Quick Review

Minolta Dimage X Digital Camera

 

	Camera QuickLook
	User Level	Novice - Amateur
	Product Uses	Family / Travel
	Digicam Design	Point and Shoot
	Picture Quality	Good, 2-megapixel CCD
	Print Sizes	4x6 to 8x10 inches
	Availability	March, 2002
	Suggested Retail Price	$399

This year, Minolta appears to have a few more tricks up their corporate sleeve, the first of which is the subject of this review. The new Dimage X sets a new benchmark for "always available" digital photography, it being the smallest and slimmest multi-megapixel digicam to date. Thanks to an unusual all-internal zoom lens design, it also sports the fastest startup time of any 3x optical zoom camera I've tested to date.

This review has now (3/18/2002) been updated to "finished review" status, as I've now managed to review a full production model of the Dimage X. I have to admit I have a tendency to fall in love with each new innovation in the digicam marketplace, so may need to caution readers to take my enthusiasm over the Dimage X with at least a little grain of salt. That said though, I've got to say that I'm a big believer in the design principles Minolta's adhered to in the new Dimage X. - I've always maintained that cameras that say home in drawers or on shelves don't take many pictures. The Dimage X sets a new standard for a portable, always-ready-to-use digicam. In the short week or so I had the camera before it's announcement, I found myself carrying it around with me almost without thinking. More than just an ultra-compact camera, its quick startup time and ability to capture usable images in a surprising range of shooting conditions made me into a fan almost immediately. When I want to take "serious" photos, I like all the bells, whistles and exposure controls I can get my hands on. For everyday snapshots though, the Dimage X is one of the best solutions I've seen yet.

Camera Overview
Thanks to its unique, vertical lens design, Minolta's Dimage X has a tiny, extraordinarily thin body size. At a mere 3.3 x 2.8 x 0.78 inches (84.5 x 72 x 20 millimeters) and 4.7 ounces (75 grams) without the battery or SD memory card, the Dimage X is smaller overall than any other multi-megapixel digicam on the market at the time of its announcement (early January, 2002), including the Canon Elph series, the Kyocera S3, and the Pentax Optio models. The extremely compact design means there's literally no reason not to have it along with you anywhere, as the camera can tag along in even the smallest shirt pocket, or be quickly tucked into an evening bag or pants pocket. The sleek design includes a built-in lens cover which conveniently slides out of the way whenever the camera is powered on, freeing you from any worry over losing a lens cap, and the all-metal case is rugged and solid-feeling. The 3x zoom lens, combined with the full automatic exposure control makes the camera suitable for most standard shooting conditions. Given its fully automatic exposure system, I was quite surprised by how well it handled dim lighting and light sources with strong color casts: It seems able to bring back at least a usable image in just about any situation, even rather dimly-lit interior scenes. The 2-megapixel CCD produces good high resolution images for printing, as well as lower resolution images better suited for email. With an uncomplicated user interface, a very short learning curve, and an agreeable price (estimated to be under $500, I'm personally hoping they'll be able to get it under $400, but that's just a wish on my part, don't in any way count on it), I think the Dimage X is going to find its way into a lot of consumer pockets and handbags!

The Dimage X has a 3x, 5.7-17.1mm lens, the equivalent of a 37-111mm lens on a 35mm camera. Focus covers a range from 9.8 inches (0.25 meters) to infinity. Depending on the lens zoom position, the maximum aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/3.6. In addition to the optical zoom, the Dimage X offers 2x digital zoom, (though I always remind readers that digital zoom always decreases the overall image quality because it simply enlarges the central pixels of the CCD image). You can choose between the real-image optical viewfinder or the 1.5-inch, color TFT LCD monitor to compose images, although as usual, LCD monitor gives the most accurate framing.

Exposure is automatically controlled at all times, with only a few exposure options available. An On/Off button on top of the camera powers the camera on, and a Mode switch allows you to select between Record and Playback modes. Thanks to the all-internal lens design, there's no need to wait for the lens to extend before you can shoot, so startup times are very short. (A bit under 3 seconds.) Most exposure options are controlled through the LCD's onscreen menu system, which offers very straightforward navigation. That said, you can control flash mode, exposure compensation, and the lens zoom externally, via buttons and controls on the camera's rear panel. Shutter speeds range from 1/1,000 to 2 seconds, though the chosen value is not reported to the user. The right and left arrow keys on the camera's back panel control the Exposure Compensation, adjusting it from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third step increments. White Balance is adjustable through the settings menu, with options for Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, and Fluorescent light sources. The Dimage X's built-in flash operates in Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced, Suppressed, or Slow Sync modes.

In addition to the basic exposure options, the Dimage X also offers a few extra shooting modes (controlled through the settings menu). In Movie exposure mode, the camera captures 320 x 240-pixel resolution moving images (with sound) for a maximum of about 35 seconds, or as long as the memory card has available space, whichever comes first. (The included 8MB SD card should hold approximately 19 seconds worth of movies, larger cards will store proportionately more.) A Self-Timer mode provides a 10-second delay between the time the Shutter button is pressed and when the camera actually takes the picture, allowing you to get into your own shots. For shooting fast action subjects, the Dimage X's Continuous Shooting mode captures a rapid series of images when you hold down the Shutter button, much like a motor drive on a traditional 35mm camera. The amount of available memory space determines the maximum number of images the camera will capture in the series, and details like resolution size and shutter speed determine the shooting interval (approximately two frames per second). Finally, Audio Recording mode allows you to record sound clips as long as 90 seconds (without an image), with the maximum recording time also governed by the amount of available memory card space. The Dimage X also features a Voice Memo option, for recording short sound clips to accompany recorded images.

The Dimage X stores images to an SD memory card, and an 8MB card accompanies the camera. (The camera also works with the slightly less expensive MMC cards too, as verified by my own use with a 64 MB MMC card.) The camera is a true "Storage Class" USB device, which means it'll automatically appear on your desktop as a removable hard drive under Windows Me or XP, or Mac OS 8.6 or later. I did notice one odd behavior with the Mac though, that I've also seen on some other digicams in the past: If you plug it into the Mac with a memory card larger than 32MB, you'll encounter an apparently infinitely nested series of folders within folders, never actually reaching your image files. I had thought that this was entirely a function of the Mac's OS, a problem with properly handling large volumes in the apparently DOS-based file system of SD/MMC cards. Since my original review of the Dimage X though, I've tested the Minolta Dimage F100, which shows no such problem.

The Dimage X utilizes an NP-200 rechargeable lithium-ion battery for power, which accompanies the camera, along with the necessary battery charger. While the Dimage X's battery life is better than most ultracompact cameras, I still highly recommend picking up an additional battery pack and keeping it freshly charged. The optional AC adapter is also useful for preserving battery power when reviewing and downloading images, or when viewing images and movies on a television, via the supplied A/V cable.

Basic Features

• 2-megapixel CCD.
• Real-image optical viewfinder.
• 1.5-inch color TFT LCD monitor.
• Glass, 3x, 5.7-17.1mm lens, equivalent to a 37-111mm lens on a 35mm camera.
• 2x digital zoom.
• Automatic exposure control.
• Shutter speeds from 1/1,000 to 2 seconds.
• Maximum aperture f/2.8 to f/3.6, depending on lens zoom position.
• Built-in flash.
• SD memory card storage, 8MB card included.
• Power supplied by one NP-200 rechargeable lithium-ion battery or optional AC adapter.
• Dimage software and USB drivers included for both Windows and Mac platforms.

Special Features

• Movie mode with sound.
• Continuous Shooting mode.
• 10-second Self-Timer for delayed shutter release.
• Voice Memo mode for recording captions.
• White balance (color) adjustment with five modes.
• DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility.
• USB cable for connection to a computer (driver software included).

Recommendation
The Dimage X is very small and compact. Its full automatic exposure control suits standard point-and-shoot operations though the user does have a few options for lightening or darkening the image, or adjusting the color balance. The 2-megapixel CCD delivers good quality images, with enough resolution for printing and a low resolution option for email purposes. The Dimage X's tiny size and rugged case design make it a natural for "anywhere/anytime" photography. With its point-and-shoot appeal and ease of use, the Dimage X is perfect for novice consumers who simply want to take good pictures without getting too involved in the technicalities. Even sophisticated users will appreciate its exceptional portability and good picture-taking capabilities though - It'd thus do well as a "second camera" for enthusiasts, too.

Design
The "big news" about the Dimage X is how tiny it is, most particularly how thin Minolta's managed to make it. Its almost-square body shape and lack of protrusions make the Dimage X about the most portable cameras I've seen to date (January 2002). Measuring just 3.3 x 2.8 x 0.78 inches (84.5 x 72 x 20 millimeters), the Dimage X can fit just about anywhere, including the smallest of shirt pockets. Matching its teensy size, the Dimage X is also very light weight at just 4.7 ounces (75 grams) without the battery or SD card. The secret to the Dimage X's compact design is its lens, mounted internally, stretching vertically up the side of the camera rather than protruding from the camera front. An internal mirror reflects light from the subject down into the lens itself, almost like a periscope. The internal lens mounting means that there's no wait for the lens barrel to extend when you power up the camera, making startup times very quick. (Less than 3 seconds from power on to the first shot captured.)

The front of the camera holds the lens window, flash, optical viewfinder window, and self-timer lamp. A shutter-like, retractable lens cover protects the lens window whenever the camera is powered off, sliding quickly out of the way when the camera is turned on. The front of the Dimage X is very flat, without any finger grips, meaning you'll want to keep the provided strap securely around your wrist when holding the camera.

The design of the Dimage X almost dictates a single-handed grip, something that took me a little getting used to. I realized that I almost always hold a camera with both hands, to give me a more stable shooting platform, minimizing camera shake. With the Dimage X, when I steadied the camera with my left hand, I at first found myself frequently putting a finger over the lens opening. Not a big deal, as I quickly got used to just using a couple of fingers on the bottom left corner of the camera, but something to watch for when you first start shooting with it.

On the right side of the camera (when looking from the back) is the SD memory card and battery slot, as well as the DC In power jack and a wrist strap attachment eyelet. A sliding door protects the battery/card compartment, with a few ridges on it to make it easier to open. Beneath the compartment door, the battery and SD card fit side-by-side. I thank Minolta for providing side access to both the battery and memory card slots, meaning you don't need to dismount from a tripod to change out either one. (Although I frankly doubt the Dimage X will be used on a tripod very often anyway.)

The opposite side of the camera is featureless except for the A/V Out jack, protected by a soft, rubbery flap. This view of the camera shows the decal that illustrates the clever lens design Minolta is so justifiably proud of. Be reassured though, that the label can be easily removed after purchase, to result in a very sleek,, elegant case design.

The Dimage X's top panel is sleek and smooth, with only a minor protrusion from the shutter button. Also on the top panel are the microphone (just barely visible as four tiny holes in the panel cover at left) and Power button.

The remaining camera controls are on the back panel, along with the optical viewfinder eyepiece and 1.5-inch color LCD monitor. A single LED lamp next to the optical viewfinder reports the camera's status, such as when focus is set, when the flash is charged, etc. To the right of the viewfinder eyepiece are three multifunction buttons, which access different settings in Playback and Record modes, also serving as navigation arrows in the menu system (the rocker button in the center serves for up and down menu navigation). A slide switch controls the camera's operating mode, selecting between Playback or Record modes. Arranged under the LCD monitor are the Display, Flash, Menu, and OK buttons. A small speaker in the lower right corner lets you hear (barely) sounds you've recorded.

The bottom panel of the Dimage X reveals only the plastic, threaded tripod mount, slightly off center from the lens.

External Controls

Power Button: Unobtrusively located near the center of the camera's top panel, this button turns the camera on and off.

Shutter Button: Directly to the right of the Power button, this button sets focus and exposure when halfway pressed, and fires the shutter when fully pressed.

Right and Left Arrow Keys: Located in the top right corner of the back panel, these buttons control exposure compensation while in Record mode. (Pressing the OK button accepts the adjustment.) In any settings menu, these buttons navigate through menu choices.

Zoom Toggle Button (Up and Down Arrow Key): Centered between the Right and Left Arrow keys, this control adjusts the optical and digital zoom in any record mode. It also serves as the up/down control when navigating LCD menu choices.

In Playback mode, this button cancels the information overlay, as well as accesses the nine-image index display mode.

Mode Switch: Just below the Arrow keys, this sliding switch sets the camera's operating mode, placing it in either Playback or Record mode.

Display Button: The first control button in a series beneath the LCD monitor, this button controls the LCD display. In Record mode, pressing this button once disables the information overlay. A second press cancels the image display altogether and shuts off the LCD monitor (great for saving battery power), while a third press recalls both the information and image displays.

In Playback mode, pressing the Display button displays or dismisses the same information display as in record mode. A third press switches to a 2x3 display of thumbnail images for rapidly reviewing photos in the camera.

Flash Button: To the right of the Display button, this button cycles through the available flash modes in any Record mode. Options include Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced, Suppressed, and Slow Sync.

Menu Button: Adjacent to the Flash button, this button calls up the settings menu in both Record and Playback modes.

OK Button: The final button in the series beneath the LCD monitor, this confirms menu selections in any mode.

Camera Modes and Menus

Record Mode: In Record mode, the camera can capture still images, movie or audio files. The Record menu is displayed by pressing the Menu button in any of these exposure modes, and the following options are available:

• Basic
  • Drive Mode: Sets drive mode to Single, Continuous, Self-Timer, Movie, or Audio Record.
  • Image Size: Adjusts the image resolution to 1,600 x 1,200, 1,280 x 960, or 640 x 480 pixels.
  • Quality level: Sets the JPEG compression level to Super Fine (uncompressed TIFF), Fine, Standard, or Economy.
  • White Balance: Adjusts the overall color balance of the scene. Options include Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, and Fluorescent.
• Custom
  • Digital Zoom: Turns the 2x digital zoom on and off. (Digital zoom only engages after the lens has been zoomed all the way to its max telephoto.)
  • Instant Playback: Turns the instant image review function on or off.
  • Voice Memo: Activates the Voice Memo recording mode, which records sound clips to accompany images.
  • Folder Name: You can have the camera name the folders it stores its images in on the memory card using either the Standard scheme, or by Date.
• Setup
  • LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.
  • Power Off: Sets the camera to automatically shut off after 1, 3, 5, 10, or 30 minutes of inactivity.
  • Audio Signals: Turns the camera's beep sounds on or off.
  • Date Time Set: Sets the camera's internal calendar and clock.
  • Date Format: Cycles through available date and time formats.

Playback Mode: This mode allows you to review captured images on the memory card, erase them, protect them, set them up for printing, etc. Pressing the Menu button displays the following options:

• Basic
  • Audio Caption: Allows you to record a short sound clip to accompany a previously recorded image.
  • Delete: Erases the current frame, all frames, or marked frames from the memory card.
  • Lock: Write-protects specific images or all images, preventing them from being manipulated or erased (except via card formatting). An option also exists to Unlock images.
  • Print: Allows you to specify images for printing, or mark all images on the card for printing. You can also cancel print settings.
  • Index Print: Turns on the Index Print option, which prints an index of all images on the SD card.
• Setup 1
  • LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the LCD display.
  • Power Off: Sets the camera to automatically shut off after 1, 3, 5, 10, or 30 minutes of inactivity.
  • Audio Signals: Turns the camera's beep sounds on or off.
  • Date Time Set: Sets the camera's internal calendar and clock.
  • Date Format: Cycles through available date and time formats.
• Setup 2
  • Format: Formats the SD card, erasing all files, including protected ones.
  • Video Output: Sets the video output signal to NTSC or PAL timing.
  • Language: Changes the menu language to English, Japanese, German, French, or Spanish.

Sample Pictures
The test photos below are a subset of the standardized shots I take with each camera I test. For detailed analysis of these shots and more, visit the Dimage X's Picture Index Page. If you just want to see test shots of these images as they camera from the camera though, just click on a thumbnail below to see the full-size photo. For sample images, click here.

Outdoor	Indoor	Indoor Flash
House	Musicians	Macro
Davebox	Resolution	Viewfinder Accuracy

 
Specifications
See the specifications sheet here.

Picky Details
Information on shooting speed, battery life, etc. can be found here.

Test Results
The Dimage X marks a new level of color appeal and accuracy for Minolta, as it produced bright, clean, color-accurate images under most test conditions. The lens showed some of the limitations common to sub-compact cameras, with some corner softness and lower sharpness overall than the very best two megapixel cameras I've tested, but it was nevertheless better than some cameras I've tested in that regard. Overall, I felt the Dimage X performed very well for a subcompact camera, especially one with such diminutive dimensions. Here's the full rundown on what I found:

• Color: Color was accurate and appropriately saturated in all my test shots, with the exception of slightly weak saturation in strong yellows. I also felt it could have done better with incandescent lighting, although many results I obtained in casual indoor shooting (apart from my standard "indoor portrait" test) produced more pleasing results than my formal test did. - Provided I braced the camera against something, I was able to get marginally acceptable shots even in very dim room lighting. (Photos shot under incandescent lighting still need significant color correction though, before I'd consider them really acceptable.) Overall, I wouldn't go so far as to call the DX's color "stunning", but it was very workmanlike, entirely acceptable in my opinion, and overall a nice boost relative to many previous Minolta digicams.
• Exposure: Overall, the Dimage X did pretty well in the exposure department. It's primary fault is that it ttends to lose some highlight detail in contrasty scenes under sunlit conditions, but not more than I'm accustomed to seeing in many other digicams. The biggest surprise I found was how well it did under even fairly dim indoor shooting conditions, where it could produce sharp, well-exposed images even under rather inadequate living-room lighting. The flash also did a very good job of filling in the shadows without blowing out the rest of the images. Very nice.
• Sharpness: Image sharpness is a bit below average for a 2-megapixel camera, and I saw some corner softness from the lens, most noticeably in wide angle shots. (My first production model apparently had a minor optical defect that led to generally soft images and very soft corners. I've now retested a new production sample and it actually does pretty well, about in the middle of the pack among compact two megapixel cameras I've tested.) Optical distortion was about average at wide angle, a bit higher than average at telephoto. Overall, a decent performance from such a compact camera/lens system.
• Closeups: The Dimage X's macro capabilities were about average, with a minimum capture area of 3.4 x 2.6 inches (87 x 65 mm). I found two things to like about the Dimage X's macro performance. First, its flash throttles down very well for macro shots, not always the case for many digicams I test. Second, optical distortion in macro mode was quite low, showing only a little pincushion distortion, rather than the pronounced barrel distortion I'm accustomed to seeing.
• Night Shots: As I noted earlier, I was surprised by how well the Dimage X did in dim interior lighting. Looking at the results of my official low light tests, I see that it's actually only a bit better than average, producing bright images at one foot-candle, and usable ones at 1/2 foot-candle. (By way of reference, a well-lit city street at night is a light level of about one foot-candle.) I guess part of my surprise was that the camera did that well with fully automatic exposure, not needing to resort to a special "manual" mode to get that dark. (I'm used to seeing good low light performance from higher-end cameras, but basic "point & shoots" generally don't do this well.)
• Battery Life: A new category in my "Test Results" for short-form reviews, but it's important, so I added it. Most ultra-compact digicams have very limited battery life, simply because batteries and power consumption don't generally miniaturize along with the camera electronics. The Dimage X somewhat falls prey to this, as its battery life in worst-case power drain mode (capture mode with the LCD turned on) is only about 69 minutes. (About typical for an ultra-compact camera.) The big surprise here though, was how amazingly little power the Dimage X consumed when the LCD was turned off. - It took only 6 milliamps of power, giving a projected run time in capture mode with the LCD off of 118 hours. This is really excellent: You could easily leave the camera powered up all day in capture mode with the LCD off and not make the slightest dent in the battery life. I still strongly recommend buying an extra battery with the camera, but the Dimage X does a good bit better than average for ultra-compact cameras in this department.

In the Box
Packaged with the Dimage X are the following items:

• Wrist strap.
• Video cable.
• USB cable.
• 8MB SD memory card.
• NP-200 lithium-ion battery pack.
• Battery charger.
• Dimage software CD.
• Operating manual and registration card.

Recommended Accessories

• Large capacity SD memory card.
• Additional NP-200 lithium-ion battery pack.
• AC adapter.
• Small camera case.

Recommended Software: Rescue your images!
Just as important as an extra memory card is a tool to rescue your images when one of your cards fails at some point in the future. I get a lot of email from readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. Memory card corruption can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's immune. A surprising number of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive, easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digicam reviews. The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it. It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue for Windows or PhotoRescue for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the PDF manual and quickstart guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly scheduled review...

Conclusion
Overall, I was very impressed with the Dimage X. I honestly hadn't expected a lot, as ultra-compact digicams seem to require a lot of compromises. Much to my surprise, the Dimage X took great photos under a wide range of conditions, offered a decent range of exposure control (exposure compensation and white balance adjustments), and had a surprisingly long battery life when the LCD was left off. Its images are a little soft when compared to the best two megapixel cameras I've tested, but it still managed to be sharper than some models, and color was excellent, particularly in outdoor shooting conditions. (I'd like to see better color balance under incandescent lighting, but the results in casual indoor shooting were better than what I saw in my "official" incandescent lighting test.) One of my biggest gripes about the camera is that the optical viewfinder isn't very accurate, showing only about 74% of the final image area. This means you'll have to learn to mentally adjust for the viewfinder, cropping your subjects more tightly than you want the final shots to turn out. This is a shame, because it means users will be driven to use the LCD much more frequently than otherwise. - And the reason that's a shame is that battery life in the Dimage X is really excellent (!) when the LCD is turned off, dropping to typical (eg, poor) subcompact camera performance when the LCD is switched on. My initial complaint of marked softness in the corners of the Dimage X's image was largely eliminated when I retested a second production sample: Apparently my first one had an improperly mounted CCD chip that produced soft images and very soft corners. This now appears to be an isolated incident rather than a characteristic limitation of the camera.

Its few limitations aside, this looks to me like a great "take anywhere" camera, appealing to both non-techies and enthusiasts alike. For the non-techies, it's very easy to use and takes nice pictures. For the enthusiasts (taking myself as an example), it looks like a great "second camera", something that you'd just toss in your pocket without thinking. The form factor is a real winner, it'll literally fit in most any shirt pocket without so much as a bulge, and its lack of a telescopig lens mechanism makes it both quick to start up, and reassuringly rugged. (Another personal confession: As much as I rant about "cameras in drawers not taking pictures", that's exactly where my own digicams tend to live most of the time. :-( With a camera like the Dimage X, I'd at least have a fighting chance of having the camera along with me wherever I went.) Bottom line, this isn't going to be the ultimate camera for digital Ansel Adams types, but if you want to have no excuse for not having your camera long with you, the Dimage X is the way to go. Now that I've seen a properly functioning production model, I have no qualms about recommending the Dimage X to all and sundry: It really won me over with its superb portability, great build quality, and excellent color. - Bottom line, I'll give it a "highly recommended," there's really nothing else like it on the market, and I'm confident it'll bring its owners a lot of pleasure.