Sony establishes a new class of High-End Digital Camera

Furthermore, no mirror and prism construction means that the R1 is a quiet camera, perfect for shooting at a tennis match or in nature without disturbing wildlife.

Get the Shot without the Backache

The Cyber-shot R1 sports a two-inch, LCD screen that folds flat and swivels so you can shoot from nearly any position. This flexibility allows you to get the shots that other cameras miss. For example, you can hold the camera low -- down to the ground -- for eye-level view shots of kids and pets without having to bend yourself into a pretzel or crawling on the ground.

The Power of Optimal Image Processing

A 10.3-megapixel camera needs a fast processor. Sony harnessed the power of it Real Imaging Processor LSI to achieve fast response times, low power consumption and clear images.

The new camera features a one-second shot-to-shot time, three frame-per-second burst shooting, and a shutter release time of only 7.5 milliseconds. Because it consumes 70 percent less power than Sony's previous processing circuitry, the camera has a battery life of up to 500 shots per charge, which can vary according to use and camera settings.

For enhanced versatility, Cyber-shot R1 offers three different modes of color reproduction: Adobe RGB used for professional graphics and offset color printing, Standard sRGB for most computer-based uses, and Vivid sRGB for more intense primary colors.

The camera's user selectable Advanced Gradation Control System (AGCS) optimizes image contrast, in order to avoid "blown out" highlights in high-contrast scenes and "crushed" blacks in low-contrast ones. AGCS evaluates the distribution of brightness and then automatically applies the appropriate gamma curve to achieve better pictures.

...continued