The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50 features a 2.8x optical zoom lens - which, unlike other cameras in the X-series, is mounted horizontally - featuring a prism to fold the optical path. The different orientation of the prism means that the lens opening isn't at the very top corner of the camera as in past models, and the new lens barrier will offer protection against accidental damage or smudges from a misplaced finger. The advantages of the prism design - an extremely slim body, less moving parts that could potentially fail or come out of alignment, and a faster startup time thanks to the fact that there's no lens to extend are all retained, of course.

Other features of the DiMAGE X50 include a 2.0-inch LCD monitor, five-point autofocus system, selection of scene modes, PictBridge compatibility for making prints without the need for a computer, movie and audio recording modes, a new optional marine housing waterproof to 40 meters, and more. Pricing and availability for the new model haven't been announced at this time. Full specifications, product photos, press release and a "backgrounder" document courtesy of Konica Minolta all follow:

New Konica Minolta X-Series Digital Camera:

The DiMAGE X50

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc.'s DiMAGE X50 5.0 megapixel digital camera offers an array of high-end features and functions, to give photographers all they really need in a fast and easy-to-use digital camera.

Product Highlights

• Thin, stylish camera body—the camera is less than an inch thick, even with its non-protruding 2.8x optical zoom, which can be combined with 4.3x digital zoom for up to 12x zoom.

• Even faster operation with an approximate 0.5-second startup time, the fastest in its class*. ( * As of April 2004, for 3x optical zoom digital cameras.)

• Easy operation and easy menu navigation with a large 2-inch LCD monitor.

• Konica Minolta's proprietary CxProcess™ II high-quality image processing technology and the camera's 5-megapixel CCD combine to provide superb images.

• Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically chooses the best shooting mode for your images.

• Shots in focus as near as 4 inches from the subject at all focal lengths without the need to change modes. Plus, a Super Macro mode for stunning close-ups as close as 2.4 inches from the subject.

• Photos can be output directly to PictBridge-compliant printers.

• Optional Marine Case for creative underwater photography.

Features

2.8x Optical Zoom in a Super-Slim Body

Featuring Konica Minolta's proprietary non-protruding zoom lens, the DiMAGE X50 keeps its cool outward appearance even when the zoom is activated. The revolutionary design using internal folded optics technology means that the camera stays slim even while the user is taking zoom shots. The slim 0.93-inch-thick body (0.79 inches excluding the LCD monitor) houses a 2.8x optical zoom and weighs just 4.4 ounces. And, the convenient sliding cover adds a practical feature to this camera's stylish design, safeguarding the lens while the DiMAGE X50 is placed inside a pocket or purse.

World's Fastest* Startup Time

The DiMAGE X50 boasts an amazingly fast and fluid startup – switch the camera on and the camera is ready to start taking great pictures in about 0.5 second. This and the approximately 0.06-second shutter-release time lag time ensures that photographers will never miss capturing those unexpected photographic moments. (* As of April 2004, for 3x optical zoom cameras.)

UHS (Ultra High-Speed) Continuous Advance

UHS Continuous Advance captures 1280 x 960 images at 11 frames per second regardless of the image quality setting, making it ideal for capturing subjects in motion.

Easy and Convenient Operation

The DiMAGE X50 incorporates a large 2-inch LCD monitor for easy and convenient operation. With no complicated settings to be made and enough controls to make operation intuitive, the DiMAGE X50 is easy and fun to use.

The camera's Key Customization allows users to register settings for their most-frequently-used functions. A users just designates the settings most often used to the left or right side of the controller to make operation even more simple and user-friendly. The DiMAGE X50 also has an independent playback button that displays images instantly.

Extraordinary Image Quality

The DiMAGE X50's 5-megapixel CCD and newly developed optical system combine to deliver sharp, high-resolution images for photo-quality prints as large as 5” x 6.5” at 300dpi, as well as enlargements up to 13.5” x 10” at 150dpi.

The CxProcess™ II image processing technology enables image characteristics like smooth gradations, natural skin tones, and brilliantly clear colors for photos that are more natural and lifelike. And the DiMAGE X50's 5 megapixels capture fine lines and intricate details for stunning digital images.

The Best Shooting Modes—Automatically Selected

Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically selects the most appropriate shooting mode. Or, users can choose from Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Sunset, Night portrait/Night view modes* and text* mode. Either way, this advanced function enables them to take fabulous photos with ease. (*Activated via manual selection only.)

5-Point Multi Autofocus (AF)

The wide 5-Point Multi AF enables flexible focusing that allows users to compose their pictures with more freedom and accuracy.

Multi-Segment Metering/Spot Metering

Multi-Segment metering automatically measures light readings over the entire frame to provide the best exposure for each subject. And Spot metering measures light in the center of the frame, which enables users to measure the brightness of a particular spot on the subject.

Noise Reduction

Noise Reduction automatically prevents the blemishes and graininess associated with slow-shutter shots (up to 4 seconds). This gives exceptional night scene images.

Take Extreme Close-ups

The DiMAGE X50 requires no macro mode to take close-ups that are clearly focused as near as 4 inches from the subject. This means users can fill the frame with the incredible detail of small and beautiful subjects such as colorful flowers. And since users don't have to take the time to change the camera's shooting mode, they can take these close-ups right away. The DiMAGE X50 also features a Super Macro mode to take close-ups as close as 2.4 inches.

Direct Camera-to-Printer Printouts

Forget all about complicated connections with a PC. Get fast, beautiful prints directly from the camera by connecting the DiMAGE X50 to a PictBridge*-compliant printer. Simply select which images to print from the DiMAGE X50's LCD monitor for fast and fun printouts instantly.

* PictBridge is an industry standard established by the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).

Versatile Functions

• XR Movie

The XR (Extended Recording) Movie mode lets users record longer movie clips onto the SD memory card at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. The camera will keep on recording until the memory card is full. Movie Editing�lets users isolate and capture clips from captured movie data, while Movie Frame Capture lets them isolate and capture individual frames from captured movie data.

• Audio Recording

Audio Recording allows users to record any sound for up to 180 minutes. Voice Memo lets them record sound immediately after they've taken a shot and Audio Caption enables users to record sound simultaneously during playback. (Both Voice Memo and Audio Caption record up to 15 seconds of sound.)

• Slide Show/Image Rotation

The DiMAGE X50 gives users exciting viewing capabilities. Slide Show Playback, which lets users experience still images or movies with captivating dissolve effects, can be viewed either on the DiMAGE X50's LCD screen or on a TV screen. With Image Rotation, users can change settings to rotate their vertical images from their horizontal position for easier viewing.

• Multi-Frame Function

Transform 9 consecutive images into one extraordinary print with the Multi-Frame function. Press the shutter release once to shoot a sequence of 9 shots. The images are shown as thumbnails in a single frame.

• Crop Frame

With Crop Frame, trim unwanted parts of captured still pictures and save the image as a separate file, while keeping the original image intact in its file

• Image Pasting

The DiMAGE X50 lets users create custom photos and cards by selecting part of a saved image and overlaying it in their choice of nine picture frames on any chosen photo.

• Color Mode

Color mode adds either black & white or sepia colors to photographs.

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Konica Minolta DiMAGE X50
Number of effective pixels	5.0 million
CCD	1/2.5-type interline primary-color CCD Total pixels: 5.4 million
Camera sensitivity	Automatic (between ISO 50 - 160 equivalent), ISO 50,100, 200, 400
Focal length	6.1 – 17.1mm (35mm equivalent: 37 – 105mm)
Lens construction	11 elements in 9 groups
Maximum aperture	f/2.8 – f/5.0
Minimum focus distance	4 in. ( 0.10m) from front of camera 2.4 in. (0.06m) (Super Macro)
Maximum magnification	0.1x (1:10) Equivalent to 0.82x (1: 1.22) in 35mm format
Area covered at maximum magnification	1.63 x 1.25 in. (42.3 x 31.8mm) �
Viewfinder type	Optical real-image zoom viewfinder
Monitor LCD	2.0 inch (5.2cm) digital-interface TFT color monitor with anti-reflection coating Total pixels: Approximately 115,000
Shutter	CCD electronic shutter and mechanical shutter
Shutter speed range	4 - 1/1000 seconds
Autofocus system	Video AF
Autofocus areas	Wide focus area (five-point AF) Spot focus area
Metering	Multi-segment, Spot
Multi-segment metering	256 segments
Exposure control	Programmed AE
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection	Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, or Sunset is automatically selected (Manual selection is also possible) Night portrait/Night view, Super Macro, Text is set manually only.
Exposure compensation	±2 EV in 1/3 increments
Flash range	Wide: Approximately 0.7 – 10.5 ft. (0.2 – 3.2m) Telephoto: Approximately 0.3 – 5.9 ft. (0.1 – 1.8m) (Camera sensitivity: auto) �
Flash modes	Autoflash, Autoflash with red-eye reduction, Fill-flash, Flash cancel
Continuous advance	Available, Speed: Approximately 1.9 frames per second*
UHS (Ultra High Speed)	Available, Speed: Approximately 11 frames per second*(1280 x 960) * Actual speed may vary depending upon the subject and camera settings.
Self-timer	Approximately 10 seconds
Multi frame	To capture 9 sequential images in a 3x3 grid in a single frame
Image pasting	Embeds an image within another image
Movie recording	Recording time dependent on memory card capacity. Frame rate: 15 frames per second , 30 frames per second Night Movie, Movie frame capture, Movie clip capture
Audio	Audio recording: Maximum 180 minutes* *128MB MB memory card is required. Voice memo: Maximum 15 seconds Audio caption: Maximum 15 seconds Monaural audio only
White balance control	Automatic, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent)
Color modes	Color, Black and white, Sepia
Noise reduction	User selectable
Digital zoom	Maximum 4.3 x Digital zoom can be disabled.
E-mail Copy function	Creates a compressed 640x480 JPEG image for transmission.
Crop frame	Trims parts of captured still pictures and save the image as a separate file.
Date imprinting	Year/month/day (Format can be changed.) Month/day/hour:minute (Format can be changed.) Imprinting can be disabled. �
Image-quality modes	Fine, Standard, Economy
Number of recorded pixels (Still images)	2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480, 1280 x 960 (UHS Continuous advance)
Number of recorded pixels (Movie clips)	320 x 240
Storage capacity	Approximate storage capacity of a 16MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card: Still images 2560 x 1920 2048 x 1536 1600 x 1200 640 x 480 1280 x 960 (UHS) Fine* 5 frames 8 frames 14 frames 68 frames 21 frames Standard* 11 frames 17 frames 27 frames 99 frames 38 frames Economy* 21 frames 31 frames 47 frames 148 frames 68 frames Movie (320 x 240) 15 frames per second: 41 seconds 30 frames per second: 21 seconds Audio Recording 30 minutes 28 seconds * Still images recorded without voice memo or audio caption ** Actual number of images may vary depending upon the subject and memory card.
File formats	JPEG, Motion JPEG (MOV), WAVE DCF 1.0-compliant DPOF-compliant (Supported by printing functions in version 1.1) Exif 2.2
Folder name formats	Standard, Date
Printing output control	Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching II
Menu languages	Japanese, English, German, French, Spanish, and Chinese (Simplified)
Recording media	SD (Secure Digital) Memory Cards, MultiMediaCards
Computer interface	Full-speed 12Mbps data transfer with USB 2.0 compatible computer
Direct print	PictBridge
Remote camera	Live images without audio viewed with a computer
Battery	One NP-700 lithium-ion battery
Battery performance (Playback)	Approximate continuous playback time: 170 minutes Based on Konica Minolta's standard test method with NP-700 lithium-ion battery
Battery performance (Recording)	Approximate number of recorded images: 150 frames. Based on CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) measurements, when using standard battery (Lithium-ion battery) and standard memory card (SD, 16MB) �
External power source	4.7V DC with specified AC adapter (sold separately)
Dimensions (WxHxD)	3.28 x 2.44 x 0.93 inches (83.5 x 62 x 23.5mm)
Weight	Approximately 4.4 oz. (125 g) without battery or recording media
Operating temperature	32-104°F (0-40ºC)
Standard accessories	Lithium-ion Battery NP-700, Lithium-ion Battery Charger BC-800, Hand Strap HS-DG130, USB Cable USB-3, 16MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card, DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM
Optional accessories	AC Adapter set AC-4, Metal Chain Neck Strap NS-DG100, Deluxe Case for DiMAGE X Series, Casual case for DiMAGE X Series, Marine Case MC-DG400, O-Ring set OR-GS400 (Replacement for MC-DG-400)
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