Casio Exilim EX-S200 – Sleek, ultra compact clicker

Look and feel

Showcasing the latest engravings from the EX-S200 which is represented by Casio which are an ultra sleek cameras. With a slim form factor , the dimensions are comparable to many other digital cameras, where the EX-S200 is only slightly thicker. It is a very nice looking camera with a brushed aluminium finish which gives the product a sophisticated look. The lens of the camera is surround by a generous dash of a chrome trim around the two sides.

Considering the exterior looks of the camera it does feels clumsy due to the metal used but due to its compact dimensions, it does look reasonably sturdy. The rather larger LCD screen means better viewing area but also it increases the amount of attention it needs to make sure that it does not drop. The lens easily sits inside the curvature makes it quite easy to carry around. Also, its lightweight body with a small 600 mAh Lithium-ion battery. It just weighs merely 132gms.

The lenses within the camera are quite delicate and is prone to smudges. Considering the delicate structure it does need extra care. The camera features a 27mm lens where compare to other cameras where it is 28mm. The strong body of the camera insets the sleek power button, while the click button is an inset of the zoom ring which is on the top of the camera body more towards the right hand side. Considering that if you are researching for a camera which provides you manual controls then this camera is not for you.

Shooting a video from this camera is possible by simply pressing the provided dedicated button similarly as for the auto mode. On this camera there are two separate buttons for viewing images and switching back to camera mode. A menu button and a joypad are the only two ways to get into the settings menu.

The controls on this camera are very well place and exudes good feedback, but rather it is difficult changing any setting, specially when you are used to dedicated buttons for it. Casio have incooperated a dial for selection modes which provides faster access and is comparetively more convenient.

Performance
The EX-S200 is a slow performer, significantly showing a shutter lag and there is a lag specially when focusing on the subject. After capturing an image it takes a split second longer to save the file inspite of using a 4GB Lexar card. Zooming onto the subject is also a little bit sluggish where it zooms too fast and the control is soft with minimal feedback. As such no such provision is given to control the speed of the zoom even after applying vraiable pressure it fails the purpose.

In terms of output, the EX-S200 has a tiny sensor, and it shows. When viewing images at even half their size, noise becomes evident at as low as ISO 400. In fact, at ISO 50 there was noticeable noise, and even an image shot in sunlight has some noise present. Sadly, and even worse than this, there is smattering of pixels, and chroma noise, noticeable in most colours. At 100 per cent crop, most images look poor, with a noticeable lack of detail.
 
Shooting in the low light area makes the noise increasingly visible in the shots and as one increases one step up the ISO setting it induces colored pixels, which are mostly grey and they are hollow around whites against a darker background. The constrast and the highlights looks overblown and flats. At one point of time using timely various setting it felt as if we are using a broken camera. The only advantage of a larger sensor is when you are viewing in the full screen mode. Specially a notebook shows rich details with very minimal anomalies. However, when we test, we used 100 per cent crops and once subject to this test, the EX-S200 fails.

There is also a premium auto mode function which slow down the camera. The major setback in the auto mode is the difference in the autofocus points which are vraiable in this mode. Shooting in day lights produces sharp images but with a hint of purple fringing and in the shadow areas they shows grainy area at even 50% of the image's actual size.

Overall, the still image output of Casio EX-S200, is quite mediocre. Sure, it’s an ultra compact camera, and we weren’t expecting anywhere near dSLR results, but the output surprised us, managing to beat our already low expectations. Video recording is also with its fair share of noise, although the output is better, we wouldn’t recommend the EX-S200 as a video recorder.

In the EX-S200 the level of white balance is a strong point whilst it is the most compact cameras. It is always worth mentioning the positives of a product specially when this camera good job of determining what lighting conditions you are shooting in and optimising itself accordingly to achieve desire output. Macro mode on the camera is a little disappointing, hinting with a slight lack of sharpness and the minimum focusing distance is around 3.5-inches. We shot 85 shots whereas 25 of them were taken with flash enabled the battery levels dropping to more than 50 per cent which was not bad, we’d reckon with sporadic flash use, you’d get around 200 shots.

Our Take
Casio Exilim EX-S200 is a very mediocre performer. Image quality, which is the only parameter for discerning between a good or bad camera, is pretty poor, although our suspicions border on a possibly problem with the sensor or optics of the camera. However, as it stands, we were underwhelmed with its performance even at ISO 100, which is a function of cramming more pixels on to a small chip – you just don’t get enough detail.
 
Even if you’re shopping for an ultra-compact, good-looking camera, give this a wide berth, the Canon SX130 IS that we tested at around the same time is a much better, identically priced option.

Specifications:
Sensor: 14.1 megapixels, CCD; Zoom range: 27-108mm (4x optical); ISO range: 50-3200; video resolution: 1280x720 pixels; weight: 132 grams with battery

Pros:
Very compact and pocket-friendly
Well built
Reasonably wide angle (27mm)

Cons:
Mediocre performance
Noise visible even at lower ISOs
Expensive for the features

Casio Exilim EX-S200 – Sleek, ultra compact clicker

Look and feel

Showcasing the latest engravings from the EX-S200 which is represented by Casio which are an ultra sleek...