Picture This: A Notebook That Takes Digital Photos

This season, a new batch of innovative products captures and preserves photo memories. The following items may be available in stores. Prices do not include shipping.

Point, click: Several years ago Sony came out with a micro-notebook computer that was also a digital camera--with the screen acting as the viewfinder. Now the company has enhanced the computer and the camera, making this the smallest, most powerful full-fledged PC on the market, with fine digital photography resolution.

The VAIO PCG-C1MV Picture-Book PC measures only 10 by 6 by 1.2 inches thick and weighs 2.2 pounds. But it comes loaded with the new Windows XP, a 733-megahertz Crusoe processor, 128 megabytes of RAM and a 20-gigabyte hard drive. It has an integrated V90 modem, a keyboard that is 90% of full size, plenty of ports and lots of preloaded software. The built-in camera is housed in the top bezel of the display. Aim the screen at your subject and press the capture button to snap a photo or record video. Another click launches a program that attaches the image or video to an e-mail.

Sony VAIO PCG-C1MV PictureBook PC lists for $1,999; (800) 282-2848, https://www.sonystyle.com.

Album with an attitude: The Talking Pictures Photo Album is the latest great gizmo from Sharper Image. Inside the 73/4-by-51/2-by-11/2-inch-thick vinyl album are clear plastic pages for two dozen 4-by-6 snapshots--and each page has a device for recording 10 seconds.

Talking Pictures Photo Album (GC600) is $29.95 from the Sharper Image; (800) 344-4444, https://www.sharperimage.com.

How dry it is: Otter Boxes are crushproof plastic containers with watertight silicon O-rings and compression latches that will keep your camera dry to a depth of 100 feet. The boxes are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Otter Boxes run $18 to $53. Information: (888) 695-8820, https://www.otterbox.com.

The shooting edge: Want to go digital with the same quality and flexibility of the most sophisticated single lens reflex cameras? Take out a mortgage on the new Nikon D1X. The camera accepts most regular Nikon lenses but requires a special Nikon flash, the SB-28DX or smaller SB-50DX, which are compatible with many Nikon SLRs.

I found the D1X easy to operate in automatic mode but also loaded with creative options, from pre-and post-shoot color and contrast adjustments to photo slide shows on the monitor. The camera comes with a rechargeable battery and charger, video cable and software. It accommodates CompactFlash digital film cards. At 21/2 pounds, excluding lens, this is heavy, but you can’t beat the 5.47-megapixel resolution, and digital film may be the only kind that won’t be damaged by airports’ new higher-powered X-ray machines.

Nikon D1X lists at $5,000. For information, contact Nikon; (800) 645-6687, https://www.nikonusa.com.

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