Advantix Camera by Konica
Written: Jan 13 '03 (Updated Jan 17 '03)
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Pros: Small, durable, uses Advantix film, drop in loading.
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: A nice compact Advantix camera that produces high quality photographs.
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| Staceys1's Full Review: Konica Minolta Big Mini Zoom BM-S630Z APS Film Cam... |
Six years ago, while pregnant with my first child, our old 35 millimeter camera broke. Since we anticipated (correctly so!) taking many, many pictures in the near future, we wanted a modern, yet easy to use camera. After doing a little shopping around, we purchased the Konica Advantix BM-S630Z, and have been pleased with that decision.
The Konica Advantix BM-S630Z uses a CR2 battery, which I can find at most general merchandise stores, supermarkets and drugstores for about $7 to $9. Our battery needs replacing probably about three or four times a year, but we do generally use two to three rolls of film a month. The battery not only runs the flash, but also the zoom lens, so the more you play around with closeup shots, the more the battery will run down.
Each roll of film has 25 exposures on it, and the cost is about $4 per roll, although multipacks are available and purchasing those will cost you $3 or less per roll.
The Konica Advantix BM-S630Z uses the "Advanced Photo System" (APS) type of film and I find this camera very easy to use. To load the film, you press a button which opens a door on the bottom of the camera. Put in the film, close the door, and you are done. The film loads itself, unlike a 35 millimeter roll of film that you must unroll and secure to the inside of the camera. The APS film cartridge only fits inside one way, so that you cannot do it incorrectly.
The film cartridge has a number on the top so that when it is out of the camera you know the stage it is at:
(1) unused film
(2) partially exposed film
(3) fully exposed film (this is what it should be at when you finish taking your roll of pictures)
(4) processed (developed) film.
The advanced technology of this camera allows you to easily take three different sizes of photographs, all on the same roll of film. Right above the viewfinder is an indicator for choosing the photograph size:
"C" - for a standard "Classic" sized photograph.
"H" - "HDTV" for a slightly larger, more rectangular photograph.
"P" - for a Panoramic view. These photographs are rectangular in shape and is great for scenic or large group photos.
To take a picture, hold the camera in your right hand, with your thumb by the viewfinder and pointer finger on top of the camera. There are three buttons on the top right side of the camera, with the largest being the one to press when you are ready to take your shot. The two smaller buttons control the zoom of the lens (one for zooming in and one for zooming out). When the power is switched on, the lens cover automatically opens and you have a 30 mm wide angle. The maximum range of the zoom is 60 mm and you cannot press the shutter button at the same time you are pressing the zoom button.
After the film is developed you get an Index Print along with the developed film cartridge, rather than negatives. This index print is the size of a photograph, and on it is a thumbnail of each photograph on that roll of film. If you would like reprints, you need to return the film cartridge to the developer and indicate on their envelope which prints you would like copied, by listing the number next to that picture on the Index Print.
On the top of the camera is an electronic indicator of the date, number of exposures left and other settings. If you choose, the date can automatically be printed on the back of your photographs, in a variety of formats: year first, month first or date first. This can be changed by pressing a small button on the top of the camera.
With the Konica Advantix BM-S630Z you have a choice of how the flash works. I usually keep it on the "Auto" setting which lets the camera choose whether or not to use the flash. It can be shut off, or kept on "Slow" which might work better in some light.
Do you have a problem with "red-eye" photographs? Just by pressing a button on the top of the camera, the redness in your subject's eyes will be reduced dramatically.
This camera is very simple to use, and the English instructions are only about 37 small pages. It is lightweight and small, fitting easily into my hand (about 4 1/2 by 2 1/4 inches) in size.
There is a Self-Timer option on this camera, but I have never used it. The directions seem simple enough to use - press one of the buttons on the top left of the camera and then press the shutter button. You now have 10 seconds before the pictures snaps. Konica recommends using a tripod when using this function (there is hole on the bottom of the camera for this purpose).
After two children, and many, many photographs over the past 6 years, the Konica Advantix BM-S630Z has not let us down. It is lightweight, easy to use, one-handed operation and durable. It is still taking great pictures, which means we will be able to preserve our great memories.
While I still have the instruction booklet for this camera, I no longer have the warranty information. In six years, we have not had any problems with this camera, and have never had to do anything other than change batteries and load film. Should I ever have a problem, I would contact Konica at www.konica.com or 1(800) 422-1788.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 100
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