Compared to the Nikon Coolpix 995

Now we'll compare the DiMAGE 5 to a benchmark 3 megapixel digital camera, Nikon's Coolpix 995. Both cameras have 3 megapixel sensors (2048 x 1536 output size), the 995 has a 4x optical zoom lens, the DiMAGE 5 a 7x optical zoom lens. Both have similar features and manual controls.

Some crops below are of an 120 x 90 area of the image magnified 200%, the last one is a 240 x 180 crop. Lighting - 2 x 800W studio lights with dichroic daylight filters bounced off a white overhead reflector (about as close as you can get to "indoor daylight").

As per other samples in this review the DiMAGE 5 image has been converted to the sRGB colour space using the Minolta Image Viewer application [info]. You can download the original unconverted DiMAGE 5 image by clicking on the [original] link below.

Cameras setup:

• Minolta DiMAGE 5 - M-REC, Self Timer, Flash Off, ISO 100, Manual WB
• Nikon Coolpix 995 - M-REC(P), Self Timer, Flash Off, ISO 100, Sharpening: Normal, Manual WB

Minolta DiMAGE 5 (Resaved as sRGB) F4.5, 1/6 sec. 1,229 KB, [original]	Nikon Coolpix 995 (v1.6) F4.5, 1/5 sec. 948 KB

The DiMAGE 5 does a reasonable job, although you can see that the 995 has managed to squeeze a little more detail out of the 3 megapixel sensor. Observations:

• The DiMAGE 5's lens appears to be a little sharper, however its Bayer interpolation algorithm doesn't seem to be as smooth and detailed as the 995
• The DiMAGE 5 exhibits more noise than the 995
• Colours are on the whole similar, except that the DiMAGE 5's red patch does seem to be a little washed out
• Considering the DiMAGE 5's 7x optical zoom lens it really does do a reasonable job