Color (7.25)
The deep red color of an apple may not be the same deep red that the digital camera will produce. Some digital cameras can produce colors extremely close to reality; those models are usually DSLRs that cost thousands of dollars. That does not mean that compact models cannot perform well and many users seem to prefer more saturated, slightly embellished tones anyway. We test DSLRs and compact cameras alike by shooting exposures of the GretagMacbeth color chart, which depicts ideal colors. The pictured chart is then uploaded into Imatest Imaging Software and analyzed. The software program output the following modified chart to show the difference between the ideal colors and those produced by the digital camera. The original colors from the chart are shown in the inner rectangle. The color produced by the Casio Exilim EX-P505 is seen in the outer square, with the computer-corrected version in the inner square.

There is clearly a difference between the P505’s colors and the ideal colors. To see just how inaccurate those colors are, check out the chart below. The squares represent the ideal colors, while the circles represent what the Casio P505 produced. The farther apart these shapes are, the more inaccurate that particular color is.

The Casio Exilim EX-P505’s performance was average, achieving an overall color score of 7.25. Many compact digital cameras exaggerate the #15 red color the most, but the P505 exaggerated cool tones such as green and blue even more. These inaccuracies led to an 8.28 mean color error. The tiny P505 over-saturated colors by 13.5 percent, which is also average for this genre of digital camera.

Still Life Scene
Below is a shot of our heart-breakingly beautiful still life scene photographed with the Casio P505.

Click on the above image to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: the linked file is very large!)

Resolution / Sharpness (2.64)
Because no one wants photo prints that look digital, we tested the resolution of the Casio P505. We did this by shooting several exposures of an industry standard resolution chart, then uploading them into our smart Imatest Imaging Software. The images were shot at various apertures and focal lengths to achieve the best exposure; the best results came from shooting at an 11mm focal length at an aperture of f/4.5. After shooting in these settings and the camera automatically compressing the JPEG files a bit, the Casio P505 was left with 2.64 of its 5 advertised effective megapixels.

Click on the above image to view full res file

We usually hand out designations that describe the relationship between the actual pixel count and the advertised count. For instance, digital cameras that score within 70 percent of the advertised count are designated “good.” Within 80 percent they are “very good” and within 90 percent they are “excellent.” However, the Casio Exilim EX-P505 only achieved 54 percent of its advertised pixels, so it ranks far below what most digital cameras can do. Users of this camera should be mindful of this when cropping and enlarging or printing their photographs.

Noise – Auto ISO (2.23)
Many users of the Casio P505 will rely on the automatic ISO setting. Therefore, it is unfortunate that it is so unreliable. The P505 received an overall automatic ISO score of 2.23, which is far below average. The noise output in the picture was roughly equivalent to what ISO 150 would be on this camera, which is a higher setting than what most other cameras would select in our brightly lit studio, and the picture also contained more noise.

Noise – Manual ISO (3.48)
The Casio Exilim EX-P505 offers three manual ISO sensitivities of 100, 200, and 400. We tested the noise levels at each ISO rating and plugged the results into a regression analysis to achieve the final overall score. Below is a chart that shows ISO sensitivity ratings on the horizontal axis and noise levels on the vertical axis.

There is a large jump from 100 to 200 and an even larger jump in noise from 200 to 400. This resulted in a lackluster manual ISO noise score of 3.48. Be aware of this when the higher ISOs are selected; there will be lots of noise present in the image.

Low Light Performance (4.0)
If this camera is to be used for a night out on the town, it’s wise to check out its low light performance first. We did this by photographing the color chart in diminishing light levels. The photographs are taken at 60, 30, 15, and 5 lux. A softly lit bedroom after dark is roughly equivalent to 60 lux. 30 lux is what comes from a single 40-watt light bulb. The pictures at 15 and 5 lux levels are very near darkness and illustrate the sensitivity of the image sensor.

Low Light Tests
60 Lux	30 Lux
15 Lux	5 Lux

At 60 lux, the image is already riddled with noise but the colors are distinguishable. At 30 lux, the entire image darkens and some of the grays and the black wash into each other. Darkness engulfs the picture at 15 lux and overtakes the image at 5 lux. There are strong bluish overtones and so much noise that images in low lighting will hardly be usable.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (8.59)
The Casio P505 took 1.41 seconds to power up and take its first shot. This isn’t incredibly fast, but there are definitely many slower compact digital cameras on the market. So unless speed is paramount, the P505 should be adequate.

Shot to Shot (6.12)
The EX-P505 does not have a burst mode and action is certainly not its forte. It took a leisurely 2.4 seconds in between shots. At that pace, don’t plan on capturing sports or anything in motion.

Shutter to Shot (8.76)
There is some shutter lag in the Casio P505. With the flash off, it took 0.12 seconds between the shutter release button being pressed and the picture being recorded. There are worse culprits of shutter lag, but still be prepared for a, “1-2-3-cheese… no wait… now.”

Intro	Page 2 of 12		Physical Tour
Casio Exilim EX-P505 Digital Camera Review Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance	Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes	Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions	Conclusion	Specs / Ratings