Review of the Casio EX-V7

www.casio.co.uk RRP: £300 The EX-V7 is the latest in Casio’s Exilim range and boasts the first non-protruding 7x optical zoom lens seen in a digital compact. But is this world-first a success, or have sacrifices been made in the pursuit of headline-grabbing innovation? The 7MP EX-V7 possesses an impressive specification. Alongside its 7x optical zoom (38-266mm equivalent) and Super Bright 2.5in LCD lie Program, Shutter, Aperture and Manual exposure controls. CCD shift image stabilisation is present, along with a maximum ISO of 800 and auto-tracking AF to, in theory, create sharp images in difficult circumstances. The design of the EX-V7 is sleek and stylish. Available in both black and silver, smooth lines are maintained throughout the surprisingly compact chassis, considering the strong zoom. Power is controlled via the sliding lens cover, with the mode dials and camera controls highlighted in a silver finish. Navigation of the menu system and access to the camera functions is simple and prompt and image capture is quick, as is reviewing images, with high-speed image playback capable of scrolling through 100 images in just ten seconds. VERDICT The feature-laden EX-V7 impresses in design and use, but is let down by poor image quality. What Digital Camera Score 80%