Found this in a junk bin today...

[David Hughes]

David believe it or not Kodak did invent digital photography they also were the first to have a megapixel camera... Snip...

Hi,

Didn't Sony announce a "new magnetic video still camera, part of the Mavica system" in September or October 1981? It had a CCD and recorded onto a disc. There's pictures of the prototype in magazine from that period.

In October Kodak said "it remains to be seen whether such a camera could be offered at mass-market prices and ... could, or would, offer benefits comparable to those available from traditional products." They went on to say they were "exploring" the possibilities of going from film to digital for TV viewing and that they were exploring sensors.

In September '83 a magaize mentioned that some 20 companies had "got together to arrive at a standardised specification for what Sony first announced as the Mavica... " In the 80's the only two names on the list recognisable as film camera makers were Olympus and Canon the others quoted were all electronic firms. The tone of the '83 article commented about only Olympus and Canon being recognisable.

As I read it Sony got there first. But there were also early cameras from Canon and Minolta who made a digital back for the 7000 SLR.

Regards, David

 

[sevo]

Didn't Sony announce a "new magnetic video still camera, part of the Mavica system" in September or October 1981? It had a CCD and recorded onto a disc. There's pictures of the prototype in magazine from that period.

The original Mavica series was not digital, but analogue still video, even though it (like its Canon contemporary, the ION) recorded to discs. Sony actually stuck pretty long to that format, the "Digital Mavica" series did not hit the trade shows until 1996, years after Sony was selling a variety of other digital cameras.

 

[DominikDUK]

The first real digital camera was made in 1975 by Kodak the CCD Chip was made by Fairchild. Analogue chip cameras were made since the 1950's and even in the 1920 you already had electronic cameras/TV cameras but they were all analogue and not digital.

 

[David Hughes]

Interesting, it explains the lines on the Sony samples I saw, like a photo of a TV screen.

I've often wondered what the Ariel satellite's telescope recorded on. Presumably a TV set-up?

Regards, David

PS Of course, the problem is what is regarded as the first, claims for one-offs in lab's always annoy me; better to be designed for mass production in my opinion, not that it matters much.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Many thanks an interesting read.

Now my day would be complete if someone could come up with anything on the Minolta back for the 7000 SLR. I search for it from time to time but have had little luck so far.

Regards, David

 

[Takkun]

Update: it lives! Coming to a University of Washington surplus sale soon. And a fun fact: I bought that lens 28 f/2.8 AFD) 11 years ago at certain infamous used camera shop for $25. I found a tiny inventory engraving on the mount--turns out it had been stolen from the architecture department years ago. And here I am, in grad school, going through the department's inventory. Officially, they want it back; unofficially, I get to keep it.

Strange twist of fate, eh?

 

[pvdhaar]

Strange twist of fate, eh?

Yeah, it is.. But know what's even stranger? That in a mirror text gets reversed as you can see on the Nikon's prism, but you yourself remain upright.. Now how peculiar is that? 😱

 

[farlymac]

Alright! Is it a monochrome, or did you convert the image?

PF

 

[Takkun]

The WB was absolutely abysmal, so I just made it grayscale. I might have to have fun with this before it goes back to storage this weekend.