New cameras by Casio: One for size, one for speed

New cameras by Casio: One for size, one for speed

Mike O'Keefe demonstrates Casio's EXILIM Pro EX-F1 digital camera at the Consumer Electronics Show, Monday, Jan. 7, 2008.

Tools

By Brian M. Westbrook

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of dispatches that Tech writer Brian Westbrook is filing for KOMOTV.com from the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

I have a reputation among friends and family for being "that guy." I always have a camera handy to capture the moments (for better or worse, we are in Las Vegas after-all).  While I made the transition to a detachable-lens Digital SLR camera over four years ago, sometimes lugging around the larger camera just simply isn't practical.  

The Sleek Camera That Fits In Your Pocket

Enter Casio's Exilim slim-line cameras and their just-announced EX-S10.

The EX-S10 improves on the popular series by improving the display and adding a new "Auto Shutter" feature that captures the photo at just the right moment - be it a baby's smile or when your own face fills the screen during a handheld self-portrait.

Yet another nifty bonus is the iTunes-compatible video format.  Previous models have cumbersome software and a complicated transfer process to pull video off and onto your system. At the Casio press event we saw it was click-and-drag (into iTunes) easy. Score!

The camera is just over one-half inch thin and takes photos at 10.1 mega-pixels. It's got anti-shake and a bright high contrast display perfect for a bright Northwest summer day.

The secret for capturing the moment is having a handy at all times.  The Casio EX-S10 comes in four colors - one for each pocket!

The Ultra-Fast High-Definition Camera (That Doesn't)

Casio also introduced a breakthrough camera with an unbelievable 60fps burst mode, the new EXILIM Pro EX-F1. 

The nice thing about fast cameras is that when capturing action shots, the son's baseball game or the niece's swim meet as obvious examples a faster frame rate catches more of the action allowing you to choose the perfect shot.  (The precise moment the bat strikes the ball or the racket sending a tennis ball the opposite direction were two examples presented by Casio.) 

This unit also has the ability to pre-record a still image (just before you press the shutter down the camera remembers that moment you just missed).  

It's by far one of the largest compact "point and shoot" digital cameras, it certainly won't fit in your pocket.  But for those who want great looking stills and amazing - even HD - movies, this could be the all-in-one you've been looking for.  

It also does one more cool trick:  Movies at 1200 fps, or for those keeping track - faster than the human eye can see.  (Don't worry, I already asked the obvious question:  "Why?")  I'm told by Casio's spokespeople this is for "ultra slow motion playback".  

For the sake of my reputation, please tell my family I already knew that.

--

Brian M. Westbrook covers the Internet, the latest technology and the hottest gadgets. To reach Brian send an e-mail to techexpert@brianwestbrook.com .

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