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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 <<Video, Power, Software :(Previous) | (Next): Reference: Datasheet>> Page 12:Test Results & Conclusion Review First Posted: 5/23/2000

Test Results
In keeping with our standard policy, our comments here are rather condensed, summarizing our key findings: For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the RD 3000's "pictures" page.

As with all Imaging Resource camera tests, we encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the devices performed: Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how well the RD 3000 performed, and how its images compare to other cameras you may be considering buying.

We found the RD 3000 to be a very interesting camera: It clearly isn't a camera aimed at the casual shooter, but rather at the professional photographer, and probably one doing studio work. As such, some of its characteristics are different from what you might find on a consumer-oriented product. The most salient of these is probably its color handling, which some viewers will find to be undersaturated. On an objective scale, the color is in fact undersaturated, but that may be a benefit in many situations: In particular, the RD 3000 produced beautiful skin tones, with none of the "hotness" many consumer digicams (and even high-end professional SLRs) tend to produce: We could see the RD 3000 making an excellent camera for studio portraits. Saturation adjustments in the computer using Photoshop(tm) can significantly compensate for the lower overall saturation of the images in those situations where you want the brighter color. By contrast, the problem of over-saturation is not so easily dealt with, as detail is lost in high-contrast, high-saturation subjects that can't be recovered once it's gone. Overall, accurate color is the ultimate objective, but we'd generally take under-saturation rather than over-saturation any day, if we had to choose.

Where the RD 3000 really shone is in its unusually low image noise, excellent shadow detail, and overall tonal range. We were consistently impressed with the clean shadows in our test shots, and the amount of detail preserved there. Resolution was also very good, and the camera is almost entirely free of colored artifacts in areas of high spatial frequency and detail. (Thanks to its two-chip CCD design.) We called the RD-3000's resolution at about 750-800 lines per picture height in the horizontal direction, and 700 lines per picture height in the vertical direction. At in areas of very fine parallel lines, we saw a slight checkerboard pattern, probably an effect of the interpolation scheme used. This only appeared in our resolution test shots though, and not in any of our "real" test subjects.

The RD-3000 did exceptionally well in our low-light tests, in fact turning in about the best performance to date (Mid-May, 2000) of any camera we've tested, including even the Nikon D1 professional SLR. Color balance and noise were exceptionally good all the way down to the lowest limits of our testing, a light level of only 1/16 of a foot-candle. (For comparison, typical city night scenes have about 1 foot-candle of illumination.)

Minolta's spec sheet for the camera rates the through-the-lens "SLR" viewfinder of the RD 3000 at about 95% accuracy, but we didn't find it to be that accurate, at least with the lens we had on our test unit: Our own measurements showed about 85% frame coverage at wide angle, and 87% at telephoto. Not bad, but we'd like to see better, particularly on a high-end SLR like the RD-3000.

Macro performance will be entirely dependent on the lens you use with the camera, and the 22-80mm zoom we had with our test unit didn't focus all that close. The minimum coverage area it could achieve was only 5.95 x 4.08 inches (151.18 x 103.63 mm), not terribly impressive by today's standards. On the other hand though, Minolta does sell a purpose-built 50mm macro lens in its Vectis line that would undoubtedly do much better.

At the bottom line, the RD 3000 offers detailed images with exceptional tonal range and noise performance, albeit with somewhat muted color saturation. Photographers opinions of it will probably depend a lot on their approach to color: Fuji Velvia shooters (a very highly saturated transparency film) will probably dislike its color. On the other hand, the significant body of photographers generally fed up with todays infatuation with hyper-saturation will probably breathe a sigh of relief, and buy it for its excellent tonal range and understated color handling. Not a camera for everyone, but if you appreciate a wide tonal range and subtle color, you'll find a lot to like!



Conclusion
Given its bulk, feature set and price, the RD 3000 clearly isn't a camera intended for the casual picture-snapper. On the other hand, its options for interchangeable lenses, excellent tonal range, and understated color handling make it well suited for professional use, particularly for portraiture or other situations where smooth skin tones, good shadow detail and low image noise are important. Full manual exposure control, a very clean user interface (thanks to all those buttons), and dual flash connections lend versatility that we think many serious users will appreciate.