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Toshiba PDR-M70 Toshiba brings true photographic features to their new 3 flagship model! Select a topic 13. Reference: Datasheet 14. M70 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Camera Modes & Menus :(Previous) | (Next): Video, Power, Software>> Page 10:Image Storage & Interface Review First Posted: 8/17/2000

Image Storage and Interface
The PDR-M70 utilizes SmartMedia as its image storage medium, and a 16 megabyte card comes with the camera. You can purchase additional cards in 32 and 64 megabyte sizes. (128 megabyte SmartMedia cards are due by early 2001.) SmartMedia is easily write protected by placing a write protection sticker over the designated area on the card. Likewise, removing the sticker disables write protection. Remember that these stickers can only be used once and write protection may fail if the sticker gets dirty. To protect individual images from accidental erasure (except from card formatting), the settings menu in Playback mode gives you an image protect option. Protected images are denoted by a key symbol beneath the image. Protection can be removed through the same process.

The PDR-M70 organizes captured images into storage folders. When the SmartMedia card is formatted, it automatically creates a folder entitled 100TOSHI. Data from photographed still images is recorded to this folder and cannot be changed. Movies are recorded to a separate folder indicated by a movie camera symbol. Once the image number reaches 9999, a new folder (101TOSHI) is automatically created. When there are two or more xxxTOSHI folders, the playback folder default is the folder assigned the largest xxx value. You can change the playback folder through the settings menu in Playback mode.

Reducing image size saves memory and allows you to continue taking more pictures. Half sized images (1024 x 768 pixels), images taken in the Multi mode, protected images and images from another camera cannot be resized. While in Playback mode you have the option of selecting which 2048 x 1536 images you want to resize and are given the option to reconsider before executing the command. Also through the Playback menu, you can compress images (images already in Basic quality, images from another camera and protected images cannot be further compressed, nor can you compress images on write protected SmartMedia). The quality setting will be noted under each image by the number of stars (three for Fine, two for Normal, one for Basic).

The PDR-M70 also allows you to copy an image from one SmartMedia card to another, through the Playback menu. Select the image to copy and press Enter (you can cancel a selection here as well). Repeat the procedure to copy two or more images. When you execute the copy, a Change Card message will appear, allowing you to remove the old SmartMedia card and replace it with a new one. Follow the menu prompts and select OK when finished. Don't remove the SmartMedia card (except when indicated) or turn the camera off during the copying procedure to avoid damaging the cards. You'll be prompted to press Enter once copying is complete and can exit the Playback menu by hitting the Menu button.

You can erase images in Playback or in the Automatic, Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority photography modes. When in Playback, use the arrow buttons to select the image and hit the Erase button on the back panel. You'll be asked to confirm this decision. Protected images cannot be erased, nor can images on write protected SmartMedia. When in the before mentioned photography modes, hit the Erase button and it selects the last image taken. Again, you are asked to confirm this decision. The same button also allows you to erase entire folders. Simply hold down the trash can button for two seconds. The Erase menu appears with the options of erasing one frame or all images or to format the SmartMedia. But even if all the images in a folder are erased, the folder itself cannot be erased unless you format the SmartMedia.

The table below shows the number of still images that can be stored on a 16 megabyte card in various size/quality modes, and their approximate compression ratios:

Resolution/Quality vs Image Capacity	High Resolution		Standard Resolution
	Images	Approx. Compression	Images	Approx. Compression
Fine Quality	13	8:1	55	8:1
Normal Quality	19	11:1	82	12:1
Economy Quality	39	23:1	165	24:1

The PDR-M70 connects to a host computer via a built-in USB port. Many digicams these days are equipped with fast USB ports, a welcome relief after years of users struggling with deathly slow serial interfaces. Even among speedy USB-equipped cameras though, download times range widely. In our tests, the PDR-M70 was one of the faster cameras we've seen, transferring 8.98 megabytes of files in only 12.44 seconds, a transfer rate of nearly 740 Kbytes/second. This is really very fast, almost as fast as the best external card reader devices.