Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Review

March 2005 | Simon Joinson

Review based on a production Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5

Announced in January 2005 just before the PMA exhibition in Orlando, the Dimage Z5 is the latest addition to the big-zoom DiMAGE Z range to feature the CCD-shifting Anti-Shake system seen on the A2/A200 and Maxxum 7D Digital SLR. Aside from a 5MP sensor and a couple of minor specification tweaks, the DiMAGE Z5 is almost identical to the Z3 (launched July 2004), and the new model goes head-to-head with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, a very similarly-specified camera launched within a few days of the Konica Minolta.

12x optical Mega Zoom and 4x digital zoom
CCD-shift Anti-Shake System
Fastest-in-class*1 Rapid AF with Predictive Focus Control
5.0-megapixel CCD
CxProcess III image processing technology
High-resolution, shake-free VGA movies
Large 2.0-inch LCD, compact body, and fast response
Super Macro mode for shooting subjects as close as 1 cm from the lens

Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Key specifications

Street price	• US: $470 • UK: £290
Body Material	Plastic & metal
Sensor	• 1/2.5" CCD, 5.2 million total pixels • 5.0 million effective pixels
Image sizes	• 2,560 x 1,920 • 2,048 x 1,536 • 1,600 x 1,200 • 640 x 480
Movie clips	• 640 x 480 Fine (15 / 30 fps) • 640 x 480 Standard (15 / 30 fps) • 320 x 240 Standard (15 / 30 fps) • All with audio • Limited only by storage space • Night capture mode available
Lens	• 35 - 420 mm equiv. (12x optical zoom) • F2.8 - F4.5 • APO GT, 13 elements in 10 groups
Focus	• Video AF system • 5-point wide focus area • Wide focus area / Spot focus area with Focus Area Selection • Single-shot AF • Continuous AF (with predictive focus control) • Full-time AF • Manual focus • Focus lock available in Single-shot AF • Macro focus: 0.1m (wide), 1.2m (tele) • Super Macro mode 1cm (0.4 inches)
Shooting mode	• Programmed AE • Aperture priority • Shutter priority • Manual • Portrait • Sports • Landscape • Sunset • Night portrait • AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps • AE Bracketing (3 frames, 0.3 or 0.5EV steps)
Shutter Speeds	• Program AE: 2 - 1/1000 sec • Aperture Priority / Shutter priority / manual: 4 - 1/1000 sec • Scene modes: 2 - 1/1000 sec
Apertures	• Wide: F2.8, F3.2, F3.5, F4.0, F4.5, F5.0, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8.0 • Tele: F4.5, F5.0, F5.6, F6.3, F7.1, F8.0
Sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 50,100,200,320
White Balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Flash • Custom (manual)
Image parameters	• Contrast (3 levels) • Sharpness (3 levels) • Color mode (2 levels, b&w, sepia)
Continuous	• Normal: 2.2 fps (6 frames @ 2560 x 1920; Standard) • Ultra High Speed: 10 fps (20 frames @ 1024 x 768) • Progressive mode: (stores last frames captured instead of first)
Flash	• Pop-up (manual) • Modes: Auto, Auto with red-eye reduction, Fill flash, Slow sync • Compensation: +/-2 EV in 1/3 EV steps • Hot Shoe for external flash (Minolta Dynax/Maxxum style fitting) • Flash GN: (ISO 100 equivalent) 8 (m) / 26.2 (ft.)
Storage	• SD/MMC • 16 MB SD supplied
Viewfinder	• Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) with -3 to +1 dioptre control • 0.3", 114,000 pixels • 16.9 mm eye relief
LCD monitor	• 2.0 " TFT LCD • 114,000 pixels
Connectivity	• USB 2.0 (Full-speed only; USB 1.1 equiv.) • A/V out • DC-IN
Power	• 4 x AA Alkaline or NiMH batteries, NiMH recommended • (Optional AC adapter)
In the box	• DiMAGE Z5 digital camera • Neck Strap NS-DG7000 • Lens Cap LF-243 set • Accessory Shoe Cap SC-1000 • AV Cable AVC-700 • 16MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card • USB Cable USB-2 • DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM • Four AA Alkaline batteries
Other features	• Spot, Center-weighted & Multi-pattern (256 segment) metering • CCD shift Anti-Shake system • 2 or 10 second self-timer • Exif Print, PIM III, PictBridge and DPOF compatible • Live Histogram • Optional 0.75x Wide-angle Converter ZCW-300 (26mm equiv.)
Weight (excl batt)	340 g (12 oz)
Dimensions	108.5 x 80 x 84 mm (4.3 x 3.1 x 3.3 in)

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area

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