The Konica-Minolta A2 is an exceptional and extremely versatile camera. It is superior to other large long-zoom cameras. Compared to other cameras in its class,  it produces images with the least noise, it has the best ergonomics, a LCD usable in low-light (also the A200), the sharpest EVF for manual focusing, the most manual controls (including a mechanical zoom ring and fly-by-wire focus ring),  the largest set of image parameters, the second best battery life (second to the Olympus C-8080), the fastest speed of operation, the second best sharpness (second to the Olympus C-8080 which has 5X optical zoom) and among the best optics (close tie with the Nikon Coolpix 8800 which as a less-wide and slower electric 10X optical zoom lens with vibration reduction - vs. anti-shake). All these facts combine to make it an ideal long-zoom 8 megapixel fixed-lens digital camera.

In some places, like Canada, the A2 is difficult to obtain. Instead most stores will suggest the similar Konica-Minolta A200. The A200 has the same sensor and lens as the A2, but several features have been reduced, while very few have improved. The main reduced features are: lower-resolution viewfinder (same as other cameras in the class - except for the superior A2), no eye-start sensor, EVF does not tilt, no status LCD, less external controls, smaller capacity battery, no TIFF mode, 256 metering (instead of 300), 1/3200 fastest shutter speed (instead of 1/4000), 2.3 FPS shooting (instead of 2.7 FPS), less bracketing options (no contrast, saturation and color), no interval recording and no flash sync terminal. The few improvements are: lower minimum sensitivity (ISO 50 vs. 64), much better movie mode (800x600 @ 15FPS), 10 FPS Ultra-high-speed continuous shooting (vs. 7 FPS), slightly higher resolution LCD. Overall, the A200 is also great, but unless movie mode is important, the A2 will prove to be better.