Sony launches compact disc digital camera

By MICHAEL FOREMAN

Computer electronics giant Sony, which last week entered New Zealand's home computer market for the first time, has announced the first digital camera to use recordable (CD-R) disks.

The Sony Mavica MVC-CD1000, which comes equipped with an onboard CD-R drive, is capable of storing up to 156Mb of images on each 8cm disk. With an image resolution of 2.1 megapixels, each disk can hold up to 160 pictures at the highest image size of 1200 X 1600.

The 8cm CD-R disks are smaller than standard CDs but may be read by any computer with a standard CD-ROM drive. The disk may also be removed and replaced from the camera at any time, according to product manager Matt Walton-Smith.

However, each disk, which will cost around $15 each, may be used only once.

Retailing at around $4000, the camera represents a departure from the existing Mavica range, which up to now has consisted of low-cost models storing pictures directly to floppy disks. Mr Walton-Smith said that while floppy drive cameras would continue to be available for some time yet, the CD-R camera would appeal to "semi-professional" users such as desktop publishers and real estate agents.

He denied that cameras using Sony's Memory Stick storage card, which next year will be available with a 256Mb capacity, would make the CD-R camera obsolete.

"CD-R will remain an affordable, readily archivable format. When you consider a 64Mb Memory Stick costs $300 or so, it's exceptionally good value for money."

Sony last week launched its Vaio range, aimed at home users - a market segment that it believes is growing faster than the corporate market. While the worldwide business sector was growing at 18 per cent, Sony claimed home computer sales were growing at 38 per cent.

In New Zealand, Sony will be launching four models starting with the sub-notebook sized PCG-C1XA retailing at $5199, ranging up to the PCG-XE7 desktop replacement model, which comes with 128Mb of memory and an 18.1Gb hard disk drive for $8599. The PCG-Z505FA at $6999 features a Memory Stick slot, for direct offline transfer from digital still and video cameras.

All Vaios feature the iLink interface, which is identical to the Firewire interface used by high-end Apple Macintosh computers, and is capable of transferring video from digital camcorders at speeds up to 400Mb/s. All models also come with DVgate video editing software as well as still image software tools.

Information technology products manager Andrew Walker denied the Vaios were too costly for the home market. "The value is in the interfaces and the video editing and other software with each machine."

All models will be available online and at Sony's two retail outlets, in Newmarket and a Christchurch showroom to open next month.

Links:

www.vaio-online.sony.com/nz