High quality compact digital camera (Konica Minolta Dimage G530)

Member Name: Master Russ

Product:	Konica Minolta Dimage G530
Date:	01/04/05 (1040 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Really sharp photos, Easy to get to grips with, Comprehensive auto/manual settings

Disadvantages: Battery indicator, Only 3x optical zoom

was at a wedding on Hogmanay (I know) and EVERYONE there had a digital camera - even old people. So, I decided to get one and did some pretty thorough research. Boots had some good deals on, and I had looked at a Nikon Coolpix, a Fuji model, and then I saw this one, which was the only camera in my price bracket that offered 5 megapixels.
Unfortunately, it was very new and it was difficult to find any internet reviews (like this one), but previous models, such as the G500 had generally good reviews. Also, I thought that the range of features was much better than the other cameras that I was looking at. I've always liked 'proper' cameras, and I wanted a good range of manual options, like the ability to change the white balance, shutter speed, aperture size, ISO, etc. The DiMAGE also offered a range of image quality, from a Fine 5 megapixel down to a VGA setting.
When I got the camera (left on my doorstep - thanks guys) I was definitely satisfied that I had made the right choice. Firstly, it looks and feels fantastic; really slim and elegant, and yes, very sexy. The start-up time and shutter lag and both very short, and in Auto setting, it really is just a case of pointing and clicking.
Dig deeper in to the straightforward menu system though, and firstly experiment with the different 'scene' options. Portait, Landscape, Action etc. are all self explanatory, but the 'night' option gives the coolest effects, giving a cool 'Lomo-esque' glow to background lighting and a nice blurry effect.
In the manual mode, there is a great range of customisation that I've only really started to play with, and I have acheived some great results with long exposures and so on. There's also a decent movie mode with sound, which gives surprisingly good results when played back on your PC.
It goes without saying then, that the images recorded are of excellent quality; very sharp, with natural colours. I have used my dad's photo printer, and the prints are indistinguishable from the 'real thing'.
If you want to get the most out of the G530, you will need more memory. The supplied SD card will only do 6 shots at the highest resolution. I bought a SONY 256MB memory stick pro for about £35, and that gives about 106 photos at top quality.
The only negatives I can find are the battery indicator, which shows only Full, About To Run Out, or Empty. One extra level would have given a more accurate indicator, and if I'm going somewhere that I know I'll be taking a few shots, I usually feel that I should charge the battery just in case.
Also, if you're used to an SLR, you might find the 3x optical zoom a bit limiting, but it does give a good range of useable angles.
Highly recommended!

Summary: