Sony Digital Camera - From Mavica to Translucent-Mirror Technology
The year 1981 was the benchmark year for the Sony digital camera, when the company introduced the prototype Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera) that took still images and stored them on floppy discs. The images could then be viewed on a television monitor in the maximum highest possible quality for television screens at that time. Seven years later, Sony launched the consumer version of the Mavica, which paved the way for greater innovations in digital cameras.
Another eight years would pass until Sony introduced the first Cyber-Shot model with a 1.8-inch liquid crystal display screen in 1996. Then, in 1998, a further innovation was introduced when Sony developed a digital camera capable of storing images on external memory rather than on the erstwhile internalized storage.
Sony introduced several more innovative digital cameras in the succeeding years, but they had all been effectively point-and-shoot and bridge cameras, targeted towards the casual photographer. While Sony had already developed a single lens reflex camera in 1988, it was not for the serious photographer, as it was limited to a fixed lens.
In 2006, the Sony digital camera took a step towards claiming a slice of the pie aimed at the serious photographer by purchasing the digital SLR assets of camera manufacturing giant, Konica-Minolta. Very soon thereafter, Sony launched the Alpha line of digital SLRs with interchangeable lenses, by releasing the A100 model, which drew on technology first developed by digital SLR maker Konica-Minolta. The Alpha brand name (Maxxum in some countries) was first used in Japan by Minolta in their groundbreaking and world's first autofocus film SLR camera, the Alpha 7000 in 1985. Sony has since then used the Alpha brand name in their line of digital interchangeable lens cameras, including the world's smallest such camera, the Alpha NEX series, which was introduced in 2010.
The Alpha line of cameras uses the bayonet lens mount of the original Minolta autofocus cameras, thus allowing Minolta Alpha or Maxxum autofocus lens to be used with the newer Sony Alpha cameras.
In 2010, Sony also introduced the first commercial use of translucent-mirror technology. Translucent-mirror technology allows for faster autofocus speeds in both still photographs and video. Previously, cameras relied on reflex mirrors that allow for the measurement of exposure through the viewfinder. These reflex mirrors flip up to allow light to pass through to expose the film, causing a momentary delay between the pressing of the shutter and the exposure of the film.
Indeed, Sony's bold steps in photography have allowed it to be a leader in the digital camera field, producing top quality digital cameras for both the hobbyist and professional photographer.
Interchangeable Lens Camera
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