Saturday, March 22nd, 2008
Casio Exilim EX-S10 “Card” Review – the ultimate “slim” camera?
I’m a digital photography junkie although I may not post here so often. I’ve always kept a well rounded portfolio of gadgets around including my Canon Rebel XT, a Sony HDR-SR7 HD video camcorder, and until now, I always used my Canon ELPH SD100 as my goto “pocket” camera that also did lightweight video recording just as many other consumer cameras do today. The SD100 had served quite a useful life and was an outstanding performer in all areas. However, a couple things were starting to create a need for an upgrade. First, the ELPH SD100 was the smallest, viable camera on the market when it came out but today, there were increasingly more “slim” and lightweight options being introduced on the market. Second, the 3 megapixels were ok, but when cropping, I could use a couple extra megapixels to play with. I was also hoping to find a new camera that boosted the “shutter speed” slightly so that I could get more instant shots. Finally, I was hoping to find a camera that had more water/freeze resistant features for added protection in skiing environments. I also did not want to spend more than $275 (arbitrary limit primarily set by what I could thought could “go under the radar” with my wife…).
Size (more specifically depth) was my greatest concern as I reviewed features. I could accept less than top tier performance in other categories, but I like to use this type of camera for skiing (drop it into a coat pocket), going out to bars (drop it in a pant/shirt pocket), and other places where I want its size to be no more than carrying a cell phone.
And so I began my research.
There were a few cameras that were easy candidates – the Canon SD1100 being the first. The SD1100 continued the ELPH SD100 tradition with portable size, a no-nonsense frame, and as expected a high quality Canon product. The SD1100 shutter speed only seemed slightly faster than my older SD100, boosted the megapixels to 8MP, widescreen pictures, and added Optical Image Stabilization (very nice). The SD1100 boasted a relatively small depth at 22mm. The price was definitely reasonable at ~$230.
I also looked at the Olympus Stylus SW line of cameras. The 850 was within my price limit, and boasted unique features such as shockproof, waterproof, and freezeproof (great for skiers). The 850 was relatively slim at 21.3mm, however, almost every Olympus SW camera had received poor image quality results in reviews, and while slim, the camera was slightly wider/taller than other options. One other negative was that Olympus still uses its proprietary xD flash media which I just have a hard time buying into. The price was within reason at ~$260.
I was really hoping Nokia would offer me the perfect package. Nokia had two types of cameras that may have worked. First there was the 21mm slim S51, but I couldn’t get over the “cheap” feel of the camera. Then I noticed the super-slim 18mm depth, Nokia S210 which was also one of the cheapest options at a mere $175. This camera was the perfect size and on paper, had great features. I nearly hit the buy button to order it when I noticed the bad reviews on the internet. I was seriously bummed this one didn’t work out.
I checked a few others and then remembered Casio had its super-slim camera line. Casio was never known for high quality pictures, but was known for super-sexy looking cameras. And that’s when I found the Casio Exilim EX-S10 (commonly just referred to as the S10). This camera was launched in 2008 as the “world’s slimmest 10MP camera”. It just hit the store shelves a couple weeks ago at $250 but unfortunately NO ONE had done even a modestly decent review of the camera making a purchase decision difficult (and hence I’m sharing my experience now). I bought one anyway at a local Target planning to return it if I was disappointed. Since I bought it, I’ve noticed CNet UK has done a review here.
“World’s slimmest” turned out to mean 16mm slim, which … is very slim. Check out the pictures below with a Casio S10 next to my iPod Nano (3rd Generation).
The S10 is just “3 Nanos deep”. On size/portability, you can’t possibly beat the S10. The Exilim very easily fits into a shirt or jacket pocket. It has a great size LCD screen that works well in direct sunlight.
The EX-S10 picture quality was pretty decent (not a Canon, but nothing Photoshop can’t fix). Images can be taken at up to 10 Megapixels. It has 3x optical zoom, a standard flash and other features. There’s a one button movie record button which is nice. I did find it was having trouble in lower lighting conditions or very cloudy areas. Taking pictures is fairly simple and I actually found it “so easy” that it was somewhat difficult as a more advanced SLR user to get the shot to take the way I wanted. The integrated “Best Shots” feature proved to be very useful as is the face detection engine that follows the subject you’re shooting.
Here’s an example shot taken from near the mid point of Copper Mountain in Colorado recently (unedited, raw JPG, click for full 10MP version):
The Exilim is a great looking camera and packs only the features I really considered “necessary”. I personally don’t care about “in camera image editing” or other nonsensical things vendors seem to be packing into these small digicams today. There is a “YouTube upload” software package that is supposed to make uploading YouTube videos easy… whatever…
As for videos, I was surprised to see the Casio takes good videos and even does “Ultra HQ Widescreen” at 848×480 pixels.
The Casio uses an SD flash card slot which is great. It also has a proprietary battery which is not so great, but easily obtainable at $30 for a retail Casio battery (I found Casio to be the cheapest place online). Given this is a new battery, it may take some time for the super cheap options to show up on eBay. I did notice that the flash card “speed” can create a big difference in shoot time. I originally was using a slower TransFlash memory card in an SD converter, but when I switched to a SanDisk Extereme III SD card, the performance was noticeably faster.
The bottom line: if you’re looking for a slim camera that you can take anywhere and that takes relatively decent photos and videos, then this Casio is a great buy. I’ve never seriously considered a Casio and have always recommended Canon P&Ss to my friends and family, but that may change with the S10. Other Casios CANNOT be assumed to “be just as good” so be careful which one you buy.
If you want absolutely top performance in shooting and image quality, and are willing to sacrifice some size features, then the Canon SD950 or other models with OIS may be a better option although bulkier. If you need to shoot underwater, Olympus seems to be your only option without buying expensive waterproof housings. Unfortunately, Nikon’s consumer P&S line needs to catch up to its SLRs. I also looked at other vendors, but didn’t find any of them relevant to my particular needs.
UPDATE: Steve’s Digicams has posted a long review that I’d recommend looking at. There are sample pictures and videos too. http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_reviews/casio_ex-s10_pg5.html
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April 2nd, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Casio Exilim EX-S10 Review at MichaelDolan - Digital Camera Reviews said:
[...] has reviewed the Casio Exilim EX-S10 and he writes – “if you’re looking for a slim camera that you can take anywhere and that [...]
April 10th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Dianna said:
thanks for your review! I have been so confused with all the camera selections. I am going back to my original pick of the ex-s10!
April 27th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
michelle said:
Thanks for your review. I searched and searched for descent opinions and reviews on the S10 or Z80 and riskily chose to buy the S10 uncertain if was going to meet my expectations. After testing driving it myself, I was getting ready to place a review in my personal blog for those who care to read it, but I decided to do another search to see what’s new on opinions and thank goodness I ran into yours! There’s no need for me to write mine anymore. You pretty much said it all. I’m personally happy with the S10 after figuring out how to handle the cloudy and low light situations… it’s no problem anymore. I recommend you play with your camera a little more and you’ll see what a HUGE PLUS this little camera can be!! Thanks again for such a great review. ;)
May 10th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
nancy0 said:
i just purchased the casio s10 and was a bit disappointed with the video record. the sound is very low for some reason. i may take it back. could it be a reject?? had casio cameras before and no problems. any one else experience this? bye
May 11th, 2008 at 5:02 am
Mark said:
Michelle, could you tell me how you figured out what to do in cloudy and low light situations? what settings are you using?
May 11th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
md said:
Nancy, I haven’t noticed any issues with the sound level on the video record on my S10.
Mark, I’ve often found just changing the white balance to a different setting helps if you’re getting a yellowish tint in low light. You can also change the ISO to a higher setting if your pictures are too dark. Finally, if you’re shooting in low light and the flash is just not doing enough, you can change the flash intensity in the menu which should help.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Mark said:
Thanks MD I will give it a try. My old Kodak was shooting very good quality photos with no problems. I am bit disappointed in Casio. It is not so sure shot.
May 15th, 2008 at 9:06 am
md said:
Mark, I wouldn’t rate the Casio in the top tier of all digital cameras but as I pointed out, my focus was on a super-slim camera that was highly portable. Within that category, you won’t find any cameras that I’d deem to be in the top tier, but a couple are good enough including the Casio EX-S10. Kodak doesn’t even have a camera that I’d consider to be an option in this category. I also just don’t like Kodaks, but that’s a personal preference. If Canon comes out with a super-slim camera, it will probably be a top performer. Even the SD1000 was a bit too thick for my liking. Sony probably has the top cameras in this category but they’re 2x the price.
May 20th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Alex said:
Thanks for the review.
I too purchased this camera recently and I’m very happy with it. If you are considering this camera, no it’s true, it doesn’t take the best pictures in low light nor does it have the least noise out of comparably priced point and shoots, but it is extremely portable, very attractive, and has some great features, like one touch video record, the fact the videos are 848×480 at 16:9 (wide), using the superior h.264 MPEG4 codec, using AAC for mono audio and muxed into a MOV file you can easily put on an Apple TV or ipod touch / video iPod. This feature alone makes it worthwhile. And it’s not that the pictures are bad if you are used to digital cameras that have low light issues, it’s just that it is a trade off compared to other cameras in the price range. However, having said that, most of us cannot really tell the difference anyway. For a normal go everywhere point and shoot, you won’t be disappointed. If you want the highest quality stills in a point and shoot, then maybe this isn’t the camera for you.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Vance said:
I got my S10 a day or two after they hit the market. I had been reading all the hype and took a chance being an early adopter. I have not been dissapointed in the least. In my opinion, the camera pretty much does just as it is billed to do. For an ULTRA compact hi-res digi, this thing rocks. On a recent vacation it was so nice to ALWAYS have the camera with me. No, it is not the “best” camera out there but come on, it’s the size of a few credit cards!! And instant play back on my iMac and instant upload to YouTube ain’t bad either. I noticed the price has dropped since I purchased mine making this an ever better value. Highly Recommend!
May 21st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
md said:
Vance, I agree – I put disclaimers in my post – this is not the “best camera out there” but you cannot beat the portability of always having it. It’s not much larger than a RAZR phone and fits in a shirt pocket…
May 28th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Daffyd said:
Thanks for the review, very useful.
I’ve just upgraded from my S100 to the S10. Looks good so far. I’m no SLR nerd, just want a camera that I can carry at all times and that takes reasonably good quality images.
10MP is wayyy overkill though. I set it at 4MP unless I am taking panoramic shots or think I will need to crop the image. Never had any problems printing poster-sized prints with my 3.2MP S100, (albeit I did use Genuine Fractals for photoshop to upscale the images first)
May 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
HenryL said:
Hi, Thanks for the review, you said almost exactly what I’ve had said myself.
However, I found that the PCD screen is NOT 2.7″ , it is 3.0″ because when I bought a 2.7″ LCD screen protector then found out it was too short! I had to exchange to a bigger sheet in order to trim to fit the screen.
If I am not mistaken, Display screens are measured diagonally.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
emilie said:
When i read that review i knew that the casio exilim ex-s10 was the camera that i wanted. The second i saw it i knew that i was in love and the LCD screen was my favorite. I havent revied mine yet (hopefully i will get it tomorrow) but i am so happy i bought it and for about 40 dollars off the best buy price!!! That review was very detailed and when i read it i was sure that i wanted that camera! Thanks you for the great review.
June 14th, 2008 at 3:47 am
rg said:
I’ve heard that Canon takes the best pics… Would you recommend a compact Canon (such as the new SD1100) over the S10? Do you think the picture quality is significantly different?
June 14th, 2008 at 11:38 am
md said:
rg, the “picture quality” is not going to be that different. The SD10 takes great pictures. However, you will see a difference in how the camera takes pictures in for instance low light conditions. You have to use the right settings and play around with the SD10 in low light conditions to get a great picture. The Canon will likely get the shot just using one of its auto modes. That’s the difference I see. Low light condition shooting. It’s not that you can’t get a good picture out of the SD10 in low light, but you have to figure out how to get it right. That’s where the Best Shot feature works well on the SD10 b/c it has “preset conditions” programmed in.
Canon’s are of great quality, but the SD1100 and the Casio SD10 are still in the same class – you won’t be blown away by one over the other in normal conditions. In low light you will notice it’s much easier on the Canon.
June 15th, 2008 at 5:51 am
TTG said:
Thanks for the review! It was hard finding a good one for this camera. I was just at Costco and saw the EX-S10 at $229 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3 at $199. Both come with a free 1gb SD card and case. I was leaning towards the Lumix due to the Leica lens system but the slight bulk of the camera was noticable when you have both in your hands.
I have been using a Olympus 790sw and the water/shock resistance is nice but the major downfalls of that camera is the 10 sec limit on VGA video recording, poor low light captures & slow auto focus.
June 15th, 2008 at 6:27 am
TTG said:
I forgot to ask, deos the camera limit the video recording to 10min? It says this on the Casio site.
June 15th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
md said:
TTG, I agree on the Olympus – I didn’t look at the Leica.
As for the video recording time, I’ve personally never recorded a 10 min movie so I cannot attest to testing this. The website is worded a bit strange, with the full text being:
“*Movie recording time is limited at 10 minutes.(@EU/UK/DI/China)”
Which might indicate some sort of limitation built into specific country models? I can’t figure out what the @ indicates…
June 15th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
debb said:
hey i’ve just purchased an s10 myself and have yet to try out its functions.. i’m glad i came across all your reviews as it sorta gives me a sense of relief that i did not make the wrong choice…
with regards to the 10 min video limit.. yes… the max time u can take a video is for 10 mins regardless of memory left on your sd card. :)
June 19th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Brian said:
***LOOOK*****I just got my EX-s10**** and I played with it a bit…..There is a WAY FOR IT TO REMEMBER THE “BEST SHOT!!”
Ok go to Menu then scroll down to the bottom and select MEMORY then turn the BESTSHOT…On.!
Hope this helps were theres a will there is a way! jk.
June 21st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Jamie Parks said:
Excellent review and great comments from everyone. I purchased my EX-S10 today on a whim without having done much research. I’ve owned quite a few pocket cams and am looking forward to using the EX-S10.
So far the best parts about the EX-S10 is”
1. It’s overall size. Lightweight, fits in pocket.
2. It’s user interface is naturally easy to navigate.
3. The “record” button is handy.
4. The screen on the back is GIANT.
5. Lot’s of settings for customization.
Seems like a good deal. If I would have done anything different, it would probably have been to buy it online. But since I like to go to an actual store and handle a camera before I buy it, I ended paying a “convenience” mark-up.
Bought mine at Ritz Camera for $249 + $40 for SanDisk ExtremeIII SD card.
So far I’m satisfied with my investment.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Alina said:
I got this camera and it had a dead pixel. Got an exchange, and it also has a dead pixel. I’m not even gonna bother anymore
Other than that it’s a nice camera!
July 10th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Amit said:
Thanks for the review – It helped a lot in making my decision.
I finally bought it in LA from a local Frys electronics store for $249. I am happy with it. My wife have the Sony T300 and I myself still have the Sony alpha 100 SLR. Comparing from both of these cameras, I am actually pretty surprised with the Exilim EX-S10 results. For the price and size, you cant complain. If you are expecting this to be the best camera in the world, it is not, but it does the job right. In addition, the video recording feature in my opinion should have been a bigger selling point.
I just wished the optical zoom was at least 4X or 5X – other than that its all good.
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:07 am
Yen said:
Hi everyone who already purchased S10, could you tell me what’s the real quality in low-light environment? I want to buy this camera, but just want to make sure that it’s not very bad in low-light environment. thanks!
July 25th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Pahlevi said:
I have experienced with some small compact video cameras, from Nokia N73, SonyEricsson K850i, Digilife DDV-1000, Sony CyberShot DSC-… (I forgot) for instant shot, anytime, anyplace, but none of really my satisfaction, until I read reviews on this S10. So, I bought one, and for video purposes, IT IS GREAT! Esp when you take outdoor and well lit situation. BUT, in low light (like indoor), even still pictures noise is unavoidable. So, use it outdoor or enough light, videos are amazing……..
July 27th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Ben said:
I got mine yesterday and really really want to love it but the poor low light performance may be a deal breaker for me. It’s not even regular low light situations like a dim room at night or a kids play, it’s pretty much any shot indoors and today my outdoor shots were pretty grainy too even though it was pretty bright. In direct sunlight it’s great but with some slight clouds it was pretty bad even when the default ISO was 50 meaning there was plenty of light. I’m actually surprised at how poor the low light shots are but this camera is so great and small I may still keep it.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
TTG said:
I gave in and got the s10 from Costco for $229 (includes 1gb SD + leather case). I love it. I have had a Sony T20, Olympus 790sw and now this. Each of the 3 has good points. In fact most ultra compact cameras in the upper class end of all brands can provide some good points but there is not 1 that is the best in all catagories. The trick is to decide on your specific needs as a photographer and find the camera that matches your needs. Dont buy something for features that you will never use. Things like “YouTube mode”, or “Ebay Mode” are gimmicks as any camera can be set up to low resolution. Also features like Histogram, in camera editing, pict bridge, optical viewfinder, touch screen, etc are of no value to me. Dont forget about “Upgradable Firmware” that some companies promote. That is B.S. all cameras should be working and working well when you buy it. Never buy something that is not up to your standards expecting an update to make it work as it should. Updates should make a good thing better not unsatisfactory working thing normal. I learned my lesson as the people I bought my Olympus (Ritz Camera) from told me that a update will soon be released for my camera that will fix the XD capacity limit and video recording limit. 1 year later it never happened. The release was for Olympus’ more current cameras the SW850 etc.
For my specific needs I will list and explain why the Casio S10 worked for me… and maybe for you.
1) SD/SDHC card media. SD cards are cheap and easily available. Sony MS and XD cards are too expensive and XD limits you to 2gb. I just got a class 6, 16gb SD for $56 on Amazon.com
2) Video recording at high quality and long length. There is several HQ settings on the S10 including 16:9 for widescreen TV’s which I have and will use. So far quality is good enough for home movies. not as good as the Sony but better then my Olympus. If I need real HQ vid I will use my Camcorder.
3) “Pocket” Size. This thing is small. The smallest 10MP made actually. I already carry a HTC Kaiser PDA/Phone which is pretty big and dont need to be bogged down with gadgets. I want to have the camera ready as I have a 2 yo son that seem to be a photo op every 10 minutes. When we go to the mall or the park the S10, my HTC and wallet fit in my pockets without any bulk. Also the looks of the thing is hot. I got Blue as Costco only has blue.
4) Auto Shutter & start up speed. My wife is impatient and unwilling to learn technology. She complains how long it took my previous cameras to snap the picture. I explained the “auto focus” but she wasnt having any of that. The S10 has a “Quick Shutter” feature that if you do a full press on the shutter button it will capture an image with the current focus. This made her happy & needless to say made the purchase valid and worth every penny. The lens telescopes quick. Start up near instant. Faster then both my other cameras.
5) Indoor low light shots. Others here have complained about the quality. But after owning several point & shoot digitals, I have found that none really capture indoor shots well unless you 1) understand white balance 2) utilize flash settings 3) use correct shutter speed/ISO and 4) have a steady hand and/or steady subject. To be fair, the SonyT20 I had took fantastic indoor shots using default settings and auto flash/focus. But too many negatives on the Sony for me to go into detail. But for the S10, the trick for me was to use the default auto focus and dont set the flash to high (I was having shadow problems inmy dark living room). Otherwise I have had good results with using auto focus and NOT using face detect. The face detect algorythm takes too long to complete and rarely locks on anyway with my son moving around so much.
6) Battery life. On par with most cameras. As long as it was not poor, I am happy. I always buy 2 batteries anyway. Always have a fully charged one so when one is in the charger, you are ready to shoot. 2 Extra batts+ another AC/DC adapter were $16 on Amazon.com
7) Customizable slideshow. I use this a a “distractor” for my son when changing his diaper or if im trying to get something done. There is a way that you can use your own WAV/MP3 as background music. I remixed a few of his favorite songs, included it into the slideshow and he is now at one with the camera. I keep this slideshow on a seperate SD card that is locked so he cannot delete any photos as he presses the buttons. A makeshift babysitter in temporary emergencies. Joke.
8) Price. $229 is stellar for a 10mp HQ vid recording ultracompact. A similar Sony will be way over $300. With the leather case and SD card Costco threw in, it was a score deal. BTW, it is not available online, only in store.
Stuff I like (about the S10) but didn’t need:
1) Huge LCD. Its wide screen format. There is a option to have a “quick menu bar” on the right side. This is good for people who want quick results, non-tech savvy people or my wife.
2) Family first face recognition. My son is constantly making different “funny” faces. This doesnt really work for that.
3) YouTube upload & photo format i dont use.
4) Calender view mode, i dont use.
5) Sound settings. You can pick different sound bytes for shutter, on/off, zoom, menu scrolling, etc. You can make the camera sound like a robot.
6) Pre-record movie. This feature automatically stores up to 5 sec of video BEFORE you hit the start button in video mode. This saves memory and makes sure you capture that special moment.
7) Voice recording. Never use it and probably wont.
8) Best shot Business card and whiteboard mode. I just take the card.
9) Memory settings. This allows you to pick specific settings on the S10 so that when ever you power up the camera, it will be in these settings. With this feature off, it defaults to factory settings on power up. I am still experimienting on what settings I use the most but when I find one that I use most often I will make the setting and use this feature. Settings available to set to memory are: BEST shot, auto shutter, flash, focus, WB, ISO, AF area, Metering, Continous, Self timer, Flash intensity, Digital zoom, MF position and Zoom position.
10) In camera video editing. I dont use it. All editing is done on my laptop.
11) DPOF. Dont know and dont care. Never use it.
12) Software. I have not even loaded it on my computer. Cannot comment. Laptop has SD reader. Nuff said.
I am going to keep my Olympus 790SW specifically for underwater and beach photos as I live in Hawaii and go to the beach at least 3 times a month. I surely dont want to test the durability of the S10 when I have a “Shock proof, Water Proof” camera at my disposal.
So if your needs are silmilar to mine, the S10 is highly recommended.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:27 am
ScottG said:
Great reviews guys. I’m going to be ordering one in the next few days to replace the death of my EX-S600.
Everything sounds great, but I wish there wasn’t a 10 min cap on video recording. Not that it’s a huge deal break, but for a compact with such HQ video recording it seems silly to limit it to ten minutes.
The low light is something that plauges all of the EX-S camereas, and you get used to using the presets to get better images. They will never be perfect, but with a little tweaking and maybe the aid of PP software like googles Pascal, it can help it dramatically.
Can’t wait to get it now.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
vic said:
gotta say i’ve been in love with my new ex-s10, had it for just about a month now and i seem to have maybe just run into some bad luck. everything works great except the “left” button on the navigation button. i can scroll right just fine when looking through my pictures but trying to go left is a different story, it just keeps thinking im pressing up or down(which is delete). i cant find my receipt so i’m probably just out of luck? anyone out there ever experience this problem with this or any other camera? and is this something fixable?
August 18th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
md said:
Sorry I haven’t seen this issue. Casio customer support should take care of it.
September 10th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Transportguy said:
Quote:”but I wish there wasn’t a 10 min cap on video recording. Not that it’s a huge deal break, but for a compact with such HQ video recording it seems silly to limit it to ten minutes.”
I thought so too, but I noticed that I was rarely in a situation where I would need more then 10 min of video from my camera. Most times when I plan to record video I bring my camcorder. BTW, dont get the wrong idea about the “HQ” label. While being good quality for a ultracompact it is no where near as good as a camcorder for video. The Zoom, audio, image stability are all WAY better on a camcorder.
September 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
md said:
I completely agree with Transportguy; when I really want solid video, I take my Sony HD camcorder – you will not find the same quality in any camera+video option out there (from Casio or any other vendor).
September 29th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Gazinto said:
I have been completely torn between the Canon Powershot SD 1100 IS and the Casio Exilim S10. On the one hand, I know Canon takes better shots. Period. But I love the portability of the S10. When I really look at the two, the Canon isn’t THAT much bigger. So the question comes down to size and preference. And, unfortunately, I can find perfect situations in which each camera would be a best fit for me. I am going to indonesia in a month. I have thought “a light camera I can take everywhere would be perfect” ..but then i think, “but maybe a nice picture is far more important.” And that is the main issue i am having. I have this “idea” that CASIO (who makes calculator-watches) cannot possibly deliver the performance of a CANON. So is it worth sacrificing the small size difference and weight? I don’t know…what is your opinion MD? I am going to best buy to see them again. Then I will come home and buy the camera I choose online…where they are ineviteably cheaper. Please reply and I will seriously consider your words.
September 29th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Gazinto said:
nevermind. went to best buy and saw both cameras in person. i decided on the canon sd1100. it is not as slim as the s10, but still a pretty petit camera with many more features and better quality pics in the store than the s10. thanks for your posts! they were very helpful anyway! Gaz.
September 29th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
md said:
I was torn by the same decision points but for me size was THE key factor. Another factor was that the SD1000 actually only produces an “ok” image unlike it’s higher end Canon siblings. The Canon really only beats the SD10 in low light situations where the Casio is not strong. I don’t think there’s a wrong decision here and it comes down to your preferences. I don’t regret my decision.
October 29th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
RJ said:
I also am having problems with the left button. I am a teacher and one of my students is also having problems with the left button on her s10 as well. Otherwise I love the camera and think the h.264 is worth the price itself.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:51 am
kristy said:
I am also having problems with the left button on the casio ex-s10 and I am pretty sure I am going to take back the camera to costco today… Every time I try to scroll left, it goes up or down instead and it is soooo annoying! Any recommendations for a better camera? I hear a lot of ya’ll talking about a canon??
November 12th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
md said:
I would recommend taking it back and getting another – see if you like a working one first before trying a different camera. The issue you’re reporting on the left button is definitely not normal…
December 19th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Oraci said:
HELP!!!!!!
MY CASIO EX-S10 JUST DIED!!
THE LENS ZOOM IS OUT AND THE CAMERA IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE.
Everytime that I try to turn it on, the ligh shines and I hear a sound of the lens trying to get back in the camera….
I am by myself in a foreing country and just bought this camera 5 days ago…
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Thanks..
January 4th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Valen said:
Just purchased the EX-S10 at a price which I really should have bargained for. In any case, reading the reviews here gave me assurance that the camera is not as bad as it felt to me. That is, blurry images even in daylight and not to mention low light. Did anyone experience similar issues in the focus and sharpness? Also, the macro mode seems very disappointing as well. Thanks
May 6th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Casio Exilim EX-S10 Reviews | Digital Camera Review said:
[...] Reviews By michaeldolan.com I’m a digital photography junkie although I may not post here so often. I’ve always kept a well rounded portfolio of gadgets around including my Canon Rebel XT, a Sony HDR-SR7 HD video camcorder, and until now, I always used my Canon ELPH SD100 as my goto “pocket” camera that also did lightweight video recording just as many other consumer cameras do today. The SD100 had served quite a useful life and was an outstanding performer in all areas. However, a couple things were starting to create a need for an upgrade. First, the ELPH SD100 was the smallest, viable camera on the market when it came out but today, there were increasingly more “slim” and lightweight options being introduced on the market. Read Full Reviews Here.. [...]
May 19th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Mama said:
Hi there… I am debating between the Casio S10 and the Canon SD 960… I have bought both to compare them… just got the Casio today. I used the Canon for a party we went to last weekend and wasn’t as impressed as I thought I’d be. Camera is big, battery life sucked and the images left a little to be desired. I am basically looking for a PNS to take with me when I can’t take my Nikon D80. We do tons of outdoor festivals, pics of family, indoor concerts. Waiting for the battery to charge to try the Casio but wanted to pick your brain on the comparison of the two…
Thanks :)
May 19th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
md said:
Mama, that’s what I used the Casio S10 for (well… skiing too). Unfortunately my wife left the Casio at a basketball game a week ago so I no longer have it. I’m currently evaluating what to get to replace it. The S12 is my current top pick.
I looked at the 960 a while back and had similar thoughts to yours. The Canon has great pictures, but I really don’t need all the features packed into a P&S anyway. The one area Canon definitely beat Casio on was low light. I don’t know if they fixed that in the S12…
I always really liked that I could drop the Casio into a pocket and never worry about it. The Casio batteries were great, but at the time I bought my spare battery I think it was a little pricey (~$29). I actually never had to use the spare… whenever I took the camera out, I just swapped in the latest fresh one from the charger (Manufactures don’t recommended keeping it on a charger, I know…)
Bottom line: I haven’t found one better than the S10 yet. I am interested in finding a local store that has both the S12 and S5 to try them out side-by-side but I think I already know my answer (S12).
May 23rd, 2009 at 6:36 am
In Camera said:
I truly admire that model of camera. I know its not the type of camera, but how good you are at using the camera, but nevertheless, I still feel that I could take better pictures if I bought one.
June 11th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Dan said:
Interesting that you were considering the Oly 850sw also. I have both but the EX-S10 is on ebay now. The picture quality is just not there, the lens has major issues at the corners and Casio seems to oversharpen the images to the point of looking fake.
Everything about the S10 is great except for the pictures themselves and that. for me is reason enough to ditch it.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Momo R&B said:
ok i’m deciding or confused ,a lot, by which one i should get…the casio exilim ex-s12 or the ex-s12….both are the same and i don’t know if there is a diffrence but i still can\t chose…i will mostly be taking pictures not videos and mostly of people not places so i need a camera thats good in those…and i hope it doesn’t break because i’m shipping it from a long distance..so which is better??
thanks ((:
January 4th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Momo R&B said:
sorry lots of typo’s…i meant the casio exilim ex-s10 OR the casio exilim ex-s12…sorry…but i have to know soon because of shipping timeing…thanks