Home > Consumer Reviews > Minolta Dimage X20 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

the Dimage X20 is the little brother of the Dimage Xt. the main differences between the two are resolution (2MP for x20, 3MP for xt), the x20 does not have an optical viewfinder, the x20 uses AA batteries.

pros:
- 2MP resolution, 3x optical zoom.
- about the same size as the xt with dimensions of 3.4 x 2.6 x 0.9 in, weighing in at 4.1oz.
- generally good photo quality, low noise levels.
- automatic white balance performs well.
- AF locks rapidly and decisively in good light.
- short shutter lag in good light.
- fast startup.
- fast shot-to-shot speeds.
- ability to record in movie mode until memory card is full.
- all metal body feels solid.
- 1.6" LCD is bright and fluid.
- uses non-proprietary AA batteries (i highly recommend rechargeables). this means that in a pinch, replacement batteries are as close as the nearest convenience store.

cons:
- some purple fringing.
- corners are soft.
- some vignetting.
- above average barrel distortion.
- some redeye occurrence.
- no manual controls.
- no optical viewfinder - this makes it tough when you use this camera with bright sunlight.
- RAW and TIFF formats not supported.
- no AF illuminator - this would really help shutter lag when using this camera in low light.
- scratches easily.
- 8MB SD card provided is inadequate so add $$ to your budget to buy more memory.
- only 2 AA non-rechargeables included; again, add more $$ for some rechargeables and a fast charger.

the X20 is a great looking ultracompact camera but the quality of the images you take could be better. if you want a pocketable camera for web photos and small prints, consider the X20. if you want larger prints and like the design of the x20, try the DiMAGE Xt. if you want manual controls, you'll have to find another camera altogether, as none of the X-series cameras have them. i would recommend the optio s or casio ex-z3. for even better image quality (in a slightly bigger package), also consider canon's sd100.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

Bought this camera in September '03 and it was fantastic! I could put it in my jeans pocket and take it out with me everywhere on my travels. It took fantastic shots even in low light and the print quality was superior to some cameras even over 4 megapix. Disappointingly, it quit in the middle of my European Vacation in July '05 with a black screen that never went away. I can view the pix on the memory card but can't take any new pix.

Sadly it seems that this problem is par for this camera. It dies about 2 years later. Be Warned!

i bought this camera only a year ago, and its been acting up ever since.
- the battery life sucks. the matteries will only stay full for not even 30 minutes.
- the LCD screen sucks. its beginning to change different colors, and blur occasionally.
- the zoom--- very blurry.
- and just recently it deleted all my pictures.

i highly recommend not buying this product.

This camera looks really nice, takes good pictures, and is excellent value for money. On the downside, the little tune it plays when you turn it on is annoying, non-rechargeable batteries get used up very quickly (so buy rechargeable ones), and most significantly, it is very easy to mess up the camera if you get any dirt (or sand) into it's workings. I took mine to the beach once, didn't do anything particularly reckless, but a couple of grains of sand got in, and the zoom no longer works at all and the lens cover won't close.
I would still recommend this camera, but just be careful with it...

I have several regrets with this purchase. From the fact that I listened to the sales person who was unknowledgeable about megapixels to the very unpridictable prints from this camera. Some come out ok but for the most part they are pretty bad. Very grainy. Even when printing 4 X 6. And if I can help with the Megapixel confusion, I've done alot of research on the matter since I bought this camera, and have found out a few things. The best place to start is http://electronics.howstu ffworks.com/digital- camera.htm Hope this helps in your digital camera purchase