It’s tough for compact cameras these days, when there are able smartphones churning out impressive photos and mirrorless cameras providing the flexibility of changeable lenses.
Oddly, Casio has managed to carve a unique niche with its latest compact cameras and the EX-ZR3500 aims to continue that success.
Let’s get the most obvious thing out of the way – this camera is designed to be a simple camera. If you are looking for the best in technology in terms of megapixel count, advanced controls and other top-end features, then this camera can only disappoint.
For instance, it has only two aperture settings even though there are PASM (Program, Aperture, Shutter and Manual) controls to choose from.
Before you scoff at this, thinking that it is just a toy, this camera shines when it is in the hands of a creative shooter. Yes, even without the need for in-depth post editing and photography skills.
Among its arsenal are some pretty interesting effects such as crystal ball, miniature, star-burst to name a few. Used well, this able little Casio shooter will provide some fun while capturing images.
Its killer features are essentially tools for selfies. There’s a flip-up screen so you can compose a picture properly and a “make-up” setting that helps to whiten and smoothen the skin.
To make it even simpler to take a selfie, there is an extra button located at the front that you can use when holding the camera. There is also a hand-wave detector to start the countdown which makes taking wefies a breeze if the camera is placed on a tripod from some distance away.
Interestingly, Casio has also included a time lapse mode. All I have to do is just match up the scene I want to capture in a time lapse sequence, place it on a tripod and just let the camera do the job in capturing the scene.
The maximum length of capture is 20 minutes, which is good for a minute worth of video footage. What’s more, the camera puts the video together in the popular MP4 format clip for easy sharing.
Shooting regular video on the EX-ZR3500 is pretty fun too, especially when you set the camera up for some slow motion action. Just shoot the video in 120-frames-per-second shots or faster. The result is a slow motion video when you play it back at normal speed.
When it comes to connectivity, the Wi-Fi connection provided is handy. Sharing photos and videos via the smart phone or tablet is pretty easy although the setting up could be a little easier.
If you are looking for a feature-packed camera for someone who loves shooting selfies and photos of his every meal before sharing them online, the EX-ZR3500 is perfect.
For everyone else, this S$579 camera can be used as a fun shooter on a holiday, to snap any scenery or moments that just pop up. I’d turn to a better camera to shoot higher quality images, though.
