Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 Digital Camera

Pros: 12X optical zoom, great vga movie mode, intuitive controls and lots more features
Cons: Image noise at high iso settings, movies saved in the (intractable) Quicktime format

The Konica Minolta Dimage Z5 is a 5 megapixel digital camera with 12X optical zoom, an attractive package of features and affordable price that should get the attention of anyone considering the purchase of a point and shoot megazoom digital ...

Pros: Price, 12x stabilized zoom, good optics, resolution, features and image quality
Cons: Dull default color, chromatic aberration at telephoto, slow low-light focusing, noise

After having a generally good experience with the new 6 -Megapixel Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6, I decided to try the 5 -Megapixel Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5. Having used the similar ...

Pros: camera speed, higher quality movie clips, flexibility in skill levels, big screen, hot shoe, lenses.
Cons: none really

We looked at a lot of cameras before making our purchase of The Minolta Z5. We were mostly narrowed down to the Kodak 7590 (I think that's what it was) until we went into our local camera shop and they showed us the Z5. Mostly what we were looking for ...

Pros: Good price. Image stabilization. Great picture quality. Superb movie mode. Excellent macro mode.
Cons: Noise at higher ISO. Poor low light performance. Autofocus issues with low-light/telephoto shots.

I bought this camera as a refurb for about $280. At the time I purchased it, most competing models were going for around $400, so the price was a good deal for a 5MP 12X zoom camera with image stabilization. I've taken hundreds of shots with it so far ...

Pros: Great 12x zoom, great movie quality.
Cons: Poor overall quality, autofocus not so great.

I will never take a chance on a Konica Minolta again. I'm sure many work fine, but I've seen others here complain about problems they've had. Here's mine:
I had to send it back for repairs (you can't get it fixed locally) and they sent if back UNREPAIRED. I had to send it again to get it repaired. This took a LOT of time with all the shipping. Then, after the warranty expired, a much more serious problem occured, and it is unusable. I liked it when it was working, but a lot of good that does me now.

Pros: Easy to use, good quality images
Cons: Questionable product support from Konica-Minolta

This is an initial report that I will update soon. I've been using the camera about for about a week and am impressed with the ease of use and the quality of the results.

Unfortunately, I've had problems connecting the camera to my computer which has Win/XP Home SP2. The USB connection proceeds as advertised, but the Win/XP Scanner and Camera Wizard does not recognize the Z5, thus the download options dialog does not appear. I have contacted Konica-Minolta Tech Support, but have yet to get a response from them.

I will update this review when and if the problem is resolved.

UPDATE May 18th, 2005. Received an E-mail reply from KM after one week. Their suggestion was to reinstall, which I did with no improvement. Sent them a message with results. Has now been 10 days with no response. Not at all impressed with support from this manufacturer.

Pros: none
Cons: everything - it is a piece of junk and so is the company

I bought one of these and it spent more time in repair then in use. when the warranty ran out so did the repairs so I have a piece of junk camera and am out $450

Pros: 12x zoom, 5.0 MP, SD card, AA batteries.
Cons: none so far

I purchased the Konica Minolta DiMage Z5 for the 12x optical zoom. I am not disappointed. So far I have taken about 250 photos on the original Fuji AA batteries. See www.jts88.com for some full resolution photos.

Has a resonable auto setting, but allows manual override.

I also have a DiMage X, which is a handy pocket camera, but I wanted the 12x zoom to photograph wildlife.

So far I am happy with this camera.

Pros: Superior Optical Zoom Awesome Super Macro Mode Fun Movie Mode Effective Red Eye Removal
Cons: Battery life hard to find a case that can fit the lens size

Replaced a point and shoot 35mm camera with the Minolta Z5 based on the recommendation of Wolf Camera. Read the reviews regarding image quality and some have had concerns-- don't believe them! If you're coming from an older point and shoot 35mm (read not SLR) then I think you'll find this camera simply amazing.

Of particular note on this camera is the amazing 12x optical zoom which for anyone used to the measly 3-4 zoom available on most cameras, is a major step up. In addition to great people shots, the Super Macro mode on this camera takes great super closeups.

Images speak for themselves. Check out these shots which i've made publically available on my Orb account. I'm really happy with the picture of the black eyed susan. Check em out. I can't make a link but paste this into a new window to see them: http://my.orb.com/orb/index.jsp?gk=442-fdc4b48eb1a56f0ddbd8ceef083207e9fc89d088

enjoy!

Pros: Great features. Great zoom capabilities. Flash is quite good for it's size.
Cons: I would like a lower light capability due to blurring of indoor photos at times.

I purchased my Z5 from Costco. I took it on a trip to Colorado and it worked for 2 days then came the problems with the anti-shake not working and leaving a dark corner on each picture. I took it back to Costco where they promptly replaced it with another broken camera. (the zoom was very loud and the "gears" were grinding.) I now have Z5 #3 and it seems to be working the way it should. Everything about the camera is what I am looking for... except for the problems with the anti shake as one other reviewer experienced as well! The manager at Costco was angry and claimed he was complaining to Konica Minolta and that he was going to stop the sales at his store until he got a satisfactory solution.

Pros: nice to handle
Cons: you need a little more exp-erience to operate all the settings

be very careful of knocking or dropping the camera even form a low distance to grass...

3 months in the repaeir shop- but i am lucky under warranty

Pros: easy use
Cons: quality of support

I bought thhis camera to take summer pictures of my children. I got it and the antishake hasn't worked properly, there is a dark shadow in the right hand corner that shows up on the pictures,and it makes a clicking noise every time you turn it on. I sent it for repair and it came back the same way. I am very dissatisfied with this ordeal!

Pros: I like the design and grip. Flash down when not in use.
Cons: anti-shake seems to cause slower focus.

I purchased this camera to step up on pixels from a Canon Power Shot A70. I do not care for the anti-shake feature.
The pictures are fine, but not as good as the older 3 mega pix camera. The color is also not as good. I do like the 12X zoom.

Pros: Good features
Cons: Poor sharpness of focus, and lots of noise in average to poor light.

I bought this camera to succeed my Canon Ixus v2 (2MP) and frankly I am very disappointed. The images are all "very soft", or as I would say "out of focus". The colour reproduction is "soft" as well - the contrast and saturation are poor, and I found all pictures, even taken on in bright sunlight, were noisy. If you take a landscape photo in the "landscape" mode it never manages to strike a balance between sky and land, so you either get burned out sky and detailed land, or a landscape in darkness and some blue sky (with all of it out of focus too).

I was disappointed with this camera, especially as it boasted such strong specifications. It is let down by it's ability to get pictures sharply in focus, and the noisy CCD.