Casio Exilim EX-H5 review

There’s a vast range of compact cameras with 10x and bigger zooms currently available. The H5 is one of three such models from Casio, sitting below the feature-packed FH100 and the 14-megapixel H15. It also happens to be the cheapest compact ultra-zoom camera we’ve ever reviewed. The red version we tested costs £141, while black or silver finishes cost £133.

Inevitably, there are a few cost-cutting measures to be found. The slim battery lasts for 240 shots – a far cry from the H15’s 1,000 shots but still a passable figure. Frustratingly, removing the battery for charging and returning it to the camera 24 hours later resulted in the date being reset. Another minor irritation is the lack of an orientation sensor, which means that portrait-shaped photos must be rotated manually on the computer.

There’s no dedicated menu button or mode dial, and unlike on other Casio cameras it’s not possible to reassign the left and right navigation pad buttons to functions such as ISO speed or white balance. The result is that adjusting photographic settings requires numerous prods of the five-way pad. This is a camera that’s only really suitable for pointing and shooting.

There are no signs of cost-cutting from the outside. The slim aluminium shell looks smart, and it’s also marginally the lightest camera in its class. The flash isn’t in the most sensible place, though, as it risks being obscured by a finger.

While the H5 lacks a menu button, it does include a dedicated video capture button. Video is recorded at 720p but the 20fps frame rate isn’t as smooth as the 39fps managed by other cameras. The focus and optical zoom are fixed during recording, and with noise appearing in clips, this video mode isn’t up to the standards of its pricier competitors.

The same could be said for the H5’s photos. The 10x zoom lens, which starts at an impressively wide-angle 24mm, certainly pulled its weight, delivering sharp details right into the corners of frames. The sensor was the weak point, though, reducing subtle details to grubby smudges in anything but bright sunlit conditions. The same could be said of nearly all compact ultra-zoom cameras, but the H5’s noise reduction was less successful than others at disguising the inevitable noise that comes from a small, high-resolution sensor. Even at the base ISO 64 setting, noise invaded darker parts of images.

Those who can afford it should go for the Panasonic TZ8 or Samsung WB650, both of which produce superior photos and videos. However, for people who don’t print enlargements or scrutinise their photos on screen, the H5’s noise problems may be trivial. Otherwise, image quality is up to scratch. The fiddly controls are still a concern, but there’s nothing to dislike about its smart design, versatile lens or low price.