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Mystery Camera Books Room in Vegas

We now have some more info on this mystery camera we reported rumors of a while back. We should have full details plus a picture tomorrow.

Specs:

• 3.3 megapixel, said to be available in February(!) * Smart Media

• Claims unusual pixel-shifting technology, "delivering a high color resolution equivalent to 6 million pixels."

• Says 100 percent of green-channel information is recorded, not interpolated.

• Also claims a "Noise Reduction Pro-Still mode, allows the GC-QX3 camera to eliminate noise and raise the signal-to-noise ratio by 18dB." Apparently a scheme that takes multiple shots, and averages them in the camera to average-out the random sensor noise.

• Dynamic Range Pro-Still. Apparently takes two exposures, one high, one low exposure, merges them to achieve a claimed tripling of the dynamic range. NOTE that all "Pro-Still" modes are intended to be used for tripod shooting on still objects (eg, NOT people), since multiple exposures of the same subject are taken.

• Very fast startup times, but we don't have an exact spec. They do cite shot-to-shot cycle times of less than one second however. (! -- That's fast!) Likewise, switches from shooting to playback in less than one second.

• 2.3x optical zoom 7.5-17.5 mm 1/1.8" CCD

• 2" 200K pixel low-temp polysilicon LCD, ~30 frames/second LCD refresh rate.

• Aperture and program AE, with ISO of 80, 200, 400, 800.

• Can record 20-second video clip, stored as a JVC Video Player file.

• File sizes of 2032x1536, 1024x768, 640x480.

• Saves as TIFF or JPEG

• USB host interface.

• 3.6v LiIon battery power supply

• Video output

• Available in February, advertised price to be $1,099.