Konica Minolta Dimage Z5

Auto Mode (7.5)
In the Auto mode, there is only one simplified menu. It includes the following options: Drive Mode, Image Size, Quality, Auto DSP (auto display turned on or off), and Anti-Shake. The Konica Minolta Z5 is very much a point-and-shoot when in Auto mode, except for the pop-up flash. The flash must be manually opened by the user; it will not automatically pop up when it is needed. This is an odd hiccup for the automatically-reliant point-and-shooter to overcome and may catch some off guard, but should not be severe once understood. A fortunate prosumer inclusion offered in Auto mode is the live histogram, available when the Info button is pressed. It may be unlikely that users electing to use the camera’s strict auto mode will opt to use the histogram to balance the exposure, but for those inclined, it is available.

Performance wise, uses should be warned, the camera did display some issues handling noise even in bright lighting when the auto ISO was selected. Color also waned, losing accuracy when the white balance was not manually set. The automatic focus feature functioned efficiently, but had some major difficulty focusing in low light.

Drive / Burst Mode (6.5)
The following drive modes are available in every exposure mode on the camera: Single, Self-Timer, Continuous, and Progressive. The self-timer is automatically set to capture the picture after 10 seconds. The LCD or viewfinder shows a countdown, while the LED in the front flashes red several times to indicate that the picture is being taken. The Continuous burst mode shoots at roughly 2.2 frames per second for a maximum of three shots using the finest resolution. While the quantity of consecutive pictures increases when the resolution decreases, this number is still disappointing for full 5-megapixel pictures. The Progressive shooting mode takes 10 frames per second at 1024 x 768 pixels and saves the last twenty images. This mode is fun to play with, as the Z5 shoots continuously as the shutter release button is pushed down, but when the button is depressed, it sounds like a paper is stuck in a fan. 28

Playback Mode (7.5)
For a peek of the last image taken, users can press the Quick View button to the right of the LCD screen. Pictures can play back instantly for 2 or 10 seconds or the feature can be turned off completely within the setup menu. Additionally, users can opt to view images instantaneously without entering playback mode (if the camera is set to do so) and will occur after each picture is taken.

When users want to extensively view, edit, or transfer their pictures, they can enter the full Playback mode with the switch below the LCD screen. Users can view images as single frames or index frames of nine at a time. Scrolling through images is simple with the navigational dial. In the menu, users can delete images, play slide shows, or transfer files to a computer or printer. Each picture can be displayed in the slide show from 1-60 seconds. Users can select all of the pictures to be included in the slide show or just "marked" photos. The camera can also repeat the show over and over again if desired.

Movie Mode (9.0)
The Z5’s movie mode is one of its most impressive features. It records either 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixels, whichever the user selects. The frame rate can be selected to 15 or 30 seconds in both sizes. The movie mode menu includes the image quality and frame rate, as well as White Balance, Anti-Shake, Focus Mode, and Color Mode. There is also a Movie Mode feature with a standard default and a Night Movie setting. A microphone and speaker are located on the top of this Konica Minolta. They work very well for a digital camera. In Playback mode, movie clips with normal sound levels (soft music was playing about four feet from the camera and someone was talking about eight feet away) can be heard clearly.

Some more bonuses: the Z5 can zoom in movie mode (which is extremely rare in digital cameras) and its image stabilization mode, is active and enhances movie clips. The camera uses the full range of its optical zoom in the movie mode, and doesn’t even pick up much motor noise. The Anti-Shake mode offers the same options in the movie mode as it does in still image exposure modes. It works well as long as there is not an abnormal excess of shaking. A little hand-shake is okay, but an excited, bouncing, cheering mother capturing her son’s first soccer goal could be a problem. Be reasonable. The only downside to the DiMAGE Z5’s movie mode is its inability to work if the batteries are even slightly low. Be sure to have extra batteries on hand at all times and movie capture will exceed digital camera expectations!

Custom Image Presets (4.0)
All of the Konica Minolta Z5’s image presets can be found easily on the mode dial. The following options are depicted by easily discernible icons: Portrait, Sports, Portrait with Landscape, Beach, and Night Portrait. Within the scene menu, only five options are available for adjustment: Drive Mode, Image Size, Quality, Focus Mode, and Anti-Shake. The unlabeled exposure compensation can also be adjusted – if you can find it. These options provide just as much control as in the fully automatic mode, but the metering is more specified toward the specific situation and shooting scenario.