A 1/2.5 inch, 4.2 million pixel
CCD, of which 4.0 million are effective to capture the image,
is used with the DiMAGE Z2. The CCD offers a sensitivity range
that starts at 50 ISO and which can be increased to 100, 200
or 400 ISO, and an Auto setting allows the camera to adjust
the sensitivity as required between 50 and 200 ISO.
The 10X GT APO zoom lens is composed of 11 elements in 7 groups
and has a focal length of 6.3 to 63mm, equivalent of a 38 to 380 mm lens.
At the widest angle, the lens offers a starting aperture of f2.8 through
to f8 in 10 steps, while at the maximum zoom setting the apertures start
at f3.7 and extend to f8 in 8 steps.
This aperture range is combined
with a shutter speed range that tops out at 1/1000 sec and
extends to as much as 30 seconds when the shutter speed is
set to T in the Manual mode. The slowest shutter speed
however changes with the shooting mode, and with Aperture Priority
and Program mode, a maximum of 4 seconds is the limit; while
with the Auto and Scene modes, 2 seconds are the limit. Moreover,
if enabled in the Setup menu, noise reduction can be applied
to any exposures longer than 1 second.
A 4X digital
zoom is also available on the Z2. The digital zoom images are interpolated
to the set image size, and a loss of image quality is evident.
Auto focusing is by default
done by a Wide Area AF, but by holding the centre button of
the multi-direction controller for more than a second, the
system can be switched to a selectable focus point which offers
a choice of three possible points located horizontally in the
middle of the frame. in addition, a Manual focus mode can be
engaged in the menu, and the up and down buttons of the multi-direction
control serve to adjust the focus assisted by a distance scale
shown on the monitor while the central portion of the frame
is shown magnified on the monitor.
4 image sizes and 3 JPEG compressed
image formats, Fine, Standard, and Economy are possible with
the DiMAGE Z2. And as with the Z1, no uncompressed image format
is provided:
2272 x 1704 pixels
1600 x 1200 pixels
1280 x 960 pixels
640 x 480 pixels
Many of the functions and photographic controls of the DiMAGE
Z2 are the same as those found on the Z1. For instance, exposure
compensation is available over ±2 EV in 1/3 EV
increments by pressing the left or right keys of multi-direction
controller. Most settings though are located in the Z2's
menu system.
With the Recording modes, the content of the menu vary according to the
mode in use, but all provide an access to the Setup menu as an on-screen
button at the top right of the menu screen. (The contents of the Setup menu
is covered in the Interface and Software section of this review.)
The Auto and Digital
Subject Program modes (Scene modes) present a
short single screen recording menu, and only one of the options
presented there varies between the Auto mode and the Scene modes.
The Auto mode contains an option to enable the Auto
Digital Subject Program Selection, allowing the Z2 to try
to assign an appropriate scene mode to the subject about
to be captured. However, the Scene modes' menu replace
that option by one for the Focus mode (see above for the
focus modes).
Unlike the single menu page of the Auto and Scene modes,
the Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority and Manual
modes provide a greater number of options for the user. In
these modes the recording menu is spread over 3 sections, each
presented as a single screen. The first screen of the Program menu
starts with:
Drive Mode:
Single-frame Advance takes a single image
each time the shutter release is pressed.
Self-timer: provides a 10 second delay for
1 shot.
Continuous Advance: captures up to five photos
at any frame size and image quality at approximately
2.5 frames per second.
UHS Continuous Advance: captures up to fifteen
1280 x 960 pixel images at 10 frames per second.
Progressive Capture: captures images continuously
while the shutter release is pressed, and saves the
last 5 images after the shutter button is released.
UHS Progressive Capture: captures continuously
while the shutter release is kept pressed, but saves
the last twelve 1280 x 960 at 10 frames per second
when the shutter button is released.
Bracketing: captures 3 exposures with a variation
increment of 1/3EV, or 1/2EV, or 1 EV.
Image Size: See above.
Quality: see above.
White Balance: Custom White Balance (set by pointing
the camera at a white surface under ambient light and pressing
the centre button of the multi-direction controller), Auto,
Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash (automatically
selected when the flash fires).
Flash Key Function: serves to assign a function other
than the Flash modes to the Flash button. The alternatives
are Flash Modes (default), Drive mode, White Balance,
Focus mode, or Colour mode.
Section 2 of the P/S/A/M menu of the DiMAGE Z2 deals with focus,
flash, and metering modes:
Focus Mode: single focus, continuous 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 presented on two screens:
Image Size: 800 x 600 (if 800 x 600 is selected,
the next option is greyed-out as this frame size is limited
to 15 frames per second), 640 x 480, 320 x 240 or 160 x
120 pixels.
Frame Rate: 15 fps or 30 fps.
Optical Zoom: On or Off. Allows using the Z2's
optical zoom while recording a movie. One drawback though
is that the noise of the zoom motor gets recorded too.
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 addition to being able to
capture still images, the DiMAGE Z2 also provides a versatile
movie mode. The Z2 is the only digital camera we have tested
to date that offers a movie frame size of 800 x 600 pixel.
Although the other movie frame sizes of the Z2 offers either
15 or 30 frames per second, including 640 x 480, the 800 x
600 frame size is limited to a 15 frames per second rate. Nevertheless,
the image is quite smooth.
In Playback, the menu has similar look
with 3 sections for the Playback menu's options and an on-screen
button to access 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.
Edit Movie: makes it possible to cut a movie by
selecting a start and and end point within a recorded movie,
and saving the edited section as a new movie.
Copy: allows copying images or movies using the
32MB memory buffer of the Z2, so copies can then be saved
to another memory card.
Section 2 of the Playback menu is dedicated
to creating and controlling a slide show:
Slide Show: serves to start the slide show.
Playback: selects the photos to be included
in the show (All Frames, or Marked Frames).
Duration: sets the on-screen time (1 to 60 seconds).
Repeat: Yes or No, loops the slide show.
The third and last section of the Playback menu contains
mostly options that deal with printing. The DiMAGE Z2 is
DPOF compatible, and PictBridge compliant making it possible
to print directly from the camera to a PictBridge enabled
printer. When connected to such a printer, a menu allows
controlling print size, layout, print quality, and data
printing.
DPOF Set serves to select images to be printed.
The options are: This Frame, All Frames, Marked Frames,
or Cancel All.
Date Print: On or Off, stamps the date permanently
on the print.
Index Print: Yes or No. Creates an index sheet
of all the photos on the memory card when the prints
are ordered.
E-mail copy: creates a small copy of an image
stored in a special folder on the memory card. The current
frame, or all marked frames can be selected.
Image Size: sets the image size to use for the
E-Mail copy (640 x 480 or 160 x 120).
The DiMAGE Z2 is compatible with SD or MMC cards but SD cards
provide the best performance.
The memory card slot for the Z2 is hidden behind a sliding door on the
left side of the camera. Sold with a 16MB memory card, out of the box the
DiMAGE Z2 can store:
Resolution
Fine
Standard
Economy
2272 x 1704
7
14
27
1600 x 1200
14
27
47
1280 x 960
22
39
100
640 x 480
69
100
150
A single jack, also located in the memory card compartment,
provides a connection for both USB (1.1) and Audio Video Out
(A/V out).
The video signal can be set to either NTSC or PAL in the Setup menu, and
the cables for both USB and AV are included with the camera. (for more
information on the Setup menu see the Interface and Software section of
the review.)
The DiMAGE Z2 is powered by
4 batteries that are housed in the grip. The Z2 is retailed
with 4 alkaline batteries, but can be used with rechargeable
Ni-MH batteries which offer an increased performance.
In addition, an AC adapter (AC-1L or AC-11) can be purchased separately
to power the Z2 from household current.
Compare Prices for Minolta Dimage Z2 Digital Camera Battery Charger (B-9700)
Characteristics
