Casio became the second camera maker to refresh its line on Monday with two new Exilim Zoom models for newcomers in the US. The EX-Z280 tops these with a Exilim Engine 4 processor that the company claims produces better image quality while also extending battery life. It further brings features that weren't an option before, including 720p video recording and a new version of Dynamic Photo that embeds animated clip art on-camera.

The compact gets a 26-104mm equivalent, wide-angle 4X lens and can also shoot at a wider light sensitivity range than most compacts, moving from as little as ISO 64 up to ISO 3,200.

A much simpler model, the EX-Z33, doesn't use the newer imaging engine and so is limited to widescreen 480p (854x480) for movies and without the improved Dynamic Photo. Its sensor has also been reduced to 10 megapixels and will shoot at a maximum ISO 1,600. Both Casio cameras ship in September, when the EX-Z280 will sell for $180 and the EX-Z33 will cost $120.