The Casio EXILIM  EX-G1 is the first in the Casio’s new G-series array. It offers protection against bumps and drops and also against water, cold and dust. This is a camera that is designed to take whatever the elements have to serve. Casio has a svelte 0.8-inch (20mm) thick body, which is the slimmest of any digital camera which is shock resistant, claims the company.

The Casio G1 has a two layer construction with an inner body made of buckle-locked fiberglass-reinforced polycarbonate that reduces the necessity of number of screws in the design. It is wrapped in an outer cover made of stainless steel and is available in a choice of either black or red finishes. The lens and LCD displays of G1 are mounted on resin dampers inside the body. This helps to reduce the chances of shock damage.

Lens cover is made of multi-coated reinforced glass. An acrylic LCD cover plate which is 1.5 times the standard thickness is also present in it. Both of these provide another protection layer for these delicate components. Polycarbonate resin shock absorbers that is placed on the right side of body of the camera and surrounding the lens, gives a final line of protection. A die-cast zinc wrist strap holder is also present in it.

Casio EX-G1 is capable of withstanding low temperatures, 14°F / -10°C. They are basically restricted by current LCD technology in this region. Battery life is expected to be notably reduced at such low temperatures. On the plus side, the design of shutter button is in such a way that it can be used when wearing gloves. The door of the memory card can be locked with the help of rotatable knob on the right side of the body of the camera.

The built in microphone and speakers are also sealed for the protection against the entry of dust and water. The inner body to a depth of ten feet is made waterproof, for a usage of about one hour, meeting the IEC/JIS Class 8 (IPX8) specification. It can also be washed for it is cope up with the water jets from any angle. These capabilities as well as the capability of dustproof allow it to meet IEC/JIS Class 6 (IPX 6) standard.

The Casio G1 doesn’t offer any optical viewfinder or mechanical image stabilization. Movies and images are framed on a LCD display of 2.7-inches in size with a standard resolution of 230,400 dots. The Casio EX-G1 record still images of resolution twelve megapixels as JPEG files, and also captures movies at a resolution of up to 848 x 480 pixels. Data is stored in 35.7MB internal memory, or on the tiny MicroSDHC / MicroSD flash card.

The G1 also offers both standard-definition video output connectivity and USB 2.0 High Speed. NP-80 Lithium Ion battery provides the required power for the device. The Casio EX-G1 is available from December 2009, with pricing of about $300.

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