Sony establishes a new class of High-End Digital Camera

Sony intends to create a new benchmark in digital photography with the introduction of its high-end Cyber-shot DSC-R1 camera. Moving further in the direction it began with the popular 505, 707, 727 and 828 series of high end cameras, the integrated lens digital still camera progression has finally reached professional grade with a10.3-megapixel image sensor and the flexibility of live preview while shooting. With its ultra-wide (24mm - 120mm) Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T zoom lens and free-angle, two-inch LCD, the Cyber-shot R1 offers professional imaging performance to mainstream consumers.

"The R1 represents a breakthrough in digital camera technology and construction," said James Neal, director for digital imaging products at Sony Electronics. "You can grab this camera and go, confident that you will be prepared for a wide range of shooting situations. Its many convenience features and exceptional performance can not easily be matched with a typical consumer-level digital SLR."

A Class of Its Own

Photo enthusiasts know that image sensor size is one of the most important influences on picture quality. Professional-grade image sensors, sometimes referred to as advanced photo system (APS) or APS-class, are many times the size of compact sensors used in point-and-shoot cameras; large sensors deliver extraordinary resolution, high sensitivity to light, and lower image noise or graininess for exceptional pictures. At 10.3 megapixels, the R1's sensor offers one of the highest resolutions available in the APS class.

Unlike digital SLRs, the Cyber-shot R1 unit's sensor allows for a "live" preview thanks to Sony Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Until now, the extraordinary power consumption of these large sensors has limited their operation to image capture only -- unable to support the benefit of a live preview. Sony's distinctive design is employed to reduce power consumption, as well as increase image processing speeds.

The camera's electronic viewfinder or two-inch LCD lets you evaluate scene conditions, such as exposure and how color is rendered before taking a shot. Because the R1 camera can preview electronically, using the image sensor itself in real-time, framing is always 100% accurate.

Built Digital from the Ground Up

The R1's integrated Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens was carefully crafted to take full advantage of the resolution, clarity and color performance of its APS-class CMOS image sensor. Because of the sensor's live preview capability, there is no need for the camera to have a traditional "mirror and prism" construction common to digital SLRs. This allows a lens-to-sensor distance of as little as 2 mm, optimizing image quality and color accuracy.

Another benefit of this structure is the ability to incorporate an extraordinary wide field of view and zoom range. The 24 mm wide end of the lens is particularly suited for architectural photography, landscapes and large-group portraits, while the 120 mm telephoto end is perfect for filling the frame with distant subjects. This is a range not easily matched by any other lens for use with cameras using large-scale image sensors.

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