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Futuristic looks and an 8x optical zoom with a 35mm-equivalent range of 36mm-290mm are the highlights of this 5-megapixel camera that combines pointand- shoot ease with advanced manual controls.
Surprisingly lightweight for its size, the Z20's plastic body has an eye-catching design. The handgrip is quite deep, so check out the fit before you buy. The camera's unique design and control layout takes a little while to get used to, but all control buttons are clearly marked.
Like all 8x optical zoom cameras, the Z20 has an electronic viewfinder in addition to an LCD, which, at 1.5" is smaller than we've become accustomed to with other cameras. However, it's sufficient for composing pictures, and the menu text is clear and easy to read.
Basic scene modes, such as portrait, sports action, landscape and sunset, are included as an easy step-up from totally automatic shooting. Selectable aperture and shutter speeds are available for the more experienced user, although the aperture range is limited to three choices, with a maximum aperture of f/3.2 (at wide angle) to f/3.4 (at telephoto).
Several tweaking options are available via the menu system. Other features include continuous shooting, continuous autofocus (which works well for action shots), bracketing and an in-camera resize function to prepare images for email.
While the Z20 has almost instant start-up and excellent battery life, it lags behind in shot-to-shot time with the flash. Continuous shooting is limited to about one frame per second, and the number of shots captured quickly maxes out at high resolution. Our test shots were good; we were particularly happy with our macro shots, which the Z20 could focus as close as 0.4". Typical of 8x optical zoom cameras, some purple fringing showed at high zooms.
This camera's strong suit is its zoom range, and anyone who's looking for a cool camera with extended focal length--at a great price--should check out the Z20.
-THEANO NIKITAS
Dimage Z20: 
Konica Minolta | konicaminolta.com | 800-964-6658 | $400
Pros: 8x optical zoom, good battery life, fast start-up time, excellent macro capability, predictive autofocus, cool design, in-camera resize for email, optional wide-angle converter accessory lens.
Cons: Mixed performance, no sound in movies, 14.5MB internal storage/no SD card bundled.
Requires: Power Mac, built-in USB, OS 9 or OS 10.1.3-10.3.6
macHOME recommends: High-capacity SD card, AA rechargeable batteries and charger
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