Casio EX-Z4 - no video

[Paul Martin]

I just got an EX-Z4 for Christmas. My father-in-law, who gave it to us has version 2 of the Exilim line with a small movie mode. I was disapointed to find out the Z4 does not have one. I called tech support and they said the chances of it being added in a ROM update were pretty slim. Anyone else disappointed with this move?

[Jason Dunn]

Yeah, it's funny, because now when I buy a camera I just EXPECT there to be a movie mode - it would somehow be wrong to NOT include one. So I was a little surprised that the Canon Digital Revel didn't have one - but I got over that disappointment pretty quickly because the camera rocks in so many other ways. :wink:

I'd honestly be surprised if they added that functionality with a ROM update - ROM updates on cameras, and indeed most consumer electronics devices, is to fix glitches, not add new features. After all, they want you to buy a new camera... ;-)

[Paul Martin]

I'd honestly be surprised if they added that functionality with a ROM update - ROM updates on cameras, and indeed most consumer electronics devices, is to fix glitches, not add new features. After all, they want you to buy a new camera... ;-)

Rats!

It's really our first digital, other than the HP Pocket Camera I use in my Jornada and a throw-away Argus camera we got for a buck at a garage sale. I'm having fun exploring, but admit I probably only use a small fraction of what this camera can do.

[Suhit Gupta]

Correct, the Z4 doesn't support video. And I don't see how they could even correct this with a ROM update because I thought that in order to do video capture, the camera needed special hardware, at least in terms of the way it is able to stream the multitude of incoming frames to the buffer.

Regarding the Digital Rebel, I can definitely see why there isn't any video support. Since it is an SLR camera, I believe it can't capture video for the same reason that it can't show a constant running preview of the scene on the LCD like an viewfinder camera can; i.e. because the shutter is blocking the CCD until the photgraph is actually taken.

Suhit

[Paul Martin]

Correct, the Z4 doesn't support video. And I don't see how they could even correct this with a ROM update because I thought that in order to do video capture, the camera needed special hardware, at least in terms of the way it is able to stream the multitude of incoming frames to the buffer.

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Only the North American version of the camera lacks the video mode. The manual is universal and mentions it's availablity, just not for North Americans.

[Suhit Gupta]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. Only the North American version of the camera lacks the video mode. The manual is universal and mentions it's availablity, just not for North Americans.

Noooooo.... :(. I did not know that, that really sucks. So I guess they did disable it in software.

Suhit

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I just wonder why there should be a video mode in a digital camera? For me personally it's a fun feature, but not really necessary. I'd rather see better quality stills than a video mode. If I wanted video I'd use a DV camera.

Though it is a bit weird to hear the Z4 not having a movie mode. The Z3 has one.

[Paul Martin]

Though it is a bit weird to hear the Z4 not having a movie mode. The Z3 has one.

Exactamundo! That's what's frustrating. In our case, we don't have a video camera and would like to be able to take short videos of our little girl learning to walk and mail to the grandparents. :D

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Ack, I realised I missed a line of yours; the NA version disables movie mode? :roll: That really sucks.

[Paul Martin]

Ack, I realised I missed a line of yours; the NA version disables movie mode? :roll: That really sucks.

In my call to tech support, the unofficial answer was marketing...they do sell a 4 MP camera with the movie mode, but not the Exilim series. They wanted to see if it would still sell, I guess. Probably some are buying the camera not realizing that it's N/A in NA.

[foebea]

What would happen iff we applied the z4 firmware in place of the z4u. assuming its the same hardware, shouldnt that enable movie mode?

Could it be that simple?
any thoughts?

I will double check on what my warrenty at compusa covers,i am almost positive they would swap on the spot if i kill my camera flashing, but its best to check :P
I will try this after a couple weeks, to give anyone a chance to respond if this has already been tried.

I think it might work, but thats just me :wink:

[Paul Martin]

Actually, I followed a link from dpreview to the download and installed it, only to accidentally find out that I had installed the international update instead of the one for North America. No dice. I did check after I realized that I had installed the wrong update, but no magical appearance of video. However, your mileage may vary! I then installed the correct update for NA just to be sure.

[foebea]

Seemed like a good idea.. oh well.

i guess since this is firmware, if the nonNA update doesnt do it, then there must be some other flag on the camera preventing it, so it seems even more likely it will prove impossible to enable through software alone. :x

last time i buy hardware without throughouly reading up on it (yeah right.. im all about the impulse :twisted: )

[Paul Martin]

last time i buy hardware without throughouly reading up on it (yeah right.. im all about the impulse :twisted: )

Mine was a gift...very nice one! :D So, no complaints...just wish they had included the movie mode.