Minolta Dimage X20 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

Rating:
Summary: I like it!
Review: When I purchased this camera I was looking for something compact and affordable. I already own a Fuji S5000 (great camera), however the camera is a bit big and heavy to take everywhere. I looked at Cameras by Casio, Pentax, Canon and Fuji. I found the x20 to be my best match for value and size. The camera: Build quality - 4/5 (sturdy, but my sd cards tend to get jammed slightly in the unit) - Speed - 5/5 (very quick, from power on to taking pictues) - Features - 5/5 (It has enough features to be a good PShoot, I didn't want any manual features to clog up the interface. I use the Fuji for that) - Battery life - 3/5 (Using 2300 NIMH batteries it doesn't very last long. When compared to my Fuji which does take 4 batteries it still can't last 1/4 of the time) - Use - 4/5 (taking pictures is great. Only problems are that the flash must be suppressed every time you turn it on, no memory.) - Pictures - 4/5 (the camera takes great pictures for what it is, PShoot. I was able to take several macros without any problems. - Video – 4/5 (the video is very good, however its not quite as fluid as I would like it to be. It is slightly shopy if you move the camera around, or if your camera moves. This is a great camera for a portable point and shoot. You can take this camera just about anywhere, and not miss shots. I was looking for a case for this camera, even though target doesn’t have to many cases I found an accessory case and it fits the camera perfectly for $5.00! I would suggest getting at least a 128mb SD card and two pairs of 2300 NIMH batteries. Overall I give this camera 4/5. This camera is great for a backup/portable camera, however if you just looking for a single camera to do all of your pictures you may want to look elsewhere. For the same price you can find a camera that will take better pictures with more features if size isn't critical.

Rating:
Summary: Review of X20
Review: When I purchased this camera I was looking for something compact and affordable. I already own a Fuji S5000 (great camera), however the camera is a bit big and heavy to take everywhere. I looked at Cameras by Casio, Pentax, Canon and Fuji. I found the x20 to be my best match for value and size. The camera: Build quality - 4/5 (sturdy, but my sd cards tend to get jammed slightly in the unit) - Speed - 5/5 (very quick, from power on to taking pictues) - Features - 5/5 (It has enough features to be a good PShoot, I didn't want any manual features to clog up the interface. I use the Fuji for that) - Battery life - 3/5 (Using 2300 NIMH batteries it doesn't very last long. When compared to my Fuji which does take 4 batteries it still can't last 1/4 of the time) - Use - 4/5 (taking pictures is great. Only problems are that the flash must be suppressed every time you turn it on, no memory.) - Pictures - 4/5 (the camera takes great pictures for what it is, PShoot. I was able to take several macros without any problems. - Video – 4/5 (the video is very good, however its not quite as fluid as I would like it to be. It is slightly shopy if you move the camera around, or if your camera moves. This is a great camera for a portable point and shoot. You can take this camera just about anywhere, and not miss shots. I was looking for a case for this camera, even though target doesn’t have to many cases I found an accessory case and it fits the camera perfectly for $5.00! I would suggest getting at least a 128mb SD card and two pairs of 2300 NIMH batteries. Overall I give this camera 4/5. This camera is great for a backup/portable camera, however if you just looking for a single camera to do all of your pictures you may want to look elsewhere. For the same price you can find a camera that will take better pictures with more features if size isn't critical.

Rating:
Summary: good looks bad performance
Review: within the warranty year, this is the second time I'm sending it in for repair. The design is great, small to fit in the pocket, we got a lot of mileage with it, and always gets compliments, but the quality of pict is not good enough for good prints and too many weird things have happened with it. I hope the 3 pixel one is better, because it's fun to hold and have, if only it worked better...

Rating:
Summary: Great little camera at a small price
Review: Wow....when my digital camera was stolen, I decided to go with something smaller and easier to carry in my purse all the time so I'm ready for any photo situation. This little camera is almost as good as my previous bigger digital camera as far as picture quality but it has even more features.

I love the simple menu system. I know some don't like it but I'm no photographer....I'm a point-and-shooter. I need the simple menu system to figure things out. If I choose to use the various features, that is. The menu system is simple, very intuitive, and is a no-brainer for someone like me.

The photos are great. I invested in a 1Gb memory card so I have plenty of space for pictures. So I normally use the Fine picture setting at the best picture quality (1600x1200) as I can store almost 1000 pictures at this setting. As a test, I have also taken a few at the Standard setting of which I can get 1800 photos on one memory card. Both print well in up to 8x10 size photos on my Epson printer.

My previous camera did video but did not have sound. I love having the sound feature. I videod my husband giving a speech to a conference last night. I have 10-minutes of video, the picture video quality was just as good as from my video camera and I was presently surprised that we were able to capture his speech even though I was toward the back of the room (about 60 feet away). The speech was very clear and easy to hear.

It's fun playing with some of the other features like putting a picture within another picture, etc. Although I haven't used many of these yet, it's nice to know they are there.

And I love not having a proprietary battery as I have a home battery charger plus a car battery charger so I can always have AA rechargeables ready to go. Or, in a pinch, use regular batteries if needed. This will be nice when going on longer hikes when power isn't available to re-charge.

There are certainly other cameras out there with more mega-pixels but, for the average point-and-shooter like me, I'm convinced this camera should satisfy all your needs.

The only downside that I have found, and this can easily be corrected with photo software on your computer, is that the flash works well inside only on closer shots. Photos taken from a distance, or in a very large room do tend to be a little on the dark side. This is a minor problem, IMHO, and the small size outweighs the lack of a bigger flash.

So, if you're looking for something inexpensive, easy to use, and tiny enough to fit in your pants pocket or carry in your purse without adding a lot of weight or bulk, this is the camera for you!! Enjoy.