Konica Minolta Dimage RD-3000

Konica Minolta Dimage RD-3000 ... 984 x 1, 360-pixel uncompressed TIF or finished JPEG images from a pair of 1.5-megapixel CCD imagers using a half-mirror prism. The prism splits the image into left and right halves, each of which is projected onto its own CCD. The two images are then seamlessly rejoined by Minolta's Image Stitching technology, becoming a single 2.7-million pixel image.

To downsize the part where the light passes through from the condenser lens to the half-mirror prism, three mirrors are included to bend the path three times. The second and third mirrors eliminate unnecessary infrared rays, without affecting the CCD's visible light sensitivity. Minolta's relay optical system allows light to pass through a low-pass filter at the optimum angle to suppress rainbow moire artifacts to a minimum.

The RD 3000 is ideal for both handheld and tripod-mounted shooting. It looks large and bulky but in reality it's fairly lightweight at around 1kg. The camera is both sturdy and durable with a tough magnesium alloy exterior; the interior is reinforced with stainless steel. Its rather unusual design gives you a stable and secure grip of the camera and the controls are well placed and easy to operate. Four exposure modes are available: (1) Programmed AE mode automatically selects the optimum exposure and shutter speed. (2) Aperture Priority, (3) Shutter Speed Priority [2 to 1/2000 sec], or (4) Full Manual [30 to 1/2000 sec shutter speeds]. Light conditions are measured by a 14-segment honeycomb-pattern metering system with a Spot metering option.