Tiny Casio Cams Have Big-Time Burst Mode

— -- Everybody who's seen the super-slow-motion feature in action in Casio's EX-F1 and EX-FH20 cameras loves the effect, but both of those models are a bit bulky to carry around every day.

The portability problem is solved with Casio's announcement at CES 2009 in Las Vegas (the International Consumer Electronics Show) of two new compact cameras that can capture 30 shots per second in high-speed burst mode, as well as high-speed movies at up to 1000 frames per second at a lower resolution. At 30 shots per second, the high-speed burst mode isn't as fast as the EX-F1 (60 fps) or EX-FH20 (40 fps), but it's still a very impressive feat for compact cameras.

The Casio Exilim EX-FS1 (above) is only 0.64 inches thick and offers a 9.1-megapixel CMOS sensor; a 3X optical zoom lens; a high-definition 720p movie mode; and a tiered high-speed mode that captures images at 30, 15, 10, 5, or 3 fps. The EX-FS1 hits stores in March for $350, and will be available in gray, blue, white, and red.

Slightly larger is the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 (above), which has the same basic specs but adds optical image stabilization and a 2.7-inch-diagonal LCD screen; it also bumps the optical zoom up to 5X. The EX-FC100 will also be available in March; price will be $400, with a choice of gray or white colors.

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