Toshiba Unveils PDR-M3 Megapixel Digital Camera At ICES Winter '99

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 1999 (ICES/Winter ?99) -- Toshiba Imaging Systems, a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today introduced its next generation of digital camera, the PDR-M3®, the first Toshiba megapixel camera to feature a true 3X optical zoom and rechargeable batteries. The PDR-M3 will be available in February, 1999. Pricing has not yet been set but should fall into the range.

The PDR-M3 features a 1/2-inch, 1.5 million pixel striped array CCD that delivers superior 1280x1024 resolution capable of yielding 8x10" prints free of pixelation or color distortion. The four-mode flash system ("red-eye" reduction, force-fill flash, automatic low-light and force-off) is easily adjusted to any lighting condition up to 10-feet from the subject so that no detail is missed.

Toshiba incorporated an all glass 3X optical zoom (38mm-115mm equivalent) capable of precisely maintaining resolution when capturing images, even when zoomed up to 300%. It also has a 2X digital zoom when used in conjunction with the 3X optical zoom, gives the PDR-M3 6x zoom capability. The PDR-M3 also has a playback zoom feature that enlarges captured images up to 4X on the LCD screen.

The PDR-M3 ships with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and adapter. Menu-driven controls on the LCD status display allow the adjustment of basic camera settings, such as image quality and file sizes. Seconds after the images are captured, the pictures can be played back, saved or deleted using the camera?s super-bright 1.8-inch backlit LCD. Another feature is the on-board video-out that directly connects the camera to a multimedia projector, TV or VCR for viewing images without a computer.