Casio Europe have just announced the twelve-megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z280 digital compact camera with a 26-104 mm equivalent zoom lens and CCD-shift image stabilisation. The Casio EX-Z280 also offers face detection, complemented by a “make-up” function, an AF tracking function that can remember faces and resume tracking them even if the subject leaves the frame and then reappears, and HD movie recording at 1280x720 pixels. The EX-Z280, available this September 2009, will have an MSRP of $179.99 and will be offered in a silver body color.

Casio Press Release

More photo fun for the whole family: The new EXILIM Zoom EX-Z280 from CASIO

The new digital camera offers comprehensive features for versatile use

The new EXILIM Zoom EX-Z280 from CASIO is a delight with its captivating functions and is the ideal camera for the whole family. Whether a birthday party with friends, a joint weekend trip or portraits of relatives - the new EXILIM Zoom camera from CASIO transforms the happiest of moments into unforgettable memories. The EX-Z280 combines high performance and lots of fun in its slim and compact casing:

A high-performance, stylish digital camera
The EXILIM Zoom EX-Z280 is a 12.1 effective megapixel digital camera boasting a wide-angle 26 mm 4X optical zoom lens (35 mm film camera equivalent) in a stylishly slim, compact body. Needless to say, it comes complete with Casio’s usual high-performance features, such as a CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism and Face Detection function.

EXILIM Engine 4.0 built-in
The EXILIM Engine 4.0 features a high-speed dedicated image processing CPU in addition to an ordinary CPU, allowing the camera to perform complex processing such as is required to allow users to combine images right on the camera. Casio developed the new engine to make possible beautiful, high-quality images, with outstanding color reproduction and a rich tonal range that guarantees superior visual expression, and noise reduction at high-sensitivity levels.

Various new functions make the most of the new EXILIM Engine 4.0

Dynamic Photo function
This innovative function makes it possible to extract multiple motifs from one series of photos and turn them into an animated sequence. This can then be placed into another photo and now also be enlarged or minimised as well as optimally adjusted to the background within the newly created picture. The photographer can refine his photos even further simply by adding one of the already installed animations. The dynamic photo can subsequently be turned into a film file while still in the camera. This not only makes taking pictures fun, but also the creation of one’s own photo and video compositions.

Make-up function
In addition to recognizing faces and adjusting focus and exposure accordingly, the camera can make adjustments to smooth skin in images and soften facial shadows caused by sunlight, creating beautiful photographs of people’s faces. The photographer can choose from one of twelve levels of skin beauty using different strengths of image processing, and can shoot after viewing the results in the LCD monitor.

Handheld Night Scene function and Lighting function
The camera can automatically detect difficult situations, such as night scenes where there would normally be camera shake, and backlit scenes where faces or backgrounds can be poorly exposed, and then make the most appropriate settings. All the user has to do is to press the shutter button to take great pictures.

Tracking AF
The camera incorporates an autofocus function that automatically follows a moving subject. When a subject leaves the frame the camera makes a record of it, and when the same subject once again enters the frame it is recognized by the camera, and auto focusing is resumed.

High Resolution HD Movies
The camera also features an HD Movie function. Just press the dedicated Movie button to take beautiful movies at 1280x720 pixels.

YouTube™ Movie Mode
Movies can be recorded and saved using the ideal size and quality settings for the world’s most popular video sharing site, YouTube™. Recorded movies can be easily uploaded to YouTube™ using the included computer software.

Easy Mode helps beginners by making camera settings easy to understand
Using Easy Mode, photo settings are restricted to just image size, flash on/off and self timer, and these are displayed on a simplified menu screen.

Image Gallery

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