Casio has regularly
used very legible and clear interfaces in its cameras, and the QV-R40
is no exception. The menu system has a very clean look, and like the camera
itself, responds very quickly to the navigation control. The interface
does not require that the SET
button be used to confirm each selection — as a matter of fact when
it is pressed it registers the choice and clears the menu off the screen
— and multiple selections can be made using the arrow controls only,
confirming the selections at the end by simply pressing the menu button
again.
In both the Recording mode or the Playback mode, the menu system offers
an access to the Set Up
menu, where some basic settings are made:
Beep:
On or Off. Controls the beeping sounds made by the QV-R40 in use.
Startup:
allows selecting an image stored in the Favorites folder, or
Casio's own, or none as a start up image when the camera is turned
on.
File
Number: Continue or Rest. decides if the image file numbers will
be sequential or reset.
World
Time: similar to what exists on Pentax cameras, the option allows
setting a Home time and a World time (a destination).
The alarms that can then be set in the Playback menu will then function
according to the time in use, either Home or World.
Date
Style: serves to choose the way the date is displayed. The selection
made here will be echoed in the DPOF settings if images are time/date
stamped.
Adjust:
is to set the time and date on the QV-R40.
Language:
determines the language used by the menu system (Japanese, English,
French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese [complex or
simplified], Korean).
Sleep:
is to set the time delay for hibernation (30 sec, , 2, minutes or
Off).
Auto
Power Off: sets the auto shut off of the camera (2 or 5 minutes).
Format:
is to format either the internal 10MB memory or a memory card.
Reset:
returns the camera to its factory settings.
Casio
provides a lengthy Manual (175 pages) with the the QV-R40, but in DF
format (Adobe Acrobat). The manual is very comprehensive, but a bit
more difficult to navigate as it lacks direct links from the index to
the corresponding pages. In addition, a printed quick start guide in
multiple languages is included.
Software
The
Casio QV-R40 tested here was bundled with two discs. One contain basic
image editing software, a USB driver, and manuals:
PhotoLoader:
to download images from the camera and not required with Windows XP.
Photohands:
to edit, resize, rotate, or print images .
Photohands
presents an unusual interface, one which appears more geared to the preschooler
than to the likely user of a QV-R40. Large buttons adorned with stylized
animals are used for image editing activities. Image editing is applied
to the entire image, and adjustments can be made to contrast, brightness,
saturation, sharpness. A noise removal function is also available and
images can be converted to black and white or sepia.
With
this North American version Casio QV-R40, a second disc containing Kodak's
EasyShare software, to share photos over the Internet, was also included.
