Casio’s new camera is a GoPro for selfie lovers

At the intersection of selfie lovers and outdoor action photography aficionados comes a new camera from Japan’s Casio, announced today in Tokyo. Dubbed the Exilim EX-FR10, the digital compact features a detachable camera that connects via Bluetooth to a 2-inch LCD-equipped control unit. Imagine GoPro meets Sony’s “lens cameras.”

With an emphasis on what the company calls “freestyle shooting,” the 14MP camera features a 21mm f/2.8 lens and a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. The camera housing attaches to the control unit via a metal hinge that can be flipped 180-degrees to shoot conventionally or with the LCD facing the user. When disattached, the hinge can be used as a stand for taking more distant selfies and group shots. The circular camera module can also be completely removed from its housing, mimicking Sony’s QX10.

“Many things can be achieved by smartphones, but the way of taking a picture hasn’t changed – smartphones, DSLRs, and compacts all need to be held to shoot,” said Jin Nakayama, senior GM of Casio’s digital camera division. “We wanted to change the way people shoot.”

Shutter buttons are located on both the camera and the control unit. The two parts unit can be comfortably separated by five meters, but Nakayama says the shutter button will still work from more than 10 meters apart – though the LCD panel may become blurred.

The entire unit weighs only 175 grams (63 grams for the camera module alone) – just a tad heavier than Samsung’s Galaxy 3 phablet – and measures roughly 61mm wide by 153mm tall and 34mm thick. It shoots full HD video (1920×1080 @ 30fps) and supports microSD/SDHC/SDXC. It can also connect to wifi and is compatible with iOS and Android-powered smartphones via the Exilim Link app. The battery supports approximately 225 still photos or 1 hour and 15 minutes of video recording.

The FR10 was designed at the same factory that houses Casio’s G-Shock watch R&D department. That means that the FR10 team was able to beef up the camera’s durability – perhaps not of great concern to the selfie crowd, but essential for consumers exploring the action camera segment who want to strap the FR10 to the nose of a surfboard or the handlebars of a motorcycle. The entire unit is IPX6/IPX7 certified, so the FR10 can survive getting sprayed with high-pressure water jets and being immersed up to one meter underwater for 30 minutes. It can also withstand the shock of being dropped from a height of two meters.

Despite its ruggedness, Nakayama said that the FR10 will target active families rather than the action camera market. “[Taking a photo] interrupts the moment,” he added. “We’re interested in freeing people from holding the camera when they take pictures.”

Casio’s newest shooter is a spiritual successor to the selfie-minded Exilim TR line, which feature rotating lens frames and displays that allow users to put the focus on, well, themselves. Built-in software like “Makeup Mode” also enhances a subject’s appearance a la Japan’s famous purikura photo booths. Casio says the TR line was a big hit in China, and has plans to introduce the FR10 to the greater Asian market after an initial launch in Japan on September 19.

The FR10 is available in three colors (orange, green, and white) and comes bundled with a neck strap, a carabiner strap, and a tripod nut. Optional accessories that can be purchased separately include multi-angle clips, belts, straps, and tripod mounts. It will retail for approximately JPY 50,000 (US$480).