CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 09/04/2009
The Casio Exilim EX-S5 is capable of producing very good photos without a handful of caveats typical of budget-priced compact cameras. It looks nice, feels well constructed (except for a flimsy battery compartment door), is easy to use, and has a healthy feature set for its price. So what's the "but"? The S5's performance is slow and its shutter lag is especially long. Otherwise, it's a respectable ultracompact for the money.
| Key specs | Casio Exilim EX-S5 |
| Price (MSRP) | $149.99 |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 3.8x2.2x0.7 inches |
| Weight (with battery and media) | 4.1 ounces |
| Megapixels, image sensor size, type | 10 megapixels, 1/2.3-inch CCD |
| LCD size, resolution/viewfinder | 2.7-inch LCD, 115K dots/None |
| Lens (zoom, aperture, focal length) | 3x, f3.1-5.6, 36-107mm (35mm equivalent) |
| File format (still/video) | JPEG/Motion JPEG (.AVI) |
| Highest resolution size (still/video) | 3,648x2,736 pixels/ 640x480 at 30fps |
| Image stabilization type | Digital |
| Battery type, rated life | Lithium ion rechargeable, 210 shots |
You wouldn't know by looking at the S5 that it streets for only $130. Available in pink, black, silver, blue, or purple bodies with chrome accents, the camera is stylish looking as well as extremely lightweight and thin. The front does, however, scratch easily and collect fingerprints. The wide-screen LCD takes up most of the room on back save for the slim panel of controls. Your thumb naturally rests between the right edge of the LCD and a dedicated Movie mode button; one press starts recording and a second stops it and sends you back to shooting stills. Below that are Playback and Camera Mode buttons; a circular directional pad and a Set button; and Menu and Best Shot (BS) buttons.
All of the camera's settings are accessed through the Menu button. However, for faster access to shooting options, a panel of settings can be set to appear on the screen's right side. You can also program the left and right directionals to change things like ISO, white balance, and exposure compensation. Oddly, though, neither has the option to change focus modes, so changing to manual focus or macro requires you to go into the full menu system. Luckily it's easy to navigate through the various settings, which include a handful of unique adjustments like being able to pick what your focus frames look like (hearts, stars, butterflies) and menu color schemes. You also get built-in support for Eye-Fi SD cards for transferring photos off the camera via a wireless network connection.
| General shooting options | Casio Exilim EX-S5 |
| ISO sensitivity (full resolution) | Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600 |
| White balance | Auto, Daylight, Overcast, Shade, Day white Fluorescent, Daylight Fluorescent, Tungsten, Manual |
| Recording modes | Auto, Easy, Scene, Movie |
| Focus modes | Autofocus, Macro, Pan, Infinity, Manual |
| Metering | Evaluative, Center-weighted, Spot |
| Color effects | Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Pink, Purple, Sepia, Black & White |
| Burst mode shot limit (full resolution) | Unlimited continuous |
If there's one thing you can rely on Casio's cameras for, it's abundant scene modes. Accessed with a press of the BS button, the S5 has 22 scene types to pick from including standard options like Portrait, Landscape, and Night Scene to the unique options of Fashion Accessories, Soft Flowing Water, and For eBay and For YouTube. There's also an Easy mode located in the regular menu options that locks down all but a couple basic settings, the camera handling everything automatically. The actual Auto mode is more of a Program AE mode letting you adjust all of the S5's settings--just not shutter speed or aperture. The Movie mode is VGA-quality video and the S5 does have the convenient one-touch record button. However, you don't get use of the zoom lens while recording. One last thing: the S5's continuous shooting option uses the settings from the first shot--including focus--for all successive pictures. It's fast, but not really all that useful, especially for moving subjects.
Performance from the S5 is typical for its category: slow. From power on to first shot takes an OK 2.5 seconds and that's the average time you'll be waiting between shots, too. Turning on the flash drives that time out to 3.1 seconds. However, while some people don't mind waiting a couple seconds between shots, the S5's lengthy 1-second shutter lag in bright light and 1.2 seconds in dim is a real damper. Continue reading
Casio Exilim EX-S5 (black):
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