The Future of Big

The History of Big – and Where Do We Go From Here?
Kodak DCS 620 circa 1999
In the late 1990's Kodak built the forerunners of today's pro DSLRs. These included the 2 Megapixel DCS 620 and subsequent models such as the 6 Megapixel 760. The earliest Kodak pro DSLRs had electronics modules attached the way accessory motor drives used to be. But by the time of the DCS 620 F5 bodies were being modified with integrated electronics so as to be a one piece camera body. This lead to the Nikon D1 of 1999, Nikon's first DSLR of their own design and the pregenitor of today's pro body designs.

There were Canon 1 Series based models as well. A history of Kodak's early pro digital cameras, the ones that started it all, can be foundhere.

The reason that these new bodies were as large as they were was not because anyone partocularly wanted them to be that bulky and heavy, but because they needed to be. It was simpy impossible to put all of the electronics and required batteries needed to bui...