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18th November 2009
Casio releases World's Slimmest Shock-resistant Digital Camera
Introduction

Capture Life’s Elements on EXILIM Digital Cameras from Casio

EXILIM G – Waterproof and Dustproof, in a .78-inch,*2 Smart Design

DOVER, NJ, November 18, 2009 — Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., announced today the release of the EX-G1 shock-resistant, waterproof, dustproof digital camera—the first in the company’s new EXILIM® G brand of digital cameras. With its smart design featuring functional beauty, the EX-G1 embodies Casio’s endurance-minded features and specifications in a sleek 0.78-inch*2 low-profile camera.

Casio first introduced the shock-resistant G-SHOCK® timepiece to the world in 1983.  The G-SHOCK brand remains extremely popular among consumers and adventure enthusiasts around the globe thanks to its distinctive, unique design, rugged toughness and practicality, even under severe environmental conditions. In 2000, Casio launched the G’zOne®, a durable, water-resistant mobile phone.

Casio is positioning the EXILIM G brand in an “endurance” category, which demonstrates its determination to create digital cameras suitable for top athletes and adventurers. The endurance category caters to those who never quit challenging both extreme conditions and their own limits. The new model was developed to embody this brand concept, using Casio’s years of experience creating technologies for shock resistance, waterproofing and slim-line design.

The EX-G1 is designed with shock-resistant elements throughout the camera, both inside and out, creating a smart look in a slim-line camera with functional beauty. In addition to capturing high-resolution 12.1 effective megapixel images, the EX-G1 also features modes such as interval shooting and multi-image capture which utilize the camera’s endurance qualities. The interval shooting function can automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals, enabling users to capture great shots while engaged in active sports such as snowboarding or cycling*3.

“Whether it is the lifestyle that you have chosen or your career path that requires you to carry a camera tough enough to endure life’s elements, the EXILIM G EX-G1 offers an endurance level that will withstand the demands of your daily routine,” says Toshi Iguchi, senior general manager of Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “The EX-G1, Casio’s toughest camera to date, is a prime example of Casio’s constant devotion to creating cameras to accommodate all levels of photographers.”

Through rigorous testing, the EX-G1 has been designed and created with a shock-resistant shell which passes drop tests including multiple falls from seven feet.*4  Featuring a two-layer construction with a stainless steel outer-casing, the EX-G1 inner body withstands shock and water damage. The camera’s intelligent design is constructed with a resin cover to protect the body side near the shutter and a resin lens ring to protect the lens.

The technologically-advanced design features waterproof performance and corresponds to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing. The EX-G1 can be used at depths at 10 feet for 60 continuous minutes*5. Water will not penetrate the camera even when directly sprayed with jets of water from every direction corresponding to Protection Class 6 (IPX6). Capable of withstanding temperatures as low as 14°F*6, Casio’s EX-G1 boldly captures images where any adventurer goes.

The EX-G1 will hit shelves in December 2009 with an MSRP of $299.99 and will be available in black and red.

*1.    As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey of shock resistant digital cameras (excluding protruding parts).
*2.    Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.
*3.    A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.
*4.    In accordance with Casio’s own standard with reference to the US MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock, the camera passed a test in which it was dropped from a height of 2.13 meters (7 feet) onto lauan plywood at 26 different angles. However, the camera is not guaranteed to withstand all shocks in terms of damage, malfunction and performance. Moreover, camera shock may result in inability to retain waterproof performance.
*5.    Based on testing conditions established by Casio.
*6.    Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions.

EXILIM G EX-G1
Shock-Resistant, Waterproof, Dustproof, Slim-line Digital Camera

Slim-line Design with Toughness Construction
Shock Resistance
The EXILIM G EX-G1 offers the world’s thinnest profile*1 of .78 inch (excluding protruding parts) in a shock-resistant digital camera. The camera passed multiple drop tests of seven feet based on Casio’s own standard*2.

Waterproof/Dustproof
The EX-G1 offers waterproof performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) waterproofing, and can be used for 60 continuous minutes at a water depth of 10 feet*3. It also withstands water jets corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IPX6” waterproofing, and can be directly rinsed under running water. The EX-G1 is also impervious to dust, with performance corresponding to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 “IP6X” dustproofing.

Freezeproof
Withstanding ever the coldest of temperatures, the EX-G1 endures through temperatures as low as 14 °F*4.

Shock resistant/waterproof construction and design
Exterior
The outer body of the EX-G1 is made from stainless steel to withstand external shocks while a polycarbonate cover absorbs shocks to the body side near the shutter. The camera’s wrist-strap holder is made of die-cast zinc to withstand drops while a rotating lock secures the external memory slot cover. For additional protection, the EX-G1 comes with two types of detachable protectors to absorb shocks.

Internal construction
The waterproof inner body of the camera is made from polycarbonate reinforced with fiberglass while a buckle-lock construction is added to absorb impact, using fewer screws to secure the inner body. Additionally, the camera’s frame comes equipped with speaker and microphone filters to prevent water from penetrating the camera.

Lens
To prevent damage to the camera’s lens, a resin ring as been added around the glass casing to ease shocks to the lens area. With the addition of a reinforced, glass lens cover, the EX-G1 is tooled with a multi coating that is water-repellent and prevents light reflection from ruining pictures. To further protect the camera from impact, high-performance damping material has been added to protect the lens unit from external shocks.

LCD panel
The acrylic plate to protect the LCD from water pressure and shocks is 1.5 times thicker than conventional point-and-shoot cameras. The LCD panel features a resin mount to ease shocks to the LCD panel area.

BEST SHOT® functions befitting a waterproof, shock-resistant camera
Interval shooting
The interval shooting function allows users to automatically take still photos or movies at fixed intervals while engaged in action sports such as cycling, snowboarding, and wind surfing*5. With the EX-G1, users can take powerful photos from inside the action, the kind which are usually almost impossible to capture. The shooting interval can be set at 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, or 3 minutes, and the capture time for movies may be set at 3, 10, 20, or 30 minutes.

Great for a variety of outdoor photography scenes
The BEST SHOT function enables users to take beautiful photos just by selecting the desired subject scene. The EX-G1 includes additional BEST SHOT settings suitable for various outdoor situations, such as “snow” and “beach” scene settings, which automatically adjust to prevent subject underexposure due to the brightness of snow or sun. There is also an “underwater” setting to control the tendency of underwater photos to come out looking too blue.

12.1 effective megapixels
This thin stylish model features a large 2.5-inch monitor with 230,400 dots of high resolution and a non-extending 3X zoom lens ranging from 38-114mm (35 mm film camera equivalent).

Intelligent AF
When the camera is pointed at a desired shot, the Intelligent AF function automatically detects the photo subject even if it is not a human face and determines the focus and exposure area accordingly.

Advanced Dynamic Photo function
Casio’s original Dynamic Photo function, which creates composite moving images using the camera’s own high-speed image processing technology, now does even more.  When a moving subject is cut out of a number of images and combined with a different still shot that forms the background, the size of the subject can be changed to suit the background image.  Additionally, the Dynamic Photo video can easily be converted in-camera into a motion JPEG movie file.  Moving graphics such as hearts and bouquets of flowers are included so that users can have fun decorating their still images using the Dynamic Photo function.  Casio not only allows users to have fun taking and viewing photos, but also provides innovative new ways for them to create original images, right on the camera.

Wide Screen Movies
The camera also features a wide format (16:9) Movie function.  Just press the dedicated Movie button to take beautiful movies at 848x480 pixels.

*1. As of November 18, 2009, based on a Casio survey;
*2. Established with reference to the US standard, MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock;
*3. Based on test conditions set by Casio;
*4. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions;
*5. A commercially available mount is required to support the camera.

EX-G1 Specifications

EXILIM G
EX-G1
Toughness Construction Shock Resistance Passes drop test of 2.13 meters (7 feet)*1
Waterproof Up to 3 meters (10 feet) *2
Dustproof Yes*3
Freezeproof -10 °C (14 °F) *4
Number of Effective Pixels 12.10 million
Image Sensor 1/2.3-inch square pixel CCD
Total Pixels 12.39 million
File Format Still Images JPEG (Exif Version 2.2, DCF 1.0 standard, DPOF compliant)
Movies AVI format, Motion JPEG, IMA-ADPCM (monaural)
Audio (Voice Recording) WAV format (monaural)
Built-in Flash Memory (Image Area) 35.7MB*5
Recording Media microSDHC Memory Card, microSD Memory Card
Number of Recorded Pixels Still Images 12M (4000 x 3000), 3:2 (4000 x 2656), 16:9 (4000 x 2240), 8M (3264 x 2448),
5M (2560 x 1920), 3M (2048 x 1536), VGA (640 x 480)
Movies WIDE: 848 x 480 (30 fps) / STD: 640 x 480 (30 fps) / LP: 320 x 240 (15 fps)
Recording Capacity
(Maximum Image Size Setting)
Still Images
(JPEG)
microSD Memory Card 4GB*6 Approx. 490 shots (Fine) / 935 shots (Normal) / 1399 shots (Economy)
Movies Recording Time Maximum Recording Capacity per File: 4GB*7
microSD Memory Card 4GB*6 Approx. 39 min. 57 seconds (WIDE)
High-speed Continuous Shutter Approx. 3 frames per second at 1600 x 1200 pixels (Up to 8 shots)
Lens Construction 11 lenses in 9 groups, including aspherical lens
F-number F3.9 (W) to F5.4 (T)
Focal Length f=6.66 to 19.98mm
35mm Film Equivalent Approx. 38 to 114mm
Zoom Optical Zoom 3X
Digital Zoom 4X (12X in combination with optical zoom)
HD Zoom 18.7X (image size: 640 x 480 pixels)
Focusing Focus Type Contrast Detection Auto Focus
Focus Modes Auto Focus, Macro Mode, Pan Focus, Infinity Mode, Manual Focus
AF Area Intelligent, Spot, Multi Tracking
Focus Range*8
(From Lens Surface)
Auto Focus Approx. 10cm to infinity (W)
Macro Approx. 10cm to 50cm (W)
Infinity Mode Infinity (W)
Manual Focus Approx. 10cm to infinity (W)
Exposure Exposure Metering Multi-pattern, center weighted, spot by imaging element
Exposure Control Program AE
Exposure Compensation -2EV to +2EV (in 1/3EV steps)
Shutter Type CCD electronic shutter, mechanical shutter
Shutter Speed*9 Auto 1/2 to 1/1250 second
Night Scene 4 to 1/1250 second
Aperture*8 F3.9 (W) to F8.9 (W)*10
White Balance Auto WB, Daylight, Overcast, Shade, Day White FL, Daylight FL, Tungsten, Manual WB
Sensitivity (SOS/REI)*11 Still Images Auto, ISO64, ISO100, ISO200, ISO400, ISO800, ISO1600, ISO3200
Movies Auto
Other
Recording Functions
Make-up Mode Yes (12-level steps)
Landscape Mode Yes (Vivid Landscape: 2-level steps / Mist Removal: 2-level steps)
Lighting Function Yes
BEST SHOT Yes: 25 scenes
Dynamic Photo Yes
Interval Snapshot Yes
Interval Movie Yes
Underwater Yes
Beach Yes
Snow Yes
Multi-motion Image*12 Yes
YouTube™ Capture Mode Yes
AUTO BEST SHOT Yes
Voice Recording Yes
Face Detection Yes
Auto Shutter Yes
Self-timer 10 seconds, 2 seconds, Triple Self-timer
Built-in Flash Flash Modes Auto, Flash Off, Flash On, Soft Flash, Red Eye Reduction
Flash Range*8 Approx. 0.1 to 2.4m (W), approx. 0.5 to 1.1m (T)
Recording Light Yes
Monitor Screen 2.5-inch TFT color LCD, 230,400 dots (960 x 240)
Timekeeping Functions Date and Time Recorded with image data
On-image Time Stamp Function Yes
Auto Calendar To 2049
World Time 162 cities in 32 time zones, city name, date, time, summer time
Input/Output Terminals USB/AV port
USB Hi-Speed USB
Microphone Monaural
Speaker Monaural
Power Requirements Rechargeable lithium ion battery (NP-80) x 1
Battery Life Number of Shots*13
(CIPA Standards)
Approx. 300 still images
Continuous Playback
(Still Images)
Approx. 3 hr. 40 minutes
Continuous Recording
(Voice Recording)
Approx. 6 hr. 50 minutes
Dimensions (CIPA Standards) 103.5 (W) x 64.2 (H) x 19.9 (D)mm (Excluding Projections)
Weight (CIPA Standards) Approx. 154g (Including Battery and Memory Card*6)
Bundled Accessories Two detachable protectors, Rechargeable lithium ion battery, lithium ion battery charger,
AC power cord, USB cable, AV cable, strap, CD-ROM

*1. In accordance with Casio’s own standard with reference to the US MIL-STD-810F Method 516.5-Shock.
*2. Corresponds to IEC/JIS Protection Class 8 (IPX8) and Protection Class 6 (IPX6) waterproofing.
*3. Corresponds to IEC/JIS Protection Class 6 (IP6X) dustproofing.
*4. Battery life will be shorter than under normal temperature conditions.
*5. Built-in memory capacity after formatting. *6. When using Panasonic 4GB microSDHC Memory Card.
*7. Within limits of memory and battery life.
*8. Range is affected by optical zoom.
*9. May differ according to camera settings.
*10. F8.9 is the aperture when an ND filter is being used.
*11. SOS: Standard Output Sensitivity. REI: Recommended Exposure Index.
*12. Image size 2048 x 1536 pixels.
*13. Auto Mode, standard brightness monitor setting.

G-SHOCK, G’zOne, EXILIM, Dynamic Photo and BEST SHOT are registered trademarks or trademarks of CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. YouTube is a registered trademark of YouTube, LLC. Any other company or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of those companies.

 
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