A Piece of History

The Casio QV-10 digital camera is credited with being the world’s first consumer digital camera to include an LCD display on the back, a feature that is ubiquitous today.
Recently, I found one in the office.
Strictly speaking, this is the QV-10A variant, which came out slightly later, but is functionally identical other than an increase of the internal memory from 2MB to 16MB (MSP noted in the comments that I was confused by the units given!). There is no ability to use a memory card. Other features include:
- 0.25 Megapixel resolution
- Manual aperture adjustment (seen here underneath the lens)
- Macro mode switch
- 1.8″ TFT screen
- CCD sensor
After a desperate hunt for the software, which communicates with the camera via a serial COM port, I downloaded a picture it took of a distant descendant. Here it is, in all its full-resolution glory:
What an amazing relic!
The website says it’s a 16Mbit memory, i.e. 2MB? Amazing.
Do you know what year that was released?
I love the “manual switching between f2.8 and f8”. Who needs anything in between?
This is almost as spiffing as my new Canon 5D MkII wouldn’t you say?
You’re right, I managed to confuse myself with the change from MB to MBit…
According to Wikipedia, the QV-10 was released in 1995.
Follow-up.
I have found officially the coolest old digital camera.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/213254/35_years_of_the_digital_camera.html