Casio EX-FS10 Review

The compact Casio EXILIM EX-FS10 is based around a 1/2.3"-type 9.1 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor and an EXILIM-branded 3x optical zoom lens with a rather limited 38mm wide-angle. The choice of a CMOS sensor has been made with speed in mind, and the Casio FS10 offers plenty of it, able to shoot a full 30 frames per second at its six megapixel resolution setting. If you don't require quite this much speed, it's possible to set the camdera to a reduced rate of 15, 10, 5 or 3 frames per second. Usefully, you can also specify the burst depth - either 30, 20, 10 or 5 shots.

The Casio EXILIM FS10 also ofers the ability to precapture images and then save up to 25 frames from immediately before the shutter button was pressed . Another option that's similarly helpful for those of us with slightly ageing reflexes is the ability to set the camera to a Slow Motion View mode, whereupon the FS10 will replay the captured action in slow motion, and allow you to select the specific frame you want saved. Yet another particularly unusual function is the ability to combine multiple burst shots into one single image, in-camera.

The Casio FS10 also offers several other clever modes that take advantage of the camera's speed. A Lag Correction mode allows you to specify a time between the time you wanted the photo taken, and the time that the shutter button is pressed - and then the camera reaches back into its buffer and automatically saves the nearest image to that moment. A High Speed Best Selection mode, meanwhile, will automatically choose the ideal photo froma burst - judging images based on the amount of blurring, and whether your subject is blinking or smiling. Finally, High-Speed Anti-Shake and High-Speed Night Scene modes combine multiple high-speed shots that prevent blurring, resulting in one final image with proper exposure - a mode that Casio feels will allow for great low-light shots without a tripod.

The speed advantage of the Casio FS10 isn't just felt in still image mode, either. In movie mode, the Casio EXILIM EX-FS10 can capture high-definition 720p (1280 x 720 pixel) video at 30 frames per second, and a press of the dedicated photo shutter button during movie recording will save a six megapixel still image. It's also possible to opt for higher framerates of 210, 420, or even 1000 frames per second at reduced resolution - and even to switch the framerate from 30fps to 210fps during the recording of a movie.

A 2.5-inch LCD display with 230,400 dot resolution offers the EX-FS10's only option for framing and reviewing images, as there's no optical viewfinder on this model. The Casio EX-FS10 records images on SD / MMC cards, and offers both USB 2.0 High Speed and NTSC / PAL video connectivity. Power comes from a proprietary NP-60 Lithium Ion battery.

The Casio EX-FS10 will ship in the USA from March 2009, with pricing of about $350. Body colors will include blue, gray, red or white.