A 2-inch LCD monitor always makes
it easier to use an interface than a smaller screen. The characters
are bigger and therefore more legible, the icons that indicate
modes or settings more easily recognizable. In addition, the
EX-S100 provides small text bubbles that pop-up next to the
icon identifying a specific camera function (flash, macro, etc.)
that make it clear that a change has occurred and what that
change is; a system that goes a long way to preventing accidental
setting changes as the camera is handled.
Menus are presented as white text in boxes that are bordered
by an orange line, but are superimposed either on the live
image, or on a playback image, a system that can sometimes
make it harder to see the text than it ought to be. Nevertheless,
the menu system benefits from the use of plain language, and
options are quite easy to understand and set. The Setup
menu, which provides some of the most primary camera settings,
is accessible from either the Record mode or the Playback
mode, and contains the same options irrespective of the menu
it is accessed from:
Sounds controls the sounds made by the camera:
Startup: 5 sounds or Off.
Half Shutter: 5 sounds or Off.
Shutter: 5 sounds or Off.
Operation: 5 sounds or Off.
Volume: allows controlling the sound volume
from 0 to +7.
Startup: controls whether or not the camera displays
the Exilim logo animation, or a photo captured by the camera,
or nothing when it is powered on.
File No. decides how image files are numbered:
either Continue, which numbers the files sequentially;
or Reset, which restarts numbering photos at 1 whenever
the camera's memory is formatted, or a freshly formatted
or blank memory card is used.
World Time provides for a home time by selecting
a home city, and a world or travel destination time. The
time in either place can then be selected for display.
Date Style selects the way the date will be presented:
YY/MM/DD; or DD/MM/YY; or MM/DD/YY.
Adjust: allows setting the time and date on the
camera.
Language: selects the interface language (Japanese,
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese.
Sleep: decides the time delay after which the EX-S100
goes to sleep mode if unused (30 seconds, 1 or 2 minutes
or Off).
Auto Power Off: determines when the camera powers
down automatically after a period of inactivity (2 or 5
minutes).
REC / PLAY controls whether the
and
can be used to turn on/off the camera. Three options are
available:
Power On: the buttons can be used to turn on the camera,
but not to turn it off.
Power On/Off: the buttons can be used to turn on or
off the camera.
Disable: requires the power switch mounted next to
the shutter release be used to turn on or off the camera.
USB controls the USB protocol:
Mass Storage (USB Direct-Print) lets
the camera be recognized as a hard disk by a personal
computer, or allows it to be used to print directly
to an Epson Direct-Print compliant printer.
PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) is intended for use
with a PictBridge compatible printer.
Format serves to format an SD/MMC memory card,
or the camera's built-in memory.
Reset: returns the EX-S100 to its factory defaults
(Reset, or Cancel).
Casio includes a complete, printed manual with the EX-S100.
The manual does an effective job of explaining the basic controls
of the camera, and the functions that are controlled through
menu options.
Software
As sold in North America, the
Casio EX-S100 includes one CD which contains:
USB driver 1.0 for older version of Microsoft Windows.
Photo Loader 2.2, a utility that handles downloading
images from the camera automatically when the EX-S100 is
connected to a computer via USB.
PhotoHands 1.0, to edit and print photos (see
further).
An Adobe PDF version of the camera manual in a
variety of languages.
Adobe Reader 6.0, to view the camera manual.
And once the programs are installed, a free offer from
Kodak for photo printing.
To the purchaser that has no other software to edit photos,
PhotoHands 1.0, the software supplied with the S100 may come
as a bit of a surprise.
Four icons, stacked on the left side of the program's window
are the primary interface between the user and the program.
Starting at the top, a chameleon indicates the path to the
programs photo retouching options: adjustments for contrast,
brightness, saturation, sharpness, noise removal or "filter"
which simply converts the image to either sepia or black and
white. A small preview window is offered, but it is quite
small and unable to show any detail.
The second icon, a kangaroo,
is the indicator for the program's image resizing function.
Images can be resized up or down, without any apparent limit,
save for the program's own limitation at handling memory.
The third icon is a koala, and it indicates Photohands' capability
of rotating images. Images can be rotated by 90° clockwise
or counter-clockwise, by a full 180°, flipped horizontally
or even vertically.
The fourth and last icon is
a dog, a piece of paper clenched in its jaws, it represents
the program's ability to print, either in landscape or portrait,
and imprint the date on the photo.
Those wanting to edit or re-work photos captured with the
EX-S100 might be well-advised to budget for some other software.
Compare Prices for Casio Exilim Casio Exilim EX-S100WE Digital Camera Battery
Interface & Software
and 
can be used to turn on/off the camera. Three options are
available:
