Click to take a QuickTime tour of the PDR-M81

The compact and lightweight Toshiba PDR-M81 is equipped with a 4.2 million-pixel CCD sensor that captures still images in JPEG format up to 2400 x 1600 pixels in size. It features a newly redesigned Canon 2.8x optical F2.9 zoom lens with a 2.2X digital zoom. The lens has a macro mode for photographing subjects as close as two inches away.

The PDR-M81's automatic settings take the guesswork out of digital photography and allow new users to experience the fun and satisfaction of being a digital photographer just minutes after taking the camera out of the box. In addition to the convenience of automatic operation, the PDR-M81 comes equipped with manual features too. Selectable white balance setting, full manual exposure control of shutter speed and aperture. There is also aperture priority and shutter speed priority AE modes, burst shot mode and selectable ISO settings. The built-in flash system has five modes to choose from including slow-sync for artistic photography involving moving or low light subjects.

The PDR-M81 has an AVI movie mode that lets users film up to three minutes of video at 160 x 120 resolution (15 fps), or 60 seconds at 320 x 240 (15 fps). Sound can be recorded during the video filming by using the camera's built-in microphone. When the video is finished it can be viewed on a computer monitor, a television (NTSC/PAL), or on the camera's 1.5-inch polysilicon color LCD.

The PDR-M81 features automatic playback of images on its LCD so users can view and select which pictures they want to keep or erase, a process that is made easier by a digital 2X zoom that lets users zero in on areas within a specific picture. Other playback options include a multi-frame playback for viewing up to 9 images at once, an automatic slideshow, exposure data and a histogram display.

The PDR-M81 was recently lowered (1/11/02) to an incredible $499 !

PDR-M81 Features at a Glance:

• 4.2-megapixel CCD for up to 2400 x 1600 images
• 2.8X (35-100mm) optical Canon F2.9 zoom lens
• 1.5" TFT color LCD
• Small, compact and lightweight
• Built in 5-mode flash
• AVI movie 320x240, 15fps w/audio, up to 3 minutes of recording
• Automatic exposure, Aperture and Shutter speed priority, full Manual
• Playback includes exposure data and histogram display
• ISO sensitivity of 100, 200 or 400
• Video output format user-selectable NTSC or PAL
• SmartMedia storage, 8MB included, compatible up to 128MB
• High-speed USB port for PC/Windows and Macintosh
• Powered by standard AA type batteries

Physical Views

Toshiba PDR-M81 and the Epson PhotoPC 3100Z for size comparison.