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The Dimage Z1 is equipped with
a 3.3 million pixel CCD of which 3.2 million are effective
to capture an image with a maximum size of 2048 x 1764 pixels.
CCD sensitivity starts at 50 ISO but can be increased to 100,
200 or 400 ISO, or can be left on Auto which lets the camera
adjust the sensitivity as required between 50 and 200 ISO.
The 10X zoom lens is composed of 10 elements in 7 groups which includes
two elements with three aspheric surfaces, and has a focal length of 5.8
to 58mm, the equivalent of a 38 to 380 mm lens.
The lens has apertures that
start at f2.8 at the wide angle setting and f3.5 at the maximum
telephoto, coupled with a shutter speed range of 4 seconds
to 1/1000 second in Program and Aperture priority modes;
15 seconds to 1/1000 second in Shutter-priority and Manual
exposure modes; and 2 seconds to 1/1000 second in Auto and
Digital Subject Programs. Moreover, in the Manual mode, a
Bulb mode is available, allowing an exposure of up to 30
seconds. Noise reduction can be applied to exposures longer
than 1 second.
In addition to fully automatic wide area AF, a selectable
spot AF, and the choice of single or continuous focusing,
the Z1 also offers a manual focus mode. Manual focus mode
is engaged in the menu, and the up and down buttons of the
4-direction control are used to adjust the focus with the
help of a distance scale overlaid on the screen.
The Dimage Z1 does not offer an uncompressed image format. Only 3 levels
of JPEG compression are available: Fine, Standard and Economy, useable
at all 4 image sizes:
2048 x 1764 pixels
1600 x 1200 pixels
1280 x 960 pixels
640 x 480 pixels
Since the Z1 has few external controls, many of the available photographic
settings are selected in the menu. In all modes, a tab is provided to reach
the Setup menu (see the Interface and Software section of the
review for the options of the Setup menu).
While the Auto and Scene modes present a short single screen recording
menu, the P/S/A/M modes offer the greatest number of options and are organized
by three tabs at the top of the menu:
Drive Mode:
Single captures one shot every time the shutter
release is pressed.
Self-timer: provides a 10 second delay for
1 shot.
Bracketing: captures 3 exposures with a variation
increment of 1/3EV, or 1/2EV, or 1 EV.
UHS Continuous Advance: captures up to ten
1280 x 960 pixel frames in 1 second.
Progressive Capture: captures images continuously
while the shutter release is pressed, and saves the
last 6 images after the shutter button is released.
UHS Progressive Capture: captures continuously
while the shutter release is kept pressed, but saves
the last ten 1280 x 960 frames when the shutter button
is released.
Image Size: See above.
Quality: see above.
White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten,
Fluorescent, Flash (the latter is automatically selected
when the flash is used).
Flash Key Function: serves to assign another function
to the Flash button (Drive mode, White Balance, AF mode,
or Colour mode).
Focus Mode: either auto focus or manual focus.
Full-time AF: On or Off. When On, the Z1 focuses
continuously, lessening the time it take for the camera
to be ready to shoot, but consumes more power.
Flash Mode: serves to select the flash mode when
the Flash button near the shutter release has been assigned
another function.
Flash Compensation: allows compensating flash
exposures by ±2EV in 1/3EV increments.
Metering Mode: selects the metering pattern (Multi-segment,
Centre-weighted, or Spot).
Sensitivity: Auto (50 to 200 ISO), 50, 100, 200
or 400 ISO.
Digital Zoom: On or Off. The 4X digital zoom
crops the centre portion of the image and interpolates
it to the selected image size.
Colour Mode: Natural colour (the default); Vivid
Colour (boosts saturation); Black and White or Sepia.
Sharpness: provides 3 settings, Hard, Normal (the
default) and Soft.
Contrast: three settings, High, Normal (the default)
and Low.
In the Movie mode the menu
is considerably shorter, fitting on a single screen with the
following options:
Image Size: selects the movie's frame size, 640 x
480, 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels.
Frame Rate: 15 fps or 30 fps.
Audio: On or Off. Movies captured without sound make
it possible to use the zoom. While movies recorded with sound
can only use the digital zoom.
White Balance: as above.
Movie Mode: Normal or Night Movie. When Night Movie
is used, the camera uses high sensitivity to capture more detail
in low light, but the image becomes noisier.
In Playback, the menu has the same design, also composed
of three tabs for the Playback options and one that accesses the
Setup menu:
Delete:to delete one image, or selected
images.
Format: to format the memory card.
Lock: protects one or more selected images to
prevent accidentally erasing them.
Slide Show:
Enter: starts the slide show.
Playback: selects the photos to be included in the
show.
Duration: sets the on-screen time (1 to 60 seconds).
Repeat: Yes or No, loops the slide show.
DPOF Set: serves to select images to be printed,
and select whether or not an index print should be included.
Copy: uses the Z1's 16MB of buffer memory to copy
one or more images to another card.
E-mail copy: creates a small copy of an image
(640 x 480 or 160 x 120) which can then be e-mailed easily.
The memory card slot for the Z1
is hidden behind a sliding door on the left side of the camera.
The Z1 is compatible with SD or MMC cards, and the area in
which the card slot is located is shared with a single connection
that serves for both USB (1.1) and A/V out (NTSC or PAL) and
the cables for both are included with the camera.
Sold with a 16MB memory card, out of the box the Dimage Z1 can store:
Resolution
Fine
Standard
Economy
2048 x 1764
9
17
32
1600 x 1200
14
27
47
1280 x 960
22
39
100
640 x 480
69
100
150
4 batteries power the Z1 and
these are housed in the grip. While the Z1 is retailed with
4 alkaline batteries, it is also compatible with Ni-MH batteries.
As an option, Minolta offers a kit that comprises 4 rechargeable
batteries and a charger.
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Characteristics
