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Minolta Dimage RD3000 Unusual 2-CCD design produces a professional-level SLR digicam at an affordable price. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet Dimage RD3000 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Executive Overview :(Previous) | (Next): Viewfinder>> Page 3:Design Review First Posted: 5/23/2000

Design
No doubt about it, the Minolta RD 3000 is a hefty piece of gear, but this larger size accommodates the camera's internal prism system and its two 1/2 inch CCDs that work together to deliver an approximately 2.7 megapixel final resolution. The RD 3000's actual dimensions are 5.9 x 4.6 x 3.9 inches (150 x 117 x 101mm), and while the camera looks as though it ought to be very heavy, it's actually lighter than you'd think at 32.1 ounces (910g). (We expected a lot more heft when we picked it up initially.) With its accompanying neckstrap, we think that most users won't mind the larger size, given the amount of exposure control, lens flexibility, and image quality that it provides. Now let's take a look at the camera.

The front of the RD 3000 is very basic, featuring the Minolta V lens mount, lens release button, white balance sensor, remote control sensor and self-timer light. While the basic camera doesn't come with any lenses, the lens mount accepts most of the Vectis lenses, according to Minolta. Our test model came with a Minolta 22 to 80mm lenses, which we found very simple to remove and snap back into place. Other packages include a variety of lens, bundled with the camera itself. To remove a lens, hold down the lens release button and just turn the lens base until it pops out, the same way most film-based SLR camera lens mounts operate. On the right side of the camera front is the hand grip, whose only feature is a neck strap eyelet. The front of the handgrip is coated in hard rubber, giving you a very firm hold on the camera.

The left side of the RD 3000 holds a PC (flash sync) terminal, internal clock battery compartment, manual fill flash button, exposure compensation button, dioptric adjustment dial, video out terminal and SCSI connector. Our only minor complaint here is with the soft rubber cover that protects the SCSI connector and video out terminal. Since the cover isn't tethered to the camera in any way, it's easily knocked out of place (in fact, we knocked it off several times during our testing and were afraid we'd lose it).

The back panel of the RD 3000 features the SLR optical viewfinder, LCD monitor, small information display panel, CompactFlash slot and several control buttons (including the Menu, Set, QuickView and up and down arrow buttons). The DC power jack is also on the back panel, at the base of the handgrip.

The majority of the exposure controls are on the top panel of the camera, including the Drive, White Balance, Mode, Quality, Counter and Spot buttons. There's also the Program button, shutter button, small command dial, mode dial and the external flash shoe, which is protected by a sliding plastic cover (this cover is also not tethered to the camera but the fit is more secure than the SCSI cover and less likely to slide out of place by mistake). A design feature that we really liked is the lack of reliance on the LCD monitor. All of the exposure choices are controlled by a combination of the buttons on the top panel and the small command dial beneath the shutter button. The only LCD based menu is the Playback menu, so you save a great deal of battery power.

Finally, the RD 3000 features a nice, flat bottom that holds the battery compartment, another strap eyelet and the metal tripod mount. The large amount of real estate on the bottom means that the battery compartment is just far enough away from the tripod mount to provide easy access for quick battery changes while on the tripod or attached to a tripod mounting plate. The large flat bottom surface also makes for a very stable tripod mount, helping to minimize camera shake during long exposures.
While clearly not a pocket-sized digicam, we found the RD 3000 quite comfortable to hold and operate. While the ambient and flash exposure compensation adjustments were a little remote on the lower left-hand side of the camera, most of the controls were readily accessible. Some users could be intimidated by the number of buttons the user interface presents you with, but in actuality the one button/one function design makes for a very easy-to-operate camera. No fiddling around in multiple sub-menus on the LCD screen: You pretty much just press a button and rotate the command dial to select the desired setting.