Casio mixes high-speed and HD video with solid photo features

When you think of innovation, Casio probably isn't the first company on your list. But the company that was made famous by indestructible watches is also a reliable source for point-and-shoot cameras that hit a solid mix of quality and affordability. When digital cameras first burst onto the electronic scene, that's all they were: cameras. Today, we're seeing convergence in the devices with video and more. Casio has released a new line of Exilim cameras that step things up even further: high-speed video. Now consumers can record their cats jumping in 1,000 glorious frames per second.

We recently spent time with one of Casio's latest in the line: the FH100.

Priced at $349.99, the FH100 took great photos, crisp HD video and provided endless entertainment with the high-speed video. While the speed can range all the way up to 1,000 frames per second, image quality and light requirements take significant hits at that blazing recording rate.

However, the much lower 120 FPS is more than enough to slow down the real world and see how things really move. Switching back to the HD movie mode, users can shoot 720p videos that, with enough light, play back with surprisingly good quality. The only thing we didn't like was the lack of zooming while recording video.

The FH100 can also shoot uncompressed RAW photos that allow for much greater post-processing control in programs like Photoshop. This makes it a great stepping-stone for people not quite ready to jump up to a DSLR.

The 10-megapixel image sensor performed a bit better than its big and little brothers in the camera series, especially when we took it into manual exposure mode -- another nice ability packed into its compact body. While some of the processing was a bit slow, it was nothing we aren't used to with other cameras in this price range.

Overall, the Exilim FH100 is a feature-packed little machine with a great price. If you're looking for something to fit in your pocket that can capture all aspects of your life, take a look at Casio's latest.

Rating: 8/10

Details: $349.99; casio.com