The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z10's 3.2 megapixel RGB CCD image sensor offers a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, which is capable of capturing 1.5 frames per second (depending on resolution, the burst depth is limited to 5 - 19 frames at the maximum resolution). The new 8x optical zoom lens offers a 35mm equivalent focal length of 36 to 290mm , and dominates a camera body that is very reminiscent of the DiMAGE Z1 and Z2 models, but with a more rounded-off style. A hybrid autofocus system coupling a passive AF sensor with a traditional contrast detection video AF system complements the lens, and is rated by Konica Minolta as capable of focusing in about a third of a second.

The DiMAGE Z10 uses the same "Switch Finder" system seen on the DiMAGE Z1 and Z2, which shares a single 1.5-inch LCD monitor between both the rear-camera display and optical viewfinder, a mechanical mechanism and a mirror system to direct the image to the appropriate location. Other features of the camera include a selection of auto, manual and scene modes, PictBridge compatibility for making prints without the need for a computer, VGA and reduced resolution 15 frames per second movie modes (30 frames per second movies are possible at the reduced resolution only), and more. Pricing and availability for the new model haven't been announced at this time. Full specifications, product photos, press release and a "backgrounder" document courtesy of Konica Minolta all follow:

New Konica Minolta Z-Series Digital Camera:

The DiMAGE Z10

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc.'s new compact and easy-to-use DiMAGE Z10 3.2 megapixel digital camera is an affordable yet feature-rich camera, perfect for novice as well as advanced amateur photographers.

Product Highlights

• Large 8x optical Mega Zoom lens perfect for landscape photography as well as extreme close-ups. Combining the optical zoom with the seamless 4x digital zoom provides a total 32x zoom

• High performance built-in lens and 3.2-megapixel CCD with Konica Minolta's CxProcess™ II high-quality image processing technology

• Fastest startup in its class* 1 —the DiMAGE Z10 is ready to shoot in approximately 0.5 seconds.

• Rapid AF with Predictive Focus Control for ultra-high-speed focusing to capture even the most fleeting photo opportunities

• Four AA alkaline batteries power the DiMAGE Z10 for up to 500 frames

• Macro mode for close-ups as near as 0.4 inches from the subject

Features

Incredible 32x Total Zoom Lens Range

The new DiMAGE Z10 features a built-in 8x optical zoom lens capable of focal lengths from 36-290mm (35mm equivalent) while providing focal lengths up to 1160mm (35mm equivalent) when combined with the 4x seamless digital zoom. With the 8x optical zoom lens and the 4x digital zoom combining for a 32x total zoom, the DiMAGE Z10 is perfect for taking pictures of distant subjects or far-away scenic shots.

The DiMAGE Z10 incorporates a high performance 8x optical lens consisting of 11 elements in nine groups that includes two aspheric lens elements. With two aspheric lens elements, the DiMAGE Z10 corrects various kinds of optical aberrations in the zoom range and renders beautiful, homogenous, distortion-free images from the center to the edges.

3.2-Megapixel CCD for Beautiful Prints

The 3.2-megapixel, 1/2.5-inch CCD produces plenty of detail for creating high-quality enlargements—as large as 10 x 13 inches at 150 dpi print resolution. In addition, the CCD's primary color filter offers high color fidelity.

Fastest Startup in Its Class* 1

The DiMAGE Z10 boasts an amazingly fast startup time. Just switch the camera on and it's ready to start taking pictures in approximately 0.5 seconds* 1 .

Rapid Autofocus (AF) with Predictive Focus Control

Thanks to a hybrid rapid AF combining a passive AF sensor with the video AF system, focusing takes just 0.3 seconds. The DiMAGE Z10 includes Predictive Focus Control, which allows photographers to capture sharper images of moving subjects—like a child running through the back yard.

Progressive Capture

The DiMAGE Z10 allows photographers to take high-speed consecutive shots at approximately 1.5 frames per second and the DiMAGE Z10 captures consecutive images onto the camera's 16MB internal memory. Release the shutter button and the last six shots are recorded onto the memory card. This function is handy for shooting sporting events or for recording, analyzing and improving form in personal sports training situations such as a golf swing.

Up to 500 Frames on Four AA Alkaline Batteries

The DiMAGE Z10's power-saving design allows photographers to take up to 500 frames on a set of four AA alkaline batteries. This is more shots than any other digital camera with built-in flash running on AA alkaline batteries* 2 .

Superbly Detailed Images with CxProcess™ II

Konica Minolta's CxProcess™ II image processing technology incorporates characteristics like smooth gradations, natural skin tones, and brilliantly clear colors for images that are more natural and lifelike.

Noise Reduction

Noise Reduction improves night photography by automatically preventing the blemishes and graininess associated with slow-shutter speeds.

PASM Exposure Control and Metering Modes

The DiMAGE Z10 offers incredible control over exposure. The camera features four modes: Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual. Manual exposure enables 30-second time exposures. The DiMAGE Z10 has three metering modes: Multi-segment, center-weighted, and spot. Multi-segment metering uses 256 segments to determine exposure.

Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection

Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically chooses the best recording mode for each image. Photographers can also manually select from Portrait, Sports Action , Landscape, and Sunset modes. The DiMAGE Z10 can also be set to Night portrait mode in the menu settings.

Get as Close as 0.4 inches with Macro

Shoot amazing close-up photographs using the camera's Macro mode. This mode allows photographer's to get as close as 0.4 inches to their subject.

Switch Finder

The DiMAGE Z10's Switch Finder function allows photographers to view the LCD monitor images through the viewfinder (Viewfinder display) or on the LCD monitor itself (Monitor display). There is no color, contrast, or resolution difference between the images viewed on the viewfinder and on the LCD monitor because both are the same image. The viewfinder was designed with a large apparent angle of view so the image is large and clear.

Key Customize

For added flexibility and convenience, the camera's flash button can be customized to handle different settings. This means that instead of going through the menus on the camera's LCD panel, photographers can use the flash button to change settings like the drive mode, white balance, focus mode, color mode, or sensitivity.

PictBridge* 3 -Compliant

Forget all about complicated connections with a PC. Users can get prints directly from the camera by connecting the DiMAGE Z10 to a PictBridge* 3 -compliant printer. Users just check which images they want to print on the DiMAGE Z10's LCD monitor and then print out their favorites.

VGA Movie Recording

The DiMAGE Z10 can record movies without sound. It records 15-frames-per-second VGA-size (640x480) movies, which are much easier to view during playback than conventional QVGA-size (320x240) movies. It also records 320x240 movies at either 30 frames per second or 15 frames per second. The XR (Extended Recording) Movie mode lets users record longer movie clips onto the SD memory card until the memory card is full. Night Movie uses high camera sensitivity to record under extreme low-light conditions. And Movie Frame Capture lets users select their favorite scenes from a movie and saves them as still images.

New Design

The DiMAGE Z10's design is advanced yet familiar and easy-to-use. Despite its large 8x zoom range, it weighs just 10.6 ounces. It's also easy to carry and operate even for amateur photographers. The camera's ergonomic form makes it easy to hold and keep steady for those zoom shots.

Optional Wide Converter Wide-Angle Converter ZCW-200

The optional Wide Converter Kit allows photographers to fit more of a scene into each shot. The lens features a 26mm wide angle that is ideal for capturing indoor or outdoor architecture and panoramic landscape shots.

*1 Approximately 0.5 second, from when main switch is turned on until LCD monitor comes on. As of May 20, 2004, for digital cameras with 8x or greater zoom.

*2 Up to approximately 500 frames with the four included AA alkaline batteries. Based on Konica Minolta's standard test method and compliant with the CIPA standard, with included AA alkaline batteries and included SD Memory Card.

As of May 20, 2004, for digital cameras with built-in flash running on AA alkaline batteries.

*3 PictBridge is an industry standard established by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z10
Number of effective pixels	3.2 million
CCD	1/2.5-type interline primary-color CCD Total pixels: 3.3 million
Camera sensitivity	Auto and 64,100, 200, and 400 ISO equivalents
Focal length	6 - 48mm (35mm equivalent: 36 – 290mm)
Lens construction	11 elements in 9 groups
Maximum aperture	f/3.2 – f/3.4
Minimum focus distance	Wide: 1.6 ft (0.5m) from front of lens Telephoto: 4.9 ft (1.5m) from front of lens Wide: 1.9 ft (0.57m) from CCD Telephoto: 5.1 ft (1.57m) from CCD
Minimum macro distance	Macro Mode: Wide: 0.4 in. (0.01m) Tele: 23.6 in. (0.6m) �
Maximum magnification	0.24x Equivalent to 1.5x in 35mm format
Area covered at maximum magnification	Approximately 1.0 x 0.7 in. (25 x 18mm)
LCD monitor	1.5 inch (3.8cm) low-temperature polysilicon TFT color Total number of pixels: 113,000 Automatic monitor amplification
Field of view	Viewfinder: Approximately 98% LCD monitor: Approximately 100%
Display-mode switch	Viewfinder display, LCD-monitor display Switch Finder system allows the monitor to be viewed directly or through the viewfinder.
Diopter control	– 3 ~ +1m -1
Eye relief	18.8mm
Shutter	CCD electronic shutter and mechanical shutter
Shutter speed range	4 - 1/2000 second in programmed AE and aperture -priority modes. 15 - 1/2000 second in shutter-priority and manual exposure modes, time exposure (maximum 30 seconds) 2 - 1/2000 second in Auto-recording and Digital Subject Programs
Autofocus system	Rapid AF: a combination of a passive AF sensor with the video AF system
Autofocus areas	3 -Point Wide Focus Area Spot focus areas with Focus Area Selection
Focus modes	Single-shot AF, Continuous AF with predictive focus control, Full-time AF, Manual focus.
Focus lock	By pressing shutter-release button partway down.
Metering	Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
Multi-segment metering	256 segments
Exposure modes	Programmed AE, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual
Digital Subject Programs	Automatic ( Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, Sunset, Standard) Manual ( Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, Sunset, Standard, Night portrait.)
Exposure compensation	±2 EV in 1/3 increments
AE lock	By pressing shutter-release button partway down
Flash metering	Pre-flash TTL
Flash range	Wide: Approximately1.6 – 17.1 ft. (0.5 – 5.2 m) from front of lens Telephoto: Approximately 14.9 – 17.1 ft. (.5 – 5.2 m) from front of lens (Camera sensitivity: auto)
Flash modes	Autoflash, Autoflash with red-eye reduction, Fill flash, Flash cancel, Slow-shutter sync. Autoflash not available with aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual exposure modes.
Flash recycling time	Approximately 4 seconds
Flash compensation	± 2 EV in 1/3 increments
Flash-sync speeds	All shutter speeds
Continuous advance	Approximately 1.5 frames per second *Actual speed may vary depending upon the subject and camera settings. Approximate number of frames that can be captured at one time with the continuous-advance drive modes: Continuous advance 2048 x 1536 1600 x 1200 1280 x 960 640 x 480 Fine 5 frames 8 frames 13 frames 42 frames Standard 10 frames 16 frames 24 frames 67 frames Economy 19 frames 30 frames 42 frames 94 frames * Actual number of images may vary depending upon the subject and camera settings.
Progressive Capture	Stores images from the built-in memory to the memory card from the latest frame captured with the continuous advance. Maximum number of images that can be recorded with the Progressive Capture mode: 6 frames (1.5 frames per second)
Exposure bracketing	Three frame bracket in 1.0, 0.5, 0.3 EV increments
Self-timer	Approximately 10 seconds, 2 seconds
Movie	Recording time dependent on memory card capacity, image size, and frame rate. Frame rate: 15 frames per second (640 x 320, 320 x 240), 30 frames per second (320 x 240) Movie frame capture Night movie (automatic selection or disabled)
White balance control	Automatic, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash), Custom
Digital Effects Control	Contrast compensation, Sharpness
Contrast compensation	Three levels (Low, Normal, High)
Sharpness settings	Three levels (Soft, Normal, Hard)
Color modes	Natural Color, Vivid Color, Black and white, Sepia
Noise reduction	User selectable dark noise reduction
Digital zoom	Maximum 4x in 0.1x increments
Copy function	To copy single or multiple images to the same or another memory card.
E-mail Copy function	Creates a compressed 640x480 JPEG image for transmission.
Date imprinting	Year/month/day (Format can be changed.) Imprinting can be disabled
Key customization	The function activated by the flash-mode button can be changed.
Image-quality modes	Fine, Standard, Economy
Number of recorded pixels (Still images)	2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480
Number of recorded pixels (Movie clips)	640 x 480, 320 x 240
Storage capacity	Approximate storage capacity of a 16MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card: Still images 2048 x 1536 1600 x 1200 1280 x 960 640 x 480 Fine 9 frames 14 frames 22 frames 69 frames Standard 17 frames 27 frames 39 frames 100 frames Economy 32 frames 47 frames 69 frames 150 frames Movie clips 640 x 480 320 x 240 30 frames per second - 21 seconds 15 frames per second 26 seconds 42 seconds *Actual number of images may vary depending upon the subject and memory card used.
File formats	JPEG, Motion JPEG (MOV) DCF 2.0-compliant DPOF-compliant (Supported by printing functions in version 1.1) Exif 2.2
Folder name formats	Standard, Date
Printing output control	Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching II, PictBridge
Recording media	SD (Secure Digital) Memory Cards, MultiMediaCards
Computer interface �	Full-speed 12Mbps data transfer with USB 2.0 compatible computer
AV output	NTSC, PAL (selected on the camera)
Batteries	Four AA batteries: Alkaline, Ni-MH
Battery performance (Playback)	Approximate continuous playback time: 600 minutes with alkaline batteries.
Battery performance (Recording)	Approximate number of recorded images: 500 Conforming to CIPA ( included AA alkaline batteries, included SD memory card )
External power source	6V DC with specified AC adapter (sold separately)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	4.3 x 3.2 x 3.7 in. (109 x 82 x 94mm)
Weight	Approximately 10.6 oz. (300g) without batteries or recording media
Operating temperature	32-104°F (0-40ºC)
Standard accessories	Neck Strap NS-DG800, Lens Cap LF-243B, Video Cable VC-400, 16MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card, USB Cable USB-3, DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM, Four AA Alkaline batteries
Optional accessories	AC Adapter AC-1L, Camera Case CS-DG1000, Neck Strap NS-DG7000, Wide-Angle Converter ZCW-200 kit
More Photos
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