The
Casio's QV-4000 is the top of the line of Casio's digital cameras
at this time. A 4.1 megapixel model, the camera features a Canon 3X optical
zoom and an ergonomic design that is one of the best.
The exterior is nicely done in a two-tone brown black combination with
metallic accents and a rubberized grip area. The front surface and the
centre sections are metallic; the back made of a solid textured plastic.
The
QV-4000 has an excellent in-hand feel. The camera is thick and provides
comfortable places for fingers to hold the camera. A lot of attention
has been paid to the ergonomic design of the controls.
The
Shutter Release button and the Power/Function Switch around
it are angled slightly towards the front and right of the camera; while
the Selector Dial extends slightly toward the back making it easily
accessed with the thumb.
Two small buttons are also included on the right side of the QV-4000,
both placed next to a status display. The Flash modes are cycled through
by pressing the Flash button (auto, forced on, forced off, red-eye reduction),
and so is the Self-Timer (10 sec delay, 2 second delay, off).
On the opposite side,
the QV-4000 supports a 2-tiered dial with first the Exposure Mode
Dial and below, the Drive Mode Dial.
The Exposure Mode Dial provides an easy access to:
Manual Mode,
Shutter Priority,
Aperture
Priority,
Program
Mode,
Full
Auto Mode,
and
the Best Shot Mode.
The
Drive Mode Dial serves to select from:
Auto Exposure Bracketing,
Continuous Mode,
Single
Shot Mode,
Movie
Recording,
and
Panorama Mode.
The two-tiered
dial is an excellent idea which avoids having to use the camera menu
either for the exposure modes, or to select any of the recording modes.
One more button is located near the top of the camera, the Menu
button.
All the other external controls of the QV-4000 are on the back of the
camera, on either side of the 1.8 inch LCD screen.
A row of four buttons
are aligned along the left edge of the screen. The top three work by
being held down while the Selector Dial, on the upper right of the camera,
is rotated. These control:
Metering: Multi-pattern, Centre-weighted, Spot.
White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent,
Manual (user selected).
Focus:
Multi-Area AF, Spot AF, Manual Focus, Infinity, Macro.
AE-L:
Auto Exposure Lock. Works in all modes except Manual Mode.
The
right side of the LCD screen also provides 4 controls. First, near the
top is the Zoom Control, which also serves to present thumbnails
or magnify an image in Playback, and below, a joystick-type control called
the Control Button.
This is an innovative design which works surprinsingly well with this
camera. It is not only used to navigate the menus, but also serves to
select the focus when the Multi-Area AF is in use.
The
QV-4000 is equiped with an optical viewfinder with a rubber eyecup and
a diopter correction.
The eye cup area also holds 2 small LEDs: an amber one which is lit when
the flash is ready and flashes while it charges; and a green one for autofocus
that turns red when the camera can't autofocus and flashes green during
camera activities.
Casio
has produced an excellent design for the QV-4000. The camera is intuitive,
and even its advanced functions can be mastered — and remembered
— quickly.
