Minolta DiMAGE X

Another essential feature is a built-in flash, which provides auto, red-eye reduction, always, off and slow sync modes. Strangely, the fill-in flash wasn't used as often as I expected, but the results without flash showed plenty of shadow detail anyway.

That said, I did find the flash a little weak for interior shooting unless the subject was close. The ISO range is also limited with a choice of just ISO 100 and 200, which may further restrict the flash effectiveness, particularly in large indoor areas.

Handling was superb considering the size, and the 1.5in TFT appears quite large in relation to the body. The TFT itself is also good, with 110,000 pixels giving decent detail, and you can adjust the brightness too.

Control of the different features, such as zoom and menus, was simple, with all the buttons within easy reach. The whole system works like a dream and should be easy to pick up right from the start. Battery life and general image quality were excellent too, with strong, natural colours and good detail for a two-megapixel device. A further practical benefit for a go-anywhere camera concept is a fast startup time of only 1.8 seconds. In general, for the typical scenarios that this camera is likely to find itself in, you won't find a more competent performer.

The Minolta DiMAGE X is probably the most usable small camera I've come across. It achieves this without sacrificing build or image quality, and with a 3x optical zoom and built-in flash it's perfect for quick snaps wherever you may be. Its only problems are a lack of advanced controls and the relatively high price for a two-megapixel device. But if you need a camera for business use, where space is tight and image quality needs to be good, the DiMAGE X is ideal.

Author: John Clements