 |
|||||
 |
|
|
|||
|
JULY 16, 2008 CASIO EX-S10 EXILIM SERIES 10.1 MP DIGITAL CAMERA IN THE BOX I like its thin lines. At 3.53” Wide x 2.0”High x .75” Deep it is the slimmest camera I have tested. It weighs 3.9 oz. before adding the battery or accessories. The 2.7-inch TFT color LCD (Super Clear LCD) viewer that covers most of the camera back is bright and easy to view except when in direct sunlight. I do miss a viewfinder but most of the new digital cameras in this price range ($249.00 but discounted in stores) have dropped that feature. The controls are simple and the menus self explanatory. Zoom seems to hold focus throughout the range of 3X optical and 4X digital. I noticed some distortion in low light situations at the farthest range. The 10.1 MP resolution gave me bright reproducible daylight photos and videos that could be printed or viewed in most any size. The flash does help to improve low light indoors or close shots outside. There is no lighting option available to support videos. Below are a few photos. For a look at many more sample photos and videos go to my Flicker site.
Daylight videos were better then many digital cameras I have seen. I did find night segments to be somewhat dark. Starting with no zoom in a very dark auditorium and ending with the full optical/digital zoom it was interesting to see how the Zoom gathered light at the furthest setting. I did see some yellow to gold shading depending on interior lighting. I was in row 30 at a Temptations performance in Key West. I have also uploaded a video sample taken with the EX-S10 to YouTube. I have conflicting feelings about the external charger. I like the idea of being able to charge a second battery while out taking photos. On the other hand I feel it is great to be able to recharge using the USB port of the Lenovo ThinkPad or desktop. I guess the external charge is a good idea for most people. I installed a 1 gig memory card as that is what I had around. With the 10.1 MP resolution it might be best to move up to a larger capacity card. Here is the battery usage chart provided by Casio when using a 1 gig card.
If you set it to do so the EX-S10 will take and save a photo so it is ready for eBay or a video saved for the best uploading to YouTube or iTunes.. The EX-S10 comes with a cable to connect it to your TV and produces pretty good wide screen videos as well as slideshows. The movie button is a great feature as it gives you a direct connection to starting and ending recording when taking a video. I used the anti-shake mode for videos and stills when at a distance and/or using the Zoom. I finally set it to ON and left it there for the entire test period as that seemed to work the best with my sometimes shaky shooting. Many of the basic functions and features of the Exilim EX-S10 are very similar to other Casio Exilim cameras that I have reviewed on this site. So I will not repeat myself. To see more details on the Ex-S10 camera click here. I would recommend the EXilim EX-S10 to anyone wanting close to perfect daylight photo and video performance at a fair price. If you and I want good night or low light interior results we will have to hope for future releases or use a camcorder. For more details on this and other Casio Products Click here. |
|||||
