Casio Exilim Pro EX-FH20

Hello, I'm Rich Trenholm of CNET UK, and this is the Casio Exilim Pro EX-FH20, a 9-megapixel superzoom. On this side of the lens, we see the number 20. That stands for the FH20's 20x optical zoom, one of the longest in the superzoom category. Then on the other side, this 40 stands for 40 frames per second. That's right: 40 shots in a single second. See? I just took 40 full-resolution pictures. It does take a second or two to think about those pictures, but then you're ready to shoot another 40. There, did it again. Now, it's not as fast as its predecessor, the Ex-F1, which shot 60fps, but it does leave other cameras in the dust. But why would you want to take that many pictures in one burst? Well, when the images are played back you get the effect of slo-motion. This is great for capturing sport, or just creating interesting slo-mo effects. And if you want to capture a longer burst, you just reduce the frame rate, for example a 4 second burst at 10 frames per second. When you play the images back, they appear in batches to make it easier to watch, and you can also watch them as a slo-mo slideshow. So how useful is this to you and me? When the Ex-F1's novelty value wore off, we were left with an overweight and overpriced gimmick. The FH20, however, is a decent superzoom as well as being superfast, with its 20x zoom and satisfying 26mm wide angle lens. And it's much smaller than the F1, easily fitting in a small bag. As if all that wasn't enough, the video numbers are even more head-spinning. As well as 720p high definition video at the usual 30fps, you can shoot 200, 400, or 800 frames in a second, albeit at lower resolution. Drop the resolution right down, and you can shoot at a staggering 1000fps. Cool as that is, the image is pretty grotty, but it does mean file sizes are manageable, with a 2GB SD or SDHC card holding 10 minutes of footage. We're excited by the FH20. With the refinements made since the F1, it's less of a one-trick gimmick and more useful as an all-rounder. It's now top-end superzoom, with the bonus of slo-mo effects that dare you to be creative, and make it genuinely fun to use. I'm Rich Trenholm of CNET UK, and this is the Casio Exilim Pro EX-FH20.