Minolta 3D 1500 | $1979.95 | |  |
The Minolta 3D 1500 is a complete hardware/software package that combines a quality Minolta digital camera with MetaCreation's innovative MetaFlash 3D image production technology. It offers all the tools needed to produce photorealistic 3D images which can be transmitted quickly over the Internet and manipulated by the viewer. Easy-to-use and affordably priced, the Minolta 3D 1500 promises to vastly reduce the time and expense of creating 3D content. Integrating MetaCreations MetaFlash attachment between the camera body and the lens unit, the Minolta 3D 1500 is an easy-to-use 3D image input device that is as compact as any standard digital camera. It does not require any complicated system or extensive setup, and each shot gets conveniently saved on a removable CompactFlash memory card.
Producing photorealistic 3D models has never been easier than with the 3D 1500. Simply take multiple shots of your subject, transfer the shots to your PC, then assemble the various perspectives together to produce the complete 3D model. MetaFlash Studio -- a full-scale, triangle-based software for naturally-shaped 3D object modeling -- is included in the 3D 1500 to help you with your work at each stage. Capturing images with the 3D 1500 is as simple as taking a picture with any other digital camera. Just aim at the object and press the shutter-release button, and that is it. The 3D 1500 flashes twice -- once to capture the surface texture, and another to capture the geometry of the subject -- and images can then be easily confirmed using the unit's built-in 5cm LCD monitor. The high image quality of the 3D 1500 allows you to capture accurate models of naturally-shaped surfaces such as human faces, sculptures, and more. After transferring shots from the CompactFlash card to your PC, the included software reconstructs your shots into 3D objects.
MetaFlash Studio includes a wide array of editing functions, including tools for locating areas to edit and for polishing the geometry of 3D objects. A powerful set of view-management tools enables you to view objects from various perspectives. Furthermore, a series of rendering modes allows you to view your images in different ways -- as a wire frame, as a solid figure in grayscale, and more. The multiple undo features provide the means to easily track and erase imaging edits.
MetaStream ia also included and is an open file format that optimizes the transmission of your finished projects over the Internet. Not only are MetaStream files extremely compact, but they can also be adjusted by viewers to speed up downloading time. MetaStream is available as a free plug-in for Internet Explorer or Netscape Communicator, and its file contents can be viewed and manipulated by both Windows and Macintosh users.
For Web developers, the 3D 1500 represents an affordable, easy-to-use means to produce attention-grabbing images for their websites. Interactive models of products can be placed on commercial sites, providing shoppers with images they can rotate and zoom in on to get a better look. Museums and other institutions will also benefit from the 3D 1500s incredibly streamlined production process when creating online exhibits of their collections. For creative professionals, the 3D 1500 can be used to generate photorealistic images in record time, and these files have the added advantage of being exportable to most of the popular 3D modeling software systems.
Features- Compact and simple to set up
- User-friendly photorealistic 3D modeling
- Easy capture of high-quality 3D images
- Diverse editing and viewing functions
- Quick-to-download MetaStream format
- Excellent for a wide variety of applications
- Broad compatibility with other 3D graphics software
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