Sony Cyber-shot DSC-M1

today announced its "futuristic" new Cyber-shot DSC-M1 digital camera, featuring what is calls "extraordinary video features." The 5.1-megapixel camera features a slim, matte-black finish and is about the size of a deck of cards. It is held vertically and features a 2.5-inch flip-out LCD that swivels upward and rotates a full 270 degrees. "This new shooting orientation provides more surface area to access both the menu navigation buttons and two 'hot' buttons for direct access to recording stills and video." It will be available in December for about $600.

A new hybrid record mode automatically records five seconds of QVGA video before and three seconds after the still image is snapped, storing the image and video as two separate files.


The Cyber-shot DSC-M1 camera's enhanced video functions include recording with the new MPEGMovie 4TV feature, the MPEG-4 compression format that "significantly increases picture quality and resolution while dramatically reducing file size." Employing a reduced bit rate (from 11Mpbs to 2.5 Mpbs), MPEGMovie 4TV mode enables the recording of up to 27 minutes of VGA-resolution, 30fps video with stereo sound on an optional 512MB Memory Stick PRO Duo media card.






The camera uses a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3X optical zoom lens for both still and video. It operates using Sony's InfoLithium rechargeable battery system and is bundled with a custom-sized Cyber-shot Station USB cradle; the Cyber-shot Station also connects to a TV for playing back videos and stills.

by MacNN Staff