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

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, I'm able to capture 80 pictures at the highest quality. Well, not the highest quality since that's in a tiff format. The movies are great too although my complaint with them is that they're limited to 35 seconds - even if your card has more room. Sort of annoying since the Sony's don't 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 don't have a case for it and keep it in my jeans pocket with the lcd screen facing my leg. I've never had a problem with it.

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 can't imagine why I would ever use it again, and it's a good camera! No more waiting in line @ one hour photo, and hoping more that 25% of pics are good. I'd 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. Can't wait to use it's full capabilities, but in the mean time it is cool as is.

This is a very interesting camera, lots of features, easy to use and to load pictures and or movies into computer. But I suspect it's 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.

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 can't 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 don't 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.

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.