A personal review of the Minolta Z-1 (1 Viewer)

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jamey15

Member

• Oct 10, 2003

• #1

Brian Currie asked me to post a review on the Minolta z-1. THe first camera I received from Dell WAS defective. The new one I received today is just WONDERFUL. It is soooo easy to program and to use. The pics are clean , clear, bright and good colors. The macro is very clean, weak flash, great ergonomics. I love it. I researched a BUNCH of 3-5 mp cameras. IF u r not going to print over 8x10..the 3.2 works quite nicely. I have used the NEW one for 12 hours all pics are good.
IF u promise NOT to laugh , Iwill tell a fast story. ALL the cameras(4) that I tested these last 10 days,ALL, when shown on my 21" monitor were rather ,foggy,hazy, or just had a slight grey cast, ALL!!!. I could not figure it out......................I finally washed and cleaned my GLASSES. ALL the new pictures are just fine!!!

 

IanF

Moderator

• Oct 10, 2003

• #2

Hi Jamey15,

Thanks for posting your first thoughts on the Z1. I am on the look out for a replacement for my Olympus C2100UZ. Up to now I rather like the Olympus C750 or the C730 for it's use of SM cards. The other well specified camera that I noticed is the Z1 but I haven't got my hands on one yet. It's well priced too.

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Oct 10, 2003

• #3

I have arranged to take my scope into a shop on Monday to try holding a Z1 up to the eyepiece. He say's he'll do it for £289. Not as cheap as Amazon, but its a local shop so the overheads are greater!. If it looks O.K. I'll get it from the shop.
Well what I mean is:- The better half will get it from the local shop as an anniversay+birthday+Christmas prezzie for me!.

 

J

jamey15

Member

• Oct 10, 2003

• #4

THe z-1WORKS...It has a batch of really NEAT things..Try it if u can...IAN....Do NOT buy a camera because of the media cards..I think that the z-1 is WAY better than the 750,,.Used them both yesterday. z-1 wins...JIM

 

Rosah

Well-known member

• Oct 11, 2003

• #5

I have been drooling over the Z-1 Jim but am wondering one thing. Can you use the B-300 or another teleconverter lens with it? My Oly 730 has 10X optical zoom and I find I really need the B-300 with it for birds so I imagine it would be the same with the Minolta. On the sites I have checked, I have seen mention of a wide angle lens but not one for distance.

 

J

jamey15

Member

• Oct 11, 2003

• #6

Rosah, the z-1 has a 52mm converter( if u can find it)Be patient it will have both tele and wide angle..When--where ??? JIM

 

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bcurrie

Well-known member

• Oct 11, 2003

• #7

Jim, thanks for posting this review, and hopefully you can post some test images as well?

Ian, and others, the Panasonic FZ10 is due out shorty (November?), with 4mp, 12X optical zoom (35mm - 420mm), supposedly a good camera, and is suppose to be priced at $599. It has image stabilization as well. This is not a review, just an FYI.

 

IanF

Moderator

• Oct 11, 2003

• #8

Thanks for that Brian, it certainly looks to be an impressively specified camera. I found a review of it here DPReview Panasonic DMC-FZ10

Doesn't look like it will take any teleconverters though. I don't think even that 12x zoom will have the reach that I have at the moment.

 

J

jamey15

Member

• Oct 11, 2003

• #9

Brian, I am surprised I have not heard from you re: lens and Flash?? How do I post pics on this forum?? JIM
STILL no replies on my pro 90 for sale?? It is a GOOD price ..Strange!!!!JC

 

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bcurrie

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2003

• #10

Sorry I have missed this thread for a while. You post pics by hitting the "post reply" button, then you will see a place to upload a photo. If you are still having problems, let me know.

BTW, have just been able to use the flash yesterday. It was great, could not have taken the photos otherwise. I will be posting some of those photos on the prodigi site within a couple of weeks.

 

R

Rod

Member

• Apr 13, 2004

• #11

Dear Alan,
Before you commit to the Z1, bear in mind that
1. There is now a Z2, selling at the same price or lower. It has an additional movie mode - 800 x 600 @ 15fps -and a wide angle lens option, plus 4 Mpixels.
2. The Z1 has a couple of bugs that I've noticed :
a. The idle timer always switches off after 60 secs, whatever you've configured it to do.
b. The focus algorithm is quite unreliable, especially in strongish light. It hunts between extremes of focal length repeatedly, both during pre-focus & when taking a shot. In the latter case when this happens, it finally opens the shutter at a focal length extreme, so that the image is as out of focus as it's possible to be. Often, the only escape is to focus on something else - preferably something with sharp, straight lines - and then come back to the desired subject.
3. The Z2 may have fixed these faults.
Regards,
Rod

 

alan_rymer

Well-known member

• Apr 13, 2004

• #12

Rod said:

Dear Alan,
Before you commit to the Z1, bear in mind that
1. There is now a Z2, selling at the same price or lower. .Rod

Click to expand...

Rod

The Z1 didn't work through a scope( which is what I wanted it for ), I posted my test results on another Z1 thread.
I eventually got a Canon Powershot A80 with which I am very happy!. It would be nice to have a big zoom though!. You can't win em all.