Casio launches Exilim EX-FH20: 40fps burst rate, 1000fps movies

Remember Casio's wicked EX-F1? Yeah? Let us formally introduce you to someone else you may dig, the Exilim EX-FH20. Boasting a 9.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, a 20x optical zoom lens and a remarkable burst mode that enables up to 40 7.1-megapixel images to be recorded in burst of anywhere between 1 and 40fps. Better still, it can capture high-speed movies at up 1,000fps, and there's also an anti-shake feature, high-speed night scene setting for those "after dark" moments and a standard movie mode that records at 720p (30fps). Those anxious to get their hands on such awesomeness will be politely asked to wait until next month when it goes on sale for £399 ($713).

[Via Pocket-lint, thanks Jeremy]

[Steve @ Sep 16th 2008 3:55AM]

Seems like a cool gadget to own. I like the idea of filming stuff at 1,000fps and then slowing it down to catch the detail in the frames.

[Kizorblade @ Sep 16th 2008 6:39AM]

Perfect for porn, no?

[idiot @ Sep 16th 2008 2:12PM]

no

[pbase @ Sep 16th 2008 4:05AM]

1,000fps? at 9.1 megapixels per frame? Is this possible?
Someone more knowledgeable break it down for me.

[superted @ Sep 16th 2008 4:11AM]

No, not possible (yet)

The previous models of casio cameras with a high FPS would shoot in very very low resolution in comparison to their stills capabilities. The 1000fps mode is just low quality video. Still pretty fun though.

Basically all in all, you'd get 40FPS of a balloon bursting on your friend's face at 9mpx and 1000fps of said balloon bursting on said friend's face at a low res but in a video format.

now that's science speak right there :)

[superted @ Sep 16th 2008 4:12AM]

sorry, just to correct myself - 7.1mpx at 40fps

[Rednecs @ Sep 16th 2008 4:15AM]

I'm a bit lost as well... 40 fps burst mode...is this thing for real? As I recall most DSLRs have about 6ish fps so unless I'm really low on coffee this morning or this thing does the p/i crap ala hdtv to get 35 of the 40 frames, I'm very confused!

[rawhead @ Sep 16th 2008 1:01PM]

@Rednecs

The "shutter" mechanism of DSLRs vs. point-and-shoots is not really comparable.

[Chris @ Sep 16th 2008 4:20AM]

What memory card should I get if I want to record some movie with 1000fps?
Wondering the file size.

[gad get @ Sep 16th 2008 5:30AM]

I'd recommend a fast one with space.

[ChrisTheFeral @ Sep 16th 2008 6:16AM]

Any idea what res you get at 1000fps and if you can double the res and go to 500fps?

Cheers

[Russ @ Sep 16th 2008 6:40AM]

i'm predicting lots of mythbusters style videos of stuff blowing up on youtube..

[tanporakuda @ Sep 16th 2008 6:56AM]

The resolutions are as follow (from spec sheet)
1000fps --> 224x56
420fps --> 224x168
210fps --> 480x360

[WITCH @ Sep 16th 2008 7:15AM]

Hello,

I'm a Foto magazine journalist and tester also.

This EX-FH20 is (partially) based on my advices i have sent to casio development directly. Shocking ;)

This will be one of the best ultrazoom in the planet.

CMOS with 9.1 MP on ISO 64 => VERY COOL QUALITY.

I will buy this at the first day - when will be available - as an extra ultrazoom digicam for my DSRL system.!!!!

This is fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah ;)

-
WITCH

[Hotrod @ Sep 16th 2008 7:29AM]

Does anyone know what the image quality is like? How about shots with ISO above 400? Thanks in advance.

[Crayola @ Sep 16th 2008 8:28AM]

Donno what the image quality is going to be like... But I suspect it is not going to be great, telling is the size 1/2.3" CMOS (Maybe a tweaked CMOS process specific to image sensor has come far enough for it to surpass CCD?) , the raw speed is probably due to more integration as is the advantage of CMOS, the tradeoff is likely more noise. Advantages always come with large pixel, specifically saturation and sensitivity hence dynamic range and noise but not so straightforward an assumption that packing more pixel = poorer image quality, as technology does improve albeit linearly.

Sony manages to pack more pixel but at the same time addresses noise at high ISO by stuffing 4 pixels to 1 giving you a 3MP image from a 13MP CCD sensor on W300, which seems likely to be the same sensor Nikon P6000 is using.

[Jesse @ Sep 16th 2008 9:01AM]

Well, the sensor is 1/2.3" in size, meaning small - and similar to most other prosumer/superzoom cameras on the market (Panasonic Lumix series, etc). There are obviously other factors (pixel density, processing methods, sensor type, etc) but it's pretty safe to say it will be below the standards of any DSLR on the market. It will probably be on par or possibly above average compared to other prosumer cameras, but I'd expect nothing earth-shattering. I suspect this camera's claim to fame is it's high framerate, not it's groundbreaking image quality.

[Jesse @ Sep 16th 2008 9:34AM]

...and I'm too slow :(

[Za @ Sep 16th 2008 1:08PM]

Crayola, you do know that CMOS sensors offer better noise performance than CCDs, right?

[loosely_coupled @ Sep 16th 2008 6:25PM]

1/2.3" ? Jeeez that is tiny. That's what I hate about these point and shoot cameras -- the tiny sensors. they could at least have put a 1/1.7" in this.

On a side note, I love the concept of the micro-4/3s, but the cams are still too big.

for those who want more info, check out the image on this page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format

[Christopher @ Sep 16th 2008 9:39AM]

I think I need to change my shorts.

[Unknown @ Sep 16th 2008 12:16PM]

Hmm.. 1000 fps.. guess that means youll need to be shooting faster than 1/1000 shutter speed... hope its real bright out!

[jonlarge @ Sep 16th 2008 12:34PM]

I can't work it out. This camera will do 1000fps --> 224x56, whilst the EX-F1 does 1200fps --> 336 x 96; so more frames per second and better image quality. This new camera will do 3072 x 2304 pixel at 40fps, whilst the F1 does 1920 x 1080 at 30fps.

So the EX-FH20 can do top res higher fps better, so why don't they make it so that it offers better resolution at the super slowmo speeds? Am I wrong to compare thes two recording methods of HD and super slowmo?

[g @ Sep 16th 2008 12:57PM]

You're comparing HD video recording to high speed still recording. They're not the same, the real comparison is that the F1 records 1080 HD while the FH20 records 720 HD

[giantenemycrab @ Sep 16th 2008 3:33PM]

Is that really the price? Holy crap, that's a nice price. I was expecting it to be $2000.

[adam @ Sep 22nd 2008 2:47AM]

It seems like they've got a pretty fast camera that uses a pretty large image sensor sliced into smaller squares so that each single exposure (at higher rates) is then processed into multiple, sequential exposures with relatively fast time slices. This idea showed up in a camera long before the EX-F1, but I've lost the link.

Technology aside, high speed photography and videography (the distinct is blurred more than those low resolution, high speed imagines ...) is a lot of fun and a welcome move in consumer products.

[john santillo @ Oct 16th 2008 12:50AM]

Does the optical zoom function while recording movies?

[Thomas @ Dec 5th 2008 8:24AM]

Yup, it does. Fantastic camera