optical zoom zoom

[filthiestfis]

Can anyone recommend me a good digital camera with a strong optical zoom please?

[Buenchico]

Konica Minolta pulled out of the camera business at the end of March but some of their products are still available, often at heavily discounted prices. I use a Dimage Z1 which I'm really happy with. (I'd previously used Olympus Camedia products which weren't as good but that might just be because of the speed with which all digital camera have improved. i.e. It wasn't really fair of me to compare a new Minolta camera with an older Olympus one).

The Z1 was the first camera in the excellent Dimage Z series. The last cameras to be be manufactured in the range (i.e. up until March) were the Z10 & Z20 (both with 8x optical zooms) and the Z3, Z5 & Z6 (all with 12x optical zooms). It's these cameras which I recommend you look out for.

As I've stated Minolta cameras are no longer manufactured but the company is still trading in other areas of electronics. This means that the manufacturer's warranty on a Minolta camera is still valid. (They've got an arrangement with Sony for any repairs to be carried out).

Several dealers are still advertising the Dimage Z range. For example, the Z3 is offered at �159.99, here:
http://thedigitalcentre.com/shop/product_info. php?products_id=49

Chris

[filthiestfis]

Thanks Chris-I am looking around for the Dimage Z cameras now :o)

[filthiestfis]

I know this might sound odd but im giving the camera to a female friend and Im worried that these power cameras are too big/chunky and wont be carry-friendly,
what do you reckon?

[heathfield]

If you're serious about zoom, you'd go for a digital SLR, where you can change the lenses to any size zoom you want. But that does make them big overall.

[obione]

hi i am a female and have a fuji s602 zoom its one of the bridge cameras (between a snapper and a digital slr) ive had no problems with the size of it and best of all it combines the facilities of a snapper and a slr. (lots of top brand slr dont have the lcd screen for starters.) its a very comfortable size. my other half has the fuji s20 pro and this is no problem either.

http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/digital/cameras/s602 pro/

http://www.fujifilm.co.uk/digital/cameras/s20p ro/

these can be bought on e bay for between �100 for s602 and upto �200 for the s20 pro.

[Buenchico]

I use both conventional (film) SLRs and my Z1 digital camera. One of the few problems I had when I first got the Z1 was that I kept forgetting that I'd got it round my neck! It's much lighter than an SLR and really easy to carry around.

Of course, it wouldn't it fit easily into a small handbag but no 'reasonably serious' camera would.

If the lady simply wants something which she carry all of the time for taking a few casual snaps, buy her a cheapish camera with, say, a 3x zoom. (Alternatively, just buy her a mobile phone with a decent camera in it). However, if she wants to take some really good photographs (without making a large hole in your bank balance through the purchase of a digital SLR), then I still recommend the Dimage Z series.

Just one additional point: A lot of people waste money on cameras which have more megapixels than they'll ever need. Unless your friend would want prints bigger than A4, there's no point in buying a camera with more than a certain number of megapixels.

What's 'a certain number'? Well, there was once a lengthy debate here on AB about that. I maintained (and still do) that it's almost impossible to see any difference in the quality of A4 prints above 2Mp. The majority of other contributors suggested a cut-off point of around 3Mp but everyone agreed that there is absolutely no point in having more than 4Mp.

Chris