Konica Minolta Vectis 2000

Review Date
March 2, 2004

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
chico80x , Intermediate

Price Paid
$60.00 at eBay

Photography Experience
2-5 years , Outdoor

Summary
I bought this camera two months ago and I have to say that I'm very happy with it. The image quality is very good for a camera this size but this also depends a lot on where you get your film developed. All in all I'm very pleased with it and it meets my needs perfectly. However if you want crystal clear pictures go with an SLR and not a point and shoot. Again you cant expect great pictures if you take them to walgreens to get developed. I took a roll to a professional place around my house and was extremely happy.

Strengths
size, weight, style, compactness.

Customer Service
Haven't needed them

Review Date
May 20, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
chiendh , Expert

Price Paid
$70.00 at ebay

Photography Experience
11-20 years , People

Summary
A stylish APS camera when closed, but reveals the body design and APS format limitations when used.

Bought for the stylish design, but not really for much more. You can easily buy a $80 Olympus Stylus Epic that'll give you far better print quality, sharper images, and fit the pocket just about as compactly in a 35mm P&S camera while adding water resistance.

IF the image quality was super-sharp and great, it would be a keeper, but even at the $50-80 it sells for today online, it's not a bargin vs. let's say the Olympus Stylus Epic, and mostly for those people who drooled at having the stylish camera sit on their desks.

Better to simply order the Minolta brochure instead and keep it around for memories.

Strengths
Stylish when closed. Like holding a soap bar in your hands - smooth and curved.
All metal contruction.
Very good job at auto exposure all around with very good prints overall.

Weaknesses
When opened, you find yourself with an awkward layout. Your left hand fingers naturally fall on top of the pop up flash, thus preventing the flash from firing when it should. Bad if you forget to place your fingers elsewhere, but this is difficult because it's not a very comfortably gripped camera when it's been pulled open.
Pulled open, it's also a touch imbalanced due to the length and weight distribution for one-handed use.
Active AF has trouble at times with telephoto mode and far away objects. Doesn't quite know what to set the distance at times unless you force it into landscape mode.
APS format prints off Kodak 200 speed film is okay. Decent if you just want prints, but not even as sharp or as good as those off a Ricoh R1, Olympus Stylus or better 35mm format print.
This is simply the limitations of the APS format - not enough detail in such a small negative when blown up.
Quick viewers of prints won't mind - they'll be good enough to pass muster; picky photographers will wonder why everything's a touch less detailed than desired.
Can't get too close for close up shots ~1.6 ft. vs. closer on many P&S cameras.

Similar Products Used
Ricoh R1, Olympus Stylus

Review Date
May 30, 2001

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
Troy Danko , Expert , from Canton, OH

Price Paid
$70.00 at Target

Photography Experience
6-10 years , Outdoor

Summary
I was excited about this camera, its small, seemed pretty well built, had a good zoom range, utalized all the IX data, top of the line camera. Then I started getting the pictures back. Those that came out were not sharp at all. I say those that cam out because the metering on this camera is LOUSY. It drastically underexposed outdoor shots to the point where some of them had absolutely no image on the negative. It overexposed every indoor shot, without exception. I bought this camera for a trip I'm planning to the Caribean. If I wouldn't have tested it out before I left, and got these results on my vacation, I would have been really upset.

Strengths
Small Size when stored in you pocket but large enough to handle when shooting, Aluminum case, Very cool looking, Nice macro feature

Weaknesses
Feals fragile when opened, Masking in viewfinder can be hard to see, flash is in a very awkward position (it sits on a natural hand-hold), unexcusable metering, poor picture quality

Similar Products Used
Canon Elph, Canon Elph Lt, Nikon Nuvis 75i

Customer Service
n/a

Review Date
February 9, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by
Brad Umholtz , Intermediate , from Huntington, NY

Price Paid
$219.00 at Best Buy

Photography Experience
6-10 years , Outdoor

Summary
I was very happy with the camera at first. It was nice and compact to carry and features a protected lens. I was impressed with the quality of pictures. Nice and easy to switch from one frame size to another. Red eye reduction works great as well. I was upset when on vacation the camera broke. It just shut down and stopped functioning. I haven't had a chance to take it in yet as it just happened a few weeks ago. If the repair isn't too expensive, I'll have it fixed. If not I will look at a Cannon.

Strengths
Compact, easy to change frame sizes, good photo quality.

Weaknesses
Lens cover is fragile. Camera stopped working after 12 mos of use.

Customer Service
Not attempted yet!

Review Date
February 9, 2001

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by
Brad Umholtz , Intermediate , from Huntington, NY

Price Paid
$219.00 at Best Buy

Photography Experience
6-10 years , Outdoor

Summary
I was very happy with the camera at first. It was nice and compact to carry and features a protected lens. I was impressed with the quality of pictures. Nice and easy to switch from one frame size to another. Red eye reduction works great as well. I was upset when on vacation the camera broke. It just shut down and stopped functioning. I haven't had a chance to take it in yet as it just happened a few weeks ago. If the repair isn't too expensive, I'll have it fixed. If not I will look at a Cannon.

Strengths
Compact, easy to change frame sizes, good photo quality.

Weaknesses
Lens cover is fragile. Camera stopped working after 12 mos of use.

Customer Service
Not attempted yet!