that despite my initial hesitancy at going digital, I'm most happy with the Z5! People considering it need to understand that it is not a point-and-shoot camera, but rather a full-feature automatic camera on the same level as an automated 35 mm SLR, and as such requires a bit of time to learn the ins and outs of operation.

Color reproduction and image sharpness are well within acceptable limits, even with motion on the subjects' part.

Having big hands and being used to standard SLRs, it took me a little time getting used to its small size, but this was helped by the fact that it is configured like a standard SLR, although only about 40% of the size of one.

The flat-screen view finder is somewhat on the small size, although bright enough, but being used to standard SLRs I use the standard view finder without problems.

I bought the Z5 to replace an old 3.3M/P Olympus C3000. The sharpness of the old Olympus is much better. Like other reviews I just don't think it takes very sharp pictures. I also, have messed with tons of settings and still can not get the picture quality I expected. I just use the old Olympus.

This camera is good in macros and telephoto there
you can have the benefits of a powerful optical system. Otherwise, for normal pictures I would say is not so great at all.I have a Sanyo S4
that one is taking sharper pictures than Minolta
and you do not have to bother too much with the settings. Maybe is a little too complicated for me, but I know I have tryied a lot of settings.
I was not pleased by the quality of the pictures.
Is definetely not a camera to make nice indoor pictures.I have also tested it in landscape mode - pictures were preety good, but not sensational.I do not like the colour reproduction either.
Most colurs are faded and muddy, especially in cloudy conditions. On the other hand, intense colours they ripp off the details.
It is possible that I still need to play with settings, but I think I have already played enough so far.

When my Nikon 4600, that I had recieved as a present, drowned in a freak accident, I took on a very in-depth search for a better, higher quality camera. I looked at many reviews and talked to many people and found the SP-500 UZ. I had a pretty tight price range set and this camera was perfect. It has 6 megapixels, which are more than enough for me because most of my pictures go up on my website. I take artistic photographs as my hobby so i often take macro(close-up) pictures, landscapes, pictures of animals in zoos (often further away than my old camera could shoot), pictures of friends and family, pictures of flowers, etc. I have yet to find something wrong with it that would make me regret buying it. For the price and the quality and the ease of use, I give the SP-500 UZ 5 stars.

I did quite a bit reasearch before I bought this camera and I thought this is the one I need Because of 640x480 30fps video capture capability, 5.1MP etc. You know what I was wrong! I took the camera with me to Miami, I liked capture motion picture a lot guess what after 9-10 min it shuts itself off. What about the video it's gone!!! Later on I figured out that it gets over heated after capturing 30fps movie and it turns off around 10 min. Also picture quality is not that good.

Greetings,

Here is my honest opinion of the Konica/Minolta Dimage Z5. After months of research I decided to purchase the Z5 because of the camera�s price, ease of use and ergonomic design. The online vender that was chosen claimed that their cameras were new at the price of 280.00 USD. To my surprise the camera arrived within 2 days of payment and upon careful inspection the Dimage Z5 did appear to be new. Not a scratch or discoloration could be discovered; it even had a new car smell along with the 90 warranty. Up to this point I had been shooting film with my Maxxum 70 which took beautiful pictures, I tried digital before with a Gateway (God knows what) when 4 mega pix were the talk of the town only to go galloping back to film because of the fixed focal length and zoom limitations for digital point and shoot cameras of that era. The ergonomics of the camera made me feel as if I was holding the last egg of the Golden Goose. To obviate the fear of dropping the camera I mounted it on a camera grip which gave it a nice rugged feel. After tweaking the camera (which exhausted the original batteries within 30 minutes) I began shooting pictures around the house. The pictures came out clear between ISO 50-100. However, you will get some noise in low light condition and shoot at ISO 200-320 with or with out a flash. If one wants to photograph the man in the moon then I highly recommend that you invest in the Konica/Minolta A2 or 5D-7D.

When using the wide of telephoto lens options in conjunction with the pop up flash, a crude shadow will appear in the base of the photograph because of the low elevation of the flash in relation to the extension adapter. Therefore the 2500D of shoe Minolta flash is highly recommended. Also be aware that many of the auto focus non Minolta off shoe flash units that worked with the 50 and 70 film cameras will give false readings to the Z5 which will produce photos that looked as if you were shootings Iran�s first nuclear test. Over all the Z5 has taken some clear sharp pictures. My rule of thumb is to set the aperture at 4.5 and shoot for the stars. Turning off the anti shake system and the LCD monitor will conserve power. I photograph mainly cabaret and dance hall events which translate to the adage �point, shoot and move consistently� which makes the Minolta Konica DiMage Z5 a good work horse.

The features on this camera are great, pictures aren't exactly great but if you turn up the sharpness in any of the manual modes they turn out better. Video mode excellant, but of course noisy in low light, but I don't really expect much in digital cameras for video. With good light, however, the video is very nice.

I'm a novice photographer and never had a digital camera before. This camera has a lot of features that I haven't learned to take advantage of yet. I just wanted to take pictures of the kid's soccer games so the best thing I could do was to just start taking pictures. I couldn't be happier with the results. The pictures look like I was on the field with them. I'm sure it will only get better as I learn more about this camera and photography in general. I'm sure glad I went ahead and bought it.

1st camera came defective. Had it replaced and found out all the research I thought I had done was for not. I wanted a camera to take sports photos with. A waste of money for that. It does however take great Macro, if I was thrilled to only take the texture of the ball, this would be the camera. Any movement in Gym light blurs.
Outdoor bright light photos are fine.

I grew up with an old Canon Tx (needle match, auto nothing, yay 1977). Loved that camera. It got dipped in salt water and died maybe five years ago... Went to a 35mm Canon Rebel (digital wasn't quite ready back then). About a year ago, my daughter got a Minolta Z-10. Of course, I played with it. A lot. I was amazed. At that point, my film Rebel was boring and obsolete. I got my Z-5 about 3 months later, based on playing with her Z-10 and on-line reviews of the Z-5.

I've shot 2700 pictures with it. It's worked like a champ. Image stabilization is incredible. 1/2 second hand held pictures that are GOOD. I shot about 1200 pictures of the high school band under "the lights" during football season this year. Lots of pictures were 1/10 second (or 1/5 second) exposures because of the low level of night lighting. All hand held. And I got a lot of very nice photos. Very pleasing colors. Nice exposures (tried the flash at the games but I wanted more than just the stuff within 15 feet). Yes, I see some noise sometimes. But I usually lock it down at ISO 100 to avoid surprises. The flash isn't the strongest. But flash pictures aren't generally pleasing to look at anyway. Available light is almost always the best choice (with any camera). Oh - as a fill-flash, it works very nicely, softening shadows in bright sunlight as it should. And, in the dark, as long as the subject is within about 8 or 10 feet, the flash is fine, exposure-wise.

The "super macro" setting is amazing... focus at 1 inch??? wow... I've seen no lockups and no real problems what-so-ever. The camera works as advetised. Battery life is great.

My complaints: in low-light, sometimes it'll have trouble focusing (a problem common to lots of cameras in this price range). But it can be annoying when you're trying to get a group picture inside your house at night and you sometimes have to say "hang on, it's trying to focus..."

Shutter delay... The time from when you push the button to when the picture gets taken. In general, the camera does very well here (especially if you pre-focus). But the Z-5 is not an SLR. I did some action shots at my daughter's soccer game. Got a couple of very nice pictures... but I found I had to anticipate maybe 1/3 of a second, even with the "sports - continuous focus" setting. And, in a similar vein, I did miss some shots that I wanted when, because of low ambient light, the camera just couldn't get focused "in time."

And, the noise at low light levels with anything but the lowest ISO settings does bother me. I wish I could shoot at ISO 800 or ISO 1600 and not have to use 1/10 second exposures at ISO 100.

Overall, though, this is a very impressive camera. I love the long lens and the image stabilization. The user interface is very good (way better than the Rebel, in my opinion).

I'll definitely be keeping this camera.

But, I'll admit this: I'm drooling over a Canon 20d SLR for its low-light performance and its more instantaneous focus and exposures. But that camera is about $1200 without a lens... And the lens I have my eye on is more expensive than the entire Z-5 camera. :-)

For the money, the Z-5 is one nice camera.

have had multiple 35mm slr's & had opportunity to get any digital available instead of the z5. it's turned out to be a wise investment & dream of a camera.

*extremely long battery life with rechargeable metal hydrides even with flash & screen on.
*decent low light capability
*12x zoom is sharp. dont even think of getting anything under this.
*manual settings offer creative overrides if you so inclined.
*image stablitzer really works!!!
*larger viewing screen than most cameras, a major plus
*great feel. fits the hand well
*have not come across any negatives after 6 months ownership

bottom line, if you can find one, get it. the z6 is suppose to be it's replacement.

This little camera is worth the bucks for macro shots. However, using the 12 x's zoom it loses something and the pictures are usually blurred even when you use a tripod. (Now, I'm not saying that an expert photographer would know how to over come this but I do not). I was disappointed that it didn't come with a charger or advertised that you had to purchase one. I "assumed" that it came with one and had to go out and purchase a charger. It would have been nice had the ad explained this and made recommendations about their preferred choices. I love having a digital to practice w/o cost. This little camera is ergonomic as promised. You can comfortably hold it in one hand. However, if it gets hot it freezes up on you and you don't know why. This happens at the most inopportune times. It has a thermometer that lights up to tell you this however, if you are not looking at the view finder and you are walking around looking for that "shot" you don't know the thermometer light is even on. I was horrified because I thought I had burned the camera up! I hope they install an alarm that warns in addition to the visual. Otherwise, all in all...I would give this a 4 star. One more thing...I am anxiously awaiting accessories to come out for this little camera.

Some of the reviews I read I just have to wonder why did you even buy one because they sound like they might be alittel to complicated. These things take awsome pics. As far as screens turning off check the instruction bud. And those monkeys that are mp hungry you are not going to see a difference with more. More just lets you blow them up bigger.

My very first digital camera. I did a lot of research and after many discussions with semi-pro and camera store owners, decided on the Z5. I have taken approx 900-1000 photos and love it.. Photos from Cape May, NJ to night football games and not a hint of a problem.

it is a very sleek and light weight camera and it takes great shots

Bought this camera over a Panasonic Lumix, and wish I'd gone with the Panasonic instead.

It's a great camera, that takes very good pictures, but I had mine exactly 62 days when the right arrow key decided to stop working properly. This means you can't access any menu's, and you cannot page through images, so it had to go back.

Minolta Dig cameras MUST go back to their repair center in NJ, so back it went. I got a snail mail letter about a week after they got it, saying it would be 3-4 weeks to repair it.

Then, about four days later, I check online, and find that it's been fixed, and is "awaiting shipment." It then took them five more days to put the thing in a box and send it back UPS GROUND! Glad they fixed it fast, but wish they'd have shipped it a bit faster.

Of course, I don't have it back yet, so I really don't know if it's fixed or not.

Judging from some of the problems I'm seeing here, I think this camera may have some quality issues.

My camera is going in for repair for the second time. The first time the zoom was stuck out and wouldn't retract. It came back and worked for about 30 pictures and is stuck in the zoom out position again. When it works, it's great, but not dependable.

First of all, I really want this camera, but it came defective. I ordered it on line. The automatic settings did not work correctly. When using the manual settings, the camera takes great pictures, the zoom is wonderful and the autofocus quick. I love that the camera turns on so quickly. I would recommend buying this at a local store so you can return it if need be. Konica Minolta wants you to send the camera back for repairs, which will take at least 3 weeks.

Went to a local retailer of quality photo equipment looking for a Cannon s2 iS and upon playing around with the Z5 i changed my mind and bought it on the spot based on the look and feel as much as picture quality and video capture capabilities. Used it hard fro a few weeks, then started having problems with the lens retractor. It would go through phases where it would simply stop coming back once the camera was switched off, then the camera would get stitched back on and the lens would got out all the way, then come back about 3/4 then shut down. I could usually get it to act normally but too sketchy to retain past the return period. This one has gone back to the store now...

I've moved on to a Z5 after selling my Z3, hoping that the results on the Z5 were even more brilliant. infact the Apo lens and 4Mp on the Z3 produced brilliant results, however this was not really the case with the Z5. The colours simply are dull compared to the Z3 and images are not as crisp. If i had to go back i'd buy a Z3 again. The display on the Z5 is fantastic but it simply doesn't make up for the grainier evf and 4" max exposure that the Z5 possesses

Jolly nice.

Where i come from the economy is not good, so peole always buy things with "value for money in mind". I've long wanted to give my wife a camera and saved a long time for it. bought the Dimage Z5 last July 23. Four hours after buying it my wife was just programming the date function when the LCD shutter just absolutely switced off! The store replaced it with a new one; five shots after, it happens again. For a company which I've learned to respect in cameras, this model is an absolute disappointment. I've missed out on two family occassions due to this stupid equipment!

Instantly and easily took good quality pictures. Manual operation can only improve the use past point and shoot. I look forward to exploring all the functions of this camera.

I decided to buck the trend and buy the Konica-Minolta Z-5 even though some professional reviewers were unhappy with the image "noise" at high ISO setting. However, I just did my first extensive "shoot" with my new Z-5 in a challenging venue: the new Smithsonian Air & Space Museum near Dulles Airport. The lighting in the museum, which resembles a large aircraft hangar, is a mix of natural sunlight streaming in near the roofline, incandescent floodlighting of airplanes at various levels, and lots of dark spots. With only some minor manual adjustments like exposure compensation (to get brighter whites or darker darks in these mixed lighting conditions), I found the Z-5 gave excellent results in white balance (using auto white balance), the image stabilization feature helped a lot because these were low light shots, and the image "noise" issue was not a problem at all. I find that lowest light areas of my photos were a little "soft" and lacking in sharp detail, but I don't attribute this to noise as much as perhaps the Z-5's internal noise reduction software that may overcompensate for low light image noise. In any event, the noise issue raised by the professional reviewers seems a bit overrated. The softness in low light background is perfectly acceptable to me. Bottom line is that the Z-5 produces excellent results, is very ergonomically designed (feels solid and is comfortable in my hands), and in a pinch I can use standard AA batteries (one feature that is often underrated by expert reviewers). The image stabilization is also a feature all digital cameras should have, not just ultra-zooms. My suggestion is go ahead, buck the trends, and try a Z-5.

great 12X zoom
super macro
fantastic anti-shake
good and not expensive camera

i did a lot of research before buying the z-5 and thought to beleave to be the best camera on the market. unfortunately, it only took 30-40 pics and quit working. i even bought the extended service warranty. i was told where i bought the camera that it would take weeks to get back. so now, i have to go on my alaska vacation without a camera. how do you think i feel about that?

this camera is excellent in 12 zoom .
if you uses tele 2X it is very excellent.
but be careful with adapter tube it not correct
in length.

i love the z5 great great camera!

I just upgraded from a Z3. The extra mega pixel and new camera software prompted me to upgrade from a camera that I liked to the new model. This camera seems a little faster. Anti shake works well for low light situations and at full zoom. The add on wide angle lens is clear and sharp. Images may be a little sharper than the Z3.

I bought the Z5 3 months ago to photograph house sparrows for a research project, thinking the 12X zoom would be useful. Wow! it has been fantastic, and I have taken over 2000 images with it so far, everything from the moon, satellites and Constellations, (using the 4 second exposure) close ups of bugs, butterflies and flowers (using the macro modes) and aircraft, clouds and birds. The ability to photograph house sparrows in all situations and conditions has exceeded my expectations. The movie mode has also proved useful for capturing interesting events. I can't wait to take it on holiday now, no more duff pictures for me, they are so easily erased! It is possible to operate all the buttons with one hand - the right hand - as all the controls are well laid out. This relatively compact camera has fully converted me to digital photography. The Z5 now goes everywhere with me. A Great camera.

I have had this camera for two months now and I have tried all modes and facilities. It works very well, with clear and easy menus, and is far more compact and portable than a 35mm SLR. The controls are well placed and the large LCD screen allows clear and easy playback/reviewing of videos and photos. The camera's Anti-Shake and massive zoom-range (APO!) allow full creative freedom. At ISO 50 and 100, photos are clear, sharp and colorful. However, images at ISO 200 and 320 are disappointingly noisy and these settings should be left as a last resort. As a rule, use ISO 50 outdoors in normal to strong light and ISO 100 in overcast conditions or indoors, with flash. The EVF is reasonably clear, mimics the LCD fully and adds to the 'SLR experience' - very practical too especially when trying to compose a shot in strong sunlight as the LCD tends to white-out if not shielded with a cupped hand - very awkward for shooting the final image.
All in all, I can safely recommend this great little camera to ALL photographers as it caters for all levels of photography.

I have been wanting a digital camera for a while now. I read very many reviews, similar to ones like this. I have had several SLR 35mm cameras. Out of all the reviews, I must say I was set on the Panasonic Z-20, but my budget would not allow me to purchase at $750.00 + 15% taxes where I live. I settled on the Konica/minolta Z5. Main reason is that I had a Minolta 35mm SLR Maxxum 5. It was great and I was familiar with Minolta quality. This Z5 was still pricey for me, but worth every penny, plus the dealer took a trade for all my old SLR equipment, which helped to ease purchase. I found the Minolta Z5 very easy to use. The zoom is fantastic and in the auto mode, the camera works extremely well. I have not really had it long enough to play with all the other features, which are abundant with this camera. I find it light weight, compact, easy to hold. You can us the 2" view screen, or switch it to use very much like an SLR type. I bought the extra NiMH batteries and charger and I purchased a 256 sd card. even though an extra cost, it is worth it, as many others have suggested. For the amount of times I have used the camera, every shot has come out very well. I was always a little inhibited with digital cameras, but not now :-)..Great camera, one that I am sure you will enjoy..

I am a total newbee with photography. This camera is so idiot proof it is crazy!! It is so easy to use, and it takes very good pictures! I back this camera 100%

Did a lot of homework before I bought this camera and I love it. It takes great pictures and is easy to use.

Tips: I have found the P mode (Predictive Focus - auto aperture & exposure) very useful in low light conditions. You can't expect Auto mode on a digicam to work wonders every time.
Sharpness - set (& forget) to "hard" for best results.
Don't forget to pop the flash up in low light (obviously).
I'm getting good battery life. Buy a fast charger (e.g.. Duracell or Eveready) & say, 2 sets of high capacity NiMH AA rechargeables), a fast speed SD card e.g.. 512MB or 1G (if you can find one & not pay the earth).
As I say - I'm happy. I like the look & feel, the buttons, the excellent menu, the superb fast zoom & great macro. I took some excellent & detailed shots (the 1st day it arrived) in a reptile cave at the zoo in atrocious lighting. The movie mode (with sound) is great & you can zoom! The only criticisms (& these are very minor) is that the battery, SD card & USB covers feel weak - but many cameras have this problem. It is not a light-weighted camera (but is actually middle of the weights for this class of zoom camera). If you want a pocket sized one - buy one then, & do without the magnificent zoom /& other features. Image stabilization is a wonderful thing & I have taken very, very few blurry shots. & so what if you can only do a 4sec time exposure? Who needs it - an art student?
The software editing is OK. But I use a variety of software depending on what mood I'm in (& there's always better versions around the corner).
This camera is a teaser for those who will go on to buy a SLR (for twice the price). Minolta invented the zoom & are a big name in SLR.
If you look at all the features & weigh things up, this camera is mighty good. 5 Megapixels is heaps. Why would you need higher... would you need to make a billboard?
Go on, do yourself a favor...

This camera is truly a marvel. I did extensive research before I bought a camera to decide on which to get. The selling point for me with this camera was the "Anti-Shake" feature.
When I received the camera, that ended up being just one of the many features that I loved about it. This camera is truly a work of art.

It is great for amateurs as it has a great point and shoot option with the "auto" setting.

However, many more serious photographers, such as myself like manual settings. This one has it! You can go completely manual on focus and all, for greater shots!

The quality of the pictures is unreal.

There are a lot of features on this camera so don't get frustrated when you first get it and can't figure out even some of the simple things.

My suggestion would be to take the camera in hand, and take the manual in hand, sit down for about 30 minutes (at least) and just read through the manual and play with the camera as you do so.

The only drawback I've found to the camera to this point is it's autofocus is VERY active and tried the autofocus sometimes is so active that the picture may not end up as crisp as in manual focus.

it is a spectacular camera though and I would HIGHLY suggest others try it.

Excellent camera the best one I got last year.

I have been used to older 35mm camera's and have been very reluctant to switch to di-gi, but WOW, as you see I've only had it a few days and am still learning its full potential.
The anti-shake is absolutely fantastic, although I'm waiting to see how it goes on the old batteries (4xAA).
The picture quality on the monitor is crystal, although when in viewfinder mode it is computer image not naked eye, not sure if I like this or not yet.
The menu's are easy to use and the different modes are self explanatory.
It's a shame I did not buy this camera before going away for Valentines (cost 30 Pounds to have my 35mm films developed)!.
The zoom, I thought was going to be the let down but having the 35mm with 300mm zoom on and the di-gi cam side by side you could not tell the difference in distance.
I am fearful of using the digital zoom, but only because of the loss of quality, but this is the same with all di-gi cams.
The price, around 329 Pounds, I would say is fair for a camera of this absolute quality.