Casio’s Exilim series is a set of slim and stylish digital cameras that are taking over the whole range, in preference to the more ordinary QV-R series. Casio Exilim EX-Z40 is a 4MP digital camera with a 3x zoom and a set of features aimed mainly at amateurs and casual photographers. These include Casio’s proprietary Best Shot modes, which are like the scene modes in other cameras, with combinations of settings designed for specific types of subject. Casio goes further, though, presenting each Best Shot mode as a full-screen sample image accompanied by an explanation of what it does and when you should use it.
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Optical digital camera filters are a great way of not only adding drama to your landscapes but also enhancing the scene at the point of pressing the button. But as post-processing technique, such as HDR and split toning are becoming more and more popular, the need for filters in everyday use is slowly dying out. Gone are the days when a landscape photographer would have his bag rammed full of fancy filters ready to use one at any given moment.

These days, there are only really 3 types of essential filters for scenic photography – Neutral Density graduated filters (clear at the bottom, darker at the top) to help balance out exposure changes in a scene, solid NDs (dark all the way through) for enabling slower exposure times and polarisers, for cutting through reflections.

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