Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2 & Z3: What is the difference in performance?
by Stephen Caston on September 5, 2004 12:23 PM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
Color Reproduction
* For all of our color tests, we reset the Z2 and Z3 to their factory default settings. They were then set to record using the highest image quality option.We took a picture of our color chart using each of the following WB settings: Auto, Tungsten, and Manual. Click on a thumbnail below to view the full-size image.
| Auto WB | Tungsten WB | Manual WB | |
| Z2 |  |
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| Z3 |  |
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 Reference Chart ("actual colors") |
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Crops
| Auto WB | Tungsten WB | Manual WB | |
| Z2 |  |
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| Z3 |  |
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As with most current digital cameras, the Z2 and Z3 had trouble reproducing the color chart under our tungsten lights with the Auto WB setting. The Auto WB crops show that both cameras produced images with yellowish-pink color casts. However, the Z3 crop shows a much stronger color cast. When we set the cameras to Tungsten WB, the resulting colors were very accurate. We saw very little difference between Tungsten and Manual modes. It is important to note that the Z3 appears to have slightly underexposed all three charts.
Studio Shot
In this shot, we tested each camera's ability to reproduce colors in our studio shot using different WB settings. The cameras were set to Aperture priority mode (f4.0) without the flash.| Auto WB | Tungsten WB | Manual WB | |
| Z2 |  |
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| Z3 |  |
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Again, we can see the difference in the strength of the yellowish-pink color cast in our studio shot. The Tungsten WB performance on the Z2 was very accurate while the Manual setting shows a slight bluish tint. The Tungsten and Manual WB settings on the Z3 appear to be accurate, but again, are slightly underexposed.
Built-in Flash
For the flash test, we set both cameras to Auto mode w/Auto flash. The picture was taken from 5 feet away. Z2 |
 Z3 |
The Z2 showed average flash performance in our test shot. The white background appears to have a bluish cast. We were really disappointed with the Z3 in this test. The image has a very strong pinkish cast. The most likely reason for the pink cast is the camera's Auto WB processing of the ambient tungsten light. In more casual indoor flash pictures with the Z3, the pinkish cast was not nearly this evident.
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PaulS - Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - link
Stephen, thanks for the information (and the review!). I'm looking at using either the Z2 or the Z3 for astrophotography where I would need detail derived from dark areas. I like the antishake and separate viewfinder that the Z3 offers, but I think from your comments the picture quality of the Z2 would be better.Thanks again!
stephencaston - Friday, September 17, 2004 - link
There are certainly ways to deal with some of the Z3's shortcomings by doing post-work. However, There isn't a way to deal with the loss of detail in shadow areas.The real question is what issues will a new firmware address? It will be interesting to see what Konica Minolta will do.
PaulS - Friday, September 17, 2004 - link
Until new firmware is released, is it possible to deal with Z3's flaws (e.g. under-exposure, darker images, colour reproduction) using standard image processing software?stephencaston - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
Kelh,Both cameras have an accessory shoe that fits Konica Minolta flash units: 2500(D), 3600HS(D), and 5600HS(D). However, these flash units are sold separately. I hope this answers your comment ;-)
Kelh - Thursday, September 16, 2004 - link
One of the things I never find in these reviews is wether the cameras include a flash stand. Sometimes the flashes that come with digicams are not good enough and night pictures look dark.joyce - Wednesday, September 15, 2004 - link
Is it worth the price difference?Here in The Netherlands the difference is about €140,=.
I think it is very much
microsaftcom - Monday, September 6, 2004 - link
what the reviewers call jpeg compression artefacts may be just normal noise... I don't know...Depends on the reviewers...
All cameras have some sort of horizontal lines...
I don't see when it will be a problem.
I think 3 mb for 4 Mpixel pictures show that the compression isn't very effective.
microsaftcom - Monday, September 6, 2004 - link
It seems that Z3's flaws can be dealt with with firmware updates.Perhapos that is why the current new firmware 1.01e is not official yet, even though it solved many problems.
In my mind these cams are uncomparable as one has image stabilisation and thoe other hasn't.
It has to be compared with the panasonic or the canon.
/F
Chaotic42 - Monday, September 6, 2004 - link
I had a Z2 for a brief period of time (I had to return it when my PSU killed my motherboard) and it was an awesome camera.The Z3 looks even better. I would recommend that anyone looking for a high-zoom camera check these out.