Minolta Dimage Xi 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
By: Konica-Minolta Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 40
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 On: 2008-01-19
No, this camera doesnt have the most pixels or the biggest zoom. However, you will use it the most for two reasons. It is small enough to take in a shirt pocket or purse. The main feature is "audio notation" which records 15 seconds of audio after each picture. When, you return from a trip, you dont have to try to remember what city or landmark you visited. In a few mouse clicks, you can create a slide show with your own voice describing the sites. Very few cameras have this feature, and some who have it dont know how to use it, but it is a great general purpose camera. Most people who see it in use ask what it is and how to get it.
 On: 2005-03-06
Great camera. Easy to use, easy to retrieve pictures (no software needed! just drag and drop), and very compact.
So compact that I left it in my pocket and it went through the washer and dryer... doesnt work anymore (though I suspect its only the battery).
oh, btw: Battery life is lacking.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-03-29
I was looking for a small camera that I could shove in a pocket and take wherever I went so that if a photo oportunity came about, I would have a camera ready. I was low on money, and found this camera refurbished. I read lots of reviews and compared this camera to other cameras with the same features. Buying this camera is definitely not a mistake! I have the basic case and an extra battery, and since the batteries only take about an hour and a half to charge I always have one ready when the battery in the camera dies (Which is usually after a full day of continuous photography).
The camera is incredible rugged, I have dropped it on more than one occasion, and it still works. Whether I am in school, at home, or pretty much anywhere, this I know that I am sure to get a good picture.
Now to adress some of the problems that people say this camera has:
1. anemic flash - Although the flash is a little wimpy, when you use it within about 12 feet of your subject it is fine.
2. picture quality - the picture quality is as good as any 3.2 megapixel camera. It just depends what setting you have it on. I always keep mine of the largest picture and fine quality(next level below tiff). If you are complaining about image quality, get a film camera, and wait until digital cameras get better. Film is the equivalent of about 15-20 megapixels.
3. 16 megabyte card - duh, you cant get many pictures on here that are even somewhat decent in quality. No matter what camera you buy, you will still have to buy a larger card if you want a good amount of pictures. I have a 256 megabyte card that holds 160 pictures on fine and about 38 in tiff mode.
4. Finger in the picture - yeah, I agree that if you have big hands this can become a problem. The best way to hold this camera, is to use the controls and take the picture with your right hand and hold the bottom left hand corner of the camera with your left hand to steady it.
5. this camera is not for professionals - I agree. If you want all the controls of a manually controlled camera, keep looking, however, the autofocus does do a nice job, and I dont understand why a camera with more things to adjust would be better for snapshots and and active lifestyle.
All in all, this camera is truly one of the most handy electronic gadgets that I can think of and I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA TO ANYONE.
On: 2004-03-28
I was looking for a small camera that I could shove in a pocket and take wherever I went so that if a photo oportunity came about, I would have a camera ready. I was low on money, and found this camera refurbished. I read lots of reviews and compared this camera to other cameras with the same features. Buying this camera is definitely not a mistake! I have the basic case and an extra battery, and since the batteries only take about an hour and a half to charge I always have one ready when the battery in the camera dies (Which is usually after a full day of continuous photography).
The camera is incredible rugged, I have dropped it on more than one occasion, and it still works. Whether I am in school, at home, or pretty much anywhere, this I know that I am sure to get a good picture.
Now to adress some of the problems that people say this camera has:
1. anemic flash - Although the flash is a little wimpy, when you use it within about 12 feet of your subject it is fine.
2. picture quality - the picture quality is as good as any 3.2 megapixel camera. It just depends what setting you have it on. I always keep mine of the largest picture and fine quality(next level below tiff). If you are complaining about image quality, get a film camera, and wait until digital cameras get better. Film is the equivalent of about 15-20 megapixels.
3. 16 megabyte card - duh, you cant get many pictures on here that are even somewhat decent in quality. No matter what camera you buy, you will still have to buy a larger card if you want a good amount of pictures. I have a 256 megabyte card that holds 160 pictures on fine and about 38 in tiff mode.
4. Finger in the picture - yeah, I agree that if you have big hands this can become a problem. The best way to hold this camera, is to use the controls and take the picture with your right hand and hold the bottom left hand corner of the camera with your left hand to steady it.
5. this camera is not for professionals - I agree. If you want all the controls of a manually controlled camera, keep looking, however, the autofocus does do a nice job, and I dont understand why a camera with more things to adjust would be better for snapshots and and active lifestyle.
All in all, this camera is truly one of the most handy electronic gadgets that I can think of and I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA TO ANYONE.
On: 2004-02-25
Overall this camera takes very good pictures and it is very compact. The only downside if any is when taking pictures in low light. Using flash the image is slightly underexposed and clor balance slightly off(can be easily corrected digitally later). In low light there is some noise at max resolution. If the image size is reduced to 2MP this noise is not seen but it reduces the resolution.
Overall very satisfied with the camera. I have also used a1000mA AC adapter at 4.5V to power it and it works fine.
On: 2004-02-24
Overall this camera takes very good pictures and it is very compact. The only downside if any is when taking pictures in low light. Using flash the image is slightly underexposed and clor balance slightly off(can be easily corrected digitally later). In low light there is some noise at max resolution. If the image size is reduced to 2MP this noise is not seen but it reduces the resolution.
Overall very satisfied with the camera. I have also used a1000mA AC adapter at 4.5V to power it and it works fine.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-09-14
Believe it or not.. I left the camera in the pocket of my shorts (it is soooo compact), and sent it through the complete wash cycle int he washer. To my complete amazement, the camera (including the battery and memory card) worked perfectly (after I let it dry for a day).
On: 2003-09-13
Believe it or not.. I left the camera in the pocket of my shorts (it is soooo compact), and sent it through the complete wash cycle int he washer. To my complete amazement, the camera (including the battery and memory card) worked perfectly (after I let it dry for a day).
by: Anonymous On: 2003-09-13
As another reviewer already noted, this camera is easily damaged by sand. Its much touted "internal folded zoom lens" has a number of small plastic gears that are exposed internally in its aluminum case. The case is not well sealed, so sand can get in there easily. And a few grains is all that takes to hose it. I took mine on my last vacation, and although I never actually took it to beach, a few sand specks in my pocket made their way into the camera. Took it apart and used compressed air to try to clean it, but no luck. What is the point of a miniature camera that must be stored in a hermetic case or bag?
On: 2003-09-12
I love everything about this camera EXCEPT the quality of the images. Very easy to use. Quick on/off. Images captured quickly (except for highest resolution, which takes forever). Very compact. HOWEVER, the image quality is POOR under most conditions, especially low light. I have a 3 megapixel olympus digital camera which is not-compact and BLOWS this one away for image quality.
On: 2003-08-06
Yes, I had to spend some money, but it is money well worth it. This camera works well in several situations such as dusk pictures, as well as moving pictures. I would definitely recommend getting the 256 MB memory chip because the one that comes with it which is 16 MB can only take about 15 pictures and the memory card is full. If you also ever want to use the video function, you will definitely need more memory. Fantastic!
On: 2003-08-02
If youre looking for an EXTREMELY portable digital camera with reasonable resolution, you should seriously consider the DiMAGE Xi. About 2+ years ago, I purchased a Sony DSC-F505V (which is a nice digital camera - read the reviews here on Amazon). The problem is that it is a rather bulky camera and my wife refused to use it because it was too difficult to carry while trying to keep up with our two young children. She resorted to going back to her old film based point-and-shoot camera because of its smaller, more portable size. The DiMAGE Xi has now completely coverted her over to digital photography. We have found that the DiMAGE Xi is definitely a take anywhere camera. What is most impressive is that the DiMAGE packs nearly the same, key everyday user features as my Sony F505V but in the form factor that is only a bit larger than a tin of Altoids!Recommend getting a backup battery and upgrade the SD memory to at least 256Mb - expect this to add around $... to the overall price.
Pros: Extremely small form factor, 3x optical zoom for such a small form factor and no protruding lenses, fairly intuitive menu (particularly if you are already somewhat familiar with digital cameras), has both a viewfinder AND LCD display. Cons: Flash is a bit limited, body of camera does tend to get a bit warm (dissipates a bit of power) when LCD display is being used, only comes with 16Mb SD memory card
by: shanx On: 2003-08-02
Dimage Xi has a lot more going for it than the sleek looks. It may look like one of those compact point-and-click thingies, which it of course is, but this is not something pros would easily scoff at, its advanced manual controls are fabulous. WHATS GOOD: (1) Very, very easy to use, no unscrewing lens covers etc. Buttons are super-simple and intuitive to use without a manual
(2) A [good looking] autofocus system, surprises even in dim lighting. When you depress the shutter-release button halfway in auto-recording mode, the cameras "Area AF" technology evaluates the scene that youre shooting and locks the focus on your subject, even if its off-center
(3) Extensive manual functions for control [people]
(4) Fast performance, clicks instantly unlike even some of the bigger cams
(5) Needless to mention, sleek, pocket-sized design
(6) Apart from the manual white balance (also found in other cameras in this class) theres a WB Custom Recall feature that saves and recalls your last manual setting
(7) Captures video clips with sound. Built-in microphone and speaker allow you to capture and play back video clips of up to about 35 seconds in length
(8) Can make copies of your pictures in-camera
(9) Good battery life out of the CR-3V photo-lithium cells CAVEATS: (1) No rechargeable battery included although your mileage may vary
(2) Ships with only a 16MB memory card (easily fixed)
(3) LCD somewhat smaller than other competitors, e.g., Nikon 2500 or Canons S40
(4) Doesnt support external flash or lens converters (a mildly major pain in my book but may not matter to everyone)
(5) Automatic white balance may sometimes produce a bluish cast especially in bright light
(6) Can use SD card or MMC card, but MMC card is noticeably slower
(7) Somewhat high price? SUMMARY: I am generally a Canon fan for prosumer cameras, but Canons small offerings are not all that neat. Canon S... (replace ... with model number) have a better LCD screen, slightly faster photo review scrolling, and slightly nicer overall build quality. BUT, Dimage has half the startup time, 3x optical zoom versus Canons, capability for saving in TIFF formats (high quality images), a minimum focal length much closer than Canons, and all internalized moving parts. If you want a sleek, small, yet very functional camera Minolta is one of my top recommendations.
On: 2003-07-06
I am very pleased with this camera. I have had another very good digital for about four years but it is large and somewhat heavy. The size and weight of the Dimage make it easy to use. I just pop it into my purse or pocket. Make sure when doing so, to have it in a case because the silver shutter release button on top can catch on something and can come off. This happened to me. The quality of the pictures is excellet. I do my own printing and find it difficult to see a quality difference in the pictures between this and a regular camera. Take time to read the manual because this camera has a lot of features that can be used to adjust for different picture taking conditions. I am pleased that it has an EV adjustment. I take pictures by water and snow and this is critical to good results.I bought a 128MB card because I tend to shoot in fine or superfine and 2048 X 1536. The red eye reduction mode works well.
The Dimage software is good. I also use Adobe when I want to do things Dimage cannot. I use Dimage to view other thumbnail pictures on my harddrive. One negative is that it is easy to get your thumb in front of the lense. The battery is supposed to take 120 pictures with 50% flash, standard image quality, no playback or not voice memo. I have not gotten this but then I shoot superfine and do some playback. Watch the very tiny battery symbol. It can be easy to miss and your battery can go out.
On: 2003-07-05
I am very pleased with this camera. I have had another very good digital for about four years but it is large and somewhat heavy. The size and weight of the Dimage make it easy to use. I just pop it into my purse or pocket. Make sure when doing so, to have it in a case because the silver shutter release button on top can catch on something and can come off. This happened to me. The quality of the pictures is excellet. I do my own printing and find it difficult to see a quality difference in the pictures between this and a regular camera. Take time to read the manual because this camera has a lot of features that can be used to adjust for different picture taking conditions. I am pleased that it has an EV adjustment. I take pictures by water and snow and this is critical to good results.I bought a 128MB card because I tend to shoot in fine or superfine and 2048 X 1536. The red eye reduction mode works well.
The Dimage software is good. I also use Adobe when I want to do things Dimage cannot. I use Dimage to view other thumbnail pictures on my harddrive. One negative is that it is easy to get your thumb in front of the lense. The battery is supposed to take 120 pictures with 50% flash, standard image quality, no playback or not voice memo. I have not gotten this but then I shoot superfine and do some playback. Watch the very tiny battery symbol. It can be easy to miss and your battery can go out.
On: 2003-06-21
this is the best camera ever! I have been satisfied with it since the first time I used it. The picture quality is amazing and the 3.2 mp provide for good quality when you transfer them to the computer. It has a very sleek design as well which makes its easy to carry around without it being noticable. I am happy with my product! You should invest in one.
On: 2003-06-20
this is the best camera ever! I have been satisfied with it since the first time I used it. The picture quality is amazing and the 3.2 mp provide for good quality when you transfer them to the computer. It has a very sleek design as well which makes its easy to carry around without it being noticable. I am happy with my product! You should invest in one.
 On: 2003-05-07
This is a very interesting camera, lots of features, easy to use and to load pictures and or movies into computer. But I suspect its very vulnerable to sand damage. I carried mine in my pocket. After a couple of weeks a grinding noise on turn on/off. Sand had gotten into the camera. Warrenty voided. I would carry it in a ziplock bag from now on.
On: 2003-05-06
This is a very interesting camera, lots of features, easy to use and to load pictures and or movies into computer. But I suspect its very vulnerable to sand damage. I carried mine in my pocket. After a couple of weeks a grinding noise on turn on/off. Sand had gotten into the camera. Warrenty voided. I would carry it in a ziplock bag from now on.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-25
I love this camera! It fits in a shirt or pants pocket and takes excellent pictures. I wanted a camera that was small enough to take anywhere without looking like a tourist . Other criteria was it had to be fast to use, user friendly in set up and download and take pictures that would make excellent 5x7 prints which are the biggest that i routinely print. It excels in all counts. I havent used the Minolta software since I have a Mac and the iPhoto software on the Mac recognizes the camera without any action on my part.
On: 2003-04-24
I love this camera! It fits in a shirt or pants pocket and takes excellent pictures. I wanted a camera that was small enough to take anywhere without looking like a tourist . Other criteria was it had to be fast to use, user friendly in set up and download and take pictures that would make excellent 5x7 prints which are the biggest that i routinely print. It excels in all counts. I havent used the Minolta software since I have a Mac and the iPhoto software on the Mac recognizes the camera without any action on my part.
On: 2003-04-10
I have a full size 5+ megapixel, 10x zoom digital camera as well as this one, but when Im on the go, this is the camera of choice. It has great resolution, fits in my pocket and has a good battery life - even better if you dont need flash all of the time. With its quick start-up, you have a chance at getting the kids pictures while theyre still being cute - no bag to open, get the camera out, turn it on, wait five seconds... like with the more "professional" cameras.
This camera is easy to use while having many nice features from much larger, more expensive cameras.
I keep this camera on me all of the time - just like a cell phone. I highly recommend this camera.
by: gadgester On: 2003-03-23
I have the original Dimage X (the 2MP version) and now wish I had waited! The Xi has 50% more pixels and also more optical zoom. Any potential buyer should be aware that the 3X refers to optical zoom, i.e., real stuff, not digitized zoom. I find the new model even easier to hold and operate, so I dont understand why some people complain. The size and styling and the optical zoom are the main selling points, but the camera also has decent image quality and fast recycle times. If you are a casual photographer, you wont be disappointed.
On: 2003-03-22
I have the original Dimage X (the 2MP version) and now wish I had waited! The Xi has 50% more pixels and also more optical zoom. Any potential buyer should be aware that the 3X refers to optical zoom, i.e., real stuff, not digitized zoom. I find the new model even easier to hold and operate, so I dont understand why some people complain. The size and styling and the optical zoom are the main selling points, but the camera also has decent image quality and fast recycle times. If you are a casual photographer, you wont be disappointed.
On: 2003-03-15
I am confident I made the best choice but I nearly lost six weeks work on a trip --700 photos-- when a 128 MB Sandisk SD disk crashed. (I was ultimately, inexplicably able to recover the photos when I got home after failed attempts abroad.) The troublesome disk was the same brand and model as the 8 MB disk that comes with the camera, only larger capacity. After that I found places to periodically save photos on CD for backup; Internet cafes with this capability are increasingly common, and its cheap to do. The disk was at fault, not the camera. As the manual says (and which I failed to do), format the disk with the camera before use.0) You will definitely need a spare battery! Buy only the SD (Secure Digital) type cards because they are faster than the so-called "Multimedia" cards. 1) This camera is so tiny that I found a fabric Tamrac case for it about the size of a fat wallet that also held my spare battery and disks. I was able to wear on my belt and had it with me nearly all the time, which has been great on trips because I could snap a photo any time. 2) There is not enough flash to reach beyond six feet or so, and no hot shoe to connect a bigger flash. If the notion of a hot shoe seems ridiculous for such a tiny camera, I assure you that it would not be inconsistent with the high level of features this camera provides. The different flash modes allow one to command whether the flash goes off or not, or one can leave it up to the computer. But one cannot choose *how much power* to use for the flash. 3) The lens is in a corner of the camera and it takes a long time (mark my words) before one learns to keep fingers and nose out of the way. It is also a problem when asking strangers to snap a photo of you, because they usually touch the lens and smudge it. (There isnt always a satisfactory place to set the camera down to make a self-portrait with the timer.) Once I was trying to explain to someone who didnt speak English to not touch the lens, and she thought I was saying to press the lens to take a picture and thats what she did! 8-[] 4) The viewfinder is nice when theres too much sunlight to see the display on the back of the camera. The view changes as one zooms in and out, as on an SLR camera, but be aware that the actual image includes a slightly more than one sees through the viewfinder. Thats better than the opposite, so at least it errs toward caution. What you see on the LCD display is what you get. 5) It comes with a USB cable to connect to a computer, and another to connect to the TV so you can view images there. 6) You neednt take any software with you to e-mail photos while on a trip! The camera just shows up as a removable disk on Windows 2000, Me, or XP. If the Internet cafe you pick has only Windows 98 (now rare), you must get a driver from somewhere. Most cafes will be more willing to let you connect to one of their computers if you can convey that you are not going to install any software. The Image Viewer Utility software that comes with the camera is for rotating images and touching them up (lightening, hue, color correction, etc.) and I thought it was reasonably easy to use. Its handy for both viewing and touching up a lot of photos fast, and has very few annoyances. 7) I found the controls easy to learn, the manual good, and I am very happy with the quality of the photographs. My friends have been impressed; two comments Ive gotten were that they look like National Geographic photos (blush, blush) and "Did you take that with your little camera?!" --but note that Ive studied photography since I was a teenager. 8) It takes seven (7) clicks to delete a photo! Thats a lot if youre throwing out several photos. 9) It makes movies with sound that one can watch on a computer, or on TV with the TV cable.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-03-12
Cute size, but totally inconvienient. Anemic battery life. Poor button placement, difficult to aim when using viewfinder. 16M card does not fit into standard adaptors and doesnt hold many pictures. Menus are tedious for frequent functions.Got it as a gift and would not purchase again.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-03-09
I bought the camera a few days ago, I am not new to digital photography,but this little camera, its in a class by itself, diminutive, powerful, it can produce prints that any lab anywhere cannot equal, fast handling, focusing is about the best I,ve seen on any digital camera, it does it with no light assist.
Even the battery does well, recharges quickly.
I print on an Epson 825, which can print at 5750, thats great, but the camera cant do that, yet, the print quality it just magnificent, its small, its quick, even the flash seems to be more powerful than other digitals twice its size, menus are very easy to navigate, instruction manual is excellent
It really is difficult to fault this little digital camera that fits in your pocket and works so well,lots of applause to Minolta, great job, if your want to buy a digital camera, look at this one, I love the thing.
On: 2003-03-07
Ive been using this camera for a while and its just wonder.
Pros:
Small - I can put it in my Minolta leather camera holder and wear it on a belt. Very portable, good for traveling.
Movie - 35 seconds movie in QuickTime format. Pretty good quality WITH SOUND!! Can zoom while shooting movie.
Functionalities - You can choose TIFF or JPEG format. 35 sec. audio memos for each picture and 30 mins audio recording. Different ISO settings, night time photo exposure compensation, can zoom-in when viewing pictures on the LCD, e-mail format, EXIF photo printer format
Zoom - 3x optical zoom using built-in prism. No protruding lens during zoom. Awesome!
Memories - comes with 16MB but not enough. So, I got the 128Mb which is more than enough for my use. About 130 high quality 4x6" type of photo (not the largest size and highest quality yet).
Battery - small and last for a whole day at least. I used the Olympus before and its AAA battery runs out so quickly. This Lithium battery in the Minolta is so much better.Cons:
Software - Slow to load up pics and kinda useless. But I used Photoshop for editing and ACDSee for viewing anyway.
Moive - on 35sec Max even if you have a 128M memory card. Conclusions:
Cons is minimal. Its definitely worth it. Very eye-catching, easy to use, easy to upload pics. Definitely need a 128Mb memory card, an extra battery.
On: 2003-03-07
I received my Christmas present in March! Amazon.com, you took too long! The camera is well worth the wait. I can take short movies and see them instantly on my PC running WinXP. The Dimage software is great. I love that I can turn the camera on and take a picture instantly and turn it around and see the picture. Same features as any other digital camera, but this one is so small, has so many more features, turns on instantly, and I can even store up to 1,000 pictures on a 128 MB card. Each day is stored in a new folder. Gawd, this camera is fantastic.
On: 2003-03-07
Im 64 and have been taking photos all my adult life. Starting with a Kodak Brownie, Argus C3, 4 x 5 press camera, Mamayiaflex, Nikons and Nikonmats. The Dimage Xi is my fourth digital camera and it is simply maverlous. I dont see how a camera can get any better. In one lifetime its come to this.Its a jewelbox, small as a compact. The first thing I did was test its capabilities, taking a flash photo in the back yard at night, a closeup of a credit card, a movie, a sound file attachment and a solo sound file. The inclulded 16 meg memory card hold 45 standard photos, the 128 meg card holds 360. The optical viewfinder tracks with the optical zoom. I connected the camera to the iPhoto program on my Mac and -zip - the photos were ready to look at. Excellent quality. This is a marvelous camera. I keep it in my pocket all the time, something I could not easily do with my very good Sony Mavica 83. A really fine little camera.
On: 2003-03-05
Outstanding camera. Pictures, movie clips, and audio. Very easy to use. Connected effortlessly to Imac running OS 8.6 with the USB storage support 1.3.5.smi update. Incredible features for this size. LCD screen diffiult to see in bright sunlight but can then default to viewfinder if parallex not problem. Highly recommend.
On: 2003-03-01
The Dimage Xi exceeded all my expectations. The small package is unbelieveable. It is simple to use out of the box, yet I can see it has a lot of capabilities that I will have to learn about.But I can tell you this, my three year old 35mm Rebel SLR just got put on the shelf next to the buggywhip. I cant imagine why I would ever use it again, and its a good camera! No more waiting in line @ one hour photo, and hoping more that 25% of pics are good. Id short your Kodak and silver stocks! The 16meg memory that comes with the Xi is not enough. I bought a 256meg and an extra battery. Cant wait to use its full capabilities, but in the mean time it is cool as is.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-27
I just got the Minolta xi last week ... Shipping was fast and the camera is awesome. This is my first digital and I did alot of research before buying. Now I am filling my pc with digital pics. I carry it in my shirt pocket and briefcase. I take it to company meetings and snap away! Zoom works great and the display is easy to use. I also purchased a 256 mb sd card for more pics and a back up Minolta NP200 battery. I purchased a Viking Intellifash 6in1 reader to upload the memory card to the computer. The reader uploads fast! I am trying out Picasa software and it seems pretty slick. Its easy to use which is right up my ally. Great all around digital, it gets raves from all my friends who cant believe its so small. I love it! Go for it!
 On: 2003-02-26
I took some pictures with this camera and tried to transfer them to my computer by carefully following the steps in the manual. The photos would not transfer. I called the Minolta support line and tried for six hours to get this thing to work. The computer was looking for a driver that did not exist on the Windows 2000 software. Minolta support sent me to the Microsoft site to look for the driver. Then back again to get the latest service pack. However none of these things worked and I had to return the camera...I cannot understand...why Minolta does not include the required drivers on the installation C/D.
So be warned, if you are running Windows 2000 it may be prudent to purchase your digital camera from another manufacturer.
On: 2003-02-25
I took some pictures with this camera and tried to transfer them to my computer by carefully following the steps in the manual. The photos would not transfer. I called the Minolta support line and tried for six hours to get this thing to work. The computer was looking for a driver that did not exist on the Windows 2000 software. Minolta support sent me to the Microsoft site to look for the driver. Then back again to get the latest service pack. However none of these things worked and I had to return the camera...I cannot understand...why Minolta does not include the required drivers on the installation C/D.
So be warned, if you are running Windows 2000 it may be prudent to purchase your digital camera from another manufacturer.
On: 2003-02-22
After using a klunky old Kodak 2.0 for the last 2 years, I am awed by the DimageXi...I mastered its use quickly. It feels solid, performs great and Im already trying some of the more arcane features...
The software is either unusable on Macs or the manual that describes its use is unreadable. Otherwise, the camera would get five stars. Im online now to research what I need to make editting and storage easy. for the moment the best i can do is load the Jpegs into an Appleworks document and print from there.One last thing, watch out for the left thumb that keeps creeping into the bottom of the photo.
On: 2003-02-21
I got what I expected with this camera: a small, light, portable camera that I could stick in my pocket anytime. Its working out well. My only complaint is that you cant possibly tell when the battery is about to go out, due to the indicators being all but useless. I dealt with this by getting a second battery -- though I wondered if this is what Minolta had in mind all along. . .
On: 2003-02-21
After using a klunky old Kodak 2.0 for the last 2 years, I am awed by the DimageXi...I mastered its use quickly. It feels solid, performs great and Im already trying some of the more arcane features...
The software is either unusable on Macs or the manual that describes its use is unreadable. Otherwise, the camera would get five stars. Im online now to research what I need to make editting and storage easy. for the moment the best i can do is load the Jpegs into an Appleworks document and print from there.One last thing, watch out for the left thumb that keeps creeping into the bottom of the photo.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-17
I did not have great expectations for a camera this small.
Unfortunately, even with my limited expectations the camera was a disappointment.I love the design - its much easier to tote than my SLR style Dimage 7i. The SD storage medium is excellent. The camera malfunctioned right out of the box - Ive had to return it. The white balance was average at best. The flash is anemic. The autofocus is very limited. I would not recomend this camera to anyone looking for a serious piece of equipment. It is an excellent execution of a point and shoot toy - nothing more.
On: 2003-02-15
I would like to rate and review this camera which I ordered on Dec. 8, but it has yet to arrive, though it is now Feb. 14 and the mailing date is listed as Jan. 23, and the product curently advertises "deliver in one to two days". Whats going on here?
On: 2003-02-14
I would like to rate and review this camera which I ordered on Dec. 8, but it has yet to arrive, though it is now Feb. 14 and the mailing date is listed as Jan. 23, and the product curently advertises "deliver in one to two days". Whats going on here?
by: Anonymous On: 2003-02-12
This camera is just great. Because of its size and lightness, the camera is easy to take with you at all times. The pictures are just marvelous - something I was very concerned about given how small cameras usually take mediocre pictures.With a 128 mb card, Im able to capture 80 pictures at the highest quality. Well, not the highest quality since thats in a tiff format. The movies are great too although my complaint with them is that theyre limited to 35 seconds - even if your card has more room. Sort of annoying since the Sonys dont have that limitation. Either way, you get some great short movies. I would strongly recommend this as you really do realize very quickly that the fact that it is easy to have with you at all times pays for itself. I dont have a case for it and keep it in my jeans pocket with the lcd screen facing my leg. Ive never had a problem with it.
On: 2003-02-11
This camera is just great. Because of its size and lightness, the camera is easy to take with you at all times. The pictures are just marvelous - something I was very concerned about given how small cameras usually take mediocre pictures.With a 128 mb card, Im able to capture 80 pictures at the highest quality. Well, not the highest quality since thats in a tiff format. The movies are great too although my complaint with them is that theyre limited to 35 seconds - even if your card has more room. Sort of annoying since the Sonys dont have that limitation. Either way, you get some great short movies. I would strongly recommend this as you really do realize very quickly that the fact that it is easy to have with you at all times pays for itself. I dont have a case for it and keep it in my jeans pocket with the lcd screen facing my leg. Ive never had a problem with it.
On: 2003-01-30
The Minolta Dimage Xi is my first digicam I have. All I can say is this camera is just perfect! First of all it is so slim that fits right into your shirt pocket. You can take pictures anytime, anywhere.
Second, with 3MP this camera has an exellent resolution , very crisp and natural photos. You can see every single detail in the images you capture. The internal lenses with 3x optical zoom is another feature that makes this camera unique. The LCD Panel has antiglare protection so you can use this camera in any light source condition. The voice memo and short movie functions are nice features that give a PLUS to the camera. There are also some Manual Settings in the menu so that you can have more control in your photos quality. As some reviewers said before, the Dimage Viewer Software is somehow useless, but to me that doesnt affect the rating I gave to the camera. I recommend this amazing little camera to anyone ranging from a snapshooter to an amateur photographer. Good job Minolta! Nice digicam!
On: 2003-01-29
The Minolta Dimage Xi is my first digicam I have. All I can say is this camera is just perfect! First of all it is so slim that fits right into your shirt pocket. You can take pictures anytime, anywhere.
Second, with 3MP this camera has an exellent resolution , very crisp and natural photos. You can see every single detail in the images you capture. The internal lenses with 3x optical zoom is another feature that makes this camera unique. The LCD Panel has antiglare protection so you can use this camera in any light source condition. The voice memo and short movie functions are nice features that give a PLUS to the camera. There are also some Manual Settings in the menu so that you can have more control in your photos quality. As some reviewers said before, the Dimage Viewer Software is somehow useless, but to me that doesnt affect the rating I gave to the camera. I recommend this amazing little camera to anyone ranging from a snapshooter to an amateur photographer. Good job Minolta! Nice digicam!
On: 2003-01-03
I am new to digital cameras and was worried about it. I was wrong. I have worn this little camera on my belt in the supplied and convienent case all over the USA from sea level to 12,000 feet of altitude taking all kinds of pictures and videos. It is easy, light, small, and the battery lasted me a looooong time before popping in the spare. I have recommended it to buyers that ended up as happy as me. I am glad I bought the 64mg chip. The accompaning PC software is worthless but so what. You dont need it and the camera is great.
On: 2003-01-02
I am new to digital cameras and was worried about it. I was wrong. I have worn this little camera on my belt in the supplied and convienent case all over the USA from sea level to 12,000 feet of altitude taking all kinds of pictures and videos. It is easy, light, small, and the battery lasted me a looooong time before popping in the spare. I have recommended it to buyers that ended up as happy as me. I am glad I bought the 64mg chip. The accompaning PC software is worthless but so what. You dont need it and the camera is great.
On: 2002-12-31
This camera is amazing. Its so light and compact, its hard to believe youve got a 3.2 megapixel camera with 12x combined zoom in your hands!The camera uploaded/connected to Windows 2000 via USB with absolutely NO problems, and I had no trouble AT ALL at removing either the memory card OR the battery. Wish it could take standard AA or AAA batteries, but thats the tradeoff you make for a tiny package. Also, Im astounded with the extra features this camera offers: record short movies WITH sound, record voice messages/memos to yourself, tiny moving lens cover, internal zoom parts, FAST startup and shutdown, just to name a few. Wow. Even the manual is easy to follow and written in plain english. I didnt try any of the enclosed photo software because Paint Shop Pro 7 is the best and easiest photo and paint software Ive ever found. . The camera also has several levels of quality. With my 128mb memory card, it can store 13 pictures on highest quality and picture size, and 1958 pictures on the lowest quality and smallest picture size. On medium settings, youd get at least 391 pictures at a time. Not too shabby! Id recommend buying an extra battery pack so you wont worry about running out of power, although the batteries do last a long time if you arent using the LCD display much. All in all, this camera is worth the money you pay for it.
On: 2002-12-30
This camera is amazing. Its so light and compact, its hard to believe youve got a 3.2 megapixel camera with 12x combined zoom in your hands!The camera uploaded/connected to Windows 2000 via USB with absolutely NO problems, and I had no trouble AT ALL at removing either the memory card OR the battery. Wish it could take standard AA or AAA batteries, but thats the tradeoff you make for a tiny package. Also, Im astounded with the extra features this camera offers: record short movies WITH sound, record voice messages/memos to yourself, tiny moving lens cover, internal zoom parts, FAST startup and shutdown, just to name a few. Wow. Even the manual is easy to follow and written in plain english. I didnt try any of the enclosed photo software because Paint Shop Pro 7 is the best and easiest photo and paint software Ive ever found. . The camera also has several levels of quality. With my 128mb memory card, it can store 13 pictures on highest quality and picture size, and 1958 pictures on the lowest quality and smallest picture size. On medium settings, youd get at least 391 pictures at a time. Not too shabby! Id recommend buying an extra battery pack so you wont worry about running out of power, although the batteries do last a long time if you arent using the LCD display much. All in all, this camera is worth the money you pay for it.
On: 2002-12-28
I have had this camera for about 3 months and it really is amazing. I bought it to take on a trip to Scotland so I would always have a camera handy and it fit my needs perfectly. Not only is this camera tiny but the shape is superior as well and it really truly does fit in even small pockets and is comfortable enough that you have to make sure you dont forget about it and sit on it. On the trip we also brought along a full sized 35mm SLR and between me and my wife we took nearly 500 pictures, mostly on the Minolta (with 2 128 meg SD cards) and when we got back we selected the pictures we wanted printed, burned them on a CD and had them processed just like regular film. After we put all of the pictures together in a photo album documenting the trip it was nearly impossible to tell which pictures were taken with the SLR and which were taken with the digital Minolta. For the most part this tiny camer held its own against a much larger 35mm SLR and the 2.11 megapixel resolution is even enough to print great looking pictures up to 8x10. The camera has few shortcoming and they appear to be a result of the cameras small size. The only concerns I have are as follows:- The flash element is tiny and really only works up close. Low light situations can give this camera some trouble. - The LCD can be pretty dark in low light situations but the camera does have an optical viewfinder that I find I use quite a bit. - Even thought the proprietary battery for this camera is very small batter life is good but I would definitely recommend buying a second battery if you want to go on any serious photo excursions. - The provided 8 meg SD card is a joke, buy at least a 128 meg card, you wont regret it. Bottom line: this camera rocks and I dont understand why its not getting more attention than it is. Its design is really unique and extremely functional and the picture quality is awesome and all this at a very competitive price.
On: 2002-12-27
I have had this camera for about 3 months and it really is amazing. I bought it to take on a trip to Scotland so I would always have a camera handy and it fit my needs perfectly. Not only is this camera tiny but the shape is superior as well and it really truly does fit in even small pockets and is comfortable enough that you have to make sure you dont forget about it and sit on it. On the trip we also brought along a full sized 35mm SLR and between me and my wife we took nearly 500 pictures, mostly on the Minolta (with 2 128 meg SD cards) and when we got back we selected the pictures we wanted printed, burned them on a CD and had them processed just like regular film. After we put all of the pictures together in a photo album documenting the trip it was nearly impossible to tell which pictures were taken with the SLR and which were taken with the digital Minolta. For the most part this tiny camer held its own against a much larger 35mm SLR and the 2.11 megapixel resolution is even enough to print great looking pictures up to 8x10. The camera has few shortcoming and they appear to be a result of the cameras small size. The only concerns I have are as follows:- The flash element is tiny and really only works up close. Low light situations can give this camera some trouble. - The LCD can be pretty dark in low light situations but the camera does have an optical viewfinder that I find I use quite a bit. - Even thought the proprietary battery for this camera is very small batter life is good but I would definitely recommend buying a second battery if you want to go on any serious photo excursions. - The provided 8 meg SD card is a joke, buy at least a 128 meg card, you wont regret it. Bottom line: this camera rocks and I dont understand why its not getting more attention than it is. Its design is really unique and extremely functional and the picture quality is awesome and all this at a very competitive price.
On: 2002-12-23
If you are an outdoor enthusiast who loves to take pictures but deplore the weight and size of most conventional digital or 35mm cameras, then this camera is the one for you.
Weighing only 4.6 ounces and smaller than a pkg of cigarettes this little beauty has a case that will attach to your belt and allow you complete freedom of motion.
Technically, a marvel: 3.2mpx plus 3x optical zoom with no lens to retract or extend ( all this is done WITHIN the camera !!!) and sharp quality pictures.
Negatively, the software could be better and the camera is expensive. This is the classic example of the old cliche: you get what you pay for.
On: 2002-12-22
If you are an outdoor enthusiast who loves to take pictures but deplore the weight and size of most conventional digital or 35mm cameras, then this camera is the one for you.
Weighing only 4.6 ounces and smaller than a pkg of cigarettes this little beauty has a case that will attach to your belt and allow you complete freedom of motion.
Technically, a marvel: 3.2mpx plus 3x optical zoom with no lens to retract or extend ( all this is done WITHIN the camera !!!) and sharp quality pictures.
Negatively, the software could be better and the camera is expensive. This is the classic example of the old cliche: you get what you pay for.
On: 2002-12-21
The DiMAGE Xi is the upgrade of the popular Dimage X and is identical in physical appearance. It employs the same f/2.8 "folded" 3X optical 37-111mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens. The main upgrade is the CCD imager which went from 1.96 to 3.2 megapixel and now yields up to 2048 x 1536 pixel images. Other enhancements include user-selectable ISO settings, optional date imprinting, spot autofocus, an improved anti-reflective LCD and automatic e-mail file copy creation. The contrast and color issues of the DiMAGE X have been remedied and I was quite impressed with the image quality. Even heavily backlit subjects were metered and rendered well which is quite a feat for a micro-size 3x zoom digicam. The 1.5 inch LCD is somewhat improved for outdoor use with the new less-reflective covering. I still found myself cupping a hand around the LCD to make it easier to see in bright light. When not using the LCD as a live viewfinder, the eye-level optical viewfinder makes it easy to compose the picture in daylight and by not using the power consuming LCD, battery life is extended. The DiMAGE X required 6 button presses to delete an image during playback as it had to be done from the menu. The DiMAGE Xi now lets you delete an image by simply pressing the flash mode/delete button on the back. Its a bit pricy as was the dimage x, but by far this camera is one the smallerst out there, fastest, and picture quality is much improved. They pretty much fixed all the flaws of the x an made this camera 10 folds better. Pick one up, you wont regret it.
On: 2002-12-20
The DiMAGE Xi is the upgrade of the popular Dimage X and is identical in physical appearance. It employs the same f/2.8 "folded" 3X optical 37-111mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens. The main upgrade is the CCD imager which went from 1.96 to 3.2 megapixel and now yields up to 2048 x 1536 pixel images. Other enhancements include user-selectable ISO settings, optional date imprinting, spot autofocus, an improved anti-reflective LCD and automatic e-mail file copy creation. The contrast and color issues of the DiMAGE X have been remedied and I was quite impressed with the image quality. Even heavily backlit subjects were metered and rendered well which is quite a feat for a micro-size 3x zoom digicam. The 1.5 inch LCD is somewhat improved for outdoor use with the new less-reflective covering. I still found myself cupping a hand around the LCD to make it easier to see in bright light. When not using the LCD as a live viewfinder, the eye-level optical viewfinder makes it easy to compose the picture in daylight and by not using the power consuming LCD, battery life is extended. The DiMAGE X required 6 button presses to delete an image during playback as it had to be done from the menu. The DiMAGE Xi now lets you delete an image by simply pressing the flash mode/delete button on the back. Its a bit pricy as was the dimage x, but by far this camera is one the smallerst out there, fastest, and picture quality is much improved. They pretty much fixed all the flaws of the x an made this camera 10 folds better. Pick one up, you wont regret it.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-20
After doing a lot research, I decided to buy this little Minolta wonder while on a trip to Japan a month ago.
Sure there are cheaper 3MP cameras in the market, but none of them combines the design, quality, functions and capabilities of the Dimage Xi in such a small package. There also some 4MP cameras that are cheaper or in the same price range of the Xi, but they are bulkier, besides for the common user as myself 3MP image quality is more than enough.
It has the fastest startup in its class (1.2 Seconds); and the menus as well as the instruction manuals are simple and friendly.
The Dimage Xi has a lot of functions only available on bigger cameras like: 3X Optical Zoom + 4X Digital Zoom, Different ISO settings, Focus lock, Single photo, Continuous capture, Movie and Audio recording, Different flash modes, Exposure compensation, White balance and several combinations of image quality and sizes.
The mini battery charges in about two hours and so far has given me a full day of shots
while using the LCD and without the need of recharge.
Its "periscope type" optical zoom is really unique and the image quality is amazing.
Finally I may add that this camera is a great eye catcher, everybody seems to like it!
The only complain I have is the almost useless PC software that comes with the camera.
After a month of heavy use I will DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this camera.
On: 2002-12-19
After doing a lot research, I decided to buy this little Minolta wonder while on a trip to Japan a month ago.
Sure there are cheaper 3MP cameras in the market, but none of them combines the design, quality, functions and capabilities of the Dimage Xi in such a small package. There also some 4MP cameras that are cheaper or in the same price range of the Xi, but they are bulkier, besides for the common user as myself 3MP image quality is more than enough.
It has the fastest startup in its class (1.2 Seconds); and the menus as well as the instruction manuals are simple and friendly.
The Dimage Xi has a lot of functions only available on bigger cameras like: 3X Optical Zoom + 4X Digital Zoom, Different ISO settings, Focus lock, Single photo, Continuous capture, Movie and Audio recording, Different flash modes, Exposure compensation, White balance and several combinations of image quality and sizes.
The mini battery charges in about two hours and so far has given me a full day of shots
while using the LCD and without the need of recharge.
Its "periscope type" optical zoom is really unique and the image quality is amazing.
Finally I may add that this camera is a great eye catcher, everybody seems to like it!
The only complain I have is the almost useless PC software that comes with the camera.
After a month of heavy use I will DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this camera.
On: 2002-11-27
the new Dimage Xi, arriving next month, has "real" digital camera resolution: 3.2 megapixels, enough for 8-by-10 prints. It also has a flash, autofocus, white-balance control, 90-minute rechargeable battery, movies with sound, voice annotations and an output for showing the photos on a television - almost all the features, in fact, of larger, traditional digital cameras.
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