EX-Z850 by entering the Quality menu and selecting the metering sub-menu. The three options provided with the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 allow for selection of spot, center-weighted and multi metering. Spot metering, while stuttering and a bit slow in its adjustments, did prove reliable at altering scenes as the camera was tested with backlit subjects, interior/exterior shooting transitions and spot-lit subjects. The center-weighted and multi-metering modes reacted competently and users should be able to adjust metering options and  appropriately adjust to varying lighting situations.      

Exposure (7.0)
**The exposure parameter for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is located within the Quality menu which opens when the Menu button is engaged. It’s a bit surprising to not find the exposure compensation scale listed within the broader menu structure, the EX shortcut or as an externally accessed control like focus, flash and shooting mode. When opened, the EV Shift sub-menu displays a cropped live view frame on the right side. On the left side of the LCD screen is a numerical EV setting which can be shifted by pressing the up and down arrows of the four-way controller. The EV scale for this camera is +/-2 EV in 1/3-stop increments.  Although the listing within the overall menu structure makes accessing this control a bit more time-consuming, the Casio emphasis on simple interface and a live preview make the novice and the more advanced point-and-shooter feel comfortable with this manual control.

When shooting in either shutter or aperture priority modes, the user will note that the exposure compensation scale is displayed on the LCD screen. Adjustments to its settings are done by pressing the Set button at the center of the four-way controller following proper adjustments to either shutter or aperture levels. The exposure compensation range and settings in these two modes are identical to those found in other shooting modes.
**White Balance (7.0)
**The white balance settings for the Exilim EX-Z850 are located within the same Quality menu that contains the ISO settings. The white balance options can be opened by selecting the set button while the white balance sub-menu is highlighted. The white balance sub-menu display provides users with a vertically scrolling menu of icons on the left side of the LCD while the right side is reserved for live preview. The inclusion of live preview throughout this camera’s menu structure is exceptionally advantageous. While users may not recognize which white balance goes with which scene, the live preview will quickly inform users as to an appropriate white balance preset or custom adjustment. Icons are problematic at times and it would be nice to have a textual description in addition to the icon and live preview to provide beginners with more insight into the actual parameters of each white balance mode. 

White balance settings for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are: Auto, Full manual, Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Day white, Daylight and Tungsten. White balance settings can also be accessed through the EX button shortcut feature located on the transition plane between the LCD screen and the left side of the camera. The white balance sub-menu is displayed as a small tab on the bottom edge of the LCD.

**ISO (6.25)
**The ISO settings can be set by entering the Quality menu which can be opened by pressing the menu button. It is also possible to access ISO through the EX button shortcut control located to the left of the LCD. The ISO settings for this digital camera are Auto, 50, 100, 200, and 400. The ISO settings can be accessed in full manual, auto, and some scene modes. Although noise will increase dramatically as higher ISO levels are used, the truncated range of the Exilim EX-Z850 pales in comparison in terms of versatility to cameras like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9 or the Olympus Stylus 720 SW which extend their sensitivity up to ISO 1600 for the same price. The inclusion of High Sensitivity and Anti Shake shooting modes within the Best Shot preset section will enable the camera to shoot at a top ISO level up to 1600, albeit, with diminished manual control elsewhere.

**Shutter Speed (7.0)
**Shutter speeds can be manually altered on the Casio Z850. The shutter speed priority mode can be entered by switching the mode dial to the "S" position. Shutter speed can also be altered in the manual mode when simultaneous control over the aperture is desired. The shutter speed for the camera is displayed in the lower right corner of the LCD screen once the shutter speed priority mode is entered.  Shutter speeds are easy to adjust with the left and right arrows of the four-way controller and users shouldn’t find engaging this manual control to be a difficult enterprise.  The manual shutter speed range of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is 1/1600th to 60 seconds.  The aperture priority mode limits the slower end to only 1 second, while the automatic shutter speed range truncates the range to go only as slow as a half-second. With specs like these, users should never use the auto mode to shoot in low light.  

**Aperture (6.5)
**Aperture is also manually controllable when shooting with the Casio Exilim EX-Z850. This is a great addition for both manual control enthusiasts and users who are considering transitioning away from a fully automatic shooting format. The aperture scale for this digital camera enables settings from f/7.4 to f/2.8 in either aperture priority or manual shooting modes. Like shutter speed, the aperture settings are listed in the lower left corner of the LCD screen and can be reset by pressing the left and right arrows. If switching between shutter, aperture and exposure compensation settings, the user will merely need to press the Set button at the center of the four-way controller to move between modes. In the automatic modes, the aperture can shrink a bit smaller to f/8.

Image Parameters

**Picture Quality / Size Options (7.0)
**Image size and quality parameters are both located within the main recording menu. Listed at the top of the first screen of options, both parameters are displayed as text overlaid on a live-view backdrop. The image size options are listed first and allow users to select between 8M (3264 x 2448), 8M (3264 x 2176) 3:2 format, 6M (2816 x 2112), 4M (2304 x 1728), 2M (1600 x 1200), and VGA (640 x 480). These options can be quickly scanned using the up and down arrows of the four-way control; as each option is highlighted the camera will scroll automatically between the megapixel count (8M), the image size broken down into pixels (3264 x 2448), along with the final maximum recommended print size (A3 print). The picture quality options for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are as follows: fine, normal and economy settings. 
**Picture Effects Mode (7.25)
**The picture effects settings for the Z850 are fairly extensive, although they don’t quite match the level of control and alteration possible with Canon's "My Colors" modes. The Filter subsection of the Quality menu houses the digital color filters for the Z850 and enables the application of the following tonal washes: black & white, sepia, red, green, blue, yellow, pink and purple. In addition to these settings, there are a handful of presets listed within the Best Shot mode such as Pastel, Illustration, Cross, Monochrome and Retro. The effects are simple to use and while the settings in the Quality menu don’t slow the camera’s processing, the options in the Best Shot mode will drastically reduce the shooting speed and requires users to pause for upwards of ten seconds when capturing images with these effects.

In the recording menu, users can adjust the sharpness, saturation, and contrast up and down two full stops. In the playback menu, the brightness can be tweaked up and down two full stops. There is a keystone correction feature that can be found there as well; this fixes pictures that were taken from an angle. A color correction feature is listed in the playback mode, but it doesn’t work as it should; this activates the keystone feature and is a mistake that Casio should correct.

Connectivity / Extras

**Connectivity
***Software (2.5)
*While the actual camera design is logical and simple for even beginning users, the software is another issue. The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 comes packaged with Photo Loader Ver. 2.3, Photohands Ver.1.0, USB driver B, and Adobe Reader Direct X - all for Windows PC.  Macintosh users may be disappointed to find their options reduced to Photo Loader Ver. 1.1 but honestly, don’t be too broken up about it since both Photo Loader and Photohands are programming abominations which this reviewer wouldn’t pawn on his least favorite relatives around the holidays. The Photo Loader is completely unnecessary. Instead of providing beginners with a simple and straightforward interface, the software is cluttered with too many choices, too many tabs, and too many options for what should be a simple matter of connecting and selecting images to copy to the computer. All of this excess becomes even more ridiculous when you realize that this claustrophobic display isn’t even for editing photographs. For editing purposes, the user will have to switch over to the Photohands program which Macintosh users won’t be able to access. 

The Photohands software was apparently designed to be a study in opposites when compared to the unnecessarily complicated Photo Loader layout. The Photohands software is patronizing; simply put, any software program which uses pictures of cute animals to represent retouch, rotate, resize, and print should be immediately deleted from your computer.  What was Casio thinking when it deemed it necessary to make the rotate control interface a poorly drawn koala and the print button as what appears to be a dung beetle?  Whatever the reason, these absurd and irritating drawings manage to actually complicate and muddle what would otherwise be a simple, easy and logical editing platform. 

Included with the aforementioned software is the owner’s manual for the camera which can be copied to hard drive for reference on the computer. Manuals should come in a physical form with the camera. Other than cost effectiveness, there is no justifiable reason for a hard copy of the user manual to be excluded.  

Finally, the only pieces of software that come with this camera that aren’t pointless or degrading are the Ulead Movie Wizard SE VCD and Windows Media Player programs. The Ulead Movie Wizard is a basic video capture device which can be used to import video footage onto a Windows PC.  The Windows Media Player is responsible for playing back the captured video footage following import.

*Jacks, ports, plugs (5.0)

*The jacks, ports and plugs for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are limited with all available connection points being positioned on the bottom of the camera. Located at the center point of the camera’s bottom face is a connector which allows the camera to attach to an included USB cradle. These cradles are an irritant because of their poor construction and the propensity for the user to lose  or damage the cradle because of its marginal size/weight. Unfortunately, these cradles are essential for the user of the EX-Z850 since it connects the camera to AC power adapters for charging, as well as USB and AV ports for transferring images to viewing monitors or personal computers. Without this cradle, the user couldn’t charge the battery or view images following capture. While helpful in shaving off weight and size in the war to attain the smallest, lightest, and thinnest point-and-shoot camera, it is a hindrance and a hassle. There are two other ports located on the bottom of the camera underneath a port cover which can be opened by sliding the cover to the right. This cover, once open, reveals the rechargeable lithium ion battery slot as well as the SD card slot for the EX-Z850. The cover opens a bit too easily and seems like it could be jostled open during transport or rough handling. The hinge that connects the cover to the camera is well-constructed and should be able to handle some rough treatment.

*

Direct Print Options (5.25)
*Like most point-and-shoot cameras on the market today, the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is capable of direct printing which would enable the user to avoid the debacle of engaging the included software programs.  Connecting the camera to a printer is done by resting the camera in the included USB cradle. Once set into the cradle, the user can connect the cradle to PictBridge compatible printers. The Casio Z850 is DPOF compliant and can create print orders from the playback menu for saving and printing later.

*Battery (7.0)
*Included with the purchase of the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is a rechargeable lithium ion battery which is housed in a slot located beneath a cover on the bottom of the camera body. Charging this battery is simple if the included camera dock is nearby, but could be a hassle on vacation. Some cameras like the Sony Cyber-shot W30 come with a DC-IN port that enables users to connect the camera directly to wall power and continue to shoot, albeit in a tethered state. This camera cannot be entered into shooting mode when connected to the USB cradle and users concerned about running low on batteries when shooting would be wise to invest in a second battery. The addition of a second battery is even more advisable to users who are unwilling to compromise their photos by using the optical viewfinder to save on power when batteries are low. Unfortunately, the Casio NP-40 battery is expensive; it runs for just under fifty dollars. Still, this battery gets a lot of mileage at a purported 440 shots per charge. This is why Casio calls this a Super Life battery.

*Memory (3.5)

*The provided memory options for the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 are limited with 8.0 MB of internal flash memory being provided in lieu of a memory card. This is helpful if a memory card is full or left behind and only a few quick low-quality images are needed.  Full resolution images, videos, or extended periods of shooting will require the purchase of SD/MMC memory cards that can be inserted into the memory card slot located beneath a cover on the bottom of the camera body. Although some manufacturers have opted to use smaller and smaller memory cards, the SD card is a sturdier option which will be harder to lose and damage when compared to other formats on the market today. Pictures and videos captured on the internal memory can be copied to a memory card and vice versa via the playback menu.

Overall Impressions

Value (5.75)
**When the Casio Z850 was introduced in February 2006, it came with a retail price of $399. In October, the retail price was listed as $349 on the manufacturer’s web site. This price category is very popular among point-and-shoots, but the Z850 is one of the few to include manual control. While it does have more control, this camera skimps on the resolution of the LCD screen. Other manufacturers like Kodak keep high-resolution displays on their slim digital cameras in this price range, so there’s no reason Casio - a premier**LCD manufacturer - should hold back. The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 is competitively priced but it is up to consumers to decide which features are most important and whether the Z850 has them.

Comparisons
*

Casio Exilim EX-Z750 -*The Casio Exilim EX-Z750 was released in March 2005 with an initial price tag of $449.99 and can now be found online and in stores for markedly less. The EX-Z750 has the same aluminum body and functional design found with the new Z850. The imager has slightly less resolution with 7.41 MP but the same 3x optical zoom and 2.5-inch, 115k LCD can be found. Users will find a lengthy list of preset shooting modes and manual control over focus, white balance, exposure compensation and others. This model has 8.3 MB of internal memory and accepts additional SD/MMC format memory cards.  

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W100 -*Like the Casio Exilim EX-Z850, the Sony Cyber-shot W100 was unveiled earlier in 2006 and features an 8 MP CCD, a similarly small and useless optical viewfinder, a 2.5 inch LCD with 115,000 pixels and a 3x optical zoom lens. This camera doesn’t have the manual controls and while ISO does extend to 1250, the resulting noise is an obvious issue. Other manual controls found with this digital camera include exposure compensation, metering, shutter speed and aperture. Unfortunately, the user will need to rely on preset or auto white balance settings since a custom option is not available with this camera. The W100 retails for $349 and has the same basic components with increased sensitivity for low light shooting.
*Nikon Coolpix S4 -*Retailing for fifty dollars more, the Nikon Coolpix S4 sets itself apart from the Z850 and other compact cameras by featuring a twisting camera body design that was originally found with the Nikon Coolpix 900 series camera.  Improvements over the Casio include a 10x optical zoom lens and 13.5 MB of internal memory.  Downgrades include a 2.5 inch LCD with lower resolution, an unimpressive movie mode, fewer in-camera editing options and a 6.4 MP CCD. Manual controls are under-whelming with users only having access to white balance, ISO, and exposure compensation.  While these setbacks are hard to ignore in comparison to other models, the Nikon does score points when it comes to the unique design that allows lots of zoom in a compact form. This may be enough to garner the eye of consumers not intrigued by the admittedly dull Z850.
Olympus Stylus 800 -*With an original retail price of approximately fifty dollars more than the Z850, the Olympus Stylus 800 is weather-proofed with an under-whelming styling and an 8 MP CCD comparable to the Z850.  The camera has 22 preset shooting modes which should comfortably handle most general shooting situations.  The LCD screen is the only viewing option and with only 2.5 inches like the Z850, the Stylus 800 does have a far more impressive 215,000 pixels.  The control options for this digital camera leans toward the point-and-shoot user with no manual focus, two metering modes, EV compensation, no white balance and an ISO to 400 at full resolution (diminished resolution for settings of 800 and 1600).  Shutter speed is manually controllable although with a smaller range than the Z850 and aperture can be controlled when shooting with the aperture priority setting. 

 

**Who It’s For
***Point-and-Shooters* – These consumers will find the Best Shot scene modes and the Snapshot mode to be simple and geared towards beginners.  The great advantage this camera has over purely point-and-shoot models in the sub-$400 range is the inclusion of manual controls that point-and-shooters can transition into over time at their own pace.

Budget Consumers – The budget consumer will find this camera to be an interesting option due to the inclusion of manual control options which span the gamut of options in addition to a live-preview menu interface and simple control layout. The retail price is advertised as $349, but it can be found online for as low as $228.

Gadget Freaks­ – There really aren’t innovative features on the Casio Exilim EX-Z850 that will grab the attention of the gadget freak.  It’s a straight-forward compact camera with manual controls and a point-and-shoot friendly interface for novice users.

*Manual Control Freaks *– This camera does come with manual controls that enable beginners to experiment with at their own pace. If looking for a compact digital camera with manual controls, the Z850 should impress with extensive controls over focus, metering, flash and flash intensity, white balance, shutter speed, ISO, aperture and exposure compensation.

*Pros/ Serious Hobbyists *– With the marginal image quality produced by the Z850, there’s little reason for a pro or serious hobbyist to look at this sub-$400 primarily point-and-shoot pocket digital camera, even as a portable pocket model.

Conclusion

**Conclusion
**The Casio Exilim EX-Z850 has a sturdy aluminum body that measures 0.93 inches thick. The size and portability may be a big plus for many consumers, but there are tradeoffs. Those include poor handling, under-sized and oddly placed controls, and ports that are only accessible from a camera dock. Casio took some other shortcuts too: The LCD screen’s resolution is substandard and the optical viewfinder isn’t accurate at all, making both viewing options muddled. Still, this digital camera retails for $349 and can be found for significantly less online. The Casio Z850 stands near the top of its class in terms of build quality and manual controls in a price bracket where many competing models are plastic, with a primarily automatic interface. The Z850 doesn’t fall short in automatic modes either though. It provides users with 34 scene modes and the ability to save 999 more. Overall, the 8-megapixel Casio Z850 is a good candidate for budget consumers as the price continues to fall, but some of the camera’s shortcomings may be too much for many other consumers to take.

Specs / Ratings

Spec Table
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