Controls and design

Innovation

The 'cross'-style arrangement of menus

Click here for more examples of 420Z status and menu screens.

The main innovative feature of the Konica Revio KD-420-Z is its fast start up and power down speed. The theme of the layout of the main external controls on the back of the camera, with a cross-shaped arrangements of buttons centring on the navigation pad (see below) is also repeated in the menu system (above).

Build Quality
An impression of high quality and robustness is immediately apparent when you pick up a 420Z. It has a solid metal-finished feel about it and all the plastic mouldings are of high quality and fit well.

Controls

1.Sliding lens cover/power switch, 2.Autofocus sensors, 3. Blue LED, 4.Flash unit, 5.Optical viewfinder, 6. Microphone, 7. Self-timer LED, 8. Lens, 9. Strap lug.

1. Colour LCD viewscreen monitor, 2. Optical viewfinder, 3. Play button, 4. Delete button, 5, Menu navigation paddle and close focus/flash control, 6. Shutter release button, 7, lens and image review zoom buttons, 8. Shooting and setup mode button, 9. Menu button, 10. Viewscreen monitor on/off and menu set button, 11. Battery and memory card bay cover.

Design
As can be seen below, the 420Z appears to have good looks as well as some thoughtful form and function.

All the main controls are within reach of the user's thumb while the optical viewfinder is ideally off-set to the left

As seen from the top, the slimline aspect of the 420Z is clear

The baseplate of the 420Z shows that the tripod socket has been located away from the battery and memory card compartment

The only external connection is via a USB port

The USB port is protected via an ill-fitting flexible plastic flap

The door on the baseplate reveals the lithium ion battery compartment and two memory card slots stacked on top of each other

The top card slot seen occupied here is for SD cards and immediately underneath is the memory stick slot

A battery charger unit is provided and the proprietary lithium ion battery proved to provide a generous amount of capacity

This shows that zooming between full wide and full telephoto only results in minimal additional extension of the lens

Above shows the full extent of the 420Z's 3x zoom range