SONY INTRODUCES WORLD'S FIRST CD-R BASED DIGITAL STILL CAMERA; EXPANDS MAVICA DIGITAL CAMERA'S LEGACY OF UNIVERSALITY
NEW YORK, June 13, 2000 - Sony Electronics today announced the first ever CD Recordable (CD-R) based digital still camera, the Mavica ® MVC-CD1000. The new Mavica camera uses a high-capacity 156MB 3 -inch CD-R in an easy-to-use camera for Americans who use the 260 million CD or CD-R drives with their PCs, and even those who don't.
Each CD-R for Sony's new CD-R Mavica camera can hold up to 160 1600x1200 (2.1 mega-pixel) images at a price that encourages archiving and sharing. That's the equivalent of more than four rolls of 36-exposure film. And at around $4 a disc and no processing required, the camera provides instant gratification at a fraction of the cost.
High Resolution - 10x Optical Zoom - Advanced Features
Above and beyond the innovative use of CD-R technology, the Mavica MVC-CD1000 offers advanced picture quality, including 2.1 mega-pixel resolution and the ability to shoot in TIFF and high quality MPEG (MPEG HQ) modes. Sony's implementation of the CD-R format enables faster image processing, dramatically decreasing image recording time. Images captured with the MVC-CD1000 can be recorded in several modes, including JPEG compression or TIFF in UXGA, SXGA, XGA or VGA image sizes.
The MVC-CD1000's powerful combination of high resolution and 10x optical zoom - equivalent to a 35mm camera 400mm lens - enables the MVC-CD1000 to fill the frame with subjects from a greater distance and capture them with greater clarity. Working with the powerful zoom, Sony has also added a feature rarely seen in the digital camera marketplace: a through-the-lens viewfinder using a bright, crisp color LCD to ensure that what you see is what you shoot.
This high performance Mavica MVC-CD1000 also includes:
Manual adjustments - shutter priority, aperture priority functions and a manual focus ring;
Super SteadyShot ® optical image stabilization - removes unwanted user camera shake for a clearer image, a feature found on many camcorders, but only on Sony's digital still cameras;
MPEG HQ Mode - allows for MPEG full frame playback on a standard TV - rather than frame playback that had been previously available - and an increased frame rate of 16 frames per second that results in smoother movement;
Built-in intelligent flash and added external flash terminal (for use with the HVL-F1000 optional flash) - range of over 30 feet allows the camera to capture images at longer distances under adverse lighting and the MVC-CD1000 communicates mode and exposure intelligence directly with the flash. The optional Sony HVL-F1000 flash is available now for about $120;
Rechargeable InfoLithium™ battery with AccuPower™ meter - with battery life approximately 100 minutes or 1,100 images in still image standard mode with the LCD on;
3:2 picture size ratio option -- creating a digital image that is the same size ratio as a standard 4x6 film print;
12bit A/D Conversion -- allows a wider dynamic range from highlight to shadow;
Precision digital zoom - with newly developed interpolation technology users can capture a smoother and more natural image; and
In-camera zoom/trim and image re-sizing capability.
The Mavica MVC-CD1000 ships with five one-time writeable CD-Rs and will be available in August for about $1,300.
