Agfa Bows Email-, Web-friendly Digital Camera

By Will Safer -- TWICE, 5/14/1999

With the debut yesterday of the stylish and inexpensive ePhoto Smile digital camera, Agfa Corp. announced its intent to cultivate the general consumer market. Targeting the low-end is new for this Belgian company, which has made its name with a collection of middle-range and high-end digital cameras and scanners.

Putting a product like the $129 ePhoto Smile is, however, not a departure from its U.S. strategy, said Christophe Fremont, Director of Agfa's Desktop Products Group. "We see a need among consumers for a product that is inexpensive and easy to use, but is also inexpensive," he said. "Most users in this market will be first-time digital camera users. The ePhoto Smile meets their needs because it is ideal for sharing images, whether through e-mail or on the web."

The camera has a maximum resolution of 640 by 480 pixels and with its 2MB of internal memory can hold up to 16 images at this quality. It's designed for use on the PC-platform only and ships with a serial cable for downloading images. It also includes video-out for direct access to playing images on a TV monitor and a 10-second self-timer. The camera also ships with PhotoWise software accessing, managing and enhancing digital photos. The U.S. shipping date is this July.