Casio Exilim EX-S100 review

EX-S100 Features:

• 3.2-Megapixel effective CCD imager
  
• Credit card-size stainless steel body, only 0.66" thick
  
• Still Image: 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480
  
• Uses world's first transparent ceramic 2.8x optical zoom lens
  
• Lens covers 36-102mm (in 35mm equivalence)
  
• AVI 320x240 Movies with audio, length limited only by available memory
  
  
• Contrast type AF selectable between spot, multi
  
• Focus modes include pan focus, macro mode, infinity, and manual focus
  
• 23 Best Shot scene modes, plus 1 custom mode
  
• 9.3 Megabytes of internal memory
  
• 4 to 1/2000 sec. shutter speeds
  
• Built-in flash with Red Eye Reduction
  
• 2" TFT color LCD monitor
  
• 4X playback zoom magnification
  
• USB 1.1 data transfer to PC or Mac computers
  


• Lithium rechargeable Casio NP-20 battery and charging cradle included


• Secure Digital/MMC card slot for memory expansion
  
• DPOF, Exif Print, Print Image matching, and PictBridge compatible
  

The Casio Exilim EX-S100 was developed to be the flagship of the Exilim "S" series, and as such, embodies all the brand concepts. Key features of the EX-S100 include a 3.2-megapixel CCD image sensor. The Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 is a 3 megapixel digital camera with a 2.8x optical zoom lens that offers a focal length of 36-102mm and a large 2-inch LCD screen and rechargeable np-20 battery.

The Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 is no different with dimensions of 88mm (W) x 57mm (H) x 16.7mm (D) and weighing just 113g without the battery and storage card fitted. All of this is housed in a stylish and hard-wearing metal casing. But is the Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 just too small for its own good? Carry on reading my extensive review to find out if it's actually a good camera or not.

The Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 has a 3.34 megapixel, 1/3.2 inch CCD that delivers 3.2 effective megapixels. The camera's 2.8x optical zoom lens is equivalent to a 36-102 mm lens on a 35mm format camera. There is also a 4x digital zoom available. There are 5 image sizes (2048 x 1536, 2048 x 1360 (3:2), 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 pixels, powerful NP-20 battery) which are recorded as JPEGs in one of 3 image quality settings (Fine / Normal / Economy). The EX-S100 supports SD and MMC memory cards and there is also 9.3MB of built-in memory.

The Casio Exilim Card EX-S100's dimensions are 88mm (W) x 57mm (H) x 16.7mm (D), and it weighs 113g without the NP-20 battery and storage card fitted. The camera is powered by Casio's proprietary rechargable lithium-ion battery. There is a metal tripod mount in the left of the bottom of the camera. The PC interface is USB 1.0 (via the supplied cradle). There are no NTSC / PAL AV outputs, so you can't connect the EX-Z55 to your TV. Printouts can be made without going through a computer, though, by directly connecting the Casio Exilim Card EX-S100 to a PictBridge-compliant printer.

The EX-S100 features a stainless steel body, a hallmark of the EXILIM CARD series, which has been polished to a brilliant shine through a special process. It is created entirely of metal, right down to the screws, for a true feeling of high quality. The front of the camera has been given a fresh look, with a theme of circular patterns to highlight the shape of the lens, while the back of the unit features a more square look that matches the impressively large 2.0” TFT LCD screen. In keeping with the distinctive form of the other models in the EXILIM CARD series, the lens area itself protrudes slightly from the body of the camera. Its NP-20 battery can last about 3 hours.