“Hey! Let’s take a Selfie!” This phrase has become so commonplace in our lives! As Oxford Dictionary’s 2013 word of the year, #Selfie has truly made its way onto every social media possible. My Instagram feed is no exception, I have fallen to my narcissism several times and posted a couple of pictures of my smug mug. The only problem is – I am no model and the grainy low megapixel quality of my iPhone front camera highlighting all my flaws was hardly flattering!
Looks like I am not the only one having this problem, because CASIO has released a series of cameras specifically for making selfies an incredibly easy and satisfying snap!
What’s the best part about this? I got to try out all three cameras!
CASIO EX-MR1
First up is the The “Kawaii” petite Mirror Cam CASIO EX-MR1! Fitting right into the palm of my hands in its adorable pastel colour (White, Baby Pink and Mint Green), it definitely fits right into a young lady’s purse.
Interestingly, the 21mm wide-angle lens are position right within the “mirror” of the front body. So, basically, this camera sort of acts like the front camera of our phone. It is like I am holding a hand mirror and checking my reflection when I am taking a selfie. Except, it comes with a whopping 14.0 megapixels (that my iPhone can hardly keep up with), and an in-built Make-up mode for making my skin look as smooth as a baby’s. Or if that is too much for your liking, you can actually manually adjust between six levels of Skin Tone and Smooth Skin to your preference. That means, not only do I get to take a well-positioned shot of myself, and making sure that there are no photobombs, I get to look fresh and bright instantly in every photo.
Right after taking a great selfie, it is time to share it on social media of course! Using the EXLIM Link app available on iOS and Android devices, the photos can be sent into your phone within seconds through Wifi. I have been waiting for something like this for ages! I get to skip the arduous process of uploading the pictures, which also requires me to have a computer, and having it instantly in my phone to share!
CASIO EX-ZR50
The next contender is the all-rounder High Speed CASIO EX-ZR50. Available in a sleek silvery finish (of White, Bronze or Silver), this lightweight power Digi-cam is aiming to be a jack-of-all-trades – all while fitting right into your palm.
Looking more like a traditional digi-cam we are all familiar with, it transforms into a selfie camera when the 3.0 inch LCD monitor screen is flipped upwards to face you. Just like the EX-MR1, it has the Make-up Mode easily accessible through the main menu. The difference from the previous will be the upgrade in specs with 16.1 megapixels and 24mm wide-angle lens, and a much more superior auto white balance and saturation adjustments – all for the perfect HQ shot!
While it works well at taking a great selfie in every occasion, it actually works even better taking landscape shots etc. Essentially, it encompasses all you need for a casual photographer with a narcissistic side (someone like me!). As a camera that was meant for something more than just selfies, it is that middle ground you need. It has multiple settings and image-processing combinations, including Intelligent Colour that helps adjust for more natural colour tones. You can bring it on trips knowing that you can take great pictures of you and your friends in amazing locations without worry.
CASIO EX-TR50
Last but not least, it’s the famed CASIO EX-TR50 – the 4th iteration of their famous selfie genie. Always with the female customers in mind, this series of camera has always maintained a simple yet elegant look. This time, they upped the ante, with a beautiful ultra-slim metallic finish featuring vivid colour options (Gold, Rose Red and Blue) as well as a decorative jewel-cut lens circle.
The appeal of this camera is not just in this appearance of course. With a 3.0 inch Super Clear LCD coupled with a 21mm Wide-angle lens, the camera features a touch-screen and a newly updated user-friendly interface – making it even easier to adjust my Skin Tone and Smooth Skin for the perfect portrait at 11.0 megapixels. What’s more, it has an in-built Beauty Mode Bracketing function that takes a series of three shots – each with varying levels of skin tone enhancements. This means, regardless of day or night, you’re sure to get a shot that makes you look amazing.
Of course, the much loved flip-out handle capable of a 180 degree swivel remains popular as ever. On top of giving more flexibility in getting the angle I need, but it also serves as an instant stand. With the EXLIM app, I can place the camera in an upright position and snap a #OOTD with my phone! If that is still too “hands-on” for you, there’s even a Posing Shot mode that triggers on voice command for five successive shots. Talk about being convenient.
What’s more, if you’re born in the nineties or before like me – you will be familiar with neoprints! The EX-TR50 even has a Paint Mode that reminiscent of that. With several original picture frames and stickers on board, you can edit your selfie’s just like on those neoprint machines.
| EX-MR1 | EX-ZR50 | EX-TR50 | |
| Price | S$429 | S$449 | S$1300 |
| Megapixels | 14.0 | 16.1 | 11.1 |
| Battery Life (still images) | 230 | 175 | 240 |
| Actual Movie Recording Time | 35 mins | 40 mins | 55 mins |
| Weight (Including Battery) | 133g | 179g | 167g |
| Aperture | F5 | F3.1 (W) to F7.8 (W) | F2.8 |
| Image-Processing | No | Yes | No |
| Make Up Mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Beauty Mode Bracketing | No | No | Yes |
| Paint Mode | No | Yes (Known as Dynamic Mode, but not as extensive) | Yes |
| WiFi App Support | Yes (Only File Transfers) | Yes (File Transfers & Remote Shooting) | Yes (File Transfers & Remote Shooting) |
Verdict
All in all, feature wise as a selfie camera, the stylish CASIO EX-TR50 is the ultimate winner for me. It is truly meant to be coveted selfie camera, boosting functions to, as CASIO advertised, “bring out feminine beauty”. That is, if you have the money to spare – as it costs a whopping S$1,299. On the other hand, if you’re purely looking for a selfie camera that looks great when you’re out and about you can just invest S$429 on the CASIO EX-MR1. While it is indeed missing out on several functions and capabilities, it is much more affordable. Then again, as someone who is cash tight 365 days of the year, I would prefer the more-value-for-money CASIO EX-ZR50. While acting as a selfie camera, its heightened specs doubles as a decent digi-cam at S$449.
So, which of these cameras is worth investing for your selfie addiction?
Do check out our review for CASIO EX-FR10, which will change the way you take selfie and it is a selfie camera made for lone travellers.
About the Writer
Jessica is a young lady of many obsessions. She gets herself into everything ranging from the latest in the monochrome fashion world (she only wears black, and sometimes, white) to convincing the masses that Community is the best TV series ever made.
Currently, she enjoys looking like Sailor Mercury had a baby with Wednesday Addams.
