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★★☆☆☆

“I was very excited to be buying this Minolta Dimage Z1...”

written by Adam A on 13/01/2004

Good Points
Good image quality, packed with features. Quick autofocus.

Bad Points
Extremely poor build quality. Awkward to hold.

General Comments
I was very excited to be buying this Minolta Dimage Z1 digital camera, as it has so many features for a great price. However, there are many fundamental problems with it that should be sorted out for future models.



The 10X zoom is brilliant, but that is about the only redeeming feature of this camera. It looks and feels awkward. The shutter release button is placed at a strange angle, and is difficult to depress without moving the camera - very bad for longer exposure shots.



The camera is difficult to hold as the grip is not textured, and is a peculiar eliptical shape.



The lens barrel wobbles and is not secure.



The battery compartment has plastic hinges which are liable to break and render the camera useless. They also appear to be under a lot of pressure due to the sprung battery contacts. The flap flexes and bends.



The circular strap attachments constanly rattle and cause annoyance.



The autofocus is very noisy as it is constantly on the go (there is a setting to turn this off so that it only focuses when you press the button halfway).



The mode selection dial is recessed and surrounded by obstructions (the zoom lever for instance) and is nearly impossible to turn without hitting other controls.



Generally, image quality is good, but at only 3 megapixels you might as well spend a bit more and get something like a Kodak DX6490.



Video clips are impressive and capable of VGA resolution @ 30fps, but the noise of the shutter can be heard on the audio when it is played back.



I thought I would be able to get over how ugly it was due to its features, but given the build quality it emphasises how flimsy and cheap it is.



If you want a camera packed with features, then this is a good buy for the price. However, if you value build quality then you will be dissapointed. This camera is cheap and nasty in my opinion.

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