Home > Consumer Reviews > Minolta Dimage Xi 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

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 camera's "Area AF" technology evaluates the scene that you're shooting and locks the focus on your subject, even if it's 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) there's 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 Canon's S40
(4) Doesn't 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 Canon's 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 Canon's, capability for saving in TIFF formats (high quality images), a minimum focal length much closer than Canon's, and all internalized moving parts.

If you want a sleek, small, yet very functional camera Minolta is one of my top recommendations.

I have a full size 5+ megapixel, 10x zoom digital camera as well as this one, but when I'm 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 don't need flash all of the time. With its quick start-up, you have a chance at getting the kids' pictures while they're 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.

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!

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.

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.