This was Quick Take 100

When we think of Apple, it has a distinct corporate image Very specific catalog. Among its latest releases we find the iPhone 15, the iMac M3 and the Apple Watch Series 9. However, throughout its history, this company, founded in 1976, has marketed a wide range of products, many of which are unknown to some of them. current customers.

The iPod is undoubtedly one of Apple’s icons. Although he officially died in May 2022, he went down in history as one of the devices that revolutionized the music industry, so we can assume that he has not been forgotten. It may be a bit strange to know that Apple also made a video game console, a line of printers, and even a series of digital cameras, Quick Take.

Apple and photography, a long-term relationship

We cannot deny that Apple has a strong relationship with photography. The Cupertino giant boasts one of the best camera phones out there right now, a position it has achieved based on a combination of hardware sophistication and… With the help of algorithms. But this is it Long term relationshipIt’s a relationship that goes back before the iPhone existed.

In 1992, seven years after Steve Jobs left Apple after internal strife and under the supervision of John Sculley, the company decided that it was the right time to enter the photography market and that it should acquire a digital camera. Although this type of device had been on the market for a while, it was at a stage of complete development and far from the general public, which is what Apple was aiming for.

Apple did not develop the device individually, but rather partnered with Kodak to combine technologies and create the Venus project. Apple will contribute to the design and engineering of the patented digital camera Kodak CCD sensor. For its part, Shinon will be the company responsible for manufacturing contracts. After years of work, Apple Quick Take 100 It became a reality in February 1994.

Time magazine Rate the device As “the first consumer digital camera.” Perhaps this was because it was a camera designed entirely to conquer the general public, that is, it was not proposed for professionals in this sector. The idea was that it was very easy to use, although this came at a price: basic functionality. At the time of its launch, it was priced at $749 ($1,554 in 2023).

The very strange thing is that the camera came in two versions: one for Macintosh and one for Windows. The difference between one and the other was the software used and the cable to connect it to the computer. In terms of benefits, Take a quick 100 He was able to You can capture and store up to eight 640 x 480 pixel photos Or 32 images at 320 x 240 pixels, like the images taken by some phone cameras in the past.

As we can see in the photos, the device did not have a display, so there was no digital way to view the footage. To take a photo, I used a traditional viewfinder. In the absence of this feature, there was also no possibility to delete a specific photo. If you need space, you have two options: download the photos to a computer or press the “Trash” button to delete all camera contents.

The Quick Take digital camera had several versions throughout its life cycle. A year after its initial release, Apple launched the Quick Take 150, a device that allows you to store more photos on Internal memoryPlus new computer software and an optional telephoto lens. In 1996, the QuickTake 200 made by Fujifilm arrived. This was the most ambitious version of Apple’s digital camera line.

The most notable element of the Quick Take 200 was the presence of a small color LCD screen, although it also stands out for its support for SmartMedia Memories. At the control level, the device allows adjustment of focus and aperture. Even with all these improvements, the camera reduced its price to $600 ($1,176 in 2023). But in the same year, Apple discontinued its line of digital cameras.

By then, Steve Jobs had just returned to Apple, and in his mission to focus the company back on the computer market, he was eliminated. More than 50% of the catalog Products. Apple will never have a digital camera again, and it certainly wouldn’t make any sense these days. However, as we said above, its presence in the world of photography is still of great importance, mainly due to the capabilities of the iPhone.

Images: Apple | Jumhofman | Jared C. Benedict

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