Hitachi MP-EG1 (1996)

Next >

First shown at Comdex Fall '96 and officially announced by Hitachi on 1997-01-27. It was the world's first digital camera to record videoclips in MPEG format. The MP-EG1 resembled no other digital camera at that time and it was kind of awkward to handle and operate the camera. The camera head could be turned a few degrees so that pictures from different angles were possible. This was also not a cheap or simple digital camera. The camera, together with a connection kit and 260MB PC card would cost $2,500! More than twice as much as a regular digital camera at that time.

A 260MB PC Type III card could record up to 20 minutes of MPEG video or 3,000 still images or 4 hours of audio. Interval shooting was also possible at a rate of 30 seconds, 1, 3 and 5 minutes as was continuous shooting of 1-2 frames per second.  A nice feature was the sun shield around the LCD display. This made it possible to review videos in a bright environment (something the Samsung Kenox SSC-410N had too).

The production volume was set at 10,000 units per month initially. Hitachi also announced a digital printer to go along with the MP-EG1. Hitachi marketed the camera as the MP-EG1 in Japan and as the MP-EG1A in America and Europe.