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My first digital compact

Why I bought it? When I went to university, I had decided to buy myself a digital camera, and the local camera shop in Swindon had some sound advice. Unlike the rest of the world, buying Canon Ixuss (or is that Ixuii?) I bought the Konica QM-200. I think it had much of the same internals as the super-sexy and compact Ixus, but with a much better Hexanon lens. At least, thats what the bloke told me. Although it was essentially a fully automatic, fixed lens, point and squirt box, i had some great fun with it. You could botch around with the focussing and the exposure to a certain extent by half holding the shutter release before taking. It worked well, and in our time together we produced some excellent shots. Sunsets and vivid colours it made an excellent job of reproducing, often giving the final JPG a more colourful edge than the reality. It did however have its shortcomings. Although it was (and still is) a great camera, there are niggles which can frustrate. Whilst the brick like build quality ensured that it didn't get any unnecessary attention, whereas the (internally identical) Ixus v2 got plenty - its chunky build was its downfall. Slightly too large to slip in a trouser pocket (and a bit too painful when you sat down on one of those corners) meant that "the brick" often was left on a table or bar and reappeared later in the evening with a few more "abstract" shots. Amusingly some were of the photographers flashlit eyeball as they didn't recognise the front of the camera from the back. You can find out more about it here. As long as you speak japanese.

Why I sold it? I didn't - it just got to the point where the battery only lasted for 45 seconds. And I've still got it.

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