Casio Exilim EX-S200 review

Meet the super-slim high-resolution shooter under £200

The Casio Exilim EX-S200 is the top dog in the Exilim Card line up offering a high resolution 14.1 megapixel CCD sensor and a 27mm wide angle lens. The Card series of cameras are famed for their super slim dimensions and this model is certainly no exception. At just 14.9mm thick, this camera can easily slip into a pocket or clutch bag with no problem at all, making it the ideal camera to take out on social occasions or simply carry around at all times.

The styling of the camera has been done with the fashion conscious in mind. It comes in Orange, Black, Blue, Pink and Silver – each with chrome coloured fittings for the lens surround, shutter button and top and side trim. The buttons are minimal, to help give it that minimalist feel as well as keep this camera user-friendly for all levels of photographer.

On the back features a 2.7 inch LCD screen, which is flanked by a small assortment of buttons on the right hand side. This includes a dedicated movie record button, a D-pad, playback and Auto button. These are not labelled too clearly, so total beginners may feel a bit at a loss as to what each one actually does. However, for those who have used a camera before, the buttons are pretty self-explanatory and you can pick it up and shoot instantly.

The camera has a modest 4x zoom, which offers a 27-108mm range. This provides a decent wide angle for sweeping vistas and landscapes, although the 4x zoom does feel a touch limited in world where cameras seem to be packing more and more zoom power into tiny bodies. That said, it does mean you have one of the slimmest cameras as a trade off. An internal CCD Shift system helps combat camera shake, enabling you to get sharper shots at full telephoto and at reduced shutter speeds too – a bonus for lowlight shooting and shooting indoors. The lens produces sharp images edge to edge and shows very limited signs of distortion or fringing, which is very pleasing indeed.

Users can make the most of either Auto mode in which you select the most appropriate scene mode (named Best Shot modes on Casio cameras) or shoot in Premium Auto in which the scene mode and settings are selected for you. Premium Auto does a pretty accurate job in selecting appropriate scene modes and is also bolstered by Face Detection, which locks focus onto faces in a scene and helps produce sharp, well balanced portraits. The major downfall of this camera however is its processing times when using the Best Shot modes. Some modes take a few seconds to process before you can move on to take you next shot, which is a problem is you are into action photography.

In terms of image quality though, the EX-S200 is a pretty good performer with decent colour saturation and detailed prints, but watch out for the tendency to over expose on occasion. The LCD gives the impression of more saturated and vibrant images, which does tend be a little exaggerated when compared to in print, but in many cases this is a good thing, producing much more natural prints.

The ISO range starts from 50 up to 3200, but we found ourselves working under the ISO 200 bracket most of the time. ISO 400 becomes a little noisy and obviously gets worse the higher you go. To compensate for noise issues the camera attempts to reduce the effects in camera, which does mean the image details become a little soft. It’s no real surprise noise is a slight issue – it’s a common trade off from having a small sensor and a big megapixel count.

Overall this camera is very commendable performer in a fantastic package. It’s ideal for those who want a take-anywhere shooter for capturing friends and family and other social occasions. For just shy of £200 this camera offers a reliable and fun and hassle-free shooting experience.