Casio EX-FS10 Camera

All articles on this site are by Harry Skevington unless otherwise noted with another byline

Casio EX-FS10
Big Stuff in a Small Package
casioex-fs10-front The Casio EX-FS10 is an exciting addition by Casio. At 3.8” wide by 2.3” high by .64” thin it is smaller with more. This is the direction most things electronic continue to move these days. I have used the FS10 for an extended period of time. This was at home, on a family trip, and just wandering around shooting stuff. I really like the camera. Those of you who want to stay with a low cost no brainer point and shoot camera can look at other Casio offerings. The suggested price is $349.99 but it can be found as low as $276.00 on the internet. The features are worth it and so is the learning curve.

The EX-FS10 has the usual Casio point and shoot features and they work fine. The Zoom could be better but the 9.1 Megalpixel resolution is more than adequate. If you want more zoom with all these features and more check out the EX-FC10. The very clear FS10 LCD screen covers much of the camera back at 2.7 inches. I really appreciate the non-extending lens. The additional features are what grabbed my attention and took some time to master. As a matter of fact, I wish I had even more time to delve deeper into the FS10 capabilities. I am still learning as I write this.

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In the box
The Camera
USB cable
Battery
Charger Unit
Carry Strap
USB AV Cable
Getting Started Manual
Printed Manual in various languages
CD with Photo Transport software, Adobe Reader, YouTube Uploader software, and a digital copy of the manual

If you just want to see the photos taken during the test you can click here for my Flickr site. All Photo storage and camera connection was done on the Lenovo ThinkPad R-400.

The FS10 comes with 31.9 MB internal flash memory. You will need to purchase an SD or SDHC Memory card. I suggest 2 GB or larger as you will need more storage than ever. If you travel you may want several of cards as well as an additional battery or two. This is not due to the basic needs of the camera. The added features such as up to 30 shots per SECOND and High Speed video including slow motion will fill your memory card and use up power fast.

The features that move this camera beyond a basic Point and Shoot are:

There are more than 10 buttons in the EX-FS10. Here are just a few.

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Dual Shutter Modes
Electronic or Mechanical One is for stills.

Up to 30 Shot per Second High Speed Burst Shooting
and Prerecorded frames
Although using this feature reduces images to 6.1 Megapixels they are still very sharp and viewable. This is great for good for getting that stop action photo you have always missed. Getting the timing right on when and how far to press the shutter button in order to store up to 30 frames of pre-snapped shots is a learned skill. You decide which photos are best to save.

Slow Motion View
This is an intriguing function. Press the Slow motion button and recording will be done in Slow Motion. My first attempts to do this allowed me to change the viewing speed from slow to fast and points in-between. After I moved the video from the camera to a computer folder I found I seemed to be locked into whatever speed I had during the taking of the video. After reading the CASIO FAQ I found the speed could be adjusted in the camera before moving it to the computer. It was then playable at the new speed.

High-Speed Anti-Shake and Night Scene Functions
When working with Burst Shooting these functions can be used to create a “BEST SHOT” from a group of images taken using Burst. The final photo will be without shake or blur. Night shots seem to be much improved when using these functions.

High Speed Best Selection
The camera can select the best smile, non-blurred and open eyed photo from a group of burst photos

Lag Correction
Temporary images created prior to pressing the button to take the shot

High-Speed Video Recording
1,000 frames per second capabilities are acailable in the EX-FS10 This provides very very slow motion videos. Other special settings are available so you can choose the speed that fits the moment.

YouTube capture Mode
Use the YouTube Capture mode to make a video and it is ready for YouTube upload.

As always the Best Shot feature provides 27 automatic settings so even I can use most of the special settings without much pain. Easy is my middle name.

Learning how to use these functions and others required trial and error and some research as the included manual provides only basic operation details. I found the Casio online FAQ was very helpful when it came to getting a better understanding of how to use each of them. You can check that out HERE,

I had to look long and hard to find something I was not happy with. The USB connector cover is not easy to work with. Transfer of files was fine.

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My test period with the EX-FS10 camera was one of the most interesting experiences since I started this site. The small size of this product hides the depth and breadth of its capability. A friend just received a SLR camera for Father’s Day. Extra lenses and all. He will be proud to lug it around and will no doubt be very able to produce great photos. Owners of the FS10 and the rest of that line will tuck the tiny camera in a pocket and use it when needed without changing lenses. Their photos will be almost as good without the heavy load. Unfortunately I will have to stay with my Ex-S10 for the time being.

Zoom to Tree

Brody and shoes

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Foster kittens

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