The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 may
appear to be just another revision of the last Z camera, but
in fact nothing could be farther from the truth.
While it may have design traits from previous Z models, the Konica Minolta
Z3 is a completely re-engineered camera that incorporates the anti-shake technology
of the A-series cameras, and blends it with a new 12X GT optical zoom.
Two earlier versions of this camera
(DiMAGE
Z1 and DiMAGE
Z2) were equipped with a Switch Finder, a system that
uses a single LCD screen that can be tilted back internally and
reflected through the viewfinder's eyepiece so as to be like
an electronic viewfinder (EVF). The DiMAGE Z3 however, has a
separate EVF and a 1.5 inch LCD monitor.
Konica Minolta decided to retain the On/Off/Mode
switch of previous models with the Z3. Power is controlled with
a button at the centre of the Mode switch ,
while modes are selected by moving the outside control to one
of its three positions:
recording mode with the 118,000
pixel electronic viewfinder turned on.
recording mode with the 78,000
pixel LCD monitor turned on.
Playback with the LCD monitor
active.
The top part of the Z3's grip
is a good example of the re-designing touches that are sprinkled
all over this model. The two-stage shutter release is positioned
on a raised pod with a pronounced slant towards the from of the
grip. Behind, separated by the speaker and a small opening for
the built-in microphone, two arched buttons serve to control
macro and flash modes:
the macro mode button allows
selecting either the Standard Macro mode which has a focus
range of 10cm to 1m (3.9 to 39 inches); or the Super Macro
mode which offers a range of 1cm to 1m (0.4 to 39 inches)
with the lens set to 10.45mm, equivalent to 63mm.
cycles through modes that start
with Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Fill-in, Slow-Synch (front
curtain), and Forced Off. In addition, this button can
be customized to access other functions of the Recording
menu.
The Mode Dial, which is immediately
behind, has 11 positions, all of which are recording modes:
As with previous versions of
this camera, Konica Minolta has continued the Auto mode's Automatic
Scene Selection feature which tries to identify the
type of subject that is about to be photographed, and selects
the appropriate shooting mode for it, choosing between Portrait,
Sports, Landscape or Sunset. And, should the system not be
able to identify the subject, the camera defaults to the
safe and reliable Program mode.
The Movie mode allows the
Z3 to be used to capture video clips with sound at any
one of 3 frame/quality settings:
640 x 480 Fine,
640 x 480 Standard,
320 x 240 Standard.
Video clips last as long as there is space on the memory
card, and can be captured at either 15 frames per second
or 30 frames per second, which produces a smoother moving
image.
During movie recording the stabilized 12X optical zoom remains
useable and exposure and focus are adjusted continuously.
Program controls both
aperture and shutter speed, but leaves all other parameters,
including sensitivity, up to the user. The shutter speed
and aperture selected by the camera are shown on the screen
when
the shutter release is held halfway.
Aperture Priority offers
an aperture range of f2.8, f3.2, f3.5, f4.0, f4.5, f5.0,
f5.6, f6.3, f7.1 and f8 when the zoom is set to wide angle,
and F3.7, f4.0, f4.5, through f8 at the telephoto end;
while the Z3 selects an appropriate shutter speed. Apertures
are selected with the Up and Down arrows
of the multi-direction controller.
Shutter Priority offers
a shutter speed range that covers from a maximum of 15
seconds to 1/1000 second, while the Z3 selects a matching
aperture. As with the Aperture Priority mode, shutter speed
selection is accomplished using the Up and Down arrows
of the multi-direction controller.
Manual mode provides the
user with the means to set aperture or shutter speed. Apertures
can be selected over the range available to the Aperture
Priority mode (see above), and shutter speeds can
be set from a range that not only encompasses those of the
shutter priority mode — down to to 15 seconds — but
extends them to a low of 30 seconds with the T (Time
exposure) mode.
Night Portrait: uses
a slow shutter speed and the flash, which must be opened
by the user, to capture both foreground and background.
Sunset: is optimized
to reproduce warm tones which enhances sunset colours.
Landscape Mode: maximizes
depth of field by the use of a small aperture, and enhances
sharpness and contrast.
Sports Action: uses continuous
focusing to improve the odds of the image being in
focus. CCD sensitivity is automatically controlled.
Portrait Mode: is optimized
to reproduce warm, soft skin tones while using a slight defocusing
of the background, achieved by the use of a large aperture.
The manual recommends using the telephoto end of the zoom
and the built-in flash with direct sunlight, or backlight,
to reduce deep shadows.
The redesign of the controls continues on the back of the camera. The Zoom
control is more dominant than it was in earlier versions of the camera,
and much easier to manipulate. Similarly, the diopter dial to the right
of the EVF's exit pupil is now very useable.
The Multi-direction control, simply referred to as the Controller, is also
improved from those of previous cameras.
It retains the same functions
however, serving to navigate the menus of the Z3 while the centre
button confirms selections.
Additionally, the Controller's right and left arrows serve to set exposure
compensation from a range of ±2EV in 1/3 EV increments; while the
centre button also serves to cycle from wide area AF to the Focus Area
selection mode and back again if pressed for a couple of seconds.
The Z3 has 3 focus modes, two of
which are autofocus modes which can be set to Single AF,
or Continuous AF.
The default is a Wide Area
Focus mode which automatically selects the focus point
from any one of 5 spots that overlap each other and are located
horizontally. The second, the Focus Area Selection mode,
is the alternative autofocus mode, and it lets the user select
any one of the five areas specifically. Last, is the Manual
Focus mode, selected in the menu, which places a distance
scale on the right side of the monitor so the focus can be
adjusted using the up and down arrows.
The remaining controls on the back
of the Z3, aligned below the Controller:
Calls up the menu. (See
the Characteristics section of the review for
an overview of the menus for each mode, and of the
options they provide.)
Provides a Quick View of the
last captured image, and can also be used to delete unwanted
photos. The Quick View mode does not allow access to the
Playback menu, but does allow going back and forth through
the photos. In addition, a thumbnail screen can be displayed
by pressing the Information button, or the screen cleared
of any superimposed information. Moreover, just as with
the Playback mode, photos can be rotated in 90° steps
using the controller's down arrow; or the up arrow can
be used to display a histogram of the image on the screen.
The Information button controls
the information superimposed on the monitor in the recording
modes. By default, the camera's standard display indicates
the current settings for flash, shooting mode, image size
and resolution, amongst others. Pressing the Information
button once adds a real-time histogram showing the distribution
of brightness (luminance) in the image. Pressing the button
twice eliminates all superimposed information, and only
indicates the focus area when the camera selects it.
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 is equipped with a manually raised
pop-up flash. The flash has a stated range of 0.2 to 4m (0.7
to 13.1 ft) when the zoom is at the wide angle position, and
1.2 to 2.5m (3.9 to 8.2 ft) when the zoom is at the full telephoto
mode.
The flash is well-designed, and when opened its height is sufficient
that the lens does not normally cast a shadow in the images.
For added flexibility, the Z3 is also equipped with a flash
shoe which is has its own sliding cover to protect the contacts
when it is not in use.
As it was for the Z2, the flash shoe is dedicated to Konica Minolta Maxxum/Program
flash units:
2500 (D)
3600HS (D)
5600HS (D)
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Ergonomics
,
while modes are selected by moving the outside control to one
of its three positions:
