Sony has announced its first Cybershot digital camera with wi-fi connectivity. The Cybershot G1 also features a huge 3.5inch LCD screen, 2~GB of built-in memory, Super SteadyShot image stabilisation and ISO 1000 sensitivity. Other key spec includes a 6MP sensor and 3x optical zoom lens.

Full press release follows:

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES: BIG-SCREEN CYBER-SHOT G1 STORES 600 HIGH-QUALITY IMAGES

o Biggest ever 3.5-inch Xtra Fine LCD screen

o High capacity 2 GB on-board memory stores up to 600 high-resolution images

o Versatile album plus powerful search and photo management features

o Wireless connectivity with ?picture gifting?, collaborative shooting and DNLA support

o 6 Megapixel resolution with 1/2.5-inch Super HAD sensor

o Double Anti-Blur with Super SteadyShot and ISO 1000 High Sensitivity

o Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with 3x Optical Zoom


The new Cyber-shot G1 camera from Sony transforms the storage and management of your growing digital photo collection.

For the first time ever, there?s no need to worry about running out of space to store all your favourite pictures. With 2 GB of on-board memory, the Cyber-shot G1 can store up to 600 full-resolution 6 Megapixel images ? with no need for removable media. Images can be viewed on the photo-quality 3.5-inch LCD screen – the largest ever seen on a Cyber-shot digital camera. The large size and superb quality of the screen allows up to 100 thumbnail-sized images to be viewed at the same time ? another first for a Sony digital camera.

Despite its phenomenal storage capacity, the G1 makes it easy to keep track of your precious photo collection. Images are automatically stored in dated folders for handy browsing, so it?s easy to track down images from a particular event. Smart search capabilities make it even quicker to browse and pinpoint the right picture. On-board intelligence can even identify pictures by colour, subject matter and the presence of human faces.

Complementing the high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x Optical Zoom lens, Double Anti-Blur technology teams a high maximum sensitivity of ISO 1000 with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation for great blur free results, even in poor light.

In addition to its super-size screen, quality optics and powerful image management functions, the Cyber-shot G1 is the first ever camera from Sony to feature on-board wireless connectivity. Images captured on the G1 can be simultaneously seen and stored on another camera nearby, and images can also be ?gifted? wirelessly to another G1 in the vicinity.

1/2.5-inch 6 effective Megapixel Super HAD CCD
With an effective resolution of 6 Megapixels, the camera?s Sony-developed Super HAD CCD sensor and Real Imaging Processor allow photo-quality prints up to A4 size. Larger than the CCD sensor found in many other compact cameras, the 1/2.5-inch size sensor offers excellent imaging quality, with improved sensitivity, resolution and dynamic range that reduces the causes of ?washed out? overexposed images.

Double Anti-Blur technology
Sony Double Anti-Blur technology combines high sensitivity (up to ISO 1000) with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation to assure crisp, clear images even when shooting handheld in low light conditions without flash. Clear RAW NR (Noise Reduction) minimises colour noise with images captured at high sensitivity settings to ensure even more natural looking results.

Hand-held Twilight mode
Ten scene selection modes include a newly-developed Hand-held Twilight mode that makes it easy to capture beautiful, blur-free shots at dusk without the need for a tripod or flash. In low-light conditions the G1 automatically judges the brightness of the scene, shooting a continuous sequence of images at a shutter speed that?s calculated to prevent camera shake. Powerful image processing compares successive frames, compensating for blur to create an extremely clear, sharp composite image with very low levels of picture noise.

Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x Optical Zoom lens
With an effective focal length of 38-114mm (35 mm equivalent), the high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens features a 3x Optical Zoom range. 6x Precision Digital Zoom provides even greater magnification of distant objects. Optical zoom is also possible during movie record mode.

Large, High Resolution 3.5-inch Xtra Fine LCD screen
With a high resolution of 921,000 dots, the 3.5-inch screen is the largest LCD available on any compact digital camera. Beautifully clear, detailed photo-quality images with breathtaking contrast and colour reproduction are assured by Xtra Fine LCD technology. This offers approximately four times the resolution of Clear Photo LCD Plus screen technology, guaranteeing distortion-free reproduction of the finest image details.

The large, high resolution screen allows up to 100 thumbnail images to be displayed simultaneously in a new index screen mode. Images can also be viewed singly, 4-up, 6-up or 30-up per screen according to user preference.

Peer-to-peer wireless connectivity
The Cyber-shot G1 dramatically expands image communication possibilities with other camera users. With the inclusion of 802.11b/g ?ad hoc? wireless networking, images can be transferred to and from other G1 cameras ? with no need to be inside a wireless hotspot. ?Collaboration Shot? allows photos to be seen on-screen and saved by another Cyber-shot G1 that?s within range of a few metres. ?Picture Gifting? transmits saved images to another Cyber-shot G1 over the same range. Compatibility with the DNLA (Digital Living Network Alliance) protocol allows wireless transmission of images to the growing range of other DNLA devices in the living room.

Slideshow with Music
Stored images can be enjoyed on the camera?s large 3.5-inch screen as a dynamic slideshow. There?s a selection of four presentation styles (simple, nostalgic, active or stylish) with four preset background musical pieces to choose from. The contents of an Album or the results of an image search can be used as the basis for a customised slideshow. MP3 files can be imported from a PC and replayed as an accompanying soundtrack on the camera?s in-built mono speaker. With the addition of headphones (not supplied), the camera?s high quality stereo audio reproduction allows the Cyber-shot G1 to be used as an MP3 player.

Simple photo management with Album Editor software
While the G1 can store up to an incredible 600 digital photos at full 6 megapixel resolution ? or even more when its memory is boosted by adding removable Memory Stick media ? it?s quick and easy to track down the right picture.

As images are captured they are automatically stored into folders corresponding to individual ?events?. The Cyber-shot G1 achieves this by intelligently assessing the frequency and timing of shooting to separate shots according to when they were taken over the course of the day.

The contents of each folder can be viewed conveniently as VGA-quality ?thumbnails? on the large screen ? up to 100 images at a time. These thumbnails are automatically ordered in albums according to the date of shooting ? making it easier to track down pictures from a particular event or trip. Thumbnails from each album can be displayed on screen, and individual images can quickly be selected and viewed full-screen. Album titles ? like ?holiday? or ?birthday? can be quickly created and edited using the bundled Album Editor PC application software.

Intelligent image searching allows pictures to be pinpointed via a range of criteria. Searches can be conducted by label, keyword or date. The Cyber-shot G1 can also track down matches between pictures with similar subject materials, the dominant colour in an image and even identify human subjects in the picture thanks to its ?smart? facial recognition feature.

The supplied Album Editor PC application also allows stored images to be ?tagged? with a choice of 50 handy labels to aid quick, fuss free management and image searches. Comments can be added to each stored image, and individual albums can be re-named, merged or divided at will.

Other ?legacy? photos up to 7 megapixel resolution can also be imported from another Cyber-shot camera or PC via Memory Stick to make full use of the G1?s powerful library, search and album functions.

Accessories
Supplied Sony accessories for the Cyber-shot G1 include: Rechargeable battery pack (NP-FR1); AC Power Adapter (AC-LS5); Audio/Video connecting cable; Cradle (UC-GA); USB cable; Power cord; Picture Motion Browser software for PC; Wrist strap.

The Cyber-shot G1 will be available from April 2007 and will be available to pre order from www.sony-style.co.uk