Minolta DiMAGE z5

Reviewed April 2005

Interface & Software

The DiMAGE Z5's interface is typical of those found on Konica Minolta cameras. The most basic camera settings are overlaid along the edges of the EVF or the monitor's image, and are generally unobtrusive during composition. Should that information become a problem, a couple of presses of the button clears it off the screen. Similarly, should a question arise about the brightness of the image, a real-time histogram can be superimposed on the image, just below the wide area AF brackets in the shooting modes. Similarly, in Playback, the button plus the up arrow of the 4-direction controller in playback can be used to present a histogram and the most important shooting data.

Menus are similarly well thought-out, and their options are displayed clearly. Pressing the right arrow of the 4-direction controller opens up the choices available for any given option, and once a setting is highlighted, its selection is confirmed using the round button at the centre of the controller; a simple and efficient system.

Whatever the menu on the screen, an access to the Setup menu is always present, as an icon on the top right of the display, offering an access to the basic configuration of the Z5:

• LCD Brightness: to adjust the brightness of the monitor or of the EVF over 11 steps, according to which is in use. Adjustments are independent for each.
• Power Save: decides the time delay before the camera automatically powers down to save power (1, 2, 3, 5 or 10 minutes).
• Instant Playback determines whether or not a photo is shown immediately post-capture: Off, 2 or 10 seconds.
• Lens Accessory: when the ZCW-300 lens converter is used, giving the Z5 a wide angle equivalent to 26 mm, this option deactivates the optical zoom as well as the Super Macro mode.
• Language selects the interface language: Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, or Swedish.
• File Number Memory: On or Off. Controls whether images are numbered consecutively or numbering restarts at 0001 when the memory card is formatted or a new card is used.

• Folder Name selects whether folders are named using the "standard system: such as 100KM022 which indicates that the camera is a Konica Minolta (KM) while 022 identifies it as a Z5 (for those in the know). Alternatively, the folder name can be based on the date.
• Time/Date Set: sets the date and time on the Z5.
• Date imprint: decides whether or not the date will be permanently stamped on the image.
• Reset Default: returns all settings to their original factory settings.
• Audio Signals: to select whether or not the Z5 makes sounds when operated. Two different sounds, one electronic and one mechanical are available, or none.

• Focus Signal: confirms focus. Two different sounds are available or it can be turned off.
• Shutter FX: provides two different sounds or none to confirm an image has been captured.
• Volume: adjusts the overall volume of all operation sounds without affecting the sound volume of the Playback mode.
• Video Output: decides the A/V output signal, NTSC or PAL.
• Transfer mode: to select the USB protocol Data Storage or PictBridge.
• Digital Zoom: On or Off. Controls the use of the 4X digital zoom.
• Self-Timer: selects the self-timer delay to be either 2 or 10 seconds.

Software

(Note that the software included with a camera can vary from country to country.)

A single disc is included with the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 as it is sold in North America. The disc contains DiMAGE Viewer version 2.3.7 for Windows and Macintosh, and QuickTime to see the video clips captured with the camera.

DiMAGE Viewer starts by presenting images as thumbnails, but the presentation can be changed so that the thumbnails also show basic shooting data, or the files simply show as icons or file names.

By double-clicking a particular photo in the thumbnails view, it can be edited in a separate window for sharpness, hue, saturation, lightness, and colour balance. Each of these controls is accessed in its own little window, and different tools are offered — sliders or nodes on curves that can be manipulated — to effect the necessary changes.

DiMAGE Viewer can also be used to print photos, or read all the shooting data encoded in the image's EXIF tags.