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"Quite the little camera!" on by bigdood
Pros: ease of use, quality of imaging, ergonomically designed
Cons: smallish monitor screen, grainy viewfinder image
Summary: Having learned photography many years back with the old standard Minolta SRT-101 (remember when?), and knowing that I had taken over 200,000 images with that one durable camera, when it came time to choose between Konica-Minolta, Kodak, and Canon cameras, I chose the Konica-Minolta. I have not been disappointed.
The interface is easy to learn and to use. After having the camera less than a week, I can already use every one of the features... a testament to great engineering. One word sums this camera up... FUN. There are enough bells and whistles to keep the avid photographer interested, a super-duper 32X zoom (8X optical, 4X digital), and a 21st century case. The quality of the 3.2 megapixel images is EXCELLENT for a camera in this range. The shots tend to be a little red when indoors under fluorescent lights, so plan accordingly.
30 years shooting pictures... and this camera is already one of my all-time favorites. Great job, K-M! -
"This camera is the best for under $300!" on by teamwicks
Pros: Tremendous zoom; a photographer's best friend!
Cons: Small 16 mb memory card but easy to upgrade.
Summary: My first camera was a fuji finepix 2650 with 2.0 megapixels. This camera has 3.2 megapixels which is plenty. I use standard mode and even with a 16mb chip can capture 70 - 80 crisp photos. By giving moderate megapixel but superior zoom, this camera is a great buy. I prefer it to my friend's 4.0 megapixel Olympus. Super easy to use, great flash, stabilization is very helpful on zooms, simple menus, and a nice sport mode for action. I will say that all of my photos are for email, home videos and slide shows, but this camera is suitable for prints of professional quality. This is a great gift for realtors, adjustors, teachers, and just for fun!!!
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"Better value than any product at this price-point" on by sky_faller
Pros: Fast startup, long zoom, manual controls, 1cm macro, reasonable noise, accepts filters, usable flash, uses AAs, non-proprietary media
Cons: lens starts at 36mm equivalent, AF slow in low light, somewhat bulky, slightly quirky interface
Summary: KM's Z10 delivers unparalelled value. Its 8x optical zoom, fast start-up, 1cm minimum macro mode, good shutter lag and flash recharge, and great battery life (with 4 AAs) are not matched by anyone else.
KM even threw in some "serious camera"-like features, like lens barrel threads that accept 43mm filters, diopter adjustment, and a tripod mount in-line with the lens. The "Switch Finder" (flipping the LCD up to make a poor man's EVF) allows for nearly-WYSIWYG composition in very direct sunlight (or whenever you'd need an optical viewfinder).
A suite of manual controls is thrown in- ISO, White Balance, Exposure (A,S, and M modes), Flash compensation, and of course, focus are available to the budding photographer.
Futher, the Z10's futuristic styling ensures that the fashion-conscious will get the accolades they want.
The lens suffers from pincushion and barrel distortion, but is relatively free of dark corners and chromatic aberration is kept under control. The starting point of 36mm equivalent may be undesirable for a few people.
Images are quite good for this category, with reasonable noise even at ISO 400. Colors are pleasing, if a touch oversaturated, the white balance is usually decent, and detail and sharpness are excellent for 3MP. Macro is superlative for the budget price-point. Ultimately, the Z10 does quite well, trailing only the competition from Canon.
Durability is a mixed bag: the lens is self-contained, with no moving parts exposed to the elements, and the LCD screen is well-protected as well. Unfortunately, the SD card is fairly exposed and there are concerns about the durability of the switch-finder.
The user interface is decent, though not particularly intuitive. KM uses many menus, so you don't have to scroll down through any, but it takes a bit longer to mess with settings than on a similarly-priced Canon, HP, or Sony. In KM's defense, they do allow users to change the "Flash" button to change other settings (like focus mode or sensitivity).
All in all, the best bang for your buck in the budget category. -
"A Digital Camera for Dummies" on by sgtdoug10
Pros: Lightweight, good ergonomics, user-friendly, great photos
Cons: No lens cap tether
Summary: The government entity for which I work recently bought two Konica-Minolta Z10. I was assigned to work with them, and teach everyone else how to use it. Much to my amazement, these cameras have proved themselves to be far better than we expected.
First of all, the Konica-Minolta DiMAGE Z10 is really a cool-looking camera. The space-age ergonomic design, smooth lines and light weight of the Z10 make it easy to hold and operate. The design gives it a very nice lens set for some top quality photographs, especially for this class, and the threaded lens barrel allows the use of filters and wide-angle lens attachments.
Our two cameras are shared among twenty people, most of whom have very little camera experience. Fortunately, the Minolta Z10 does not have a very steep learning curve, at least for the basic functions. The most frequent issue we have had with it is, “How do you turn it on?” The power button, located in the center of the play/record switch, is not clearly marked for the uninitiated. But once they find it, the camera powers up quickly. It is very user-friendly, with most of the primary functions easily mastered by the novice. The controls are well-placed and generally easy to figure out, even without referring to the instructions. Auto-focus and automatic exposure control make the Z10 a straightforward point-&-shoot camera; manual settings are available for the more persnickety folks who want more control over their photos. Time between shots is minimal.
3.2 megapixels is adequate for our work, and the purchase of additional hi-capacity SD media cards to supplement the 16 meg card that comes with it gives us plenty of shots. Battery life for the Z10 is excellent. Four AA alkalines are included, but as most of us know, alkalines are only for emergencies. Two sets of rechargeable NiMH’s are recommended.
The LCD viewscreen is somewhat small at 1.5 inches, but it has a sharp display that does not wash out in bright light. A tilting feature would be advantageous but you’re not going to find one in this price range. The optical viewfinder, a unique system better described by the professional reviewers, gives a clearer view in tricky lighting, and helps steady the camera for long shots.
The flash works well for most indoor shots. There is no mount for an external flash, so if one is needed, a slave unit must be used (a sensor on the slave unit causes it to flash when it detects the camera’s built-in flash). The video feature is useful, but it has no audio and this is a drawback. The 8x optical zoom is likewise helpful, as is the macro (many on our team were quite impressed with some of the macro shots we were able to get).
Only one issue has caused some gripes—-the lens cap. There is no tether on the cap, nor anyplace on the strap to affix it, so you must slip it in your pocket while taking pictures. Needless to say, the cap frequently gets misplaced.
Despite its lightweight construction, the Z10 has held up well to bumps and jostling, and we have gotten a quite a collection of very good pictures. We have found the Konica-Minolta Z10 to be a remarkable performer at a surprisingly low price. -
"there is not a better camera for the price!" on by ctadams10462
Pros: 8x optical zoom, multiple programs, higher res. movie mode to pull pics from right on the camera. Brightest flash ever.
Cons: no sound in movie mode( would have made the perfect 3.2meg camera!
Summary: This camera rocks! Takes awsome pictures, having a 8x zoom means you dont have to be close to the subject where the flash could white them out. Batteries last a long time, recommend rechargeables. Power on time is instant! And being able to pull stills out of the movie mode right on the camera is really cool!
Got mine at walmart for 197.98.
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