Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z3 Review

Note that all onscreen images and overlay data can be displayed on the EVF or the color LCD, just flip the display control switch located on the back.

Here's the Auto (point-n-shoot) mode screen display. There is minimal information displayed, you can see the image size "2272" and quality "FINE", battery level indicator, AS (Anti-Shake) is on, Auto DSP (Automatic Digital Subject Program) is enabled, Single drive mode, Multi-segment metering, and there is enough room on our SD card for 218 pictures.

Shown here are the menu options when using Auto record mode. You can change the Drive mode, Image size and quality, enable or disable Auto DSP, and turn the Digital Zoom on or off.

In Program AE mode the camera selects the best combination of both shutter speed and aperture automatically. Icons indicate flash mode, image size and quality, ISO speed if other than automatic, metering mode, drive mode, and # of pictures remaining.

When you half-press the shutter release, the AF marks turn red and indicate the area in which will be focused.

In Shutter priority mode you set the shutter speed desired to freeze rapid action or blur motion and the camera automatically selects the proper aperture setting.

In Aperture priority you set the desired aperture for control of depth of field and the camera will automatically match the proper shutter speed.

In Manual mode you have control of both the shutter speed and aperture value.

And here is a "busy" screen showing Manual capture mode, flash off, Image size and quality, hard sharpening, high contrast, custom white balance, spot metering, continuous drive mode, single AF, ISO 50, and the live histogram display.

In Macro mode the Z3 can cover 0.1 m (0.3 feet) - 1.0 m (3.3 feet) at Wide Angle and 1.2 m (3.9 feet) - 2.5 m (8.2 feet) at Telephoto. If you need get even closer, Super Macro mode can get as close as 1cm (0.4 in.)

You can also manually focus on you subject, just select the Manual focus option in the record menu. You then use the "Up" and "Down" arrows on the 4- way selector to adjust the focusing range. The image then enlarges to check for critical focus.

Record mode menu:

Drive mode - Single, Self-timer, Continuous, Progressive, Bracketing
Image Size - 2272x1704, 1600x1200, 1280x960, 640x480
Quality - Fine, Standard, Economy
White balance - Custom set/recall, Auto, Preset
Key function - Assign various functions for the Flash mode button

Focus mode - Single AF, Continuous AF or Manual
Full-time AF - Enable/disable continuous autofocus
Flash mode - Auto, Red-eye, Fill, Fill+Red-eye, Slow sync.
Flash comp. - Adjust flash output level (±2 EV in 1/3 EV steps)
Metering mode - MultiSegment, Center-weighted or Spot

Sensitivity - Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400
Digital zoom - Enable/disable Digital zoom
Color mode - Natural, Vivid, B&W or Sepia
Sharpness - Hard, Normal, Soft
Contrast - High, Normal, Low

In Movie mode you can record motion video with audio. The image size can be 640x480 Fine/Standard or 320x240 at either 15fps or 30fps. The length of a video clip is limited only by the amount of available memory on your SD card. Because of the "Silent Zoom" mechanism, you can use the zoom lens during recording.

Movie mode menu:

Quality - 640x480 Fine, 640x480 Standard, or 320x240
Frame rate - 30fps or 15fps
White balance - Custom set/recall, Auto, Preset
Movie mode - Standard or Night mode


Focus mode - Cont. AF, Single AF, Manual
Color mode - Natural Color, Vivid Color, B&W (Black&White), Sepia
Digital Zoom - On, Off

SETUP menu options:

LCDbrightness - Adjust the LCD brightness
Power save - 1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes to auto power off
Instant playback - 10s, 2s, none
Lens accessory - None or "WideConvertr"
Language - Chose the menu language

File #memory - Sequentially number images
Folder name - Choose the method for creating folder names
Noise Reduction - On or off
Date/Time set - Set the camera's clock and calendar
Date imprint - Activates Date imprinting

Reset default - Return all settings to factory default
Audio signals - Change or turn off audio sound effects
Focus signals - Change or turn off focus sound effects
Shutter FX - Change or turn off Shutter sound effects
Volume - Adjust volume of camera sounds


Video output - NTSC or PAL format
Transfer mode - Specify camera use with a computer or printer
Anti-Shake - Choose Display + Exposure, Exposure only, or disable AS (Off)
Self-Timer - Select duration of self-timer (2 or 10 sec.)