Casio Exilim EX-Z70 (black)

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 13 reviews
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Product summary

The good: Fast performance; small and slim.

The bad The bad: Button design allows the camera to be turned on accidentally; disappointing image quality.

The bottom line: It's small, cheap, and fast, but this 7-megapixel shooter is hindered by a couple of irritating flaws.

Specifications: Digital camera type: Ultracompact; Resolution: 7.2 megapixels; Optical zoom: 3 x; See full specs

See all products in the Casio Exilim EX-Z70 series

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: Will Greenwald
Edited by: Philip Ryan
Reviewed on: 10/23/2006

Quirks can make or break a relationship. He or she may be attractive, smart, funny and have plenty of good qualities, but unsightly habits such as tooth-clicking or nail-biting may be enough to push you over the edge. Technology is the same way; a camera may be attractive and fast, but those irritating flaws can be enough to drive you crazy. Casio's 7-megapixel Exilim EX-Z70 is one such quirky camera.

At 4.8 ounces and only 0.8 inch thick, the Z70's slim, metal body is the right size to fit into your pocket. Though the size is right, you should still be very careful when pocketing this camera. Besides the tiny power button on the top, the two flat record and playback buttons on the camera's backside can also turn it on. If your pocket is too tight or if you don't pay attention, you could drain the camera's battery or have the lens pop out at inopportune times.

The Z70 comes with the same handy features standard on all of Casio's Exilim cameras. Digital-image stabilization helps reduce shake and blur when using the camera's 38-to-114mm-equivalent lens. However, that feature shouldn't be confused with the more-effective optical or mechanical-image stabilization offered by some other camera makers. Casio's Best Shot modes offer users more than two dozen scene presets, including the auction-photo-optimizing eBay mode. Unfortunately, the camera can reach only ISO 400 for low-light and high-speed shooting. It also lacks an optical viewfinder, forcing users to frame shots and review images on the camera's grainy and washed-out 2.5-inch LCD screen.

Despite a few quirks, the Z70's performance is excellent. The camera powers up in only 1.2 seconds and can take a shot every 1.3 seconds. With the onboard flash enabled, shot-to-shot time increases to 2.5 seconds. Shutter lag measures a speedy 0.4 second in bright light and only 1 second in dim light. Burst mode was acceptable, pumping out 27 full-resolution images in 33 seconds for a rate of 0.8 frame per second.

See more CNET content tagged:: Casio Inc.,; camera,; pocket,; shot,; size

User reviews

Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 13 reviews
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Showing 3 of 13 user reviewsSee all 13 user reviews
4.5 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

"A Big Step In Technology For Cameras Because!"

by mrrap4food on January 23, 2007

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3.5 stars

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

"Good but struggles in low light"

by ltesta on October 23, 2006

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2.5 stars

"image quality is very poor"

by 1001director on October 24, 2007

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Casio Exilim EX-Z70 (black)

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