Konica Minolta MAXXUM 5D Kit with Customized Lens Kit 6.1 Megapixel

The cornerstone of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D is its anti-shake system.

This reduces camera vibration when the camera isn't attached to a tripod and produces clearer photos, especially when using long telephoto lenses.

This is a great camera for the outdoor portrait photographer who does not want to be tethered to a tripod, and sometimes has to shoot in low-light conditions.

The Maxxum 5D is a very easy camera to use, which makes it a good choice for anyone who is technology-phobic.

KEY FEATURES
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D's built-in anti-shake system reduces camera jitter and allows you to take hand-held photos at slower shutter speeds.

The 6.1 megapixel CMOS sensor inside the camera will let you print your digital photographs clearly up to a size of 11x14 inches.

The camera features a very large LCD display (2.5 inches) which helps when reviewing photos and changing camera settings.

The 5D stores photos on CompactFlash cards. CompactFlash cards are competitively priced and have a wide range of storage capacities.

DRAWBACKS
There is only one that I could find, and it's minor.

The Konica Minolta 5D displays photos and all camera settings on the large 2.5 inch LCD on the back of the camera.

While this big LCD is nice to look at, it also eats up the battery much faster than digital SLR cameras with smaller displays.

LOOK AND FEEL
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D is right in the middle of the digital SLR scale when it comes to size and weight.

The construction of the camera is solid, and it feels comfortable in the hand.

The rotating dial in front changes camera settings like aperture and shutter speed while the directional buttons on the back are used for the camera's menu system.

You can change ISO, Shooting Mode (One-shot, Continuous, Timer), Autofocus/Manual focus, and white balance without using a single one of the camera's menus.

IN USE
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D is noticeably slower than other digital SLR cameras.

While the autofocus system does a great job of getting things sharp even in low-light conditions, the shutter delay and consecutive photo speed can be a problem.

The camera makes up for its slow response time with ease-of-use.

Menus are laid out in a clear and consistent fashion, and it's really easy to find all the camera settings that you want to change.

The camera's built-in flash is one of the best that I have used. The Maxxum 5D's flash is soft and even. Colors are vibrant, even when taking photos indoors at night.

SUMMARY
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D is a fantastic camera for anyone who is techno-phobic and just wants a digital SLR camera that is easy to use.

It will work well for portrait photographers, and anyone who enjoys using telephoto lenses (like animal and nature photographers) where camera shake is a problem.

Since the Minolta 5D's built-in anti-shake system works with all of the lenses that are compatible with the camera, you won't have to spend a lot of extra money on image-stabilized lenses.