Konica Big Mini BM-510Z (c. 1994–1995)

Name: Konica Big Mini BM-510Z
Brand: Konica

The Konica Big Mini BM-510Z is a 35mm autofocus compact from the mid-1990s. It belongs to Konica's Big Mini Zoom family and is closely grouped with the BM-411Z and BM-311Z. It's a straightforward point-and-shoot with a 35-70mm f/3.9-7.4 zoom lens (6 elements in 5 groups), infrared active autofocus, a macro close-up mode, and a panoramic cropping setting. The electronic shutter scales down to 1/360s. Depending on the regional sub-model, it runs on either a CR123A or a CR-P2 3V lithium battery.

Documentation on this model is thin. The record conflicts on the release year. Russian-language listings point to 1994, a Japanese dictionary site says 1995, and no authoritative source settles it. The same dictionary page claims an original price around $250, but nothing else verifies that figure. The sources do agree on the lens, the 35mm format, and the "Big Mini Zoom" grouping. Japanese sources describe it as a "DX-system compact camera," and period listings note the instruction manual came in seven languages.

Surviving listings suggest the camera has common failure points. Several units are offered as non-working or for parts/repair, and at least one working example was missing its battery door. Asking prices in used listings have ranged from roughly $15 to $250, with no clear correlation to condition. No professional reviews of the BM-510Z have surfaced. No detailed specification sheet appears anywhere in the record either: nothing on shutter range beyond the 1/360s minimum, ISO range, flash specs, dimensions or weight. What sets this model apart from the BM-311Z or BM-411Z is likewise undocumented.

Known specs: