Casio Exilim EX-S100

Just as how the EX-Z3 was the first ultracompact from Casio to bring a telescopic optical zoom lens into a slim form factor, the EX-S100 heralds the use of a ceramic lens (Lumicera) for the firm's ultraslim EX-S series. Like how Canon managed to reduce the profile of its IXUS series with high-refractive glass elements, Casio's uses Lumicera which sports a higher refractive index compared with glass. The manufacturer claims this allows the profile of the new lens system to be reduced by approximately 20 percent. As such, the new EX-S100 measures just 16.7mm, or 6mm slimmer than the EX-Z30/40.

The Skinny On Lumi

For a model that features a telescopic lens, the EX-S100's profile of 16.7mm is nothing to be sniffed at. It even edges out Sony's wafer-thin DSC-T11 by the smallest of margins (0.3mm), a fact made even more remarkable when you consider that the Cyber-shot's lens mechanics are vertically oriented internally, and never protrude from the camera's surface.

There are, however, some limitations with the new material used. First of all, most camera buffs will be quick to spot the relatively "slow" lens with an aperture rating of F4.0 to F6.6. This is a far cry from the F2.8-F4.9 that the rest of the Exilim EX-Z series feature. For the uninitiated, this presents a few problems such as image noise (from the need to raise ISO sensitivity), blurred images (from the use of slower shutterspeeds) or--in extreme cases--even both.

In terms of design, the Casio EX-S100 is finished in typical Exilim fashion. The trademark metallic finish and beveled edges remain, retaining the brand's affiliation with class. Still, unlike previous models, the front of the EX-S100 is virtually unmarked apart from the Japanese manufacturer's name and Exilim tag--that also doubles as a finger hook. There are none of the characteristic markings found on the edges of the lens and only concentric circles remain.

In contrast, the rear of the unit adheres to a rectangular theme; buttons are either shaped like a rectangle or a normal square. As with most diminutive units, the layout of controls is cramped to the right of the unit. Fortunately, the tactile feel of the navigation pad and button is good.

Having produced so many diminutive shooters, the Japanese manufacturer has ironed out most of the quirks with such designs. To provide better grip the metallic eyelet is angled to the back, allowing the thumb to better balance the whole camera. The earlier complaint which plagued the initial EX-S series with regard to the confusion between shutter and power-on switches has also been addressed. The on-off button is now recessed, leaving only the shutter to bulge at the top. If you're worried about having difficulty accessing the sunken switch, Casio has also allowed the playback and capture controls to power up the shooter.

In Use

In our tests, we found the EX-S100's performance to be fairly good and features to be surprisingly plenty. In terms of spontaneity, the unit went head-to-head with the IXUS 40 we just tested, powering up in just over a second with the startup sound and image disabled. For shot-to-shot intervals without flash, the camera managed 1fps for three frames when using internal memory and four frames with a 66x SD card. With the flash enabled, the separation between shots expectedly increased to 3 seconds for the flash to recharge.

The zoom mechanism was reasonably quiet. As with the IXUS 40, we'd have preferred if there were more discrete steps between focal length; the EX-S100 has only six such gradations in place. The autofocusing (AF) system was mostly peppy, taking about a second for situations with adequate lighting. However, the lack of a focus-assist lamp prevented the Exilim from performing well in dim situations. And like most compact cameras, low-contrast scenes proved to be the EX-S100's downfall. On the upside, the EX-S100 provided a manual focus option which somewhat alleviated the conditions mentioned above.

For image quality, the Exilim delivered mostly respectable photos. The color tones were pleasing and metering was generally spot on. Although the lens on the EX-S100 is already at a rather small aperture setting, the camera still exhibited slight purple fringing when shot wide open. Stopping the lens further down would severely limit the camera's flexibility as highlighted above. There was also some clipping of highlights.

While the slim shooter allows sensitivity settings of up to ISO 400, we'd recommend staying with ISO 200 and below if you intend to print your images. Image noise at ISO 400 resulted in slightly murky colors. If ISO 400 is a must, which may happen more frequently with the camera's relatively slow lens, a noise filtration program worked well with our sample of photos.
The automatic white balance preset did well in a variety of lighting conditions and, unlike most cameras, did not exhibit any strange color casts.

The Verdict

With a sticker price of S$0 (US$0), the EX-S100 also inherits the Exilim's "exhilarating" price tag. For a 3-megapixel shooter, we find it hard to justify such a purchase. However, the popularity of the Sony DSC-T1 has proved us wrong before. So if style and money go hand-in-hand for you, this slender shooter should be right up your alley.

Accessories Included

Cables : Special USB cable
Software : Photohands, Photo Loader, USB driver, Internet Explorer, DirectX, Acrobat Reader

Battery : CASIO Digital Camera Batteries (CASIO NP-20 Battery)

Resource:

Cnet review