High-speed reaches the compact world, but is it worth all the frame rates? Read the full Casio Exilim EX-FC100 review here.
Review summary of the Casio Exilim EX-FC100:
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 Migrating high-speed technology into an ultra-portable chassis seemed like the next logical step for Casio. The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 rocks most of the Exilim EX-FH20's features in its pint-sized camera body and even flaunts a 5x optical zoom range. We had a blast with the Exilim EX-FC100, thanks mostly to the cavalcade of high-speed shooting options and quirky Best Shot modes. However, most of them functioned on a mediocre level and at the end we were left with the same gimmicky feeling as with the Exilim EX-FH20. We experienced the best results in the 30fps high-speed shooting mode, but 1,000fps high-speed video yielded the same performance and Trident gum-sized resolution as the Exilim EX-FH20. Image quality was hit or miss across the board, and we discovered some crucial flaws that held the Exilim EX-FC100 hostage in the consumer realm. If lots of innovate/gimmicky features are enticing to you, then the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 is right up your alley. Release: March 2009. Price: $350.
Pros: Packed with features. Solid design. Improved color and detail in some shooting environments.
Cons: Inconsistent image quality. Most high-speed features are gimmicky. Poor LCD quality.
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Full Casio Exilim EX-FC100 Review:
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Design - Good
For 2009, Casio decided to shrink the circuitry of the high-speed Exilim EX-FH20 and stuff it into an ultra-portable compact body, enabling consumers to take advantage of the advanced technology. The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 falls just under an inch in thickness and can easily slip into a pants pocket, though the equally priced Casio Exilim EX-FS10 is even punier at just over a half inch thick. The Exilim EX-FC100 my be the chunkier option of the two high-speed compacts that debuted at CES, but we never experienced any portability issues because the camera is still the size of many standard contenders in its class. Plus, the Exilim EX-FC100 gets the bigger 2.7-inch LCD and longer 5x optical zoom lens compared to the Exilim EX-FS10's 3x optical range and 2.5-inch LCD.
Aesthetically, the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 is a suave smooth talker with its rounded edges and black trim. We liked the pronounced shutter button zoom toggle, though its movement was a little too rigid and spastic. A little WD40 in the production house would have gone a long way. We also liked the designated Video Record button encircled by a High Definition/Standard Definition mode switch, and the 30fps button allowed us to instantly shift into high-speed gear. Casio could have added a few more useful buttons, though, for the backside of the Exilim EX-FC100 is rather barren. Aside from a Slow Motion View button located along the top ridge of the LCD, we're left with a pair of shooting mode buttons and a few menu buttons. We'd like to see Exposure Compensation, ISO and White Balance buttons, but this is not a perfect world.
Interface - Good
Most of the Casio Exilim EX-FC100's controls can be accessed from within the vertical Function menu, which contains a sensible cast of image controls, such as ISO, White Balance and Exposure compensation. For further image control we had to delve into the Exilim EX-FC100's main menu, which offered Sharpness, Saturation and Contrast control, in addition to Metering and quality options. Like every other Casio we've seen, the Exilim EX-FC100's menu system operates quicker than The Incredible Flash, allowing us to blaze through images in Playback and fly to an option in a matter of milliseconds. Casio's menu structure lacks the charm of Canon's PowerShot series and its pixilated graphics need a contemporary 21st century sprucing up.
The 2.7-inch LCD did not provide the sharpest picture, despite its 230,400-pixel display. The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 lacks a viewfinder, and we think that was a bad move on the design team's part. It makes sense for the ultra-portable Exilim EX-FS10 to be devoid of a viewfinder, given its petit size, but the Exilim EX-FC100 is more of a powerhouse. There were times where a viewfinder would have assuaged the fiery beams of the sun, for the glossy LCD screen offered nothing but glare. The four-way directional pad functioned adequately, though it seemed like every button and control was a bit too small. We also had trouble yanking the SD card out of its port because of the encroaching the battery hatch. Overall, there's nothing particularly special about the Exilim EX-FC100's interface.
Features - Good
If you took most of the features from the Casio Exilim EX-FH20 and funneled them into a highly compact chassis, you'd get the Casio Exilim EX-FC100. We had just as much fun with the Exilim EX-FC100 as we did with the aforementioned hulking Super Zoom, and nearly every prime feature performed tantamount. We had a great experience with the Exilim EX-FC100's high-speed shooting mode, which topped 30fps. Images rattled off instantly and could be played back in succession, as if we were watching a stop motion movie. We were able to manually select the fps rate, which ranged from 5fps to 30fps and even had an Auto setting. The manual Prerecord CS (continuous shot) worked without a hitch, and we were able to capture action before it happened by adjusting the shutter. Keep in mind that the high-speed shooting captures images at a max 6-megapixel resolution.
Another method for isolating a particular frame was Slow Motion view, which recorded live action in slow motion to the camera's internal cache and played back the footage on loop, allowing us to hone in on a particular frame and capture it. It was particularly difficult to snap a frame when we used Slow Motion View at the faster setting, but the slower setting created a ton of motion blur. We keeping speed in the middle with a 30fps playback rate, but since Slow Motion View is only capable of 6-megapixel images as well, we got a lot more mileage out of the high-speed shooting mode.
The similarities continue as the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 flaunts the ability to record high-speed video up to 1,000fps, just like the Exilim EX-FH20. There were no big surprises here. The 1,000fps resolution is still the size of a stick of gum and the Motion JPEG quality has not changed. 420fps is the better bet, but if you really want to see ultra slow motion footage of something exploding and play it back on a small screen, then 1,000fps is worth a try. However, given the shady video quality at that speed, the high-speed video mode seemed more like a gimmick than an actual tool.
What Casio would be complete without a load of BS? That's Best Shot modes, of course, and the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 offers standard classics like Portrait and Sundown, but it also contains advanced shooting modes. We used High Speed Night Scene a few times and Multi-motion image allowed us to shoot action so that particular frames were visible, creating a flow of movement. There were a few other high-speed BS modes like High Speed Best Selection and High Speed Anti Shake, but they produced the same results as the designated high-speed mode. At the end of our photographic expedition, we'd say the manual high-speed shooting mode was the most effective and worthwhile feature.
Hardware - Good
Casio hasn't given into the megapixel wars yet, for even their top compacts for 2009 sport 10-megapixel sensors while a majority of the rest of the camera world has settled on a 12-megapixel cap. The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 has a 9.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch high-speed CMOS chip, just like the Exilim EX-FH20. The Exilim EX-FC100 is capable of capturing JPEG images and AVI format Motion JPEG videos to an SD/SDHC card. The Exilim EX-FC100 has a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that cannot be upgraded because it occupies the entire battery chamber.
The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 has a 5x optical zoom lens, which is becoming a standard for advanced compacts. CMOS sensor shift Image Stabilization is the Exilim FC100's answer to camera shake, and we experienced positive results most of the time.
From powering on to the first shot, the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 took its sweet time. Most of it was spent extending the lens barrel, but we were able to crank out an image shortly after. A little over three seconds seemed to be the magic number, but why should we complain about a camera capable of various forms of high-speed shooting that no other camera in its class can contend with?
Image Quality - Good
We had a bittersweet experience with the Casio Exilim EX-FC100, and the ongoing theme seemed to center around excessive fringing and various levels of noise, despite the fact that we shot at an ISO level of 80 anytime we had the control. The Exilim EX-FC100's image quality varied, depending on the particular shooting environment. Dynamic range was not a huge issue, in fact we were impressed with the Exilim EX-FC100's ability to balance shadows and highlights in most cases. However, low light punched the Exilim EX-FC100 square in the lens barrel, and there was nothing any BS modes could do about it without us having to deploy the flash. We did experience a fairly vibrant color palette in most images and detail at times was spot on. However, the inconsistencies in the Exilim FC100's overall image performance led us to believe that the next line of Casios are in dire need of a sensor/processing overhaul. Even our recently reviewed Canon PowerShot A1100 IS churned a better performance.
Scene Test – Graveyard Gates
Scene Test – Panama Loujaine
Notice anything particularly odd about the first image other than the fact that the entire structure is lined engulfed by a neon purple border? That's fringing at its finest, and unfortunately for this image there's nothing it can do. The structure's edges simply cannot handle the extreme contrast, so fringing is the coping mechanism. The image is also relatively noisy, especially for an ISO level of 80. The second image displays the Casio Exilim EX-FC100's ability to capture exceptional detail when the light is right. The subdued sky eliminates most fringing and the camera renders the ship beautifully with barely any noise. This is an example of the inconsistent nature of the Exilim EX-FC100.
Color Test – Times Square
Color Test – Killarney Pub
The Exilim EX-FC100 blasted us with one of the best color performances we've ever seen from a Casio. Both images are vibrant and rich, rather than desaturated and drab, which is what we've encountered in the past. We were also able to adjust Saturation, Contrast and Sharpness from within the camera, but it was not necessary in most situations. Aside from the fringing along the billboard light in Times Square, these are both excellent images.
Macro Test – Ship Rope
Macro Test – Granules
We had a great experience in up close, even though the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 didn't have a dedicated Macro mode. We just buried the lens in our subject matter and attained a fair amount of detail from the strands of the rope fibers and granules of salt. When the Exilim EX-FC100 doesn't have a lot on its mind, it will deliver.
Contrast Test – Ship Carvers
Contrast Test – Pier 17
The first image in this set represents the most ideal exposure we were able to achieve in a highly contrasted location with the Casio Exilim EX-FC100. You'll notice most of the sky is blown out, but the Ship Carvers shop is evenly illuminated. This took many attempts in order to achieve an image that displayed a minimal amount of fringing while still displaying a fairly balanced exposure. We decided to crank it down a few notches for the second image, allowing the Exilim EX-FC100 to set its own exposure. The shadows are a little intense, but the image as a whole is very detailed and there are no blown out highlights. Sharpness within the ship cables is top notch and fringing is minimal. This is yet another example of the Exilim EX-FC100's selective nature.
High-speed Test – Seagull
High-speed Test – Seagull by Ship
High-speed Test – Bronx Bombers
The first two images may not be exposed properly, but they represent the accuracy and detail capable of the Casio Exilim EX-FC100's high-speed shooting mode. We captured all three images in the 30fps burst mode at the lowest ISO for optimal detail, and the results are impressive. Sure the fringing is out of control in the second image, but motion is stopped dead in its tracks across the board. The blinking Yankees sign displays a punchy color palette and the first seagull is sharply rendered. Our best shooting experiences stemmed from the high-speed shooting mode.
High Speed Anti Shake Test – Weep Not
Even at full zoom we were able to attain an image that was sharp and contained low levels of noise, as evidenced in this image. The High Speed Anti Shake mode prevailed in nearly every environment, allowing us to capture sharp images at full telephoto.
Night Test - Manhattan
High-speed Night Scene Test - Manhattan
Low Light Test - Waterfall
The first image was captured in the standard shooting mode while we used the High Speed Night Scene BS mode for the second image. Notice any differences? Aside from the second image's 6-megapixel size, noise levels are through the roof, due to the 800 ISO level. The first image is a huge improvement noisewise, but the Exilim EX-FC100 has difficulty providing a long focal length, as the rocks are a lot crisper than the designated cityscape. Exposure is down and out in the third image, but we were able to achieve the most detail. All in all, the Exilim EX-FC100 is not a formidable low light opponent.
Price and availability
The Casio Exilim EX-FC100 will be available for $350 in late March 2009.
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