Digital Cameras: Sony

What is the connection between Chisate Yoshida, Akira Matsuki and Hirofumi Murase?

It was in the year 1995 when a team in Sony Laboratory received a mission: To develop a digital still camera. This directive after a year of intensive planning and development resulted in a DSC-F1 the first ever digital camera from the Sony Cyber-Shot bandwagon. It was a compact body that resembled a walkman weighing around 280 g with 0.35 megapixels, a resolution of 640x480 pixels and a possibility of storing around 30 to 100 images depending upon the resolution combination the user opts for. The Time Machine mode enabled setting the right time for the pictures to be clicked. The DSC-F1 was labeled as the first camera that uniquely pursued “the fun of shooting pictures”.

Digital cameras also brought a lot attention to style and design. At Sony, design was not just about the aesthetic appeal but also meant something unique, highly unusual and particularly speaking something which other makers had not introduced yet. Two years later after the release of the first digi-cam, collaboration took place between Sony and Carl Zeiss - Where, on one hand Sony the leader in cameras – digital still, digital video and broadcast video cameras and on the other hand Carl Zeiss undeniably the best wafer stepper micro-lithography optics and dexterous in high precision cine lenses. The first Cyber-Shot equipped with Carl Zeiss Lens was out in the market in 1998. Named DSC-F55 this camera had a movie recording function and 2.11 megapixels apart from the other standard features.

The journey for Sony has been continuous and innovative; an array of models hit the stores every now and then leaving the consumers to always covet for something more advance which has just arrived in the market. Creativity, innovation and technology forms the heart of Sony’s philosophy, if you go to the official Sony site and then hit The United States link, the list of products is divided on the basis of Style or Megapixels. Style essential represents the latest in terms of designs and looks whereas the Megapixels segment is vital for professionals or people serious about photography.

To have an extra edge over competitors Sony not only sells cameras but also insists on good post sales relations. Other than this new concepts are introduced to keep the buyers captivated in one way or another. The launch of the ImageStation opened a new world for digital camera users. Here, the users can upload pictures and create online albums for free, high quality prints for price as low as 12 cents per print, The ImageStation enables the user to create photo books, photo calendars, greeting cards, etc. The focus of the business has widened in scope where it’s not about selling cameras only but also adding value and enhancing the experience of the end user.

And the answer to my first question – the three names are of the three members of the development team who were assigned with the task of conceptualizing a revolution called digital cameras.