Steve'sDigicams

Bria · Oct 13, 2003, 2:06 PM

I am, obviously, quite new to this digital camera thing, and I am going to purchase one in the VERY near future. However, I am trying to do my homework and don't want to jump the gun. I have narrowed (I think) my choices down to either the Fuji FinePix S5000 or the Minolta DiMAGE Z1. Our local camera shop just received the Minolta in the same week I went to look at it, so they really couldn't give me much feedback. I have been reading about both online and have read Steve's reviews. I still feel like it would be helpful to get someone's input.

While ease of use is important, I would like to get the one with the most flexibility and features. I don't want to get into this thing and then realize I have a camera that can't do all I need it to. I guess that for the most part I will be taking still pictures, both indoors and out, but that's not to rule out some sports pics eventually. My younger brother plays high school tennis so that would definately be a subject in the future. Also, my price range is around what these two cameras cost. If anyone has another opinion on a camera similar to these two, go ahead and chime that in too, because I really just want a good value.

Any and all opinions are appreciated and welcome!! Thanks,

Bria Pitts

tkmckay · Oct 13, 2003, 4:39 PM

Well for me if I was in your shoes with my own requirements the S5000 would be taken off my list because of what I think is a very limiting 2second max expossure setting. I love taking long expossure pictures and wish my camera (Oly C-750uz) offered even longer than the 16sec setting which is its limit. When the S5000 was released and I saw that I knew I made the right choice the week earlier in buying the c750uz.

Of cource thats my needs/requirements....which are most likely different from yours. :P The Z1 offers expossure settings to 15seconds and Bulb (maximum 30 seconds) by the way.

Bria · Oct 13, 2003, 4:49 PM

So I guess that 2 seconds and 15 seconds is quite a bit of difference. Still, I am worried about all of the whirling noises and the jiggling or loose lens on the Z1 that everyone is buzzing about. Does the short exposure time of the S5000 outweigh these problems that everyone is saying the Z1 is having?

Mike_PEAT · Oct 13, 2003, 5:02 PM

Many digitals with an extending lens has a loose or "floating" lens...the Olympus cameras are notorious for this "complaint" although it has never caused a problem in pictures (I use an Olympus C-700 myself).

The best thing you can do for any digital (if available for your camera) to get a filter adapter tube and a UV filter, and keep it on your camera at all times (which I do).

I assume any whirring noises would be the focusing motor (although I didn't notice them when I tried the Z1...maybe the one I tried had the constant AF turned off).

On the Z1 I'd be more worried about the LCD/Viewfinder mechanism:

(previously posted)
Those of us who have tried the new Minolta were not impressed, mostly because of its dinky mechanism for changing from viewfinder to the LCD; Steve has an animation of it in his review, but basically when you change from the LCD to the viewfinder the LCD display itself tilts back, two shutters close down on the LCD window (from top and bottom, you can still see the LCD through the space in between), a mirror is dropped down which reflects the LCD image into another mirror and then into the viewfinder.

Someone who was a C-700 user who decided to buy this camera had his viewfinder/LCD mechanism break on the first day he used it!

Bria · Oct 14, 2003, 10:34 AM

Ok, so although there are some mixed opinions on the S5000, I think that is the one I will go with. I actually got to "hold" the Z1 at the local camera shop, and it did feel a little "cheap."

Here's another question then, what about those UV filters? Is there a certain brand that would be best? I think that I am making this too complicated.. :?

Also, has anyone shopped at Broadway Photo (bwayphoto.com)? They seem to have a really low price on this camera ($309). Also Digital Liquidations (also a .com company) has an extremely low price ($289). I don't want to get ripped off, but these are great prices. Their accessories seem to be a little over priced though. Thanks for the help everyone!

slipe · Oct 14, 2003, 11:38 AM

If you read Steve’s conclusions on the S5000 he finds the only JPG quality available is evidently a low quality as it produces artifacts. The “fine” setting on the Minolta is evidently better. The Minolta has a full range of ISO settings starting at 50 where the Fuji ISO is a minimum of 160 in auto and 200 in manual. As a result the Fuji sample shots are a lot noisier. The Minolta also has long exposure noise reduction to go with that 15 second exposure capability. Given the choice I would go with the Minolta.

I wouldn’t buy from someone who doesn’t submit their prices to the price search engines so someone can include the seller reviews in the decision. And I wouldn’t buy from someone without a decent number of seller reviews or poor reviews. http://www1.dealtime.com/xPC-Fuji_Fi...S5000~S-6~PG-1 and http://www1.dealtime.com/xPC-Minolta_Dimage_Z1~S-6~PG-1

Oct 13, 2003, 2:06 PM	#1
Bria Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 22	Fuji FinePix S5000 vs. Minolta DiMAGE Z1 I am, obviously, quite new to this digital camera thing, and I am going to purchase one in the VERY near future. However, I am trying to do my homework and don't want to jump the gun. I have narrowed (I think) my choices down to either the Fuji FinePix S5000 or the Minolta DiMAGE Z1. Our local camera shop just received the Minolta in the same week I went to look at it, so they really couldn't give me much feedback. I have been reading about both online and have read Steve's reviews. I still feel like it would be helpful to get someone's input. While ease of use is important, I would like to get the one with the most flexibility and features. I don't want to get into this thing and then realize I have a camera that can't do all I need it to. I guess that for the most part I will be taking still pictures, both indoors and out, but that's not to rule out some sports pics eventually. My younger brother plays high school tennis so that would definately be a subject in the future. Also, my price range is around what these two cameras cost. If anyone has another opinion on a camera similar to these two, go ahead and chime that in too, because I really just want a good value. Any and all opinions are appreciated and welcome!! Thanks, Bria Pitts

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Oct 13, 2003, 4:39 PM	#2
tkmckay Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 259	Well for me if I was in your shoes with my own requirements the S5000 would be taken off my list because of what I think is a very limiting 2second max expossure setting. I love taking long expossure pictures and wish my camera (Oly C-750uz) offered even longer than the 16sec setting which is its limit. When the S5000 was released and I saw that I knew I made the right choice the week earlier in buying the c750uz. Of cource thats my needs/requirements....which are most likely different from yours. :P The Z1 offers expossure settings to 15seconds and Bulb (maximum 30 seconds) by the way.

Oct 13, 2003, 4:49 PM	#3
Bria Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 22	So I guess that 2 seconds and 15 seconds is quite a bit of difference. Still, I am worried about all of the whirling noises and the jiggling or loose lens on the Z1 that everyone is buzzing about. Does the short exposure time of the S5000 outweigh these problems that everyone is saying the Z1 is having?

Oct 13, 2003, 5:02 PM	#4
Mike_PEAT Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 1,910	Many digitals with an extending lens has a loose or "floating" lens...the Olympus cameras are notorious for this "complaint" although it has never caused a problem in pictures (I use an Olympus C-700 myself). The best thing you can do for any digital (if available for your camera) to get a filter adapter tube and a UV filter, and keep it on your camera at all times (which I do). I assume any whirring noises would be the focusing motor (although I didn't notice them when I tried the Z1...maybe the one I tried had the constant AF turned off). On the Z1 I'd be more worried about the LCD/Viewfinder mechanism: (previously posted) Those of us who have tried the new Minolta were not impressed, mostly because of its dinky mechanism for changing from viewfinder to the LCD; Steve has an animation of it in his review, but basically when you change from the LCD to the viewfinder the LCD display itself tilts back, two shutters close down on the LCD window (from top and bottom, you can still see the LCD through the space in between), a mirror is dropped down which reflects the LCD image into another mirror and then into the viewfinder. Someone who was a C-700 user who decided to buy this camera had his viewfinder/LCD mechanism break on the first day he used it!

Oct 14, 2003, 10:34 AM	#5
Bria Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 22	Ok, so although there are some mixed opinions on the S5000, I think that is the one I will go with. I actually got to "hold" the Z1 at the local camera shop, and it did feel a little "cheap." Here's another question then, what about those UV filters? Is there a certain brand that would be best? I think that I am making this too complicated.. :? Also, has anyone shopped at Broadway Photo (bwayphoto.com)? They seem to have a really low price on this camera ($309). Also Digital Liquidations (also a .com company) has an extremely low price ($289). I don't want to get ripped off, but these are great prices. Their accessories seem to be a little over priced though. Thanks for the help everyone!

Oct 14, 2003, 11:38 AM	#6
slipe Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Indian Rocks Beach, FL Posts: 4,036	If you read Steve’s conclusions on the S5000 he finds the only JPG quality available is evidently a low quality as it produces artifacts. The “fine” setting on the Minolta is evidently better. The Minolta has a full range of ISO settings starting at 50 where the Fuji ISO is a minimum of 160 in auto and 200 in manual. As a result the Fuji sample shots are a lot noisier. The Minolta also has long exposure noise reduction to go with that 15 second exposure capability. Given the choice I would go with the Minolta. I wouldn’t buy from someone who doesn’t submit their prices to the price search engines so someone can include the seller reviews in the decision. And I wouldn’t buy from someone without a decent number of seller reviews or poor reviews. http://www1.dealtime.com/xPC-Fuji_Fi...S5000~S-6~PG-1 and http://www1.dealtime.com/xPC-Minolta_Dimage_Z1~S-6~PG-1