Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 Review

By: Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams




Review posted 8/15/2004


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.





Physical Views



Minolta DiMAGE X50

Minolta DiMAGE X50

Minolta DiMAGE X50Minolta DiMAGE X50

Minolta DiMAGE X50

Minolta DiMAGE X50





Minolta DiMAGE X50

The DiMAGE X50 compared in size to a standard CD.





Minolta DiMAGE X50

The entry level DiMAGE X31 and the DiMAGE X50.





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Features & Controls





DiMAGE X50 Specifications

No. of effective pixels Approx. 5.0 million
CCD 1/2.5-type interline primary-color CCD with a total of approx.
5.4 million pixels
Lens 6.1 - 17.1 mm (35 mm format equivalent: 37 - 105 mm),
f/ 2.8 - f/ 5.0; 11 elements in 9 groups
Start-up time Approx. 0.5 seconds
Digital zoom 4.3X (Max.) in 0.1X increments (12X zoom range with optical zoom)
Viewfinder type Optical real-image zoom viewfinder
Recording media SD Memory Cards / MultiMediaCards
File format JPEG, Motion JPEG (MOV), DCF1.0, DPOF, Exif2.2
No. of recorded pixels 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480 /
1280 x 980 (UHS continuous advance), Movie: 320 x 240
Storage capacity*
(using 16 MB card) 		(2560 x 1920) Economy: 21, Standard: 11, Fine: 5,
(Movie) 15fps: 40 seconds, 30fps: 21 seconds
* Numbers above are approx., and may vary depending upon the subject and the media used.
Autofocus system Video AF, Focus lock available
Autofocus area Spot or wide (5-point AF)
Focusing range 0.1 m (3.9 inches) to infinity, Super macro mode: 0.06 m
(2.4 inches) to infinity (from the front of the camera)
Exposure control Programmed AE, AE lock available
Exposure compensation ±2Ev in 1/3 increments
Metering Multi-segment (256 segments) / Spot
Camera sensitivity Auto (between ISO 50-160 equivalency), ISO 50, 100, 200, 400 equivalency
Shutter speeds 4 - 1/1000 seconds
Drive mode Single-frame advance, Continuous advance,
UHS Continuous advance, Self-timer, Multi-frame
Continuous advance Approx. 1.9 frames per second
UHS Continuous advance Approx. 11 frames per second with 1280 x 960 image size
Self-timer Approx. 10 second delay
Movie recording Frame rate: 15fps, 30fps / Recording time: Until the memory card is full / With Monaural audio
White-balance control Automatic, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent)
Flash mode Autoflash, Autoflash with red-eye reduction, Fill-flash, Flash cancel
LCD monitor 2.0 inches (52 mm) digital interface TFT color monitor with anti-reflection coating
Printing output control Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching II
PC interface USB*: Full-speed 12 Mbps data transfer with a USB 2.0 compatible computer (aka USB 1.1)
AV output NTSC/PAL (selectable on the camera)
Battery One NP-700 Lithium-ion Battery
Battery performance Continuous playback time: approx. 170 minutes, based on Konica Minolta's Standard test method with NP-700 Lithium-ion Battery, Number of recordings: Approx. 150 frames, based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) standard with an NP-700 Lithium-ion Battery and an SD Memory Card (16 MB)
External power source 4.7V DC (with specified AC)
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection Portrait, Sports Action, Landscape or Sunset is automatically selected. Night portrait, Text, and Super Macro (manual selection only)
Color mode Color, B/W, and Sepia
Additional functions Movie editing, Multi frame, Slide Show playback, Image Rotation, Image pasting, Crop Frame, PictBridge direct printing, E-mail copy, Date imprinting, Remote camera
Dimensions
(W x H x D)		 83.5 x 62 x 23.5 mm / 3.3 x 2.4 x 0.9 inches
Weight Approx. 125g / 4.4 ounces (without battery and recording media)
Standard accessories 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
Optional accessories Marine Case (MC-DG400), Metal Chain Neck Strap (NS-DG100), AC Adapter / AC Adapter set
Specifications as represented by the manufacter





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Features & Controls





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