Konica Minolta's 2005 bridge zoom — 5MP CCD, 12x 35-420mm f/2.8-4.5, Anti-Shake, AA power
The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 was the 2005 flagship of the DiMAGE Z bridge-camera line, following on from the Z3. It combined a long 12x zoom with the company's body-integral Anti-Shake stabilisation, and was among the last cameras Konica Minolta released before it withdrew from the camera business in 2006.
It uses a 5.0-megapixel 1/2.5in CCD behind an APO 12x zoom covering 35-420mm equivalent at f/2.8-4.5, with Anti-Shake sensor-based stabilisation. There is a 2.0in LCD, VGA 640x480 movie recording at 30fps with sound, and power comes from four AA cells; images store to SD or MMC cards. Weight is about 340g.
As a used buy it is a light, long-reach bridge camera for casual wildlife, travel and garden photography, with AA power a practical bonus. Five megapixels and contrast AF of its era limit cropping and fast action work, and output carries the CCD-era colour signature some buyers now seek out.
Check that Anti-Shake works and that the zoom travels smoothly across the full range. It takes standard SD cards only — no SDHC or SDXC, so 2GB is the practical ceiling — and alkaline AAs drain quickly, so plan on NiMH. Konica Minolta camera service ended long ago, so buy on condition.