Reviews: Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 digital camera

Many digital cameras are now capable of shooting HD video, and the EX-F1 is no exception.

Video capture at either 720p at 30fps (frames per second) or even 1080i at 60fps is possible, meaning you can enjoy video up to the full pixel resolution of your HDTV set via the cameraís HDMI output.

What makes the EX-F1 unique is its ability to shoot at incredibly high speeds, be it still photography or video. Switching the video mode over to the 'HS' setting enables capture at up to 300fps at a resolution of 512x384 pixels. Stepping down to 432x192 pixels doubles the capture rate to 600fps, or you can capture at an incredible 1,200fps if you step right down to 336x96 pixels.

Shooting at these very high frame rates enables you to record smooth slow-motion video – seemingly mundane events such as dogs shaking themselves dry, balloons exploding and insects beating their wings all look stunning.

Still photography is given a similar speed boost. You can capture a burst of 60 full-size images at a rate of up to 60 shots per second, enabling superb action photos. It can even manage seven shots per second with the flash enabled. In all shooting modes itís impressively responsive. Thereís no perceptible shutter lag either, so you wonít miss a moment.

The EX-F1 can at first appear rather confusing. Because of its high definition and unique high-speed capture modes, there are many options that simply don't exist on other cameras. While the on-screen display contains a customisable level of information and a quick, icon-driven menu for handy access to most settings, there's a distinct lack of plain-English help. This is a far cry from the excellent level of in-camera help provided by the likes of Nikon, for example.

The EX-F1 has no video mode selector. The reason for this is that video and stills modes have their own separate shutter release buttons, meaning you can swap quickly between shooting photos and movies without having to enter a menu or turn a dial.

Although its processing is undeniably fast, part of what gives the EX-F1 is amazing speed has to be the fact that the sensor is a six-megapixel affair – quite low by todayís standards. While those who regard pointless megapixel inflation as detrimental to digital photography will see this as a very brave and commendable move, there are many who will view this as an unacceptably low resolution for a modern camera.

While the 12x optical zoom is undeniably powerful, the wide-angle end of the range doesn't really go far enough at 36mm (35mm equivalent), meaning you'll have to stand further back than you might be used to when taking group shots, for example.

We also found the still image quality to be below what we'd expect from a camera at this price. You'll need a lot of light if you're going to make use of the high-speed video modes, and photos can display a fair amount of noise if the ISO setting creeps up.

There's a tremendous amount of fun to be had with the Pro EX-F1 and its unique capabilities place it in a class of its own, opening up creative possibilities that simply aren't possible on any other similarly priced camera. While it may not have the best image quality weíve seen, nothing can touch it when it comes to capturing action shots – at a price.

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