A modular camera caught our eye this week at CES 2015, largely due to the fact that it’s clearly influenced by the selfie craze.
Casio’s FR10 wireless modular action camera is currently only available in Japan, but hits all the right marks when it comes to features of a relatively inexpensive, rugged action camera.
There are two components to the thing, joined together by a removable hinge system. Inside is a 14MP 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS sensor, similar to the one found in Sony’s high-end Xperia devices. It’s got a fixed f/2.8 lens with an equivalent focal length of 21mm, so it’s fairly wide, and the camera shoots 1080p video.
The 2-inch 231,000 dot touchscreen is pretty low-res, but does the job of providing easy-to-access controls when needed. There’s also a microSD slot for storage and a microUSB port for image transfer.
The genius behind the FR10 is that the the lens and screen, when joined, work on a hinge system, so the lens can be facing forward or back depending on the intended subject (you, or someone else). But because they’re connected wirelessly over Bluetooth, the lens can also act independently, reaching to places a regular action camera couldn’t. It’s similar in that way to the excellent Sony DSC-QX100 camera accessory.
The lens connects to the body over Bluetooth, and transferring of photos can be done over WiFi to a connected smartphone. Casio’s Exilim Link app for iOS and Android facilitates that mobile goodness, and thanks to the camera’s versatility it can likely obtain photos even the best smartphones can’t.
There’s no word on North American pricing just yet, but we’ve been told it will likely be around $250-300.
