Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Test Photos
Posted on April 3, 2008 - Filed Under Digital | Leave a Comment
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 : During the Casio press event, held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in Borchland centre of Golfclub Amstelborgh, Casio offered the possibility of taking pictures with the brand-new Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 digital camera. And no; it wasn’t a pre-production model; Casio presented the first full production models of this camera worldwide. The Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 is a 6 Megapixel digital camera with a heavy burden of expectation on its shoulders. Nowadays we find increasingly more cameras with a resolution of 8 Megapixels or more. Casio however are convinced, just as we are, that a 6 Megapixel camera suffices to make beautiful prints up to 100x160cm. The new Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 is not breaking new ground in relation to Megapixels but changed tack…
Mr. Makoto Tomiyama (left) and Mr. Shigeru Watanabe (right)
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Test Photos
The Casio EX-F1 incorporates a Sony CMOS sensor. The new Casio camera has the appearance of a DSLR camera, but Casio do not want to imply that the Exilim Pro F1 should be considered as a substitute for a digital SLR camera. A DSLR camera offers functions that the Casio Pro F1 lacks, but on the other hand the Casio F1 offers functions we have never seen on DSLR cameras up to now. One simple example is the possibility of recording movies. But that is not the actual reason the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 should be considered as a break-through. There are two main reasons; shooting 60 still images per second and recording movies with a frame rate of 1200 frames per second. This incredible speed was never available before in a digital camera.
Casio Exilim Pro multifunctional ring
The Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 has a solid feel and a perfect hand-fit. There are two ways of zooming in; through the multifunctional ring on the front and through the zoom controller around the shutter button. Manual focus can also be carried out by the multifunctional ring. When you use the ring for zooming in, you will notice a delay in response, meaning; zooming is noticeably delayed. This is not the case when using the zoom controller.
Casio Exilim EX-F1 Digital Camera
The Casio Exilim Pro F1 has two flash possibilities at its disposal; a Xenon and a LED flash. It’s up to the user to select and set one of the flash functions. The Xenon flash is available when taking one to eight frames per second. From eight up to sixty frames per second the LED flash is put into action because a LED flash does not have to charge and is therefore capable of keeping up with the incredible speed of the camera.
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Camera settings
A CS dial and a mode dial are available on top of the camera to select various modes. The left one lets you set the flash, single shot and burst mode of 60 fps among other things. The dial on the right lets you choose from Best Shot mode, Auto, A, S and M. Best Shot is also found in Casio’s compact cameras. Casio have selected a number of situations and adjusted the settings accordingly. That way you don’t have to worry about white balance, aperture, shutter speed or contrast since the camera already took care of all these settings.
Download original Casio Sample Photo
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 – Recording movies
The Casio Pro EX-F1 enables recording movies with a frame rate of 1200 frames per second. However, when recording at 1200fps the resolution decreases considerably, making the movies still suitable for online publications, but not for playback on a large screen. The 300 frames per second mode is perfect for playback on larger screens. If you want to enjoy movie playback on your television screen, you should go for the HD mode; it records in real-time and allows playback on an HD television. The HD mode is of superb quality and will let you thoroughly enjoy your movie-watching. Casio have applied an additional button and switch for recording a movie to prevent you from finding the camera in movie mode when you want to take a picture.
Download original Casio Test Photo
Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 Test photos
To cut a long story short; let the images speak for themselves. Casio have given the Exilim Pro F1 its very own identity and are placing a remarkable and striking product on the market with this new prosumer digital camera. Casio are showing the entire industry that they are capable of breaking new ground when it concerns high speed movie and picture recording. We thoroughly enjoyed spending an afternoon with the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1. As soon as we can lay our hands on a test sample we will publish a full review of the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1.
Our Place World Heritage Photo Project
Posted on April 1, 2008 - Filed Under Art, News, Photo | Leave a Comment
Panasonic has renewed its support of the World Heritage photographic project, Our Place. The Our Place project is committed to presenting to a wide global audience, the wonder and significance of our planet’s most important cultural and natural locations. “Panasonic is proud to continue its support to help promote and protect the important UNESCO World Heritage sites. Through the Our Place project, we would like to change peoples’ minds, both about the value of World Heritage, and about Panasonic’s strong commitment to photographic culture. Our vision for Lumix is to create a new photo culture in the digital era,” said Mr. Tokikazu Matsumoto, Managing Director of the DSC Business Unit at Panasonic AVC Networks Company.
Panasonic Press Release
Panasonic continues to support the largest ever World Heritage photographic project by UNESCO, “OUR PLACE”.
Panasonic is pleased to announce it’s continual support of the UNESCO partnered World Heritage photographic project, OUR PLACE – The World’s Heritage, by renewing a 3-year sponsorship contract starting from April 1, 2008.
As part of the support of OURPLACE, Panasonic has invited 15 professional photographers from OUR PLACE to participate on a 6-day shooting tour at Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto between the 24th and the 29th of March. Participants were each given LUMIX camera equipment for the duration of the tour.
OUR PLACE is a project initiated by New Zealand professional photographer Mr. Geoff Steven, in close association with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The OUR PLACE project is committed to presenting to a wide global audience, the wonder and significance of our planet’s most important Cultural and Natural locations, by building an exclusive photo archive of the World Heritage sites. OUR PLACE’s team of international photographers, including world-renown landscape photographer Mr. David Muench, have already visited World Heritage sites at more than 180 locations in 60 different countries. OUR PLACE is also the home of photo gallery displays, web publications, as well as print publications of its photo collection.
Panasonic has been a strong supporter for the OUR PLACE project since April 2006, providing Lumix camera equipment for photo shooting, and using the OUR PLACE photo collection in Lumix promotion on a global scale.
“Panasonic is proud to continue its support to help promote and protect the important UNESCO World Heritage sites. Through the OUR PLACE project, we would like to change peoples’ minds, both about the value of World Heritage, and about Panasonic’s strong commitment to photographic culture. Our vision for Lumix is to create a new photo culture in the digital era,” said Mr. Tokikazu Matsumoto, Managing Director of the DSC Business Unit at Panasonic AVC Networks Company.
“As a company that believes in its responsibilities as a Global Citizen, Panasonic’s strong support for the OUR PLACE Project is a model example for all international commercial organizations,” said Mr. Geoff Steven, Director of OUR PLACE World Heritage.
The OUR PLACE photo gallery will be on display in the corporate showrooms at Panasonic Centers in Osaka between April 24 and May 20 and in Tokyo between June 10 and July.
Just posted! Sony DT 16-105mm lens review
Posted on April 1, 2008 - Filed Under Digital, Photo, Reviews | Leave a Comment
Our new lens review of the Sony DT 16-105mm F3.5-5.6, the premium kit lens for the Alpha 700 and a tempting upgrade for existing Sony and Konica Minolta DSLR owners. With its remarkably useful 24-160mm equivalent zoom range, does this lens count as a unique selling point for the Alpha system, or are the compromises inevitable in such an ambitious design just too great?
(NOTE this review, along with its companion 18-70mm review, also contains our first samples from the new Alpha 350 DSLR).