Sony Mavica MVC-CD200
About the CD200:
The Sony Mavica CD200 is a compact CD-based digital camera released as
part of Sony's early optical-media Mavica series. It focused on
user-friendly archiving directly to 8cm CD-R/CD-RW discs and offered
TIFF/JPEG/MPEG recording formats with a 2.0MP CCD sensor and 3x optical
zoom.
[Captured On Floppy]
[Captured On Floppy]
Historical Context
- Release Date: 2002
- Lineage: Second-generation CD Mavica — smaller and more consumer-focused than the CD1000.
- Market Position: Mid-range consumer camera for families and mainstream users.
Key Features & Specifications
| Image Sensor | 2.0 MP, 1/2.7" CCD |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1600 × 1200 pixels |
| Lens | 3x optical zoom, 6.3–19mm f/2.8–2.9 (39–117mm equiv.) |
| Digital Zoom | 2x |
| Macro | Focus ~10cm |
| Storage | 8cm CD-R/CD-RW (156MB) |
| Image Format | JPEG, TIFF, MPEG (movie mode) |
| Shots per CD | Up to ~160 (JPEG, quality dependent) |
| Movie Mode | MPEG HQX, 320×240 |
| LCD | 2.5" TFT color |
| Battery | Sony NP-FM50 InfoLithium |
| Connectivity | USB, A/V out, DC in |
| Dimensions | Approx. 126 × 86 × 75 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 410 g (without battery/disc) |
| Software | Sony PictureGear for Windows |
| Release Price | ~$450 USD |
Detailed Features
Sensor & Image Quality
2MP CCD — adequate for 5×7" and 8×10" prints; offers JPEG/TIFF capture for flexibility.
Lens & Zoom
3x optical zoom (39–117mm equiv.) with macro for close-ups.
Storage & Transfer
Optical CD storage (156MB) — excellent archival capacity compared to floppies; rewritable CD support allowed reuse.
Display & Controls
2.5" LCD for framing and playback; icon-driven menus for straightforward operation.
Other
Pop-up flash with auto mode, self-timer, exposure compensation, and USB file transfer.
User Experience
- Image Quality: Good for casual and event photography of the era.
- Storage: CD media allowed hundreds of pictures per disc — great for archiving.
- Speed: CD writing is slower than removable flash media, but ideal for single-session archiving.
- Portability: Smaller than CD1000, easy to carry.
- Reliability: CDs are durable if handled cleanly; keep discs free of scratches.
Legacy & Impact
- CD for Everyone: Helped popularize optical-disc archiving for consumers.
- End of an Era: Among the last mainstream optical-media Mavicas before memory cards took over.
- Collector Value: Sought after for its compact CD workflow and as a late-stage Mavica collectible.
Comparison to Other Mavica Models
- CD1000: First-gen CD Mavica — larger, longer zoom range.
- CD250: Very similar to CD200 with small cosmetic/firmware differences.
- CD400/CD500: Higher-end models with better optics and higher resolution.
Manual & My Opinion
Download the official manual (PDF)
My Opinion:
I first saw a CD200 at a local camera swap in 2003 — watching it burn a disc on the spot felt like witnessing a practical, if short-lived, answer to the storage problem of the era. The CD200’s combination of direct-to-disc archiving and decent 2MP imaging made it an attractive choice for educators and event photographers who wanted a ready-to-share physical archive. It wasn't the endgame for storage tech, but it was an elegant bridge between removable-media experiments and the later flash-memory era.
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