Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D, Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200, Concord 3346z win DIMA Shoot-Out

The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D, Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200, and Concord 3346z were judged to be the best in their respesctive classes at the 9th Annual DIMA 2005 Camera Shoot-Out held at the DIMA Annual Conference, preceding the PMA 2005 Convention. 

The Digital Imaging Marketing Association (DIMA), a section of Photo Marketing Association International, has been performing the shoot-out for the last 9 years.  A panel of expert judges votes on the overall quality and the accuracy of color of the digital prints, as compared to the clothing worn by the models during the photo shoots.  The shoot-out classifies cameras into two groups - Point and Shoot, and Digital SLR.  Then within each class, the field is further classified by price ranges.

The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D won in the Digital SLR category.  The Maxxum 7D is a 6.1 megapixel camera with an SLR body.  It's the first Digital SLR to include body-integral Anti-Shake technology from Konica Minolta.  The Anti-Shake feature shifts the CCD to compensate for any movement.  The feature is advanced enough that a photographer can shoot 3 shutter speed steps slower than if they didn't use the technology.  The camera also features a 2.5-inch LCD.  Because the Anti-Shake is included in the body, the camera works with virtually any Maxxum AF lens produced since 1985.

The Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 won the $600-$999 category at the DIMA shoot out.  The A200 is a 8 megapixel SLR-type camera meant for a wide range of photographers from beginning amateurs to professionals.  This camera also includes Konica Minolta's Anti-Shake technology.  The camera also features a 1.8-inch LCD Vari-angle screen, allowing the screen to be moved in case lighting conditions are not optimal for screen visibility and allowing the photographer to experiment with different shooting angles.

The Concord 3346z won the shootout for the "Best Digital Camera under $100".  Priced at $99.99, the Concord 3346z is meant for the first-time buyer. The camera has a 3.1 megapixel sensor, 3X optical/4X digital zoom (for total 12x zoom), 6MB internal memory,  and an SD card slot for unlimited storage.