Model Design / Appearance (8.5)
The sample EX-S600 we received is a snappy persimmon orange, a few shades darker than my first Schwinn bicycle. It's very slim, and it seems that its appearance was as important in its design as its function. It's very shiny, which means that it's slick easy to drop.
The top of the camera is on an incline, so that the shutter-release end is about 1/8 of an inch taller than the lens end. The curves of the two ends of the body echo the curving “E” of the Exilim brand. The labeling and buttons are small, so that the camera doesn't look crowded.
Size / Portability (9.0)
The Exilim EX-S600 is very small, small enough to fit in some pretty small pockets and small purses and bags. Casio supplies dimensions of 3.54 x 2.32 x 0.63 inches, but can't resist adding that at its thinnest, the S600 is only 0.54 inches thick. Without the battery – which doesn't weigh much -- the S600 is barely more than 4 ounces. It isn't going to be a burden in many circumstances.
Part of portability is durability, though. We see a few signs that the EX-S600 may leave a pocket or purse less functional than it was going in. It is not well sealed against dirt or moisture. The power button is prone to turning the camera on accidentally if it's bumped, which would expose the front of the lens, and stress its collapsible barrel. The pretty orange finish is vulnerable to scratches, and they'll show up brilliantly. On the other hand, the camera is primarily metal, so it may survive drops better than some of its competition.
Handling Ability (6.75)
The stylists' choices on the EX-S600 are both good and bad for the user who plans to take pictures. First, the camera is slippery and small. A camera that's hard to hold onto is hard to use, and the EX-S600 will present some frustrations this way. However, the sparseness of the EX-S600's controls offer an advantage. Though there is no textured grip on the back of the S600 for the user's thumb, there is plenty of space, in the right spot, for the thumb to rest. On the left side, the top and bottom of the camera are adequate spots for holding the camera as well.
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (5.0)
The designers did a good job placing the buttons on the EX-S600. They're small, which many mean trouble for users with very large hands, but for many others, the controls are large enough, and placed well enough that it's fairly easy to avoid hitting the wrong one accidentally. The OK button in the center of the 4-way controller is the least well placed button, but we had relatively little trouble with it.
Menu (8.0)
The EX-S600's menus are displayed over a live preview. The text is large and readable, and has a subtle drop-shadow that makes it readable against all sorts of backgrounds.
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Shooting Menu
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Focus
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Set focus method
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Continuous
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Set to shoot bursts or single shots
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Self-timer
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Set to delay shot 2 seconds, 10 seconds, or to delay 10 seconds and shoot 3 shots
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AF Area
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Set AF system to center focus or multi-zone
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AF Assist Light
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Turn on Autofocus assist light
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Anti Shake
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Set to allow camera to boost ISO to allow faster shutter speeds
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L/R Key
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Set custom function for the left and right keys on the four-way controller
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Quick Shutter
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Set to allow camera to shoot whether or not autofocus is complete
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Audio/snap
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Set to record audio immediately after shooting a still image
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Grid
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Display grid onscreen to help line up subjects
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Digital Zoom
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Magnify scenes beyond the power of the lens
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Review
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Display images immediately after they're shot
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Icon Help
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Displays help text as icons appear onscreen
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Memory
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Set to retain settings for various functions
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Quality
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Size
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Set resolution
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Quality
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Set JPEG compression
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Movie Quality
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Set resolution and compression of movies
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EV Shift
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Adjust exposure
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White Balance
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Adjust white balance
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ISO
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Adjust ISO from 50 to 400, plus Auto
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Metering
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Set meter pattern to multi-zone, spot or averaging
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Filter
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Set for various picture effects, including black and white, sepia, colors
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Sharpness
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Adjust sharpness in 5 steps
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Saturation
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Adjust saturation in 5 steps
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Contrast
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Adjust contrast in 5 steps
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Flash Intensity
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Adjust flash exposure in 5 steps
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Flash Assist
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Turn fill flash on or off
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The EX-S600's Set Up menus are available in either shooting or playback modes.
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Set Up
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Screen
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Set screen brightness to Auto, Bright, or Normal
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Sounds
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Set options for sounds and volume for many camera functions
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Startup
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Set to change the appearance of the start-up routine
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File No.
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Set to determine how files are numbered
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World Time
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Set home time zone
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Adjust
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Set time and date
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Date Style
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Set the style for displaying dates
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Language
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Set the language for menus and displays
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Sleep
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Set camera to save power when it is unattended
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Auto Power Off
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Set camera to shut off when it is unattended
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REC/PLAY
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Set for REC and PLAY buttons to turn on the camera
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USB
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Set the mode for USB connectivity, either to run a printer or to act as a storage device
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Video Out
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Set video format
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Format
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Erase memory card
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Reset
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Return camera to default settings
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A separate menu comes up in Playback mode.
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Playback
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Slideshow
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Show sequences of pictures
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Motion Print
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Create still images from video frames
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Movie Anti Shake
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Set to avoid motion blur in movies
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Movie Editing
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Cut parts of movies
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Favorites
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Select images to save in internal memory
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DPOF
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Print images directly from camera
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Protect
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Save images from deletion
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Date/Time
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Set date and time
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Rotation
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Turn images so that verticals show correctly
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Resize
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Shrink images emailing and sharing
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Trimming
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Crop images
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Dubbing
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Add sound
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Copy
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Duplicate images
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Ease of Use (7.0)
The EX-S600's fully automated shooting mode isn't hard to use, but it can be confusing to set the camera's options. The button that accesses custom image presets, which Casio calls “Best Shot” modes, is labeled simply, “BS.” Setting aside the scatological reference, “BS” isn't likely to ring a bell for most users. Other touted technologies, such as the Anti Shake system, appear as both a Best Shot mode, and as an item in the shooting menu. It might be more flexible that way, but more likely, it's just confusing.
