DiMAGE A1 is the most feature rich and flexible prosumer digital camera
Written: Aug 05 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
|
|
| Battery Life: |
|
|
| Photo Quality: |
 |
|
| Shutter Lag |
 |
|
|
Pros: * Delivers pleasing 'film like' images with average resolution
Cons: * Noise increases at slower shutter speeds and especially long exposures
The Bottom Line: So which one should I buy? A question I asked several times a day, and I wouldn't like to say. You'll know only when you get to try it out.
|
|
|
| sandisct's Full Review: Konica Minolta DiMAGE A1 Digital Camera |
There's little doubt that the DiMAGE A1 is the most feature rich and flexible prosumer digital camera currently available. Indeed it has a range of flexibility beyond that of most digital SLR's. It's a camera designed as a photographers tool, and one which can fit a wide variety of roles with the ability to deliver output suited to almost any specific photographers requirements.
Build and design are excellent, control placement is very good and you can access the majority of camera settings from buttons on the outside of the camera (so no shuffling through the menus to set ISO or white balance), additionally the CUST position on the function dial can also be customized. Minolta has proven that it listens to owners and reviewers and has implemented several fixes and new features which was clearly based on that feedback.
The DiMAGE A1 is also unique in its Anti-Shake implementation, the novel ideal of stabilizing the CCD sensor instead of a lens element means that the camera is no larger or heavier and that the lens design can remain the same. And it works, Minolta's Anti-Shake system provides you with at least a stop (sometimes two) of slower shutter speeds in a hand held situation.
As a package the DiMAGE A1 is hard to beat, a high quality wide angle zoom lens, Anti-Shake, a strong metal body with good ergonomic design, powerful Lithium-Ion battery, excellent feature set, fully customizable and yet smaller and lighter than any digital SLR with an equivalent zoom lens. On this basis alone the DiMAGE A1 would cruise to one of my 'Highly Recommended' ratings.
Unfortunately it's not as easy as that, I put a lot of weight for my final conclusion on image quality. And that's where this otherwise unbeatable package is let down, the DiMAGE A1 delivers just average (or below average depending on your opinion) resolution with a good smattering of moiré at resolution limits and some other artifacts which are clearly issues with the camera's internal processing, as they don't appear in RAW converted images. I truly hope that Minolta can address these issues and improve resolution either in a firmware update or in their next camera and receive the Highly Recommended rating such a package would deserve.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 899
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
sandisct
|
|
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.