Digital Camera Introduction Kodak first began to experiment with creating digital cameras in the mid-1970s, developing a crude engineering sample capable of capturing 100 x 100 pixel monochrome images that took 16 seconds to record onto a standard data audiocassette. The first commercial electronic still camera was the original Sony Mavica, called the Pro Mavica, introduced in 1981, an analog electronic still camera that used a proprietary two-inch floppy disc to store images. (Mavica stands for MAgnetic VIdeo CAmera) In mid-1987, Sony unveiled a consumer version of its Mavica, the MVC-C1 Hi Band VF Mavica, an analog still camera , not digital, that stored images on two-inch square discs. In September 1988, Fuji unveiled the DS-1P, the first electronic still camera that recorded images digitally on a 16MB internal memory card developed with Toshiba. In 1991, Kodak packed a 1.3 megapixel CCD onto a Nikon film camera body. The resulting Kodak DCS (Digital Camera System) 100 is often cited as the first true commercially-available digital camera. Kodak saw the consumer commercial possibilities of a filmless digital camera connected to a computer and began working with Apple on a consumer version. The Apple QuickTake 100 went on sale in the U.S. in May 1994 (for Macintosh only; the Windows version arrived a month later) for less than $1000, making it the first true consumer digital camera. Kodak followed with its own version, the DC-40. Advances in digital still cameras came fast and furious. In July 1995, Casio's QV-10 was the first digital camera equipped with an LCD screen along with a viewfinder. Kodak's DC-25 was the first digital camera to use removable Compact Flash in 1996. The first million (or mega) pixel models arrived in 1997, and each succeeding year has seen nearly a million pixel increase in resolution, along with USB connectivity and a variety of removable media options. Today, the digital camera you see in the electronics store is already outdated. Each month it seems another, more powerful model appears.  Many people are confused about megapixels, since the cameras seem to be defined by this characteristic. How many is enough?  Most people just want a camera to take the 4X6 photos we're familiar with and do this with crisp imaging, at or better than a comparable film camera. Any digital camera with at least 1 megapixel will do the job. A 3 megapixel camera is almost overkill unless you're looking to print 8X10 photos.  The capability and versatility of digital cameras do however tend to go up together with the price. Five megapixel cameras tend to have more features, functions and ease of use along with the ability to get larger prints than lower megapixel cameras. A 2 or 3 megapixel camera for example may have a view screen which is too small. The 4 or 5 megapixel camera most likely will have a bigger, easier on the eyes, screen. This functionality follows throughout the multitude of features found on today's digital cameras. As far as what digital camera model to buy, that is a personal choice and it depends on how you're going to use the camera. Currently there are 3 or 4 product lines from Canon, Sony, Fuji and Olympus which seem to dominate the market and are the most popular. They are the Canon PowerShot models, the Sony Cyber-shot models, the Fuji FinePix and the Olympus Camedia. Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, Casio, Minolta, Nikon, and Pentax also offer digital cameras. It would seem that these cameras are a good choice for modest, everyday use and you could hardly go wrong buying one of these particularly as a first time use camera. Later, you could purchase a more sophisticated model if the need arises. More... Digital vs. Film What camera should I buy? Digital Camera Manufacturers

Consumer Guide to digital cameras How to choose a digital camera How to buy a digital camera Digital vs. Film How does a digital camera work Digital Camera Manufacturers Digital Camera Features Features Checklist Feature Options Formats Media - Memory - Image Storage Digital Camera Media Digital Camera Storage Media CD-R/RW 8cm Media Compare Media Flash Media Digital Camera Media Guide Sony memory stick media Explore Sony Memory Stick Memory stick PRO Microdrive Secure digital media Smart Media XD media XD media: prices & capacities Models - Compare Digital Camera Models Models: SONY Model: SONY CD-Mavica Models under $200 Models between $200 & $300 Model: SONY DSCP10 Model: SONY DSCP72 Knowledge Center - Digital Camera Batteries Digital Camera Repairs Digital Camera Technology Digital Camera Reviews & Model Descriptions Steves-Digicams DPreview Imaging-Resource Buy Digital Cameras online: Vanns BH Photo Search online: Google Yahoo Digital Camera Terms: Glossary

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