I have started using the Casio Exilim EX-100 these days, an upgrade from the Casio Exilim EX-10 which I was using for a couple months prior. I have grown to rely tremendously on the 180° Tilt Super Clear 3.5″ LCD Display, one of my fave features. Personally I’ve found this so useful for the 15-sec Instagram videos of my cooking that I am posting frequently these days. When I film with the EX-100, the tilt LCD display allows me to look at the shot and adjust the position of my hands during mis en place. This premium digital compact camera has made it relatively effortless to get the proper footage that I want, so I’ve been cranking out videos after videos easily – watch them here.
Believe you me, when you gotta DIY everything solo with nary a soul to help you along, having the right equipment makes a huge difference in productivity output. I can honestly say that without this handy camera, I probably wouldn’t have produced so many cooking videos on Instagram like I have.
Video capabilities aside, as a camera, one of the unique features of EX-100 that I really appreciate is the a Constant F2.8 Aperture which creates a lovely bokeh when I shoot still life objects such as food or product shots. I tend to shoot still life objects more so than any other subject; in fact the reason why I got my first DSLR years ago was because I wanted to have the bokeh effect when I shot floral arrangements (for my business).
At the time, no digital compact camera could produce that soft dreamy background (even in AV mode, there were restrictions and it just wasn’t the same). And I’ve mentioned this before, DSLR is bulky and it’s taken a toll on my shoulders and back. So now that I am using the EX-100, I can yield a similar effect using a much smaller and portable unit without sacrificing image quality.
Product photo example using EX-100.
Food photo example using EX-100.
Even though I have shared my fave features before (in the Casio Exilim EX-10), since the two models are so similar, let me share another feature common in both cameras which I didn’t get to dabble in previously: Intelligent Bracketing. With a single press of the shutter button, you can continuously shoot nine images while changing the settings of two parameters such as focus and aperture or white balance and brightness at three levels. Now you can capture images that you never thought possible as well as enjoy subtle variations in image quality.
This feature enables me to easily and quickly obtain choices on a particular scene and bypass the need to post edit. Depending on intent and visual expression, intelligent bracketing presents nine different options from which I can select the best image. IMO this level of control makes photography fun, without the need to tinker too much with technical know-hows or spend too much time post processing the images to correct saturation, white balance, contrast, etc.
I brought the EX-100 with me on my recent trips to Saigon and Bangkok, and the camera’s great features let me capture a variety of images well during my trips. I feel at ease knowing that this digital compact camera is effortless to carry around and gives me the versatility to take touristy selfies, food photos, cityscapes at night, interior shots in low light condition and of course, HD videos.
The pic above of two yummy cocktails I had at Horizons, a rooftop restaurant and bar above Central World in Bangkok, was attained by using the Constant F2.8 Aperture combined with the 10.7x Optical Zoom – which is a very powerful feature in this camera. When I’m zoomed in all the way, I can capture images with a lot less blur since a smaller aperture number means more lights gets in and I can get shots faster. Less shaking (tsk, me and my chicken fingers) = shaper, crisper image. The photo was taken around 630PM and it was getting dark, I’m glad I was able to capture this image at a time when I was losing natural light fast. Colors remain vibrant too, as you can see.
Sunset photo straight out of camera.
I find the EX-100 is a good fit for what I need to use it for, it’s an all-around performer and a very handy camera to have. For full specs, check out the product website. The Casio Exilim EX-100 is priced at S$1299.
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