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Casio has distinguished itself from the many digital camera makers showing their wares at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV, by announcing the new 6-megapixel Exilim Pro EX-F1. That's F for "fast": According to Casio, the camera can shoot full-resolution stills at 60 frames per second and capture lower-resolution video at frame rates as high as a blazing 1200 fps. The fast capture allows the H.264-format movies it shoots to be played back in ultra-slow motion. The EX-F1 employs a CMOS sensor and sports an f/2.7-4.6, 36-432mm (35mm equivalent) 12x zoom lens; a 230,160-dot, 2.8-inch LCD; and a 201,600-dot electronic eyepiece viewfinder.
The camera offers an adjustable frame rate in photo mode. Its 60fps setting has a 1-second capture limit, while longer series can be shot with a 5fps mode that runs up to 12 seconds. The EX-F1 constantly saves images of whatever is in front of the lens in its buffer memory, allowing the photographer to store 60 shots from the second before the shutter release button was pressed. There's also a Slow Motion View function that turns the LCD or EVF into a kind of slow-motion viewfinder in shooting mode. To accompany the ultra-fast shooting options, the camera's Rapid Flash function can fire the built-in flash unit fast enough to keep up with 7fps shooting for up to 20 shots. If you want to go faster, you can turn on the EX-F1's built-in LED to provide a constant light source.
In addition to the EX-F1's 1200fps video mode, which captures images at a low 336x96 resolution, there are 300fps and 600fps options that shoot 512x384 and 432x192 footage, respectively. At the EX-F1's 60fps setting, it can record high-definition 1920x1080 video, and it can shoot 30fps footage at either 1280x720 hi-def or a standard 640x480 VGA resolution. There's an HDMI output on the camera for connecting it directly to an HDTV (you have to buy the cable separately). Casio doesn't make the mistake of matching high-quality images with crummy sound, either: The EX-F1 records in stereo and even has a mic jack.
The EX-F1 isn't just a fast-frame-rate one-trick pony. It offers manual and priority exposure modes, and saves images as RAW DNG files as well as JPEGs. Other notable features include manual focus, spot and tracking autofocus modes, spot metering, and an Auto Best Shot mode that takes a look at your subject and automatically picks one of six scene modes for you. The EX-F1 can also autobracket on exposure, white balance, and focus. And, this being 2008, it naturally has a face-detection mode. Available shutter speeds keep up with the camera's frame rates with a 1/40,000 to 60 second range (obviously not all mechanical), and light-sensitivity options run up to ISO 1600. The camera also has a hotshoe for mounting a flash or a little mic. Other nice touches include a triple self-timer, a world time function, and an included remote timer and lens hood.
The EX-F1 will be available in March 2008 for a $999.99 retail price.
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