The interface of the Casio Exilim
EX-S770 is quite innovative. The display button on top of the
camera presents a menu from which the user can select the way
the interface operates. Two styles are offered: one, traditional,
places the current camera settings on the periphery of the image
shown by the 2.8-inch LCD monitor. The other is a design that
restricts the image coming from the lens to most of the left
side of the monitor, and which places a column of information/settings
called the Operation Panel on the right side of the screen.
While this layout restricts the image a bit, it has the advantage
of providing an immediate access to a number of important settings
as the Operation Panel effectively acts a mini-menu.
Whichever display is in use, however, the menus are still
accessible by pushing the MENU button. The menus presentation
is generally typical of Casio cameras, with options appearing
as text on top of a semi transparent grey area that is superimposed
on either the image coming from the lens, or a photo under
review. Although a solid colour background would have ensured
complete legibility under most lighting conditions, the use
of sharply defined white text and a reasonable size font make
the menus stand out clearly.
The Setup menu, which provides some of the most primary
camera settings, is accessed as a menu tab 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 Continuous, 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.
Timestamp: decides whether or not the date, or
date and time at which a photo is captured will be permanently
superimposed on the image.
Adjust: serves to adjust the time and date on the
EX-S770.
Date Style selects the way the date will be presented:
YY/MM/DD; or DD/MM/YY; or MM/DD/YY.
Language selects the interface language: Japanese,
English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Traditional
Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. (Note
that the region of the world where the camera is purchase
impacts the languages available).
Data View decides how data files — displayed
when the DATA button on top of the camera is pressed (see
the Ergonomics section of the review) —
are shown:
Page View, which shows a page view of the last
document.
List View which shows icons of all the documents.
Sleep: decides the time delay after which the EX-S770
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 to 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.
Video Out provides settings to connect the EX-S770
to a television: NTSC 4:3, NTSC 16:9, PAL 4:3, PAL 16:9.
Format serves to format an SD/MMC memory card,
or the camera's built-in memory.
Reset: returns the EX-S770 to its factory defaults
(Reset, or Cancel).
Casio includes a complete manual with the EX-S770, but only
in PDF format. Regrettably, the manual is disjointed, making
it frustrating and time consuming to find the use of specific
functions. Moreover, basic ways of directing the reader to information
are missing. For example, a complete list of the menu options
with a brief description of all menus is provided near the end
of the manual, but without referring page numbers. Problematic
since explanations for options and functions are illogically
sprinkled throughout the 289 pages of the manual. Likewise,
the contents section simply lists headings for each section
of the manual progressively, but the manual lacks an index.
No kudos on this one.
Software
Two CDs are bundled with
the Casio EX-S770 in North America, but one of these is exclusively
for computers using Microsoft Windows:
Both discs are called CASIO Digital Camera Software
but one contains:
For Microsoft Windows:
Photo Loader 3.0
Photohands 1.0
Photo Transport 1.0
Data Transport 1.0
USB Driver B
Adobe Reader
Direct X
For Macintosh:
Photo Loader 1.1
Data Transport 1.0
AVI Importer Component 1.1
While the other, exclusively for Windows computers, contains:
Ulead Movie Wizard SE VCD
Windows Media Player
Photo Loader is a utility that, once the EX-S770 is
connected to the computer via USB, automatically downloads
images and videos to the computer.
PhotoHands 1.0 is a very simplistic image editor,
that has been included with Casio cameras for the last few
years. The program has a surprising interface that appears
to have been designed for very young children.
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 icon 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-S770 might be well-advised
to budget for some other software.
Two other programs supplied with the camera merit attention.
Photo Transport serves to transfer images from the
computer (photos, maps, etc) to the camera. Casio Data
Transport makes it possible to transfer documents from
the computer to the camera so they can be carried along with
the camera.
The difference between the
two, is that while Photo Transfer uploads an existing image
to the camera, converting to a JPEG format the camera understands,
Data Transport acts like a printer driver. Once opened in
its parent application, transferring the document to the camera
is achieved by printing to Data Transport instead of a printer
driver, which, in turn, creates a high resolution image of
the document. That image is then loaded onto the camera where
it can be viewed at high magnification, or printed directly
to a printer.
The second disc bundled with
the EX-S770 contains Ulead's Movie Wizard.
Although this is a light version of the software —
the full version can be purchased online — the program
makes it possible to add sound to a video clip captured with
the camera, and burn it to a CD.
The program is also able to capture video, using a source
such as a web cam, or still images from a source such as video/TV
capture board.
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Interface & Software
and 
can be used to turn on/off the camera. Three options are
available:
