Konica Minolta DiMage Z1

Review Date
December 19, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
freddieyeh , Casual

Price Paid
$160.00 at Taiwan

Summary
Konica Minolta Z1, is a little bit out of date when I buy it from a whole sale center. The price is quite good, almost similar to that point-and-shot, but 10x zoom attracts me. With its many manual modes, ultra speed shooting, DVD quality video, smart appearance, my goodness. What a price!

Strengths
Date imprint on photo (why no one mention this? quite important!)
10x Zooming during video mode, great!
Flip LCD / view finder, no problem at all
Large buttons, easy to use, to see
Manul modes..
Bright LCD in dark indoor

Weaknesses
No vibration compensation
Plastic case
No easy to find soft box (odd shape)

Similar Products Used
canon a70
canon g1
toshiba m70
sony p1
olympus 360L
olympus c900
fujifilm FP2600
Richoh 5000

Customer Service
no

Review Date
October 8, 2005

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Reviewed by
nikhar , Professional

Price Paid
$375.00 at Wal Mart

Photography Experience
11-20 years , People

Strengths
This camers feels nice in the hand. It simulates a 35 mm and has a little weight to it, which is nice. It really is necessary to buy the extension tube and the UV filter to keep the lens safe. Overall, the camera takes nice photos and the 10 optical zoom is a great feature.

Weaknesses
There is a lot of noise in lower light situations, but most point and shoot camers have this issue. My biggest issue with this camera is the red-eye reduction. It doesn't work! Even with a good degree of ambient lighting, there is still too much redeye, even using the red-eye reducttion feature. Also, when using a MINOLTA accessory flash, the exposures are unpredictable and leave a lot to be desired. It also had a tiny rattle to the lens housing, which was disconcerting.

Review Date
September 30, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
BryanD , Beginner

Price Paid
$0.00 at Costco

Photography Experience
0-1 years , Outdoor

Summary
This camera has made me love photography!

I have been using this camera for 10 months now. At first I was somewhat displeased with it's performance in low light conditions, when not using a flash. This perception was due to my own lack of knowledge of photography and I have since learned the right way to take indoor photos and when it is appropriate to use a tripod and/or flash.

I had no experience in photography before using this camera and I have received compliment after compliment on the photos I have taken with it. Being an avid naturalist, I have begun routinely taking this camera with me on hikes and I have to say the amazing zoom power has allowed me to take some photos I never thought possible. Everything from venomous snakes to birds of prey are now within reach thanks to this camera. Battery life is very very impressive thanks to the fact that it takes 4 AA batteries.

I recently took some photos of a friend's wedding that I had enlarged to 8x10. When I went to pick them up the clerk was amazed that they had been taken with a 3.2mp camera!

The only complaint that do I have, and you'll see this in a lot of reviews on this model, is the switch used to go between display and veiwfinder mode seems to be poorly designed. I have had mine lock up "in between modes" on more than one occasion but it is a minor annoyance.

My wife has been so impressed with the photos that she paid for me to take photography lessons. And although I am now using a $1000 DSLR, I still takes this camera with me because it is that good.

Strengths
Mega Zoom
Surprising quality from a 3.2mp
Awesome battery life!

Weaknesses
Low light scenarios take some getting used to.
Veiwfinder switch is poorly designed.

Similar Products Used
None

Customer Service
N/A

Review Date
August 8, 2004

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
3.20 of 5, 5 votes

Reviewed by
Snyfuss , Casual

Price Paid
$328.00 at Wal-Mart

Summary
For about 3 years, I've been using an Olympus D-360L (digital, 1.3 megapixel) which recently did not survive a 3-foot drop, so I looked for a 3-megapixel digital with 10x optical zoom and came up with the Minolta DiMage Z1. From the reviews and my limmited experience of two days, I believe the DiMage Z1 is an excellent camera except for the LCD/viewfinder switch. Several reviews questioned the reliability of the mechanical switch and on my second day with the camera, I found the suspicions warranted.

After a successful first day of playing with the camera, the switch became "stuck" in viewfinder mode. Several attempts at turning the camera on and off, changing the batteries, etc. did not correct the problem. After I bought the camera, I surfed the net and discovered that others have had the same problem with the LCD/viewfinder switch, although to varying degrees: sometimes the problem was infrequent; others, it caused the camera to be returned for replacement or refund.

Were it not for the LCD/viewfinder switch, I think the camera would be an excellent buy. The 10x optical zoom combined with the various picture-taking modes (e.g. macro, red-eye, etc.) seem to deliver excellent picture quality. Also, the time spent from zoom to autofocus to actually taking the picture is more than respectable.

The menu system is easy to navigate and the camera is feature rich. For example, the movie mode offers three resolutions and is limited only by the size of your memory card. In continuous mode, the camera saves only the most recent five pictures taken. Between this and the 10x optical zoom, the camera should be very useful for sports photography.

If the viewfinder/LCD switch problem is as common as it appears, then Minolta should do something to fix the problem (e.g. do a recall, extend the warranty for the cameras with switches which actually seem to work, etc.). Unless there is an indication that Minolta is aware of the problem and is taking steps to rectify it, I would not recommend this camera - which is too bad; otherwise, the camera seems like a gem.

Strengths
10x optical zoom
Excellent picture quality
Continuous mode saves 5 most recent shots
Easy-to-navigate menu system
LCD screen works well in low light (provided, of course, the camera doesn't get stuck in viewfinder mode)
Zoom, autofocus, and picture taking are reasonably fast

Weaknesses
The viewfinder / LCD switch became stuck in viewfinider mode

Similar Products Used
Olympus Camedia D-360L

Customer Service
The 800 number told me to call back during "normal business hours" and the web site did not provide any information about the "switch" problem.

Review Date
August 4, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
Silenced Raven , Intermediate

Price Paid
$260.00 at MP Superstore

Summary
This versatile camera is one of the handies cameras one can think of that provides the most professional performances for it's low price. Built in a futuristic look, the Minolta Dimage Z1 is one of the few cameras that guarantees you great photo shooting and quality whether you are catching a picture at high or low speeds in motion. It's fast auto focus system allows you to be able to capture pictures for those quick picture moments. Expandable with SD Memory, it allows you to take as many pictures or video as you please depending on the quality of the picture or video you take. You can film at 30fps or at 15fps allowing you to become your own movie producer. You are allowed full control when you put it on manual mode. It is the best camera i have purchased yet, and maybe the last.

Strengths
- Auto Focus
- 10x Optical Zoom
- SD Expandability
- Video/Audio capture
- Manual Mode (full control of exposure and shutter speeds, etc.
- Long Battery Life (with rechargeable batteries, original batteries that come with unit last very very short time)

Weaknesses
- Small lens rattle (does not affect image quality)
- A little heavy (i don't mind this, but some people do, i love the nice heavy feel to it)
- Sometimes difficult to take dark pictures without flash (tripod recommended for dark pictures without flash)