Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5
Review Date: April 25th 2005
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Features
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 has a 5.2 megapixel, 1/2.5 inch CCD that delivers 5 megapixels. There are four image sizes available (2560x1920, 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 640x480) which are recorded as JPEGs. There are no RAW or TIFF formats. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 features a 12x optical zoom lens that is equivalent to a 35–420mm lens on a 35mm format camera. There is also a 4x digital zoom should you feel the need to use it. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 uses Secure Digital (SD) or Multi Media memory cards. It features Konica Minolta's unique CCD-shift anti-shake mechanism, which allows you to take sharp photos at slower shutter speeds than other digital cameras (Konica Minolta claims up to eight times longer (3 stops))
There are a range of manual exposure modes on the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5, including Program, Aperture-priority and Shutter-speed priority and a fully Manual option which allows you to set both aperture and shutter speed. Auto Exposure lock is also available. In addition there are five different scene modes (Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, Sunset, Standard) and a fully auto mode. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 has three exposure metering modes (Multi-segment (256 segments), Spot, Center-weighted) and there are two types of focusing available (5-Point Wide Focus Area and Spot).
In Standard mode the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 can focus as close as 60cms from the subject. In Super Macro mode the camera can focus as close as 1cm from the subject. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 has four shooting modes (Single-shot AF, Continuous AF (with predictive focus control), Full-time AF and Manual focus). Focus lock is available in the Single-shot AF mode. There is a 10 second and 2 second self-timer mode. The built-in flash offers a range of different modes; Autoflash, Autoflash with red-eye reduction, Fill-flash, Slow shutter sync., Fill-flash, Fill-flash with red-eye reduction and Slow shutter sync. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 also has an accessory hotshoe that allows attachment of any of these flash units: the Program/Maxxum Flash 5600HS(D), 3600HS(D), or 2500(D).
The aperture range starts at f2.8 in wide-angle and f/4.5 in telephoto, and the shutter speed range is 4 secs. – 1/1000 sec. There are four ISO speeds ranging from 50 to 320. There are five different White Balance presets to choose from (Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Cloudy, Flash), plus an Auto setting and a Custom setting. There are four different colour modes available (Vivid Color, Natural Color, Monochrome, Sepia) and sharpness and contrast are both adjustable in 3 levels. Noise reduction is automatic. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 offers exposure compensation in ±2Ev in 1/3 EV stops and there is exposure autobracketing available in 0.5 or 0.3 Ev increments over 3 frames. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 has a 2 inch colour TFT LCD monitor, which has 114,000 pixels and an anti-reflective coating. There is also an Electronic viewfinder with dioptre control.
There are three movie settings available (640x480 FINE, 640x480 STD, 320x240) and two frame rates, 15fps or 30fps. You can use both the optical and digital zooms whilst recording a movie (something which a lot of cameras don't offer), and you can record audio in any of the movie modes. The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 employs the motion JPEG (MOV) format, compatible with both Windows and Macintosh. The Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching III and PictBridge printing standards are all supported to allow printing without a computer. There is a USB 2 port for 12Mbps data transfer with a USB2.0 compatible computer and both NTSC / PAL video outputs.
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5's dimensions are 108.5 x 80 x 84 mm, and it weighs 340g without batteries and storage cards fitted. The camera is powered by 4 AA batteries or the optional AC adapter via the 6V DC connector.
Finally, the standard box kit is fairly generous, containing four AA alkaline batteries, Neck Strap, Lens Cap, Hotshoe Cap, USB Cable, AV Cable, 16Mb SD-Card and the DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM. You will have to buy a couple of sets of rechargeable NiMH batteries, as the supplied AA alkaline batteries don't last very long at all. You will also need to budget for a memory card to store your 5 megapixel images on (at least 256Mb in size).
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PhotographyBLOG is a member of the DIWA organisation. Our test results for the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 have been submitted to DIWA for comparison with test results for different samples of the same camera model supplied by other DIWA member sites.