Logitech Fotoman

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Logitech Fotoman image by Coleccionando Cámaras (Image rights)

The Dycam Model 1, also known as the Logitech Fotoman, was a greyscale digital camera launched by Logitech in 1990. The Dycam model was dark grey, whereas the Logitech was white. It was the first commercially-available digital camera. The camera was aimed at businesses requiring fast turn-around images. The images were 8-bit (256-level) greyscale and low-resolution, at 376x240 pixels, and the camera only had enough storage for 32 of them, compressed in its 4Mb of RAM. Later models were upgraded to 376x284 pixels. The memory was volatile, that is, when the batteries ran down or were removed, the pictures would be lost. The high price (£499 in the UK) limited its market. The camera could connect to a PC via a cable to the serial port for uploading. It had a fixed focus f4.5 lens 55mm 35mm equivalent, with a shutter running from 1/25 to 1/1000s, and a built-in flash. The CCD sensor was rated at ~200ISO, and a neutral-density filter was supplied for use in very bright light.

It was designed by Dycam.

Dycam model 1 image by maoby (Image rights)

Links

• Logitech Digital Camera review from 1993 by John Henshall.
• Logitech Fotoman at the National Media Museum, Bradford, UK
• Dycam 1 & Logitech Fotoman on Historic Camera blog
• Dycam / Logitech with image sample, on the 1990 page of Rodger L. Carter's DigicamHistory.com
• "Two weird gizmos prove that the industry's still alive and kicking" by Raphael Needleman, in August 12, 1991, InfoWorld (Vol. 13, No. 32; page 54), via Google Books