Casio EX-10 vs Sony A7S III: An Expert's Deep Dive into Two Very Different Cameras

When comparing two cameras that couldn’t be more different on paper, it’s tempting to write off the Casio EX-10 by juxtaposing it against Sony’s flagship A7S III. But digging beneath the specs and marketing fluff reveals a fascinating contrast in what a camera can be designed to do - and how it serves photographers ranging from casual enthusiasts to full-blown professionals.

Having logged hundreds of hours testing both compact and professional gear, I’m excited to guide you through an experienced photographer’s detailed comparison between the 2013 Casio EX-10 compact and the 2020 pro mirrorless Sony A7S III. This isn’t about one being inherently “better” overall, but understanding how these tools respond to real-world shooting demands across genres, workflows, and budgets.

Here’s how these two cameras stack up and what that means for your photography.

First Impressions: Size, Handling, and Design Philosophy

In handling these two, you’re immediately struck by their physical and ergonomic disparity. The EX-10 is a petite compact, pocket-friendly but not quite pocket-sized, optimized for convenience and portability. Meanwhile, the A7S III is a robust, modular mirrorless with a substantially larger body designed for grip, extensive controls, and attachment of professional lenses.

Casio EX-10: Weighing just 384g and measuring 120x68x49mm, it slips easily into a jacket pocket. Its fixed 28-112mm F1.8-2.5 lens provides a versatile moderate zoom range ideal for quick captures, travel snapshots, and casual portraits. The build feels plastic but firm enough, though it lacks weather resistance or ruggedization.

Sony A7S III: The 699g, 129x97x81mm frame is substantial but manageable for extended shooting sessions. You notice immediately the SLR-style grip and button-heavy top plate, designed for intuitive control without diving into menus. Its magnesium alloy body is weather sealed against moisture and dust - a necessity for professional outdoor work.

Despite their size gulf, both cameras share touchscreen LCDs, though the A7S III’s is fully articulated and higher resolution, aimed at enhancing live view compositions and video shooting flexibility.

Verdict: If portability and spontaneity win your day, the EX-10’s compact form is compelling. For serious work, where grip, control, and durability matter, the Sony A7S III’s design excels.

Sensor and Image Quality: Small Sensor vs. Full Frame

The difference that defines these two beyond ergonomics is sensor size - and the image quality gulf it creates.

• Casio EX-10: Utilizes a 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor (7.44x5.58mm) with 12MP resolution. This sensor size is typical for advanced compacts, striking a decent balance between compactness and image quality but limited by physics on noise and dynamic range.

• Sony A7S III: Houses a renowned 12MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor (35.6x23.8mm) optimized explicitly for low light and video sensitivity. Despite matching the EX-10’s megapixel count, its sensor area is over 20 times larger, allowing far superior noise handling, color depth, and dynamic range.

Technical Metrics:

• The Sony delivers a DxOMark overall score of 85, with impressive color depth (23.6 bits), dynamic range (13.3 EV), and exceptionally high low-light ISO performance (native ISO 80-102400, boosted up to 409,600).

• The Casio - lacking official DxOMark testing - is expectedly limited in these areas, with a max ISO of 12,800 but practical noise control capping much lower.

Real-World Impact:

• The EX-10 captures nice daylight images with decent sharpness and punchy colors but visibly struggles beyond ISO 800, showing noise and loss of detail, especially in shadow areas or night scenes.

• The A7S III performs astounding low-light imagery with near-silent noise at ISO 6400 and viable quality well into six-digit ISO numbers, making it a standout for astrophotography, event coverage, and motion capture under challenging lighting.

Conclusion: If superior image quality and especially low-light performance top your priority list, the Sony A7S III is in a league of its own. The EX-10 offers usable daylight results but isn’t designed for professional-grade image capture.

Autofocus Systems: Precision vs. Versatility

Autofocus performance often defines how responsive and reliable a camera is in varied scenarios - from fast-moving sports to delicate macro shots.

• Casio EX-10: Uses contrast-detection autofocus with face detection and tracking, along with touch-to-focus. Its maximum continuous shooting speed is 10fps, and it supports AF single, continuous, and tracking modes. However, the EX-10 lacks phase-detection AF and advanced subject recognition (no animal eye AF).

• Sony A7S III: Boasts an advanced hybrid AF system with 759 phase-detection points and sophisticated subject tracking including animal eye AF, person eye AF, and real-time recognition. Its 10fps burst rate is combined with low blackout for uninterrupted viewfinder tracking.

Testing Notes:

In my tests tracking wildlife and fast sports, the A7S III’s autofocus remains unflappable, locking swiftly and accurately on erratic moving subjects - even in low light - thanks to its phase-detection points and AI-powered tracking. The EX-10’s contrast detection AF, while decent for casual subjects, is noticeably sluggish and prone to hunting, especially in dim or fast-action conditions.

Further, the EX-10's face detection can handle casual portrait subjects but falters when quick repositioning or multiple faces enter frame. The A7S III solidly nails eye detection accuracy, essential for pro-level portrait and wildlife photography.

Summary: The Sony A7S III delivers professional-level autofocus agility and reliability; the Casio is serviceable for casual snapshots but will frustrate action or critical focusing situations.

Handling and User Interface: From Casual to Professional Control

Beyond hardware, the user experience influences how smoothly a camera integrates into your creative flow.

• The EX-10 has a 3.5" Super Clear LCD touchscreen with 922k dots that tilts 180° upward, suitable for selfies and creative low-angle shooting. The interface is simple and clear, tailored to photographers who want quick access without piles of customizable buttons. Unfortunately, it lacks a viewfinder entirely, relying solely on the LCD in bright conditions - a drawback for outdoor shooting.

• The A7S III features a 3” fully articulated touchscreen with 1.44M dots LCD paired with a stunning 9.44M-dot electronic viewfinder covering 100% frame, delivering crystal-clear framing even in sunlight. Dual-slot media, customizable buttons, and joystick focus point selection mirror typical professional demands.

The Sony also supports touch AF on LCD and EVF, touchpad AF while using the EVF, and offers endless exposure and focus bracketing options in its deep menu system.

Practical Takeaway: For someone stepping up from a smartphone or amateur point-and-shoot, the EX-10’s interface is straightforward and welcoming. The Sony requires investment in learning but rewards with intuitive physical controls and detailed customization, saving time in professional workflows.

Versatility Across Photography Genres

How do these cameras fare across popular photographic disciplines? Let’s dissect one by one.

Portrait Photography

Skin tone rendition and bokeh smoothness are crucial for flattering portraits.

• EX-10: Its moderate 28-112mm zoom and bright F1.8-2.5 lens facilitates nice subject isolation in good light. Skin tones are warm and pleasant, but limited sensor resolution and smaller sensor size restrict the depth and tonal gradation. AF eye detection is absent, requiring careful focus placement. Background blur is decent for compact standards but lacks creamy, professional-quality bokeh.

• A7S III: Paired with fast prime lenses, the full-frame sensor delivers exquisite skin tone rendering with smooth tonal gradations and creamy bokeh at wide apertures. Outstanding eye and face detection autofocus track subjects accurately even in dynamic scenes. This camera truly excels at professional portraiture.

Landscape Photography

Here resolution, dynamic range, and weather sealing matter.

• EX-10: 12MP falls short for large prints or extensive cropping, and the limited dynamic range constrains recuperation of shadow and highlight detail in complex scenes. No weather sealing means caution outdoors under inclement conditions.

• A7S III: While 12MP resolution is modest compared to high-megapixel rivals, its dynamic range (13.3 EV) is excellent, capturing wide tonal spreads important in landscapes. The robust weather sealing allows confident all-weather shooting. Keep in mind that for extreme resolutions, Sony’s Alpha 7R series might be preferable, but A7S III’s file quality is top-tier.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Autofocus speed, frame rate, and tracking precision become non-negotiable.

• EX-10: 10fps continuous shooting is respectable for a compact, but focus hunting and slow contrast AF make capturing fast wildlife or sports difficult.

• A7S III: While also capped at 10fps, the absolutely stellar AF system combined with blackout-free viewfinder operation and high buffer capacity shine for sports and wildlife professionals. Its low-light AF retains tracking even at dusk or dawn - a game-changer.

Street Photography

Discretion and portability are critical.

• EX-10: Small and low profile, it’s inconspicuous and easy to wield aboard city streets. The silent shutter performance aids in stealth shooting (max shutter 1/4000s, but silent shutter missing).

• A7S III: Larger and more noticeable, but still highly ergonomic. It lacks a built-in silent shutter mode, which might be a downside for street photographers seeking ultra-quiet operation, though electronic shutter options exist with rolling shutter artifacts to consider.

Macro Photography

Close focusing capabilities and stabilization come into play.

• EX-10: Offers an impressive 1cm macro focus range and sensor-shift image stabilization - quite commendable for a compact - allowing detailed close-ups handheld.

• A7S III: Macro ability depends on lens choice, with a broad ecosystem offering top-tier dedicated macro lenses. The sensor-based 5-axis stabilization is excellent for handheld macro work, stabilizing even during subtle focusing movements.

Night and Astro Photography

Can the camera manage very low light with minimal noise?

• EX-10: Struggles past ISO 800, not suitable for serious astro or low-light long exposures due to noise and limited dynamic range.

• A7S III: A benchmark in this category - with a max ISO of 409,600 - and excellent long-exposure noise control, it’s a go-to for astro professionals and night shooters demanding clean files at extreme sensitivity.

Video Capabilities

Sony’s pro video focus is clear.

• EX-10: Offers full HD 1080p recording at 30fps in MPEG-4 and H.264, sufficient for casual video but not professional content creation. No microphone or headphone input, limiting sound control.

• A7S III: A serious 4K/120fps powerhouse with support for multiple codecs (XAVC S, XAVC HS) and internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording. Pro audio interface (mic and headphone jacks), sustained recording without overheating, and advanced video profiles establish this as a filmmaker's dream.

Travel and Everyday Shooting

Weight, battery life, and flexibility count.

• EX-10: Lightest and smallest of the two, with a respectable 455 shots per charge. Single SD card slot and built-in flash make it simple but reliable.

• A7S III: Almost twice as heavy at 699g, but with a larger battery powering 600 shots per charge and dual card slots including CFexpress Type A for high-speed write and security. More robust wireless connectivity (Bluetooth, NFC) enables efficient offloading and remote shooting.

Professional Work and Workflow Integration

For professionals, compatibility with RAW editing, tethering, and file management is key.

• EX-10: RAW shooting supported but limited by sensor resolution and bottlenecked USB 2.0 speeds. No tethering options.

• A7S III: Native RAW shooting, fast USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface, extensive tethering support, and refined color science great for studio and on-location professional workflows.

Comprehensive Strengths & Weaknesses Summarized

Casio EX 10 front Casio EX 10 screen back Sony A7S III front Sony A7S III screen back

Overall Performance and Scores

To quantify the difference in overall imaging capability, I lean on DxOMark’s detailed sensor tests for the A7S III and my empirical testing with the EX-10 (not officially tested by DxO).

Sony emerges with stellar scores across color depth, dynamic range, and noise - attributes vital for professional photography and videography. Though compact cameras can never match these, the EX-10 punches above its weight in its class for casual and travel shooters.

How Each Camera Excels in Specific Photography Types

From portraits to night photography, the Sony A7S III sets a high bar across virtually all categories except in sheer resolution and portability, where the EX-10 holds its niche. Wildlife and sports photographers will unequivocally prefer the A7S III for autofocus speed and tracking, while street and travel photographers on a budget might appreciate the EX-10’s stealth and quick grab-and-shoot capability.

My Recommendations: Matching Camera to Photographer

Choose the Casio EX-10 if:

• You want a pocketable enthusiast compact with a bright lens for travel, street, and casual macro shooting.
• You’re budget conscious and prefer simple operation without a learning curve.
• Video is an occasional hobby, not a professional focus.
• You don’t need the absolute best low-light or action performance.

Choose the Sony A7S III if:

• You’re a professional or serious enthusiast who demands high image quality, especially in low-light.
• Your work involves video production or hybrid shooting requiring 4K 120fps and professional audio inputs.
• You need robust weather sealing and a durable body for challenging environments.
• You rely on fast, reliable autofocus for wildlife, sports, or event photography.
• Your workflow benefits from professional file formats, tethering, and dual card slots.

Final Thoughts from an Expert Tester

Comparing the Casio EX-10 and Sony A7S III is like comparing a city hatchback to a turbocharged sports coupe - both vehicles get the job done but serve dramatically different drivers and needs. The EX-10 is a charming, compact companion dedicated to capturing moments quickly and easily, with a bright lens and image stabilization helping to compensate for a diminutive sensor’s limitations.

The Sony A7S III, on the other hand, is a powerhouse designed for uncompromising low-light capability, superior autofocus, and professional video creation. Its full-frame sensor and system flexibility place it among the elite for demanding photographic and cinematic work.

Neither camera is “right” or “wrong”; your choice depends on whether you prioritize portability and simplicity, or ultimate performance and professional features.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you understand the intrinsic trade-offs involved and steers you towards the camera that truly fits your photographic vision.

Happy shooting!

[End of article]