Customer Reviews

Konica Minolta Dimage A1 5MP Digital Camera with 7x Anti Shake Optical Zoom

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I researched for a digital camera for two months before I finally ordered the Minolta. I previously owned a 3mp Olympus but I wanted a good zoom lens and at least a 5MP Sensor.

I have had this camera for a month and my pictures are getting better with each use. The build quality of this camera is superb. There is nothing else out there for this price that is built like it. I looked at the Fuji Finepix 7000 but decided even though the resolution was higher, after holding one in my hand it wasn't the camera for me. The Fuji was very light and made of plastic. The Minolta is made of metal and fits the hand well.

I do want to tell anyone considering this camera that it can be VERY confusing to a beginner. It can be used just fine in "auto" mode as a point and shoot, but to get the most out of it you have to experiment a bit with all the other settings. Luckily I have a friend that is a professional photographer to help me with questions.

The main reason I bought this camera is because of it's Anti-Shake function. The sensor makes adjustments for a shaky hand, and that would be MY hands, not the steadiest of all. This is the only pro-sumer camera offering this technology at this time and I felt it was definately a "must have" feature. My 66 year old mother took a very good picture of me with it right out of the box. One of my 10 year old students took some pretty impressive pictures also.

PROS- Anti-Shake Function; Magnesium Body; Great Zoom lens; Good feel in the hand

CONS- A bit high priced...but falling; 5MP sensor

I have already decided that I will buy the upgrade of the A1 as soon as it is released.

It's a real photographer's camera; not point-and-shoot (although it works fine like that!). Lots of knobs on it, but that makes it very quick to use in the field (once you get used to it). Other cameras have fewer buttons and so you have to scroll through menus - very slow and frustrating! It's smaller than an SLR, but it's not a compact camera by any means. Very light for its size (540g), and well made (metal body - not plastic). It provides complete manual control of all parameters; very straightforward and well-designed. It's a joy to use. The first camera I've really felt at home with. One of the best things about it (apart from anti-shake) is the fact that you see the final picture in the amazingly bright and detailed viewfinder. It's really easy to fiddle with exposure to get the right balance of tones; you just look through the viewfinder and alter aperture or shutter speed until you get what you want. Amazing for sunsets; no guessing - just tweak until you see the photo you want in the viewfinder. Idiot proof really.

I purchased this camera a year ago. I love the fact that a lot of the settings can be changed without going into the menu. The anti-shake feature is very helpful as I am a senior citizen with severe arthritis of the shoulders. Holding a camera steady is a challenge at times. This was the main selling point for me.
I have used the camera for scenic shots, portraits, weddings and flowers with insects. The pictures are fantastic.
Highly recommend.

This camera is my favorite. The pictures have outstanding clarity, and the camera is easy to operate. It can practically take pictures on its own!! I use it alot for puppy pics, and I can't tell you how easily I can capture the pups in motion...there's not the normal lag time of a typical digital, so I can capture the moment as it really happened instead of the formerly seen blank view...or the view of a puppy's tail!! It's a Minolta...of course!!

Got this camera a month ago. Beats my friend's two-year-old Nikon 5700. Most impressive is the manual control. Very easy to use despite the number of knobs. I was able to get 80% of the functions without reading the manual (no experience with Minolta digicams before). Satisfied with the quality though people have been complaining about the noise in Minolta cams for a long time. Would definitely recommend to anybody who wants a decent camera but doesn't want to spend big $ on a DSLR.

Cannot say enough about this camera. Have it for the past 4 years and I absolutely love it. Takes great pictures (250+) on a single charge. Has many advanced features, so don't spend the money unless you are going to use all the nice features. Even though this camera is easy to use, I would suggest this camera for advanced users to make the price worth it.

I've had this for several years, bought it when it first came out. I like it very much, it took the place of 35mm film SLRs that I'd used for years.

It is complicated to take maximum advantage of it's potential but it takes great pictures on the auto setting.

I really like the electric contacts that determine if your hand is grasping the camera. If not it shuts off so battery isn't drained.

Two features that make me reduce its rating. It is very difficult to tell depth of field if you are using it's manual aperture and the photos are vignetted if you use a filter and I like to keep a polarizing filter on all lenses that can be fitted.

Decent size, not too big. But I do borrow my wife's pocket Canon for ease of use and portability

I was blown away by the level of quality the camera produced, even at the nominal settings. I have successfully replaced my high-end SLR. If you are on the fence, just buy it. Don't be fooled by the competitors' higher megapixel ratings--it's all about the lens! Features are more than most will ever need. You can't go wrong here.

I wish I had the words to describe how awesome this thing is. From point-and-shoot snap shots using all the automatic settings to manually setting every last little thing for that special shot, this camera has more capabilities than this humble user!

This camera is really worth the money. It is not about the namebrand people but the quality! This camera has 5 megapixels/7mpzoom. If you are considering buying a digital camera or just a camera in general you should buy it. My daughter is 12 yrs old and uses it all the time.!