Casio Exilim EX-Z9 announced

[David Rasnake]

Casio is expanding its Exilim Z line of compact cameras with the introduction this morning of the EX-Z9.

The EX-Z9 is an 8.1 megapixel camera sporting a 3x optical zoom and a 2.6-inch LCD. Emphasizing ease of use, the camera features 23 "Best Shot" scene/situation preset modes and an "Easy" mode that reduces the number of user-adjustable parameters to a mere three.

Like many of Casio's latest models, the Z9 also features a YouTube-optimized video capture mode aimed to simplify getting web-res videos from your camera and onto the internet. Though there's apparently no optical image stabilization, the Z9 does advertise Anti Shake DSP – an ISO boost digital stabilization system, presumably.

As with practically every compact camera these days, the Casio also has Face Detection Technology. Color options include pink, black, silver, and orange. In short, the EX-Z9 sounds like a pretty conventional budget compact.

The camera should begin showing up in retail outlets this month, with an MSRP of $159.99.

Casio Exilim EX-Z9 Specifications:

Sensor	8.1 megapixel, 1/2.5" CCD
Lens/Zoom	3x (37.5-112.5mm) lens, f/2.8-5.2
LCD/Viewfinder	2.6", 115K-pixel TFT LCD
Sensitivity	ISO 64-1600
Shutter Speed	4-1/2000 seconds
Shooting Modes	Normal, Easy, Best Shot, Movie
Scene Presets	23 Presets
White Balance Settings	Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Shade, Fluorescent 1, Fluorescent 2, Tungsten, Manual
Metering Modes	Multi, Center, Spot
Focus Modes	Multi AF, Spot AF
Drive Modes	Normal, Continuous
Flash Modes	Auto, Forced Off, Forced On, Soft Flash, Red-Eye Reduction
Self Timer Settings	10 seconds, 2 seconds, Triple Self Timer, Off
Memory Formats	SD, SDHC
Internal Memory	18.6 MB
File Formats	JPEG, MPEG
Max. Image Size	3264x2448
Max. Video Size	640x480
Zoom During Video	Not Specified
Battery	Rechargeable lithium-ion
Connections	USB 2.0, AV output
Additional Features	Easy shooting mode, 23 Best Shot presets, YouTube video capture mode