Nikon D3000

	Color Summary
• Disappointing color accuracy results • All color modes oversaturated to a greater or lesser extent, even Neutral and Standard modes • Problems with red, cyan and flesh tones • Accurately  reproduced hues for purple and green • Good overall long exposure results thanks to low image noise
	Product Tour	Page 3 of 17	Noise

Color Accuracy (11.86)

The D3000 scored very poorly in our color accuracy testing, due in part to the apparent decision to oversaturate every color mode in this entry-level consumer camera. The most accurate color mode is Neutral, yet even here colors are oversaturated to 108%, and in the Standard mode most users will probably be inclined to use, the oversaturation climbs to nearly 120%. As for reproducing hues, the camera did well with purple, orange yellow and green, but purplish blue, red and cyan were way off. Even flesh tones, which are handled well by most cameras we test, were noticeably wrong.

We test for color accuracy by shooting an X-Rite Color Checker chart under controlled 3000 lux studio illumination. We shoot in all available color modes, analyze the test photos using Imatest software, and score based on the best color mode results. Click here for more on how we test color

The chart below includes same-size crops taken from our sample photos from several inexpensive SLRs, each in the camera's best color mode.

	Camera Color Comparisons
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Dark Skin
Light Skin
Blue Sky
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Foliage
Blue Flower
Bluish Green
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Orange
Purplish Blue
Moderate Red
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Purple
Yellow Green
Orange Yellow
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Blue
Green
Red
	Ideal	Nikon D3000	Nikon D5000	Canon Rebel XS	Olympus E-620	Pentax K2000
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

Color Score Comparisons

As seen in the graph above, the Nikon D3000 delivered the least accurate color in our comparison group. We chalk this up in part to a conscious decision by someone at Nikon to oversaturate colors in an effort to please the presumably unsophisticated entry-level SLR buyer.

NOTE: We updated our testing and scoring procedures in January 2009. For comparison purposes, we re-tested several cameras we'd reviewed in 2008, producing the scores shown in the chart above for the Canon Rebel XS. However, the scores in the original reviews for the re-tested cameras remain unchanged, for consistency's sake.

Color Modes (4.00)

The Nikon D3000 supports the company's standard  Picture Control system, with settings that adjust saturation and hue along with sharpening, contrast and brightness. The six presets provided are Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape. These Picture Controls and their customization options are discussed in the Picture Effects section.

The following table shows actual-size samples from photos of the X-Rite ColorChecker chart taken with the D3000 using each color Picture Control setting, except for Monochrome. The left column shows the original chart colors; the color names are the ones used by X-Rite.

	Color Mode Comparisons
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Dark Skin
Light Skin
Blue Sky
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Foliage
Blue Flower
Bluish Green
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Orange
Purplish Blue
Moderate Red
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Purple
Yellow Green
Orange Yellow
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Blue
Green
Red
	Ideal	Standard	Neutral	Vivid	Portrait	Landscape
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan

NOTE: Because of the way computer monitors reproduce colors, the images above do not exactly match the originals found on the chart or in the captured images. The chart should be used to judge the relative color shift, not the absolute captured colors.

Long Exposure (10.52)

The D30000 performed reasonably well in our long exposure testing, which combines marks for color accuracy and image noise when shooting in low light, for exposures between 1 second and 30 seconds. Color accuracy still wasn't great, and even under low light colors were oversaturated, but noise was quite low, with and without noise reduction processing. Click here for more on how we test long exposure.

In the following chart the bars represent color error, so shorter bars indicate better performance. The color error shown here is substantial; by way of comparison, the Nikon D5000 color error measured roughly 25% lower. However, there isn't much variation in color reproduction as the shutter speed increases, which is a desirable result. 

Nikon D3000 Long Exposure Color Error

At an illumination level of just 20 lux, the D3000 noise performance is solid at under 0.8% across the board. Noise reduction didn't have much effect one way or the other (on some cameras, the digital processing actually makes the situation worse). Here again, a shorter bar indicates a better result. 

Nikon D3000 Long Exposure Noise

The Nikon D3000 trails the Canon Rebel XS and Nikon D5000 in our long exposure testing, but not by a wide margin, and entirely due to mediocre color accuracy. By contrast, the Olympus E-620 received the lowest score despite decent color accuracy due to very high image noise.

Long Exposure Score Comparison

NOTE: We updated our testing and scoring procedures in January 2009. For comparison purposes, we re-tested several cameras we'd reviewed in 2008, producing the scores shown in the chart above for the Canon Rebel XS. However, the scores in the original reviews for the re-tested cameras remain unchanged, for consistency's sake.