One of the things a Blogger and a YouTuber must have is a camera. Today, I will be reviewing my current favorite!
It's the Casio Exilim ZR3500 Selfie Camera.
I am not a very techy person and have limited knowledge in camera specs but I will still try to review this camera comprehensively.
So, why is it called a Selfie Camera? Because it has features that any selfie-lover would like. First, it comes with a 180 Degrees flip screen so you could better see your angle when taking selfies. It is also perfect for taking group photos so you could see that no one gets cut in the photo. The flip screen is also perfect for YouTubers and Vloggers as you could perfectly see yourself while filming makeup tutorials or your daily life vlogs.
Another thing that you will surely love is it's Makeup Effects! It's a high-end photo filter that smoothens skin and eliminates acne, spots, wrinkles and pores! So now you could snap a photo and upload it on your SNS without having to edit or retouch anything.
And talking about uploading, it also has WIFI that lets you connect the camera to your phone for easy collaging, editing and uploading! Perfect for on-the-go people and also perfect when traveling as one does not need laptop or computer to be able to transfer the photos from the camera! You will get it on your phone in an instant!
Convinced yet? Now, let's go to the proper camera review!
Casio Exilim ZR3500 is a product of Japan but it is raved in most parts of Asia like Singapore, Hong-Kong, Malaysia, etc. I found out about this great camera through my favorite blogger, Cheeserland. It was not available yet in the Philippines when I purchased it so I had to buy it online. It was delivered straight to my home directly from Japan. Though I love that my camera came straight from Japan, I did not like the idea of ordering a gadget online. Whenever I buy gadgets, I make sure that I test it out first and see that it is not damaged before I actually pay for it. But since I just got it online, I had to trust that I would not get scammed and that the camera would not be damaged nor broken when I get it.
For in depth review, I also filmed a video review and demonstration of the Casio Exilim ZR3500.
Watch the video for the full specs and demonstration.
PRICE: Php20,995
WHERE TO GET IT: Get your own Casio Exilim ZR3500 only at Camerahaus branches.
MAKEUP EFFECTS
The main feature of this camera is the Makeup Effects that filters skin to remove acne, dark spots, wrinkles and pores. It gives super smooth and lighter skin tone, without using Photoshop! However, you can still choose from Level 0 to Level 12, depending on how flawless you want to appear in the picture.
To let you see the drastic change, I collaged my photos and tried 5 different Makeup Effect levels. Take note, though, that I was not wearing any face/skin products in the pictures.
I went from Level 0 to Level 12. My skin broke out recently so I thought this would be the perfect time to try the filter levels as I wanted to test if it can eliminate the big spots on my face.
Using Level 0, you can see that my skin seems dark. You can also see the acne marks on my cheeks and the active spots on my forehead. As the filter gets more intense, the smoothness of my skin also gets intense. In the last photo, Level 12 Filter, you can see that my skin is lighter and it is also so much smoother. The acne marks on my cheek were not visible anymore as well as the active pimples on my forehead.
After trying out the Makeup Effects with no product on my face, I then went ahead and applied full coverage foundation and powder then snapped some photos. Below is a comparison of how my skin looks Without Filter and With Filter.
AMAZING, right?! This is the secret of some famous bloggers like Cheeserland and Xiaue! Now you know why they look so flawless and smooth in their photos! And yes, I am spilling my secret, too! This is also the reason why I look flawless in my selfie photos recently! Hehehe
(However, for Acne Posts and Product Reviews, I make sure that I use Level 0 Filter to show you the real appearance of my skin. So you can still trust me when it comes to Acne Posts and Product reviews!)
Here is a sample Selfie I took back in January using my Casio Exilim ZR3500. I set the filter to Level 7 so as not to make myself look overly plastic and fake. :)
If that is not yet enough reason why I love and why you should also get this camera, it also has other effects that you will also like!
ART SHOT
Soft Focus
Fisheye
HDR ART
This is my next favorite after the MakeUp Effect. This photo effect enhances the color of the picture to make it look like a work of art; a painting. I love using this effect for taking photos of nature, colorful things, beautiful structures and architectures and a whole lot more! It has different Levels to choose from, too. Here are some photo examples.
HDR Art Level 1
HDR Art Level 2
HDR Art Level 3
See how amazing the effect is? It instanly transforms even a plain scenery to a really artsy photo! However, I noticed that it is not quite advisable to be used when taking portrait photos as it tends to make the person look darker and...dirty! Hehe Here is a sample photo I took using HDR Art Level 2.
Casio Exilim ZR3500 is also perfect for taking Panorama Shots, Food photos and pictures of Flowers, Pets and other things that you could think of!
BS Best Shot
Slide Panorama
Food
Flowers
But, just like with other things or gadgets, nothing can be perfect. Here are some things that I really like and some things that I don't like about this camera.
LIKES
- Can take photos while taking a video.
Above is a sample video that I took using this feature. I took this video of my favorite K-pop group, INFINITE, last November 7, 2015 at the Infinite Effect Concert here in Manila. (Oh, did you want to read more about that concert? CLICK HERE to open a new tab and read my IE Concert experience!)
As I was saying, this camera can take photos WHILE you are taking a video. That is so you NEVER miss to capture a moment! Just like how I was able to film a video of WooHyun and Sunggyu and then take photos of them while WooHyun points at me and Sunggyu looks in my camera! Yay!
- Connect camera to phone to instantly get photos and upload on your SNS.
If you are both a photo and travel lover, then you will surely appreciate this feature! It allows you to instantly transfer photos that you took with the Exilim ZR3500 to your smart phone,without the use of a cord or laptop! You can connect your camera to your phone through Wi-Fi connection.
After you have gotten the photos that you need, you can then upload it on your SNS such as Facebook or Instagram! This is so convenient because you can upload a photo that you took even when you are in the middle of a vacation in Boracay or Japan!
- Can be charged using Power Bank.
At first, I didn't like the idea of having to charge the entire unit. I used to own only Canon cameras and was used to having to remove the battery and to charge it solely. It was convenient for me because I can always have a spare battery and still use the camera while the other battery is charging. So, when I learned that I would have to charge my camera and not be able to use it for a few hours, the idea turned me off. But when I came to use it, I learned that I could charge it using my Power bank because it uses USB connection! I came to love the feature because I realized that I can charge it anywhere, anytime! Say I am on the road and my camera dies, I could charge it on my power bank even without plugging it on direct electricity! I love this feature as well!
If there are things that I like, of course there are also features that I don't like. Here are some of them:
DON'T LIKES
- It is not touch screen!
In a world where almost everything is touch screen, I can't believe this unit is not. It would have been perfect if I could just swipe left and right to look at photos and pinch in or pinch out when I want to zoom in my photos. But, it's not also a great inconvenience that the screen can not be touched. People move on, you'd survive without a touch screen camera!hehe
- The flash is positioned in an awkward area.
I hate that the flash was positioned right where the hand would go when one takes a photo! It's okay when I take photos because I am already aware of it and never place my finger near the flash. But whenever I ask other people to take my photos, I always have to remind them not to place their finger near the flash or else, the photo would come out with a dark area because of the finger's shadow. I wish they just moved the flash to the right side! It's so inconvenient.
- It's not as compact as other compact cameras.
It's not really a great issue but I wish the camera was slimmer and more handy. I also wish they made it more sleek and more girlish. The structure and appearance of the camera is not very stylish nor girlish. But just like with other things, people move on and one would survive even with a somehow bulky camera. :)
* * *
And that is why I am so inlove with this camera! My DSLR broke recently so I had no choice but to use this camera for my YouTube videos. I was impressed with the video quality. I also love taking photos using this camera for my Instagram. The photos are clear, vivid and sharp! The flip screen is also convenient, perfect for Selfies and for taking group photos! I really recommend this camera, especially to people that are into taking selfies, want sharp photos and clear videos but still want a compact camera. It was made for the new generation selfie-lover so go ahead and enjoy it's features!
I had to order mine online because it was not yet available here in the Philippines back in July 2015. So, I was one of the first few owners of this camera here in the Philippines.
But did you know that CASIO cameras are now available here in the Philippines?Camerahaus now has Casio cameras such as this Casio Exilim ZR3500, Casio MR1 and the CasioTR60, which is my dream camera! OMG! I'm so happy they are finally here in the Philippines, If you want to know more about this Casio Exilim ZR3500 and other Casio cameras, go and visit Camerahaus at your favorite mall. You may also go to their Facebook page HERE for more information.
I am so inlove with this camera! Go ahead and try it! I am sure you will LOOOOVE it, too!
♥
Kristine
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