 Image of the Minolta RD-175 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Type | Digital SLR camera |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | A-mount |
| Focusing | |
| Focus | Automatic |
The Minolta RD-175 was an early digital SLR, introduced in 1995. Minolta combined an existing SLR with a three way splitter and three separate CCD image sensors, giving 1.2 megapixels (MP) of resolution.[1][page needed] The base of the DSLR was the Minolta Maxxum 500si Super (the Dynax 500si Super in Europe and as Alpha 303si Super in Asia). Agfa produced a version of the RD-175 retailed as the Agfa ActionCam.
The RD-175 was also notable as the first consumer digital camera to be used in a professional stop motion production, being used to create the full-motion claymation adventure video game The Neverhood.[2]
Technology
Since state of the art CCD resolution at the time was sufficient for Minolta, the light entering the central 12 mm × 16 mm area of the RD-175's focal plane was compressed by 0.56x relay optics behind the focal plane, similar to the optical reduction system used in the Nikon E series. The light bundled on the smaller sensor area increased the effective sensitivity (ISO) by 2+2⁄3 stops. Then the light was split and sent to three separate 4.8 × 6.4 mm sized 1200 × 800 pixel (3 × 0.3 MP) image sensors, two used for green and one for the red and blue color, reducing the sensitivity increase to about 2 stops. The only usable ISO was 800.[1][page needed]
The three images were combined digitally and interpolated to the final size of 12 MP (4243× 2828 pixels). Images were stored on an internal 128MB PCMCIA hard drive. The camera used Minolta AF A-mount lenses with a crop factor of 2.
See also
References
- ^ a b Minolta RD-175 Manual.
- ^ Schofield, Edward (3 May 2013). "Pencil Test Studios". Facebook. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
On The Neverhood, we used beta versions of the Minolta RD-175, one of the first digital SLR cameras. For you trivia buffs, The Neverhood was the first professional stop motion production to use consumer digital SLR's--something that is common for most productions today. --Ed
External links
- Minolta RD-175 on The Digital Camera Museum
- RD-175/Agfa ActionCam review by John Henshall
- Agfa ActionCam on Jarle Aasland's NikonWeb.com site
- Example images at Pbase.com
- Retrospective Review video on YouTube by V Nemeth
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This page was last edited on 8 May 2024, at 10:01