• Japan's Newest Cute Camera: Doraemon's Bell×CASIO EXILIM EX-Z800

    Serkan Toto

    Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

    Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

    Another month, another special edition camera from Casio: this time it’s blue cartoon cat Doraemon (super-popular in Japan and many countries in Asia) that gets the Exilim treatment. Technically, the so-called Doraemon’s Bell×CASIO EXILIM EX-Z800 [JP] is nothing special, but it’s – as you can easily see – designed to be a hit with kids.

    Technically, the cam is based on the EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z800 (14MP CCD sensor, 2.7-inch LCD display, 27mm lens (35mm equivalent) with 4x optical zoom).

    But obviously, the design is the main selling point here: buyers get Doraemon on the body of the camera, special on/off screens (see above), and a total of 9 Doraemon-related “virtual stickers” that can be included into every shot taken with the camera (see below).

    Casio plans to sell the camera (in Japan only) in August/September but already accepts pre-orders. If you’re interested, visit specialized online shopping services like Rinkya to get one shipped over to you (price in Japan: $365, including a Doraemon special edition pouch).