Minolta DiMAGE S414DiMAGE technology and optics in a compact, stylish four megapixel design.<<Video, Power, Software :(Previous) | (Next): Reference: Datasheet>> Page 12:Test Results & ConclusionReview First Posted: 07/31/2003 |
Test Results
In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only
my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the
DiMAGE S414's "pictures" page.
As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how the S414's images compare to other cameras you may be considering.
- Color: The S414 did a really excellent job with color (arguably
the best I've seen to date from a Minolta digicam), producing pleasing, nearly
accurate color in just about all of my test scenarios. Skin tones looked very
good, and the always-difficult blue flowers of the outdoor portrait came out
nearly right, and were just a bit dark in the Indoor Portrait shot. The camera's
Incandescent and Manual white balance options handled the incandescent lighting
of the Indoor Portrait test quite well, a very tough test indeed. The large
color blocks of the "Davebox" test were nearly accurate, with good
saturation. Under the glaring sun of the Outdoor Portrait test, I found the
Vivid color adjustment did a good job of preserving saturation under the very
harsh lighting, something to remember to try if you end up buying this camera.
Overall, a very good performance!
- Exposure: The S414's exposure system generally did well,
but had a tendency to overexpose the shots at times. (I noticed this in the
studio shots of the Davebox target, and in the outdoor "far-field"
shot of the house. The camera also produced rather high contrast under the
harsh lighting of the Outdoor Portrait, though the low contrast adjustment
did a good job bringing up the midtones. Shadow detail was typically good,
but bright highlight detail was very limited. On my "Davebox" test,
the S414 distinguished the subtle pastel tones on the Q60 target well, but
required a -0.3 EV exposure compensation adjustment to yield the correct exposure.
The indoor portrait shots required full stop of positive exposure compensation,
but this is typical of most digicams I test, due to the bright background.
The S414 required less positive exposure compensation on the Outdoor Portrait
test than is usually required. Overall, the exposure system is a minor weak
point, I would really have liked to see it be more accurate/consistent than
it was.
- Resolution/Sharpness: The S414 performed very well on the
"laboratory" resolution test chart. It started showing artifacts
in the test patterns at resolutions as low as 800 lines per picture height,
in both horizontal and vertical directions. I found "strong detail"
out to at least 1,150 lines. "Extinction" of the target patterns
didn't occur until about 1,300 lines.
- Closeups: The S414 performed well in the macro category,
capturing a minimum area of 3.06 x 2.3 inches (78 x 58 millimeters). Resolution
was very high, with strong detail in the dollar bill, coins, and brooch. Details
were slightly soft in the background and dollar bill, likely due to a limited
depth of field. Overall color was good, as was exposure. The S414's flash
had trouble throttling down at close shooting distances though, and overexposed
the shot. (Plan on using external illumination for the closest macro shots.)
- Night Shots: The S414 offers optional full manual exposure
control, and an adjustable ISO setting, which results in strong low-light
shooting capabilities. Surprisingly too, the S414's autofocus system works
well down to light levels of 1/4 foot-candle and even a bit below, even though
it doesn't have an autofocus-assist illuminator. - That's about 1/4 the brightness
of a city night scene, under typical street lighting. The S414 produced clear,
bright, usable images down to the 1/16 foot-candle (0.67 lux) limit of my
test, with good color at the 100, 200, and 400 ISO settings. At ISO 64, exposures
were bright as low as 1/8 foot-candle (1.1 lux), though you could arguably
use the shot taken at 1/16 foot-candle. Color was good, if not a little cool,
with the Auto white balance. Noise was low at the lowest sensitivity setting,
but climbed with increasing ISO, becoming objectionable at the ISO 400 level.
- Viewfinder Accuracy: The S414's optical viewfinder was
a little tight, showing only about 83 percent of the frame at both wide-angle
and telephoto zoom settings. The LCD monitor proved much more accurate, showing
nearly 100 percent accuracy at both zoom settings. Given that I like LCD monitors
to be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the S414's LCD monitor
is essentially perfect in that regard, but I'd really like to see a more accurate
optical viewfinder, to encourage its use and help conserve battery power.
- Optical Distortion: Optical distortion on the S414 was
slightly better than average at the wide-angle end, where I measured an approximate
0.7 percent barrel distortion. The telephoto end fared much better, as I couldn't
find even a pixel of barrel or pincushion distortion. The S414's lens is very
sharp corner to corner, with only a little softness in the upper right-hand
corner, and chromatic aberration is very low, showing only very slight coloration
on either side of the target lines. (This distortion is visible as a very
slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view
on the resolution target.) Overall, the S414 has one of the best lenses I've
seen on a consumer digicam.
- Battery Life: The S414 is a relatively power-hungry camera, although the latest high-capacity NiMH AA cells can potentially provide worst-case run times approaching two hours, not a bad number at all. Running with the LCD off cuts power more than in half, but the optical viewfinder is only average in its accuracy, meaning you'll have to resort to the LCD for critical framing. Definitely plan on purchasing at least two sets of high-capacity NiMH cells and a good-quality charger along with your S414. See my Battery Shootout page for the latest info on how various brands and models of rechargeable AA cell batteries perform, and read my review of the Maha C-204F charger to learn why it's my longtime favorite.
Conclusion
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Minolta's DiMAGE line of digicams includes some of the
better values in digital cameras currently on the market. The S414, just like
the S404 before it, is no exception to the rule. With its 4.0-megapixel CCD,
optional full manual exposure control, and variety of shooting modes, it's a
versatile camera well-suited to a wide range of users. Novices will appreciate
its fully automatic exposure mode, as well as its modest assortment of preprogrammed
"scene" modes. For more advanced users, the S414 provides an unusually
wide range of exposure and color adjustments. The 4x zoom lens offers a bit
longer reach than the 3x zoom found on most of its competition, as well as unusually
sharp, clear images. (In my experience, the lenses on Minolta's high-end consumer
digicams are really second to none.) The improved image processing and shooting
speed are excellent enhancements, and the new live histogram display is a bonus
as well. The most important bottom line is image quality though, and the S414
delivers some of the best-looking images I've yet seen from a Minolta digicam.
Overall, the DiMAGE S414 is one of the best bargains in the market, an excellent
choice for anyone looking for a solid performer with good image quality and
plenty of options. Highly recommended.
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