Casio Exilim EX-FH20 Digital Camera Review

Casio made a large splash earlier this year with their Exilim EX-F1, boasting 1200 frames-per-second video and 60 frame per second photography at 6-megapixels, but with a high $1000 price tag. The EX-FH20 continues this tradition of high-speed/high-cost, but stepped down slightly to make it more approachable for those who don't have a spare grand in their back pockets. Arriving at the not insubstantial price of $600, the FH20 can record up to 40 fps at 7-megapixel resolution, or video at up to 1000 fps (which provides ultra-slow-motion playback), and has a 20x zoom. While the video mode seems a little gimmicky due to its focusing problems, need for exceedingly bright lighting and minimal resolution, the 40 fps mode is a boon for anyone trying to capture fast-action stills.

If you're a parent trying to get the perfect shot of your kid on the sports field, or a bird-watcher capturing an egret taking off, shooting at these high speeds lets you grab the perfect shot. Unfortunately, Casio seems to have put all their effort into these amazing speeds, and not enough into designing a good camera. The body feels low quality, and in our extensive lab tests it scored poorly in every section except white balance.

So, while the high speed videos are fun to play with, and the ability to capture images at a blisteringly fast pace is certainly handy when outdoors and in good lighting, unless you really need those features, the EX-FH20 is a dubious value.