Casio reveals "women-friendly" cameras

Casio has announced a selection of new cameras which, it's claimed, were designed to appeal to women. How do you make a woman-friendly camera, you ask? Well, Casio seems to be of the opinion that offering a range of colors (obviously including pink), textured finishes and buttons which can be pressed even if you have long nails, will do the job.

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The designed-for-women cameras include the Casio EXILIM EX-JE10, a 16-megapixel-shooter which comes with a matching jacket and shoulder-strap, and the EX-N10, a small compact which has a finish said to resemble a manicure.

The Casio EXILIM EX-JE10 features a 1/2.3-inch 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor, a 26mm wide-angle lens with a 5x optical zoom (that's a 35mm equivalent of 26-130 mm) and the ability to shoot 720p HD video at 30 frames per second. But while those mediocre technical specs are not going to make the camera stand out, Casio hopes its female-centric design – it's described in a press release as being "cute" – and features will.

Some of those features include menu colors that are coordinated with the body color (the camera is available in white, pink and black), buttons and a joystick which can apparently be easily operated even with long nails, and a "Make-up Function" that Casio says is for "making people's faces look their beautiful best."

The Casio EX-N10 again offers a 16.1-megapixel sensor and a 26mm wide-angle lens with a 5x optical zoom, though this time female-friendly credentials include a transparent case over the front of the camera (which has a quilted appearance) creating an effect which is said to resemble a manicure.

Available from the end of August in Pink Sapphire, Topaz and Black Onyx, and for a price of €99 (around US$125) the EX-N10 also includes the Make-up Function and is described by Casio as a camera which could be carried as an accessory.

What do you think, does a bit of pink, a couple of gimmicky "female" features and photos of the devices displaying images of macaroons, flowers, perfume and cats really turn a ho-hum camera into one that women will flock to buy? And do manufacturers even need to make separate cameras for men and women anyway? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Source: Casio