What makes Casio’s EX-Z1050 special is not its on-board ‘gimmicks’ but the fact that it does the simple things well – not least taking great photos. The basic features of the camera are not exceptional; the 10MP sensor is slightly above average, but the 38-114mm equivalent zoom lens and the 80 to 1600 ISO range are both fairly standard. There are 38 modes to choose from Casio’s ‘Best Shot Selector’ options, with a mind-boggling array of possibilities. Key additional modes such as movie and black & white are included and choosing the best mode for your particular shooting situation will improve your results. The Z1050’s 2.6in LCD screen also excels, being clear and bright (even on a sunny day). The body design is sleek and stylish and the metal finish (in silver, blue or pink) gives it a solid feel with a clean and simple button arrangement.

Our only gripe is that the buttons are fairly small. The menus are detailed and easy to use and the camera is quick to start-up and operate, while the long life of the rechargeable battery lets you shoot for extended periods.

Image Quality
Exposures are consistent across a range of subjects and there is good detail in the shadows, even with strong light. When images are enlarged they are mostly noise free, perhaps due to Casio’s new processing module. Noise increases with ISO but at ISO 200 you can enlarge images to A3 size without problems.

There is distortion at the wideangle end, but this is not unacceptable. Fringing is minimal too.