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Toshiba PDR-M700 Toshiba introduces 10x optical zoom and an updated user interface. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet M700 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 on M700 Review --------------------------------- 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: 08/26/2003

Image Storage and Interface
The PDR-M700 stores images on SD memory cards, and comes with a 16-megabyte card. I highly recommend picking up a larger capacity card right away, at least a 64-megabyte card, so you don't miss any shots. While data on SD memory cards can be protected using the built-in write protection tab to lock the card, the PDR-M700 also lets you protect individual images from accidental erasure (except from card formatting) through an option in the Playback menu in Playback mode. Protected images are denoted by a key symbol beneath the image. Protection can be removed through the same process.

The PDR-M700's available resolutions are 2,048 x 1,536; 1,600 x 1,200; 1,280 x 960; 1,024 x 768; and 640 x 480. Three JPEG compression levels are available Fine (three stars), Normal (two stars), and Economy (one star). A Playback menu option lets you save images at lower resolutions, either at 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels.

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

Image Capacity vs Resolution/Quality 32MB Memory Card		Fine	Normal	Basic
Full Resolution 2,048 x 1,536	Images (Avg size)	12 1.3 MB	19 842 K	38 421 K
	Approx. Compression	7:1	11:1	22:1
1,600 x 1,200	Images (Avg size)	15 1.0 MB	23 674 K	47 337 K
	Approx. Compression	6:1	9:1	17:1
1,280 x 960	Images (Avg size)	26 610 K	39 405 K	79 203 K
	Approx. Compression	6:1	9:1	18:1
1,024x768	Images (Avg size)	39 405 K	59 270 K	118 135 K
	Approx. Compression	6:1	9:1	17:1
640 x 480	Images (Avg size)	79 203 K	118 135 K	237 67 K
	Approx. Compression	5:1	7:1	14:1

The PDR-M700 connects to a host computer via a built-in USB port. In my tests, the PDR-M700 transferred 6.43 megabytes of files in only 8.64 seconds, a transfer rate of nearly 744 Kbytes/second. (This to a Sony VAIO running Windows XP on a 2.4 GHz Pentium IV with 512 MB of RAM.) This is quite fast, suggesting that the M700 actually has a USB 2.0 interface.