60fps Casio Camera, 6mp CMOS Sensor

Casio are developing a digital camera that can capture an incredible 60 still images per second at full resolution, and 300 frames in movie mode! Unveiled as a prototype at the IFA trade show in Berlin, Germany, the 12x zoom Casio camera uses a new high speed 6 megapixel CMOS sensor and LSI image processing chip to achieve those amazing speeds. Other features offered by the high speed Casio include a sensor-shift image stabilization system, 2.8 inch widescreen TFT colour LCD, and electronic viewfinder. The precise product release date, pricing, brand name and specifications are still to be finalised.

Casio UK Press Release

Ultra-high speed burst shooting captures 60 still images per second - High speed movie recording, at 300 fps, catches motion faster than the human eye - Casio Developing World’s Fastest-Shooting Digital Camera - Prototype design of Casio’s new camera

LONDON UK, August 31st, 2007 – Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today that it is developingan entirely new digital camera with hitherto unseen high speed performance and image capture functions that make the most of its cutting-edge digital technologies. This revolutionary camera of the future will be able to take still images at an astonishing shooting speed, to catch fast-moving subjects at the crucial moment. It will also take movies that capture movement so fast that it cannot even be seen by the human eye. The first prototype will be on display at the IFA, a consumer electronics trade show, in Berlin, Germany, which opens on August 31, 2007.

Casio’s digital cameras have been setting the pace since 1995, when the company introduced the QV-10, a digital camera for personal use with an LCD display that played a major role in creating the digital camera market. In 2002, Casio commenced sales of the card-sized EXILIM®series of LCD digital cameras, which feature superb portability and response speeds. Casio is constantly seeking to expand the market by delivering greater ease of use and the kind of innovative functions that only digital cameras can offer.

The prototype of Casio’s latest revolutionary camera features a new high speed CMOS sensor and a high speed LSI image processing chip. This 6.0 megapixel, 12x opticalzoom, high performance digital camera prototype with CMOS-shift image stabilization function offers not only ultra high speed burst shooting for still images, but also high speed movie recording.

For still images, the camera achieves ultra high speed burst shooting of 60 images per second at maximum resolution —the fastest in the world*. Moreover, using Pre-shot Burst Mode, (a ultra-high speed continuous shooting mode that captures images from the scene prior to the moment when you actually press the shutter button), users can be confident they will never miss the most crucial photographic moment.

The camera can also capture movies at VGA resolution at an incredible 300 frames per second, which means it can record movies for replay in ultra-slow motion, a function that has only been possible so far with a limited range of professional movie equipment.

* As at August 31, 2007, for consumer market digital cameras. Based on Casio survey.

Main specifications of prototype
Effective pixels:6.0 million
Imaging element:1/1.8 inch high speed CMOS sensor (Total pixels: 6.6 million)
High speed burst shooting:60 images per second at 6.0 million pixels, JPEG
High speed movie:300fps, Motion JPEG, AVI format, VGA
Lens/focal distance:12 lenses in 9 groups F2.7 to 4.6, equivalent to approx 35 to 420 mm on a 35 mm film camera
Zoom:12x optical zoom
Image stabilization mechanism:CMOS-shift image stabilization
Monitor screen:2.8 inch widescreen TFT colour LCD, approx. 230,000 pixels
Viewfinder:Colour LCD, approx. 200,000 pixels
Dimension and weight:127.5mm (W) x 79.5mm (H) x 130.0mm (D). Approx. 650 g (excluding battery and accessories)

The precise product release date, pricing, brand name and specifications remain to be determined. Casio will continue working on the camera to further improve performance and functionality, and is determined to produce an amazing digital camera that offers brand new ways of enjoying photography and creates new applications for digital photography.

The image shows the prototype. The printed and engraved designs on the prototype are only provisional.

Casio and EXILIM are a registered trademarks of Casio Computer Co., Ltd.Any other company or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of those companies.

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Published: Friday, August 31, 2007

Reader Comments

1. 60 fps? Is this thing water cooled? Seriously,the proof is in the quality of the photos. On paper is just that. I'll wait on the finished product to prove it's worth. 60 fps isn't any good if the pictures are garbage.

   Rick at 03:21am on Saturday, September 01, 2007

2. Interesting how very similar it looks to the distinctive Fuji s5500.

   Greg Lorriman at 11:13am on Saturday, September 01, 2007

3. It looks impressive on paper, capable of catching rapid-movement subjects. Will be equally capable to catch slow-motion subjects with a good intervalometer?
   It is bigger and heavier than a Canon S3/S5 but still smaller than a Panasonic DMC-FZ50, so need a standard-size bag. 62mm thread looks good, and also the "function ring" in the lens, probably to do manual focusing or to do zoom manually instead of using the rotating lever that surrounds the shutter button (identical to the S1-S5 Canon series except the sense of rotation).
   I expect a 2008 price surrounding 520€ in Europe, and I'm anxious to read a complete dissection of a production example. A welcome trend for other brands to follow this performance path.

   Pepe Garcia at 06:55am on Wednesday, September 05, 2007

4. Will need some huge memory cards! My EOS D30 'only' does 5 FPS and I can fill a card in no time!
   
   Agree with rick on qulaity of pics - pointless capturing 180 frames in a 3 second burst if they are all c_rap. Or even just 'good'.

   Achilles at 04:20pm on Friday, September 21, 2007

5. have a look at the japanese launch video.. This casio looks like a fun piece of kit, i`m sure serious photographers will scoff at it, but for us amateur fun pic takers this looks awesome.
   
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWmp3PhxECk

   Kingo at 01:07am on Friday, February 08, 2008

6. yeah, but have a look at the price.

   Greg Lorriman at 02:43am on Friday, February 08, 2008