The Apple QuickTake (codenamed Venus, Mars, Neptune) is one of the first consumer digital camera lines.[1] It was launched in 1994 by Apple Computer and was marketed for three years before being discontinued in 1997. Three models of the product were built including the 100 and 150, both built by Chinon; and the 200, built by Fujifilm. The QuickTake cameras had a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels maximum (0.3 Mpx).
Time magazine profiled QuickTake as "the first consumer digital camera" and ranked it among its "100 greatest and most influential gadgets from 1923 to the present" list.[2] Although the greyscale Dycam Model 1 (also marketed as the Logitech FotoMan) was the first consumer digital camera to be sold in the US (starting in November 1990)[3][4] and at least one other camera, the Fuji DS-X, was sold in Japan even earlier, in late 1989,[5] the QuickTake was probably the first digicam to have wide consumer acceptance.[clarification needed]
History
Kodak had been developing CCD-based digital cameras since the mid-1970s, when Steve Sasson built a toaster-sized experimental model that recorded data to a cassette tape; the first digital photograph was captured at a resolution of 100 pixels square in December 1975.[6] However, the first electronic still cameras to be marketed were shown as early as 1981, when Sony demonstrated the prototype Pro Mavica. These early filmless cameras recorded still video frames instead of creating digital files; the Pro Mavica recorded its still frames on a proprietary floppy disk.[6] By the late 1980s, the technologies were beginning to converge and mature; Fujifilm showed the DS-1P, a still video camera that stored its images in solid-state memory instead of a floppy, at Photokina 1988 and developed the technologies into the Fuji DS-X, which was first sold in 1989.[5] Kodak introduced a prototype of its DCS 100, a digital SLR based on the Nikon F3 in 1986 and began commercial sales to news photographers in 1991; the DCS 100 used a CCD sensor and stored its images on a tethered hard drive.[7]
The Dycam Model 1 was launched in 1991, capturing greyscale images into internal memory;[8] CNN noted the Dycam's possibilities in a 1992 segment, touting its advantages over conventional film-based cameras.[9] In 1992, Apple Computer started marketing plans for a digital camera codenamed Venus. At the time over $12 billion was spent annually in the United States on photography. Apple searched for a company to design and manufacture their QuickTake digital camera line. During this time, Apple entered into a set of non-disclosure agreements with Kodak to share its proprietary digital camera architecture and cooperate in its further development;[10] Kodak contributed the CCD sensor to the final design. Later, Chinon was added as the manufacturing/assembly partner, also responsible for the design of the optics and basic electronics.[11][12] By October 1993, rumors of Venus and its capabilities had publicly tied Kodak, Apple, and Chinon together; the cost was anticipated to be relatively low compared to existing digital cameras.[13]
QuickTake 100
Viewfinder and LCD information panel on the rear side of the QuickTake 100/150; clockwise from top left, the buttons control flash mode, resolution, self-timer, and internal memory (recessed to prevent accidental deletion).
The QuickTake 100 was first shown at Tokyo MacWorld on February 17, 1994,[13] exhibited for the first time in America at the Photo Marketing Association trade show,[14] and released for sale on June 20 of that year.[6] The initial list price was US$749(equivalent to $1,540 in 2023).[15] It was one of the first digital cameras marketed to consumers, emphasizing ease of use.[16] It received a Product Design Award in 1995,[17] and early reviews were enthusiastic about the industrial design and ease of use.[18] Two separate models (for Macintosh or Windows) were sold; the bundled software and serial cable were specific to the host computer's operating system, but the camera hardware itself was identical.[16] The Windows version of the QuickTake 100 was released by December 1994.[19] The CCD sensor was claimed to be derived from the sensor fitted to the Kodak DCS 100.[14]
The camera had a built-in flash, but no focus or zoom controls, as the fixed-focal length lens had an equivalent angle of view as a standard 50mm lens for a 35mm film camera; the fixed-focus lens captured a range from 4 feet (1.2m) to infinity;[14] autoexposure was set by the camera, which controlled both shutter speeds (ranging from 1⁄30 to 1⁄175) and aperture (from f/2.8 to f/16) using a film speed equivalent to ISO 85.[16][20] The flash has a maximum range of 9 feet (2.7m).[20]
The QuickTake 100 was capable of storing eight photos at 640×480 resolution, 32 photos at 320×240 resolution, or a mixture of both sizes. All photos were stored at 24-bit color. There was no way to preview them on the camera, nor was there any way to delete individual photos from the camera (though there was a recessed 'trash' button which would delete the entire contents of the camera). The bundled Apple QuickTake software was used to retrieve photographs from the camera's internal memory, providing basic editing tools (rotating, resizing, and cropping) and allowing the user to select a file format and color bit depth for export.[16]
Quicktake 100 Plus
Apple Quicktake 100 Plus Label
Apple offered a factory upgrade to the QuickTake 100 changing the name to the QuickTake 100 Plus, which included all the functionality of the QuickTake 150.[21]
QuickTake 150
QuickTake 150 kit with case, cable, booster pack, and close-up lens accessories
Apple improved the file compression technology and released the QuickTake 150 in April 1995, replacing the 100.[22] The 150 uses the same hardware as the 100,[23] and the improved compression enabled the QuickTake 150 to capture 16 best-quality or 32 standard-quality images, with either quality level now stored at the full resolution of 640×480 in the 1MB of built-in storage.[24][25]
At the same time, Kodak introduced its DC40, which used a similar design and hardware as the QuickTake 150, but captured images at an increased resolution to a larger internal storage.[11] The QuickTake 150 sensor was the same as used in the DC40, but masked to a lower resolution; the DC40 used the entire sensor instead.[20]
The QuickTake 150 kit also included PhotoFlash software (for Macintosh) or PhotoNow! (for Windows)[26] and a separate close-up lens that changed the focus range to 10 to 14 inches (25 to 36cm) and diffused the flash appropriately.[25][20] Apple also offered several different accessories for the QuickTake 150, including a travel case, AC adapter, battery booster pack (using 8×AA batteries), and a connection kit for Microsoft Windows.[25]
QuickTake 200
Back of a QuickTake 200
The last QuickTake model was the Fujifilm-built QuickTake 200, released in 1996. The QuickTake 200 was a still video camera which captured images at 640×480 resolution. It was bundled with a 2MB SmartMedia flashRAM card (SSFDC), and an Apple-branded 4MB card was available as a separate accessory purchase; using the 2MB card, up to 20 (high-quality) or 40 (standard-quality) images could be captured.[27]
Compared to the prior Kodak/Chinon-based models, the most noticeable change for the QuickTake 200 was an 1.8in (46mm) color LCD screen on the rear panel to preview stored photographs. The screen updated with a refresh rate of 30Hz. In addition, the 200 added focus and aperture controls; apertures were now user-selectable, and although the lens was still a fixed-focus lens, three separate focus modes could be selected: close-up, 3.5 to 5in (8.9 to 12.7cm); portrait, 17 to 35in (43 to 89cm); and standard, 3ft (0.91m) to infinity.[27]
Discontinuation and legacy
Although the QuickTake models sold well in the education and small business markets,[24] other companies such as Kodak, Fujifilm, Canon, and Nikon shortly thereafter entered the digital market with brands that consumers associated with photography.[28] The QuickTake line was discontinued in 1997 shortly after Steve Jobs came back to Apple. In an attempt to streamline Apple's operations, Jobs discontinued many non-computer products, including the Newton line of products, the LaserWriter printer line, and the QuickTake cameras. The Apple QuickTake camera has since become a collector's item for Apple enthusiasts.[29]
The QuickTake name was later reused by Apple in iPhones released since 2018 as a feature in its camera app that allows videos to be recorded without switching out of still camera mode.[30][31]
↑ The QuickTake 150 can only save to the QuickTake file format on the camera. When connected to a computer, however, files from the QuickTake camera can be converted to BMP, JPEG, PCX and TIFF.
Using QuickTake
Image taken with the QuickTake 150
The QuickTake 200 can be used with card-readers that can read 5V media cards. For users with an Apple Macintosh running System 7 up to Mac OS 9 with a serial port, the QuickTake 200 can be plugged directly into the computer using the Apple QuickTake camera software. The QuickTake 100 and 150 store images internally, not on cards, so they must be used with an Apple serial cable and the QuickTake driver software.
The 200 model is only officially compatible with the Apple Macintosh for direct connections, while the 100 and 150 model are compatible with both the Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows.[32] Because the QuickTake 200 is almost identical to the Fuji DS-7 or to Samsung's Kenox SSC-350N, Fuji's software for that camera can be used to gain Windows compatibility for the QuickTake 200. Some other software replacements also exist as well as using an external reader for the removable media of the QuickTake 200.
QuickTake cameras cannot be directly connected to Macintoshes running Mac OS X as these machines do not support the old Apple Serial protocol, but image files in the QTK format can still be decoded on modern operating systems using the open source program dcraw or the OS X application GraphicConverter.
Related Research Articles
A digital camera, also called a digicam, is a camera that captures photographs in digital memory. Most cameras produced today are digital, largely replacing those that capture images on photographic film. Digital cameras are now widely incorporated into mobile devices like smartphones with the same or more capabilities and features of dedicated cameras. High-end, high-definition dedicated cameras are still commonly used by professionals and those who desire to take higher-quality photographs.
Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, trading as Fujifilm, or simply Fuji, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operating in the realms of photography, optics, office and medical electronics, biotechnology, and chemicals.
An instant camera is a camera which uses self-developing film to create a chemically developed print shortly after taking the picture. Polaroid Corporation pioneered consumer-friendly instant cameras and film, and were followed by various other manufacturers.
Color photography is a type of photography that uses media capable of capturing and reproducing colors. By contrast, black-and-white or gray-monochrome photography records only a single channel of luminance (brightness) and uses media capable only of showing shades of gray.
A Bayer filter mosaic is a color filter array (CFA) for arranging RGB color filters on a square grid of photosensors. Its particular arrangement of color filters is used in most single-chip digital image sensors used in digital cameras, and camcorders to create a color image. The filter pattern is half green, one quarter red and one quarter blue, hence is also called BGGR, RGBG, GRBG, or RGGB.
The xD-Picture Card is an obsolete form of flash memory card, used in digital cameras made by Olympus, Fujifilm, and Kodak during the 2000s. The xD in the xD-Picture Card stands for eXtreme Digital.
Instant film is a type of photographic film that was introduced by Polaroid Corporation to produce a visible image within minutes or seconds of the photograph's exposure. The film contains the chemicals needed for developing and fixing the photograph, and the camera exposes and initiates the developing process after a photo has been taken.
A digital camera back is a device that attaches to the back of a camera in place of the traditional negative film holder and contains an electronic image sensor. This allows cameras that were designed to use film take digital photographs. These camera backs are generally expensive by consumer standards and are primarily built to be attached on medium- and large-format cameras used by professional photographers.
A digital single-lens reflex camera is a digital camera that combines the optics and mechanisms of a single-lens reflex camera with a solid-state image sensor and digitally records the images from the sensor.
QuickCam is a line of webcam video camera products by Logitech.
A stereo camera is a type of camera with two or more lenses with a separate image sensor or film frame for each lens. This allows the camera to simulate human binocular vision, and therefore gives it the ability to capture three-dimensional images, a process known as stereo photography. Stereo cameras may be used for making stereoviews and 3D pictures for movies, or for range imaging. The distance between the lenses in a typical stereo camera is about the distance between one's eyes and is about 6.35 cm, though a longer base line produces more extreme 3-dimensionality.
A still video camera (SVC) is a type of electronic camera that takes still images and stores them as single frames of video. They peaked in popularity in the late 1980s and can be seen as the predecessor to the digital camera. However, unlike the latter, the image storage in such cameras is based on analog technology, rather than as a digital file.
A full-frame DSLR is a digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) with a 35 mm image sensor format. Historically, 35 mm was one of the standard film formats, alongside larger ones, such as medium format and large format. The full-frame DSLR is in contrast to full-frame mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras, and DSLR and mirrorless cameras with smaller sensors, much smaller than a full 35 mm frame. Many digital cameras, both compact and SLR models, use a smaller-than-35 mm frame as it is easier and cheaper to manufacture imaging sensors at a smaller size. Historically, the earliest digital SLR models, such as the Nikon NASA F4 or Kodak DCS 100, also used a smaller sensor.
Digital photography uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors interfaced to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to produce images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The digitized image is stored as a computer file ready for further digital processing, viewing, electronic publishing, or digital printing. It is a form of digital imaging based on gathering visible light.
The Digital Q1 was a FUJIFILM digital camera model announced in 2003.
Instax is a brand of instant still cameras and instant films marketed by Fujifilm.
Pixel shift is a method in digital cameras for producing a super resolution image. The method works by taking several images, after each such capture moving ("shifting") the sensor to a new position. In digital colour cameras that employ pixel shift, this avoids a major limitation inherent in using Bayer pattern for obtaining colour, and instead produces an image with increased colour resolution and, assuming a static subject or additional computational steps, an image free of colour moiré. Taking this idea further, sub-pixel shifting may increase the resolution of the final image beyond that suggested by the specified resolution of the image sensor.
References
↑ Kaplan, Jeremy (July 26, 2008). "21 Great Technologies that Failed". PC Magazine Online Features. PC Magazine. Archived from the original on July 27, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2008.
↑ "Logitech FotoMan digital camera". Science Museum Group Collection. Science Museum Group. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020. Creator: Logitech; Dycam Inc. Date: 1990. Description: Logitech FotoMan digital camera, made by Logitech in Switzerland, 1990. The FotoMan was the first digital camera to go on sale.
↑ Zeegen, Lawrence (2010). "5". Complete Digital Illustration: A Master Class in Image-Making. Mies, Switzerland: RotoVision SA. p.107. ISBN978-2-88893-096-9. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
1 2 3 4 Grotta, Daniel; Grotta, Sally Wiener (February 6, 1996). "Hardware: The Death of Film?". PC Mag. pp.145–148, 152, 155–158, 163, 165–166, 171. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
↑ Antonoff, Michael (June 1995). "A hands-on tour of digital cameras". Popular Science. p.76. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019. The only difference is a smarter compression scheme that makes it possible to shoot 16 high-resolution images rather than eight.
1 2 Grotta, Daniel; Grotta, Sally Wiener (January 7, 1997). "Digital Cameras: Heave-Ho, Silver!". PC Mag. pp.145–148, 153, 156, 158, 162–169, 172–173, 176–177. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019. Its predecessor, the QuickTake 100, became a best-seller among users at small and mid-size businesses and in the education market.
↑ Schaub, George (August 1995). "Pictures Bit-by-Bit". Popular Mechanics. pp.60–64, 107. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
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