Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 Review

Click on the DiMAGE X50 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The DiMAGE X50 takes the DiMAGE X series' concept of "thin, fast and stylish" to a new level with increased speed. Compact and lightweight enough to take anywhere and stylish enough to show everyone, the DiMAGE X50 offers the fastest-in-class startup time (according to Minolta), 2.8x non-protruding optical zoom, 5-megapixel CCD, and large 2-inch LCD, all housed in a ultra-compact and durable metal body.

With its non-protruding zooms lens, the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 fits neatly in a shirt pocket and is ready in an instant to take those spur-of-the-moment shots and ensure that users never miss a photo opportunity. The camera's Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically selects the optimum-shooting mode for the subject at hand, allowing photographers to take beautiful photos that match the needs of the particular photographic scene.

While still as thin and light as previous X-series Konica Minolta cameras, the new DiMAGE X50 incorporates a larger 2-inch LCD screen with easy-to-view menus for greater ease of operation. And the camera's new sliding cover protects the lens, so there's no need to worry about putting the camera inside a pocket or purse.

The DiMAGE X50's 5-megapixel CCD and proprietary Konica Minolta CxProcess II image processing technology combine to provide photographers with high quality images-- pictures that reproduce the natural colors as faithfully as they see them with their own eyes. The camera's zoom lens range covers everything from wide-angle shots to close-ups that are clearly focused as close as 4 inches from the subject, without the need to switch to macro mode. If a photographer needs to get even closer, the DiMAGE X50 also features a Super Macro mode to take extreme close-ups as close as 2.4 inches.

DiMAGE X50 Major Features:

• Incredibly compact and lightweight camera
• Unique "folded" 2.8x 37 - 105 mm equivalent
• Super Macro focusing as close as 2.4 inches
• 5-megapixel imager for images up to 2560 x 1920 pixels
• Motion video 320 x 240 w/audio at 15fps or 30fps
• Up to 15-second audio notes can be attached to images
• 2.0-inch TFT color LCD with anti-reflection coating
• Continuous advance: approx 1.9 fps
• UHS (Ultra High Speed) Continuous advance: approx. 11 fps with 1280 x 960 image size
• Unique image pasting function for picture-in-a-picture montages
• Date and time stamping on the image
• Minolta's CxProcess II image processor
• 12-bit A/D conversion provides a finer tonal gradation
• Built in flash with Auto, Red-eye reduction, Fill, and Forced Off modes
• Removable flash memory cards (SD or MMC type)
• PictBridge and Epson PRINT Image Matching II compliant
• Powered by one proprietary NP-700 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
• USB 2.0 Full-speed (aka USB 1.1) compatible

The street price for the DiMAGE X50 Kit is $399.00 and includes: X50 camera body, 16MB SD Card, Hand Strap (HS-DG 130), USB Cable (USB-3), AV cable (AVC-500) Lithium-ion Battery Charger (BC-800), Lithium ion Battery (NP-700) and the DiMAGE Software CD-ROM.