"Picky Details" for the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 digital camera
(Timing, Power, and Storage Info)

Timing

When you press the shutter release on a camera, there's usually a lag time or delay before the shutter actually fires. This corresponds to the time required for the autofocus and autoexposure mechanisms time to do their work, and can amount to a fairly long delay in some situations. Since this number is rarely reported on (and even more rarely reported accurately), and can significantly affect the picture taking experience, I routinely measure both shutter delay and shot to shot cycle times for all cameras I test, using a test system I designed and built for the purpose. (Crystal-controlled, with a resolution of 0.001 second.) Here are the numbers I collected for the Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1:

Power

The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 uses a custom rechargeable 3.7V, 820 mAh LiIon battery for power. Because it uses a custom power connector, we couldn't perform our usual direct measurements of power consumption, so instead have to rely upon Konica Minolta's published specs, based on the CIPA battery-life standard. (Which involves a combination of intermittent use, some zooming of the lens mechanism and firing the flash on 50% of the shots.) Using the CIPA protocol, Konica Minolta claims 150 shots for a fully-charged battery, and further report an approximate continuous run time in playback mode of 140 minutes. These aren't bad numbers for a subcompact digital model, but if you plan on any extended outings with the X1, you should definitely plan on purchasing a second battery along with the camera.

Storage Capacity

The Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1 stores its photos on SD / MMC memory cards, and a 32 MB card is included with the camera. (I strongly recommend buying at least a 128 MB card, preferably a 256 MB one, to give yourself extra space for extended outings.) The chart below shows how many images can be stored on the included 32 MB card at each size/quality setting.