Breaking the Sound Barrier – Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1
Reviewed on 18 January 2008

With all the hype about the smallest and the lightest, the most megapixels or most sensitive ISO, it can be easy to forget that there is more to photography then how easy it is to carry around a peanut sized camera, or the ability to blow up your photos to the size of Tokyo. And that is the simple joy of capturing images, of freezing a memorable event and taking pictures that convey beautiful moments in time.

What better way to capture that crucial moment then with a high speed camera, a gadget that can slow down the milliseconds to something more manageable. Casio’s Exilim Pro EX-F1 might just be the camera to do it. With an ultra fast shooting speed of 60fps for still images and 1200fps for movies, the EX-F1 is claiming to be the fastest on the market to date and for the moment it is.

The EX-F1 is ostensibly a hybrid camera, fusing a digital camera with a HD camcorder to create a bridging Camera with a little more oomph. Sure it doesn’t rival various other cameras in some features; it only holds a 6 megapixel sensor and a 2.8-inch LCD but it does have face detection and optical images stabilizers. Plus it has an enviable 12x optical zoom.

But the EX-F1’s real claim to fame is that hypersonic burst shooting performance. The ability take up to 60 shots in a single second is something you can really have fun with. At home that could mean a photo of your pet in that midair leap for the Frisbee, in the streets, a shot of your favourite footballer in mid kick.

Previously, you would have had to wait and hope to grab the shot just at that moment that you wanted it. It was a matter of luck and perseverance, but with the EX-F1, you don’t have to miss that shot at all. With a buffer system that will start taking shots even before you press the shutter, half press it and it will start taking photos. You can look over it afterwards to find that millisecond shot that you wanted.

For Movie taking, you could break the sound barrier with 1200fps. You know you’d like to see a water balloon burst in slow motion. Of course there is a slight drawback in that the higher the fps, the lower the quality since you can’t capture it in HD, but it will be enough to see the cork flying out the champagne bottle in extra slow motion even with a little loss in detail.

Whether you are a serious amateur photographer, or a professional who wants a little more in a camera, the EX-F1 will appeal to photographers who like capture the action. We are definitely looking forward to the EX-F1 coming out on the market soon.