Konica Minolta Dimage A2
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CNET Editors' Review
- Reviewed by: Eamon Hickey
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- Reviewed on:
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The good: New standard in EVF quality; fast-shooting design and performance; Anti-Shake image stabilization; manual zoom ring; excellent manual focus system.
The bad: Inefficient controls for white balance and ISO; 30-second RAW+JPEG shot-to-shot time; nonstandard hotshoe; lackluster continuous-shooting specs; LCD doesn't swivel.
The bottom line: Generally efficient design, top-tier performance, and features galore make the A2 a top choice for resolution-hungry enthusiasts.
To help manage this camera's bewildering array of features, you can store five sets of global settings. A simple two-step procedure will pull up any of your designated setups.The Konica Minolta Dimage A2 offers a daunting list of features. The A2's most prominent among them is the camera's 7X apochromatic GT zoom lens, which covers a multipurpose range of 28mm to 200mm (the 35mm-film equivalent) and opens to a variable maximum aperture of f/2.8 to f/3.5. The A2's unique Anti-Shake image-stabilization system, which works by shifting the CCD rather than using the more typical arrangements that combine gyro sensors with movable lens elements, is also big news. Like the A1, the A2 can capture TIFF, JPEG, and RAW files, but the A2 can also capture RAW+JPEG simultaneously, a work-flow enhancement hitherto available on only a handful of pro dSLR cameras. You can choose among six image resolutions and three JPEG compression levels. The included Dimage Viewer software generates RGB images from your RAW files, and it offers decent RAW-conversion controls on Windows and Mac machines. Konica Minolta boosted the A2's maximum MJPEG video resolution from the A1's 320x240 pixels to 544x408 pixels at 30 frames per second (fps). This camera can also record clips with sound up to six minutes long. The A2's comprehensive exposure-control options include all four traditional exposure modes; four scene modes; manual light-sensitivity settings up to ISO 800; multisegment, center-weighted, and spot light-metering systems; exposure compensation to plus or minus 2EV; a live-image histogram; and exposure bracketing. White-balance controls include auto, six presets with tweakable color temperatures, and the ability to save up to three custom measurements. Equally comprehensive are the in-camera image adjustments. The A2 supports Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces. There are 3 levels of sharpening, 11 levels of contrast and color saturation, and a plethora of color filter effects. You can bracket saturation, contrast, and filter effects in three-shot sequences. There's also the same long-exposure noise-reduction function, which works by dark-frame subtraction, as we've seen in many high-resolution cameras. The A2's lens accepts 49mm screw-on accessories, including new 0.8X wide-angle and 1.5X telephoto converters. There's a PC terminal for studio flashes and a nonstandard hotshoe for Minolta external flashes. The A2 can perform wireless multiflash exposure control with compatible Minolta off-camera flashes.The Konica Minolta Dimage A2 betters the A1's already excellent performance, and the new 922,000-pixel electronic viewfinder is a big part of that improvement. It's the first we've seen, in fact, that we could stand to use on a regular basis. The EVF looks far smoother and sharper than any other we've tried, and it responds gracefully to changes in scene illumination and metering. The 1.8-inch LCD is reasonably sharp and easy to see outdoors, though like the Olympus C-8080WZ's, it can only tilt, not swivel. Both the EVF and the LCD show virtually 100 percent of the actual image. User ReviewsSee all user reviewsMost Helpful User Reviewstars 21 of 21 users found this review helpful "Excellent 8MP camera for novice or professional" By abvbynd02Pros This is an easy to use camera if you want to just point and shoot, but excels if you are a more serious photographer. The anti-shake feature and EVF are awesome. Cons You must take the time to read the manual, or don't complain! Summary I have used this cameras for over 6 months. Coming from a strictly 35mm background, I am very imnpressed with the overall performance fo this camera, and the quality of pictures. Printing them (if you wish) is very easy, as is storing them on your computer using the USB cable. ... Expand full review Most Recent User Reviews (Showing 2 of 78 reviews)Where to BuyPricing not available Compare to Editors' Top sSee All Best s Where to BuyPricing not available 
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