Discussing Breast Cancer

For the month of October, Casio has bundled up a special edition pink Exilim camera, the EX-Z75; it’s a 7.2 megapixel digital camera with a lanyard and pink ribbon dangle and a leather case with pink stitching. Proceeds are going to benefit The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

From a press release: “We are proud to be a sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation,” said Bill Heuer, Vice President of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “We hope that by purchasing the EX-Z75 in honor of breast cancer patients and survivors, users will capture every valuable moment with their friends and family.”

The kind (and smart) people at Casio sent me a camera to review — so right away I’m psyched, right? Then, as I unpackaged it, aside from the fact that I love the lanyard (instant usability and so “me”), I loved how easy it was to navigate the camera’s menu and program the camera to my liking. Got that date and time stamp on there right away.

I imported and printed out my first picture … of the man who inspires me almost every day, my dear husband and tech junkie Tim, and the quality is right on.

The large 2.6″ LCD is indeed a good size (in case you’re measurement challenged, that’s about the size of a package of tic-tacs turned on its side.) Great for anyone having trouble seeing the smaller LCD panels many digital cameras have. But, the images appear grainy on the screen. I worried about the quality as I was taking them. But once they were imported into iPhoto, they looked okay, and you can see the quality of the print once it is uploaded by looking at that handsome man I’m married to above.

The 3X optical zoom is, well, fine. Just fine. See, I have to put this camera into context. We’re not talking about a camera meant for professional quality and use. And that’s my caveat: I am not a professional photographer. If I were a professional, I wouldn’t use this camera. Because I’d want more zoom and greater resolution. But I’m looking for a camera that I can take with me anywhere, easily, so I can snap photos of my children and my friends or places that catch my eye and capture memories … mainstream use.

So, would I recommend this camera? Absolutely. Buying it supports the NBCF, an organization that is dedicated to saving lives. It supports Casio, a company that sponsors the NBCF. And let’s face it, the bundle is a good one — fun to look at, fun to use.

This baby can be purchased at Sears, La Curacao, Fred Meyer, BJ’s, Nexcom, AAFES, Staples, and Future Shop. The MSRP is $179.99.