By Ron Eggers

September 12, 2005 — Sony's new Cyber-shot R1 is the world's first integrated lens digital still camera to offers a 10.3 megapixel CMOS image sensor and a live preview mode. Unlike digital SLRs, it supports live previews because its imaging sensor requires less power to operate than other similarly sized sensors. Other high-resolution image sensors can't do this because they consume too much power and would quickly drain the camera's battery.

The new R1 sensor is an APS-class device, which means it's physically larger than the imaging sensors used in most point-and-shoot digital cameras. Larger sensors are preferable because they deliver higher resolutions and greater sensitivity to light than smaller sensors, and they generate noticeably less electronic image noise.

Sony complements the new sensor with a new 5x ultra-wide Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* zoom lens (24mm to 120mm 35mm equivalent). The new lens is designed to take advantage of the sensor's resolution, clarity and color performance by reducing the distance between the lens and the sensor. In fact, Sony dropped the lens-to-sensor distance to a mere 2mm.

Among the R1's other features is a Real Imaging Processor that guarantees clear images, low power consumption and fast response times. Consequently, the R1 has a one-second shot-to-shot time, a three frame-per-second burst shooting mode, and a shutter release time of only 7.5 milliseconds. It also can take up to 500 shots on a single charge.

The R1 also has a user selectable Advanced Gradation Control System (AGCS) that greatly reduces blown out highlights in high-contrast scenes and crushed blacks in low-contrast ones. The camera's AGCS does this by evaluating the distribution of brightness and then automatically applying the appropriate gamma curve. The R1 accepts Memory Stick PRO media, CompactFlash Type I and Type II media or Microdrives, and is expected to be available in mid-November for about $1000.

(Contact Ron Eggers at Newswatch@earthlink.net)