Last year Computer Critics reviewed Casio's Exilim EX-Z50, a small camera that packs a huge punch. Today, we take a look at a camera that makes the EX-Z50 look like a telegraph machine. The new 6-Megapixel Casio Exilim EX-S600 is almost half as thin as the EX-Z50, and has many new features packed into its sexy aluminum body.
Like many of its predecesors, the Casio Exilim EX-S600 features Casio's "Best Shot" technology which makes it easy to let you get a perfect picture everytime. It works by letting you choose any one of 35 different preset settings such as "Portrait", "Night Scene" and "Fireworks". There is even a setting for taking pictures of pets which reduces red-eye and compensates for restless puppy movement. If you prefer to fiddle with the settings yourself, the Casio EX-S600 settings menu gives you access to the standard ISO, white balance, flash mode, focus, and 3-mode self-timer. You can also store your own preset settings for easy access anytime.
One of the Casio Exilim EX-S600's best features is the Anti-Shake feature that automatically reduces the blur produced by an unsteady photographer. The Anti-Shake feature extends the shutter time but compensates for movement while the shutter is open, a great feature that ensures a perfect shot when you ask someone else to take a picture for you.
I really like the docking station which is included with the Casio Exilim EX-S600 which lets you recharge the camera and transfer the pictures into your PC simultaneously. The Casio Exilim EX-S600' rechargable lithium ion battery which is arguably of the highest capacity of any camera in this class, allows you to take up to 300 pictures before recharging. In addition to 8.3MB in built-in flash memory, the camera also features an SD memory card slot which allows you to expand the camera's memory to 2 gigabytes. Since you can't take more than 300 pictures before recharging, there is really no need to get an SD card with more than 1 gig of memory, unless you are going to be carrying multiple batteries with you on a long trip to (insert remote destination here).
Of course the Casio Exilim EX-S600 also lets you shoot movies at 30 frames per second with a maximum resolution of 640×480 pixels. The quality is good enough for sharing on your computer with friends and family, but far less than MiniDV. This is a digital camera first and foremost. The video feature is nice to have, but should not be the primary reason for choosing this device.
Overall, this is a great little camera. It is packed with features to keep techogeeks fiddling with it for months, yet is easy to use for any amateur photographer. You can litterally take it out of the box and start shooting with it even if you've never used a digital camera before. It is light and compact, but feels a little fragile. That's understandable. After all, you have to give up some sturdiness in order to reduce size.
