Casio EX-Z90 vs Panasonic ZS8

Casio EX-Z90 vs Panasonic Lumix ZS8: A Detailed Compact Camera Duel for the Discerning Shooter

In the ever-evolving world of compact cameras, two intriguing options from the late 2000s and early 2010s crop up for comparison: Casio’s EX-Z90 and Panasonic’s Lumix ZS8 (also known as DMC-TZ18). Both are aimed at enthusiasts and casual shooters seeking portability without sacrificing certain photographic capabilities. Yet, despite their shared compactness and small sensor sizes, they differ markedly in features, ergonomics, and versatility.

Having personally tested thousands of cameras over two decades, I’ve come to appreciate how subtle design choices and technology configurations vastly influence real-world shooting experiences. Let’s walk through a comprehensive, granular comparison of these two compacts, exploring sensor performance, autofocus finesse, ergonomic nuances, and suitability across various photographic disciplines.

Size and Ergonomics: Handling Compactness with Confidence

Size and feel are foundational to the shooting experience, especially with pocketable cameras. The Casio EX-Z90 is a distinctly slim compact: measuring 90 x 52 x 19 mm and weighing a mere 121 grams, it’s almost featherlight. The Panasonic ZS8, in contrast, is more substantial - 105 x 58 x 33 mm and about 210 grams. That extra bulk comes predominantly from the integrated large zoom lens and more robust battery.

The EX-Z90’s thin rationale feels more like a slim candy bar in your hand; holding it requires a careful grip to avoid slips, especially when hiking trails or crowded urban settings. It lacks any pronounced grip bulge, making one-handed shooting somewhat precarious. On the other hand, the ZS8’s chunkier frame benefits from molded contours that fit my grip comfortably, enabling steadier handling during telephoto shots or burst sequences.

Furthermore, button placement and control layout contribute heavily to responsive shooting. The thinner profile of the Casio limits the number of physical controls, while Panasonic’s extra size affords more tactile buttons and dials, translating to easier manual intervention (more on that later).

Control and Interface: Design Under the Hood

Examining the top view, Panasonic’s ZS8 sports a more conventional compact control cluster, including a mode dial, zoom toggle, shutter release with collar power button, and a dedicated exposure compensation lever - rare in compacts from that era. The Casio EX-Z90, by contrast, is stripped down, relying on fewer physical buttons and menus to navigate shooting modes.

The EX-Z90’s lack of manual exposure modes or shutter/aperture priority controls significantly limits its appeal for users wanting creative control. The Panasonic’s inclusion of aperture priority (A), shutter priority (S), and full manual (M) modes implicitly acknowledges an enthusiast user base willing to tinker with settings rather than settling for automatic.

Screen-wise, the EX-Z90 offers a modest 2.7” fixed LCD at 230k dots, sufficient but somewhat dated. The ZS8 improves this to a 3” TFT LCD, also 230k dots but with a larger panel for easier composition and image review.

While neither camera boasts touch sensitivity or articulating displays, the ZS8's menu system is generally more polished and intuitive, thanks to Panasonic's Venus Engine FHD processor, which facilitates snappier menu navigation and live view refresh.

Sensor and Image Quality: A CCD Clash

At their cores reside 1/2.3” CCD sensors, standard fare for compacts of this vintage, but here the ZS8 edges out with a 14MP resolution versus Casio’s 12MP. The native ISOs differ, too - 64–1600 for the EX-Z90 against a broader 100–6400 on the ZS8, opening some doors for low-light use.

Both sensor sizes are on the smaller end, roughly 28–27.7 mm² in surface area. Such limited sensor real estate inherently constrains dynamic range and noise performance. However, the higher resolution of the ZS8 yields slightly more detailed files at base ISO in daylight, particularly when shooting in 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratios at 4320x3240 pixels compared to Casio's max 4000x3000.

Being CCD types, both cameras tend to produce images with a bit of classic CCD “look” - pleasing color rendition but slightly lower high-ISO performance compared to contemporary CMOS sensors. In practical terms, expect usable images at ISO 400–800, but ISO 1600 (EX-Z90) or 3200+ (ZS8) will show visible grain and detail degradation.

Neither camera supports RAW capture - a regrettable limitation if you prioritize post-processing flexibility. JPEG-only workflows constrain editing headroom but both provide various white balance presets including user-customizable options.

Autofocus and Burst Shooting: Speed vs Simplicity

Autofocus is a critical factor for any photography genre, notably wildlife, sports, and even street photography where split-second reactions matter. Here, Panasonic’s Lumix ZS8 offers a notable advantage, boasting eleven focus points, contrast detection AF, continuous AF, and even tracking AF modes.

In contrast, the Casio EX-Z90 runs a simpler fixed contrast-detection AF system with no continuous, tracking, or face/eye detection. Only single AF mode is available - essentially a “center point and lock” approach.

This simplification reveals itself starkly in real-world shooting. The ZS8 can maintain focus on moving subjects more reliably and acquires focus faster in most lighting situations. The Casio, however, takes longer to lock focus and tends to hunt more aggressively, especially in dim environments.

Burst shooting capabilities reflect a similar divergence. The ZS8 manages about 2 frames per second in burst mode - a modest figure but usable for casual action shots. The EX-Z90 does not offer continuous burst shooting.

Therefore, for sports, wildlife, or fast-paced street photography, the Panasonic Lumix ZS8 provides a marginally better experience, although enthusiasts should remember both cameras were never designed as high-speed shooters - modern mirrorless or DSLR bodies easily outperform these specs.

Lens and Zoom Range: Versatility on a Budget

Both cameras sport fixed lenses, indispensable on compacts; however, the Panasonic ZS8’s 24-384mm (35mm equivalent) 16x zoom lens dwarfs Casio’s 35-105mm 3x zoom - a considerable difference.

This massive zoom flexibility enables the ZS8 to tackle broad landscape vistas and moonlit details on distant wildlife on the same day, a true travel zoom weapon. The Casio’s short zoom range limits compositional creativity and telephoto reach, but the 35mm equivalent wide end is more restrictive compared to Panasonic’s wider 24mm start, restricting ultra-wide landscape or architecture capture.

Maximum apertures are roughly similar, starting around f/3.1-f/3.3 at wide-angle, tapering to f/5.9 at telephoto. Neither lens excels in low light with narrow apertures at long focal lengths, amplifying the importance of Panasonic’s Optical Image Stabilization to counteract handshake, especially when zoomed in.

Casio lacks any form of image stabilization, rendering handheld telephoto shots more prone to blur unless you brace carefully or use a tripod.

Real-World Photography Tests: Strengths and Weaknesses Across Genres

To assess how these cameras fare across disciplines from portraiture to night photography, I took them to varied environments: park bench portraits, alpine landscapes, birdwatching treelines, urban sport events, and starry clear skies.

Casio EX Z90 front Casio EX Z90 screen back Panasonic ZS8 front Panasonic ZS8 screen back

Portraits:
The EX-Z90’s limited zoom range and slower lens may frustrate portrait shooters seeking subject isolation or attractive bokeh. With only basic contrast AF and no face or eye detection, getting tack-sharp eyes is a gamble. Skin tones render warm and pleasant but with less detail.

Meanwhile, the ZS8’s longer zoom and more advanced AF options deliver tighter framing and better-focused faces, although depth-of-field remains large due to small sensor size, limiting bokeh. Still, Panasonic’s superior clarity in the 105-200mm range shines for tighter headshots.

Landscapes:
At wide 24mm, the Panasonic’s lens captures expansive vistas with good sharpness. Low native ISO and moderate resolution yield files capable of producing quality 8×10 prints, though dynamic range is constrained. The Casio’s shorter zoom and slightly larger base ISO limit framing and fine detail capture but fare fine for casual viewing.

Neither has weather sealing; both demand cautious handling in harsh outdoor conditions.

Wildlife:
Here, the ZS8’s 16x zoom, continuous autofocus, and tracking improve usability for birders and casual wildlife shooters. Panasonic’s burst mode, while slow, allows limited action capture.

Casio falls short: limited zoom, no tracking AF, and absence of stabilization make it a poor choice for distant subjects.

Sports:
Both cameras don’t specialize here, but Panasonic’s faster shutter speeds (max 1/4000s vs 1/2000s in Casio), AF tracking, and burst shooting again grant it a marginal edge for amateur sports photography.

Street Photography:
The EX-Z90’s compactness and subtle styling benefit candid shooters aiming for discreet operation. Its lighter weight means less fatigue during extended urban wanderings. Panasonic’s slightly bulkier build may draw more attention. However, the ZS8’s wider angle lens and faster AF offer decisive functional advantages under tricky lighting.

Macro:
Panasonic can focus as close as 3cm, against Casio’s 10cm. This yields better macro capabilities for capturing fine flora and textures. Stabilization advantage also aids handheld close-ups.

Night/Astro:
Limited by small sensors and lack of manual ISO boost beyond native max, both cameras struggle here. Panasonic’s higher max ISO (6400) and longer exposure shutter speed range (up to 60s) let you experiment more with low-light, but noise and detail loss remain challenges. Casio’s max exposure time is only 2 seconds, which substantially limits night sky capture.

Video:
Both offer 720p video, Casio capped at 24fps in Motion JPEG, Panasonic at 30fps MPEG-4. Neither supports full HD beyond 1280x720, lacks microphone input and advanced video stabilization features - a reflection of their era’s priorities.

Professional and Workflow Considerations

If we consider reliability and factor in workflow - file format, battery life, and connectivity - the ZS8 comes out ahead again.

Neither offers RAW shooting, a notable downside for pros and enthusiasts needing flexibility. Battery life favors the Panasonic: official rating of 340 shots per charge vs Casio’s unspecified but typically lower figure due to smaller capacity NP-60 battery.

Panasonic’s inclusion of an HDMI port opens minor possibilities for tethered viewing or playback on large screens, albeit without advanced tethering or app integration.

Wireless features are sparse on both. Casio touts Eye-Fi connectivity (a Wi-Fi SD card technology from that era), but it’s limited and dated. Panasonic lacks any wireless altogether, an unfortunate omission at launch time when Wi-Fi was becoming more common.

Build Quality and Durability: Everyday Portables

Neither camera features environmental sealing or rugged construction. They are everyday compacts not intended for extreme conditions. The Casio’s ultra-thin body invites careful handling to avoid pressure damage. Panasonic’s more robust chassis yields better durability, a comforting factor for travelers.

Putting It All Together: Performance Ratings

After thorough testing, here are my synthesized overall scores reflecting critical performance categories relative to the cameras’ eras and class:

Panasonic ZS8 dominates in versatility, autofocus sophistication, and zoom range. Casio EX-Z90 is outmatched but offers ultra-light portability at a budget-friendly price.

How They Perform Across Photography Types

Breaking down niche usability:

• Portrait: ZS8 clear winner with better zoom and AF
• Landscape: Tied, with Panasonic edging through zoom and resolution
• Wildlife: Panasonic easily preferred
• Sports: Panasonic, thanks to burst and AF tracking
• Street: Casio may appeal due to size, but ZS8’s AF helps
• Macro: Panasonic leads by a mile
• Night/Astro: Both limited, Panasonic slightly better
• Video: Panasonic better format and frame rate
• Travel: Panasonic offers versatility at cost of portability
• Professional: Neither ideal, no RAW, small sensor limits

Final Verdict: Who Should Buy Which?

The Casio EX-Z90 is a classic ultra-portable compact catering to those prioritizing size, simplicity, and affordability. It is better for casual hobbyists or as a backup camera - not demanding advanced exposure controls or autofocus performance. Great for snapshots, daylight shooting, and users who prize pocketability above all else.

The Panasonic Lumix ZS8 is the more ambitious small-sensor superzoom compact, giving considerable flexibility and manual control despite its age. Its long zoom, better AF, and exposure options suit travel shooters, casual wildlife photographers, and street shooters wanting their camera to grow with their skills without the bulk of larger systems. The tradeoff is size and a higher price point.

Neither camera competes with today’s mirrorless or advanced compacts offering larger sensors, advanced video, and more sophisticated autofocus, but within their generation and class, the Panasonic stands out as the more capable, all-around compact. The Casio is a budget-friendly, slimline snapshot option.

Closing Thoughts

Through this side-by-side, we’ve peeled back layers beyond spec sheets into how each camera’s design and technology manifest in the field. Personal preference, budget, and shooting style will drive the ultimate choice. For those craving latitude and control - plus improved autofocus and zoom range - the Panasonic Lumix ZS8 remains a sensible investment with a bit of vintage charm. For ultra-lightweight casual carry, the Casio EX-Z90 still offers simplicity and decent image quality in a near-palm-sized form.

As always, the best camera is the one you enjoy shooting and will carry wherever your photographic adventures take you. Hope this comparison helps illuminate your decision.

Happy shooting!