Maximizing the benefits of writeable CD photography, Sony's two new CD Mavica digital still camera models (MVC-CD250 and MVC-CD400), announced today, incorporate focus, exposure and archiving features that help make every picture worth keeping. In addition to being easy-to-find, easy-to-use and long-lasting, CDs allow instant archiving of pictures -- a lot of pictures. These two new CD Mavica models will be shipped with a media pack of six CD-Rs and one CD-RW disc, giving each camera over one gigabyte of available storage with sequential formatting. And, with the Confirm-before-Write option, the photographer can determine if an image is worth saving -- before burning it to a CD.

The MVC-CD250 captures images with 2.0 megapixel (effective) resolution and 3X optical / 2X digital zoom. Some new features it shares with its big brother, the MVC-CD400, include a solid, ergonomically curved design, MPEG HQX Movie mode with audio, and a three-shot burst mode for taking photos in rapid succession. Expected to sell for about $600, the CD250 model is positioned to introduce CD photography to anyone seeking a versatile, easy way to shoot, share and save great pictures.

Not only does the MVC-CD400 offer all the advantages of CD photography and all the features of the CD250, it is also equipped with advanced photo-taking features that will appeal to the hard-to-please photo enthusiast. This new model takes pictures with 4.0 megapixel (effective) resolution, includes a bright f2.0 Carl Zeiss® lens and comes equipped with Hologram AF(TM) function, a Sony-exclusive laser focusing system designed to achieve accurate focus on subjects with little contrast in dark conditions.

The MVC-CD400 CD Mavica camera will be available in May for about $900.