1997 R-S         R

    
RELISYS (TECO) Dimera 2000  - 1997.  1/3-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.   F/4 lens.  Shutter 1/30 to 1/10,000 second.  IMB internal memory.   This very rare Relisis 2000 was purchased new in the box on eBay for $51.   We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.photographyreview.com/brand/cameras/digital-cameras/teco-image-systems.html

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/relisys-dimera-2000

RICOH RDC-2S - 1997.  Updated version of the 2V of 1996.  768 x 576 pixel CCD.  ISO 90.  F/2.0 35mm and 55mm switchable autofocus lens. Shutter 1/8 to 1/1000 second.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.computer-specifications.com/specifications/Ricoh-RDC2S-Specs.html

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/category/ricoh-2

http://www.interq.or.jp/sun/tkp/digitalcamera/rdc3Z.html

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/japan/dc/past/dc/3/

http://www.awane-camera.com/7/2/ricoh_dc-3g/index.htm

RICOH RDC-300, (Phillips ESP2) and 300Z - 1997.  640 x 480 pixel CCD.  ISO 80.  38mm autofocus lens (45mm - 135mm for 300Z).  Shutter 1/5 to 1/8000 second.  Rare blue 300 shown above left.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Ricoh_RDC-300

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/category/ricoh-2

SAMPO CyberSnap DCE-211 - 1997.  Shown at Computex Taipei '97.  1/3-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/970604/cmptex1.htm

SAMSUNG SDC-30/33 - 1997.   First shown during World PC Expo 97.  1/3-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  F/4 43mm fixed-focus  lens.  Shutter 1/4 to 1/8,000 second.  2MB internal memory for the 30 and 4MB for the 33.  Click on second image to see enlarged view.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/970925/digicame.htm

SAMSUNG DigiMax 30 (Aztech MDC180, Intel PC Camera) - 1997, Aztech MDC180 shown at Comdex Fall '97, Samsung DigiMax 30 and Intel PC Camera shown at CeBIT '98.  768 x 576 pixel CMOS image sensor.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980216/pma_3.htm

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/980327/cebit_4.htm

SANYO DSC-1 - 1997.    Click on camera for enlarged view.  CCD 1/3 inch, VGA (640 x 480 dots) pixels, 2 MB memory.  Lens f = 5 mm Fixed focal length, aperture F: 2.8 / 5.6 / 11.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/961007/sanyo.htm

 
SANYO VPC-G200 (DSC-V1 in Japan, VPC-G200EX in UK - 1997.   Sold in 1998 as Fisher FVD-V1 in the U.S. (with front  of 1999 VPC-Z380)  1/3-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  ISO 80.  37mm autofocus f/2.8 lens.  Shutter 1/4 to 1/10,000 second.  MSRP $999.  Click in image to see large view.   We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

https://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/961001/sanyodc.htm
 

SANYO  VPC-X300 ( DSC-X1 in Japan) - 1997.  1/3-inch 1024 x 768 pixel CCD.  37mm autofocus f/2.8 lens.  Shutter 1/4 to 1/500 second.  MSRP $899.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

SANYO VCC-5974 - 1997.  Sample of early CCD color video camera. 1/3-inch CCD with .4MP (470 line resolution). MSRP with lens and optional equipment: $325.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://camera.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/sanyo/vcc5974_1.html

HDC-1000B                                                      HDC-1000C

SEGA Digio HDC-1000B & HDC 1000C - 1997.  Upgrades to 1996 SEGA Digio SJ-1 and HDC-1000A.  320 x 240 Pixels. Apparently sold in Japan only.  The SJ-1s above were sold as the HDC-1000B and HDC-1000C.  They had a clipon magnifier that the original SJ-1 of 1996 did not have.  However, they and apparently all four Sega versions of the SJ-1 are marked HDC-0100 on the bottomof the camera (see photo above).  The HDC-1000B has a silver body and the HDC-1000C a pinkish body.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/970328/ps_dcam.htm

https://www.suruga-ya.jp/product/detail/711000294

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/category/sega-2

SHARP VE-LC1(S/H/E/U) - 1997.  (S = Continental Europe, H = U.K., E = Asia, U = N. America).  1/3-inch 640 x 480 CCD.  ISO 100.  Fixed-focus 43mm f/2.8 lens.  Shutter 1/7.5 to 1/2000 second.  MSRP $749.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/cameras/digital-cameras/3-megapixel/sharp/ve-lc1/prd_82753_3098crx.aspx

http://aiueokblog1.blogspot.com/2014/12/sharplcd-ve-lc1.html

SHARP PDA DIGITAL CAMERA CARDS - CE-AG02, CE-AG03 and CE-AG04 - 1997. Digital cameras for Sharp Zaurus Personal Digital Assistants (attached to right side of the PDA).   These camera cards were used to give the Sharp PDAs photographic capability.  Second photo shows PDA with back removed.  Third photo shows CE-AG02, CE-AG04 on far right.   640 x 480 pixels. 

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/category/sharp-2

SHARP MI-506 PDA - 1997. Digital camera card CE-AG03 attached to right side of Sharp Zaurus MI-506 PDA.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/article/970623/sharp.htm 

http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/happycamucamu/diary/201302140000/

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/category/sharp-2

SHARP VE-LC2 - 1997.  Shown at Fall Comdex '97, available in February 1998.  Similar to VE-LC1, but supplied with clip-on optical viewfinder.  1/3-inch 640 x 480 CCD.  ISO 100.  Fixed-focus 43mm f/2.8 lens.  Shutter 1/7.5 to 1/2000 second.  MSRP $499.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.sharp.co.jp/sc/eihon/pcpj1/text/sys.html

SHARP VL-DX10 - 1997.   Camcorder that could also store digital still images. Pixels =720x480 for video or 640x480 for still images.  Its still images were considered to be inferior to digital cameras of that time as well as the Canon Optura MV1 (see our page 1997 A-D) which had an MSRP of $700 less than the VL-DX10.  MSRP $3,399.   PC Magazine, 20 January 1998, page 61.

http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/cameras/camcorders/digital-camcorders/sharp/vl-dx10u/prd_97227_3100crx.aspx

https://books.google.com/books?id=PN95ntYZXZsC&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=SHARP+%2B+%22VL-DX10%22&source=bl&ots=-ef08wXB8d&sig=

FDoP-jxJWFi6aH43v2WGGoXB8x0&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj91MjP7unYAhVM7qwKHePyBYkQ6AEIQTAE#v=onepage&q=SHARP%20%2B%20%22VL-DX10%22&f=false

 
SONY CD-RW Discs - 1997.  Sony introduces CD-RW discs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-RW

SONY Cybershot DSC-MD1 - 1997.   Although the CD1000 (a year 2000 model camera) was Sony's first digicam to use a three-inch CD-R as the recording media, it wasn't Sony's first still image digicam to be marketed using a laser and a small plastic disc to record JPEGs.  In December of 1997, Sony marketed a camera in Japan called the DSC-MD1.  It used a version of the Sony-developed MiniDisc (MD) which was first announced in 1991 for consumer audio.  In 1993, Sony introduced the MD Data, a MiniDisc for storing computer data.  MiniDiscs now comes in both prerecorded and recordable versions.  The MD system uses magneto-optical technology to record audio or images and the discs are enclosed in a 7cm x 7cm cartridge.  The DSC-MD1 recorded up to 1000 640 x 480 images on a single 140MB MD Data Disc.   1/3 inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.   3X zoom 37 to 111mm  f/2 lens with macro.   Shutter speed: auto (1/30 to 1/1000 second), manual (1/4 to 1/4000 second).  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.minidisc.org/part_Sony_DSC-MD1.html

http://www.minidisc.org/boyde/dscmd1.html

 
SONY Mavica MVC-FD5 and MVC-FD7 - 1997.  First digicams to use standard floppy disks as image recording media (FD5 and FD7) and first to combine floppy disk capability with 10X zoom (FD7).  1/4-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  ISO 100.  Shutter 1/60 to 1/4000  second.  47mm lens f/2 (FD5), 10X zoom 40mm to 400mm f/1.8 lens (FD7).  Lithium Ion battery.  MSRP $599 (FD5), $799 (FD7).  At various times Sony Mavica cameras accounted for up to 40% of the U.S. digicam market.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Mavica

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2023689_2023773_2023767,00.html

 
 

640 x 480 PIXELS.  For a number of years 640 x 480 pixel CCDs were the standard resolution for still video and digital cameras.  Today, 640 x 480 pixels is considered useful for kids cameras only.  Many consumer models are now available at 20MP or greater.  However, there are some misconceptions concerning the need for and value of high resolution CCDs.  When viewing images on a computer, one camera pixel equates to one computer monitor pixel.  This means that additional pixels will make the image larger, but not sharper.  The sharpness of the image depends on the quality of the monitor, not the resolution of the camera.  For example, when clicking on the first image at the left it will open to 640 vertical pixels and 480 horizontal pixels.  Depending on your monitor size and resolution setting, the image will fill your screen, or may even require you to scroll up and down to see the entire image.  Similarly, home television monitors were generally 640 x 480 pixels in size at that time such that a landscape (horizontal) image would fill the entire screen.  Even the HD TV monitors that are now on the market will not benefit by digicam images much greater than 2MP in resolution.  E-mail capacity and time limitations also dictate that low-resolution images be used for messages.  Equally so for posting images on a web site such as this.  It is only when images are printed on paper that additional pixels become an advantage.  The old standard for printing a film-like photo (resolution similar to a typical 35mm print) required 300 pixels per inch vertically and horizontally.  That is, a 640 x 480 pixel image would be expected to produce a quality photo limited to about 1.5 x 2 inches in size.  However, today's inkjet printers have improved dramatically over their predecessors and excellent prints can be obtained in the 200 pixels-per-inch range.  This would equate to a print of about 2 inches by 3 inches or so for a 640 x 480 pixel camera.  Still small, but of wallet size and equal in quality to a typical drug store print.  A 2MP (1600 x 1200 pixel) digicam can produce excellent prints at 6 x 8 inches.  The second image above is a John Walkenbach macro photo (close-up) of a quarter taken with a 640 x 480 pixel camera (Sony FD-71).  The image was cropped to 435 x 373 pixels.  As you can see, his low resolution digicam was able to capture a very detailed closeup photo, and without use of additional lenses.  John stated that the camera was hand-held and the photo taken without any special lighting.

  NOTE:  In 1999, Panasonic attempted to get on the floppy disk digital camera band wagon started by Sony (the Panasonic PV-SD4090), but sales were not great because flash card cameras  were  beginning to  take over sales of digital cameras by then.   Used PV-SD4090 cameras are available on eBay at this time (2023) and sometimes even one new in the box will appear.  Below  is a photo of the Panasonic PV-SD4090.

SONY Cybershot DSC-F2 -1997.  1/3-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  35mm f/2 lens.  Shutter 1/7.5 to 1/1000 second. 4MB internal memory.  Shown at Comdex Fall 1997.  May have been  marketed in Japan only.

http://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199705/97CI-054/

https://www-sony-com.translate.goog/ja/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199705/97CI-054/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://satouchi-com.translate.goog/blog/myretorosony_dsc-f2_20200606.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/prototypes-rarities/item/sony-dsc-f2-proto

SONY Cybershot DSC-F3 -1997.   Improved version of the DSC-F2.  1/4-inch 640 x 480 pixel CCD.  46mm f/2 lens.  Shutter 1/8 to 1/1000 second.  8MB internal memory.  The F2 and F3 were not sold in the U.S., so it was very unusual to find the above camera in like-new condition on U.S. eBay.  Of course, the writing on the back is all in Japanese.  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.sony.co.jp/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/199705/97CI-054/

Sound Vision Test image                  SVmini 2

Sound Vision SVmini3-209 

SOUND VISION SVmini 2 (Vivitar Vivicam 3000, UMAX MDX-8000) and SVmini 3 - 1997.  First digital still camera on the market to use a CMOS sensor instead of a charge-coupled device (CCD).    In January of 1997, Sound Vision introduced it's first in a series of CMOS digital cameras, the SVmini.  It was also marketed as the Vivitar ViviCam-3000 and the UMAX Sharpset-8000.  The SVmini was based on a custom 1000 x 800 pixel CMOS sensor manufactured by VLSI Vision Ltd., an Edinburgh based company that was spun off from the University of Edinburgh.  The photo at left is a Sound Vision test image taken with the 1000 x 800 CMOS sensor an interpolated up to 2000 x 1600 pixels in a PC.  1000 x 800 pixel CMOS image sensor.  47mm f/4 lens.  Shutter 1 second to 1/2000 second.  MSRP $399. . The SVmini-2 shown below is similar in apperance to the Vivitar Vivicam 3100.). The SVmini3 209 has minor improvements over the SVmini 2 with an MSRP of $599.

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/soundvision-svmini-2

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/soundvision-svmini3-209

SOUND VISION SVmini-209 (Vivitar Vivicam 3100) - 1997.  First digicam with a CMOS imager rather than a CCD imager.  Vivitar version shown at Fall Comdex '97.  Marketed in 1998.  960 x 800 pixel CMOS sensor.  Fixed-focus 47mm f/4 lens.  Shutter 1/30 second to 1/2000 second.  The mini-2 used wavelet compression.  MSRP $479.   We believe we are the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.photographyreview.com/cat/cameras/digital-cameras/3-megapixel/sound-vision/svmini-209/prd_83079_3098crx.aspx

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/soundvision-svmini-209

SOUND VISION CMOS Pro - 1997.  Professional studio camera for photographing non-moving objects.   First professional camera to use a CMOS sensor, 960 x 800 pixels.   It had no viewfinder and no operational controls. There was a C-mount lens thread on the front and tripod bushes top and bottom. The camera was set up and operated from a computer. A color exposure using flash took approximately 23.5 seconds from clicking the 'Take Picture' button. The first - red - exposure occurred after four and a half seconds, followed by the green exposure seven seconds later, followed by blue after a further seven seconds. It took a further five seconds for the three exposures to be processed as one and to be displayed on the computer monitor. Each of the CMOS-PRO's pixels was exposed three times through a rotating filter wheel inside the camera.   Although the imager was less than 1MP in size, the three separate exposures produced images about 3MP in size and they were considered to be of excellent quality and far superior to other cameras of similar resolution at that time.   MSRP $1,995 (about $2,900 in 2015 dollars).  We believe we were the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://camerapedia.wikia.com/wiki/Sound_Vision_CMOS-Pro

https://www.imaging-resource.com/NEWSARCH/arc8-1998.html

SPOT TECHNOLOGIES  INNOSCAN / MAG  INNOSCAN DC-6040 -1997.   Also sold as Addonics DC-300, Pretec DC-300, Premier DC-300 (OEM), Polaroid PDC-300, Minolta Dimage-Pic, Vivitar Vivicam 2500, TCE CD100/200.  CCD 320 X 240 pixels.  Lens 5mm, f/5.6.  Shutter 1/30 to 1/2000 second.  Although the front of the camera says MAG Innoscan DC-6040, the bottom of the camera says DC-300.  The manual is generic with no brand name indicated.  No manufacturer is indicated (manufactured in Taiwan), but it is pretty certain to be one of the many DC-300 models produced by Premier Image Technology (Pretec) and rebadged with the logos of other companies.  John Larish reported on this camera from Comdex '97 stating that it was from Spot Technologies.  MSRP $299.  We believe we are the first digital camera history web site to provide a photo and information concerning this camera.

http://www.so-fo.de/t24986f117-Herkunft-der-Minolta-Dimage-Pic-Premier-Taiwan.html

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/cameras/item/mag-dc-6040

128MB SUPERDISK - 1997.  The SuperDisk LS-120 was a high-speed, high-capacity alternative to the 90 mm (3.5 in), 1.44 MB floppy disk.  The SuperDisk hardware was created by 3M's storage products groupe Imation in 1997, with manufacturing mainly by Matsushita.  Only a few Panasonic cameras used the SuperDisk.  SuperDisk worldwide ceased manufacturing in 2003.

https://obsoletemedia.org/superdisk/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SuperDisk

https://www.digitalkameramuseum.de/en/memorycards

1997 R-S