(Nikkei BP Group)
(No.1 High-Tech News Site in Japanese)
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| Digital Cameras with 2 Million Pixels Become Popular
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February 23, 1999 (TOKYO) -- Makers of digital cameras have recently
started introducing products featuring more than 2 million pixels, following
the growing popularity of digital cameras with at least 1.3 million
pixels.
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New digital cameras with charge-coupled devices (CCDs) featuring more
than 2 million pixels became available on a commercial basis from late
January.
Sony Corp. was the first to introduce such a high-resolution camera,
followed by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Nikon Corp., Ricoh Co., Ltd.,
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. and other major manufacturers.
Image quality is drastically improved by using a resolution of 2 million
pixels or more. Such digital cameras have standard picture-like quality
similar to those of regular silver-halide cameras, according to the
producers.
Also, the newest digital cameras feature functions found in many single-lens
reflex (SLR) cameras.
"Users of single-lens reflex cameras will be able to make such 2-million-pixel
digital units their second cameras," an Olympus Optical official said.
"We hope that digital cameras can play a role as a transitional product
from single-lens reflex cameras to digital cameras," a Nikon official
said.
Both producers emphasize the high-performance features of their digital
cameras.
The new digital cameras have improved startup and recording times, and
they are priced in the range of 100,000 yen to 130,000 yen (US$835 to
US$1,085).
Fuji Photo Film appears to be the price leader. The company offers a
lightweight model called FinePix2700 priced at less than 100,000 yen.
It comes with a single focus lens, and retails for 94,800 yen (US$790).
The release of lower-priced digital cameras featuring 2 million pixels
will probably exert an impact on the pricing of digital cameras with
1.3 million to 1.5 million pixels. Those cameras are priced between
50,000 yen and 70,000 yen (US$420-US$580), but they will soon be priced
even lower.
Many customers may rush to buy the low-priced digital cameras featuring
1.3 million-1.5 million pixels, because the resolution levels of those
digital cameras are generally sufficient. Many models even feature optical
zooming functions.
Producers are likely to introduce price-leading models of 1.3-million
and 1.5-million pixel cameras, industry observers said.
Japan's digital camera market is growing at a rapid pace, and the coming
of the 2-millon-pixel era will further boost that growth.
Related stories:
Olympus Unveils 2.11-Million-Pixel Digital Camera
Nikon Debuts Two Digital Cameras With 2.11M Pixels
Ricoh to Sell High-End Digital Camera with USB Port
Fuji Photo Film to Sell 2.3-Million-Pixel Digital Camera
Sony Unveils Digital Camera with 2.1 Million Pixel CCD
High-Performance Digital Cameras Debut in Rapid Succession
(Nikkei
Personal Computing)
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