Epson Announces New PhotoPC 800 and 650 Digicams

PhotoPC 800TORRANCE, Calif.--July 12, 1999-- Epson America Inc., unveiled its first two-megapixel USB digital camera, the PhotoPC® 800. It weighs less than a half pound and offers a 2.14 megapixel CCD sensor and Epson's HyPict(TM) image enhancement technology, supports both USB and serial image transfer and will be available at the end of July for an estimated street price of .

The PhotoPC 800 is compact, powerful and loaded with a host of valuable features including an 8MB CompactFlash(TM) card; three picture-taking modes, black and white, macro and panorama; and a high-quality 1.8" LCD monitor. The LCD can display one, four or nine images at a time to allow consumers to view photos instantly and easily. For added convenience, consumers can use the built-in microphone to record a voice message up to ten seconds in length for each image. This feature especially benefits business professionals in the law enforcement, real estate and insurance fields, whose jobs depend on providing accurate documentation daily.

The PhotoPC 800 provides three different modes: Fully Automatic, Programmed and Manual. The Programmed mode is for sports, portrait and landscape photography and uses auto exposure with +/- 2 step exposure compensation, white balance and sensitivity. The Manual mode includes adjustable aperture settings, shutter speed, focus and spot metering.

The PhotoPC 800 includes four AA-sized NiMH batteries and a charger. The camera requires two batteries to operate, the other two batteries are spares. An optional lens adapter is available for the camera to accomodate wide angle, telephoto, and close-up lenses and filters.

A useful and innovative option for the PhotoPC 800 customer is Epson's Image Authentication System (IAS). This system provides consumers with image validation technology for applications in areas such as law enforcement and insurance. When a picture is taken, the IAS uses a digital fingerprint to verify the integrity of the picture. The IAS is currently available for an estimated street price of through Epson resellers and national distributors. PhotoPC 650

Epson's PhotoPC 650 is an economical choice for home, education or business consumers who are unwilling to compromise image quality, ease of use and performance. The PhotoPC 650's 1152 x 864 pixel resolution enables consumers to print images up to 5 x 7" with stunning results. Supporting USB and serial image transfer on Windows® and Macintosh® computers, the PhotoPC 650 will be available for an estimated street price of .

The Epson PhotoPC 650 features an auto-focus, aspherical glass lens system for capturing sharp, detailed images. The camera's 37mm threads enable consumers to add optional wide angle, telephoto and close-up lenses to suit their picture-taking needs at home, school or work. The built-in 1.8" LCD monitor allows instant preview and playback to ensure a perfect shot each time. For added convenience, a status display LCD provides information regarding number of pictures remaining, battery life and resolution mode. A protective lens cover has also been included to keep dust and dirt off the lens.

The PhotoPC 650 is the first camera to bundle the new Lexar JumpShot USB-enabled CompactFlash memory card. Using the JumpShot cable, transferring pictures from the camera's 8MB USB-enabled CompactFlash card to the computer is amazingly quick and easy -- simply insert the card into the JumpShot cradle, plug the cable into a USB port and then drag and drop the pictures from the card to the desktop. Since this method of image transfer doesn't require the camera to be connected and powered, consumers will benefit from extended battery life.