Konica Minolta DiMAGE X1

Konica Minolta launched the DiMAGE X1 in July 2005 with a specific ambition: the highest-resolution compact available, in a body under 20mm thick. The 8-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD and periscope optics achieving 19.5mm depth were both real engineering achievements. Anti-Shake made its X-series debut here in a newly miniaturized form built for folded optics. The last great DiMAGE before Konica Minolta exited the camera business entirely.

NO FILTER: SHOT ON DiMAGE X1

THE LOOKS

In black, the X1 has a dark tinted metallic finish — closer to gunmetal than flat black, with a high-gloss surface that catches light across the rounded capsule-shaped all-metal body. The periscope lens sits behind a metal cover that keeps everything flush when powered down, the blue Konica Minolta dot on the front is the only color accent. At 95 × 68 × 19.5mm and 135g, the 2.5-inch LCD dominates the flat rear panel. Also available in silver and red.

THE SPECS

The 8-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD was the highest-resolution sensor available in a compact at launch — paired with Anti-Shake compensation of up to 3 EV, which at a 19.5mm body depth was a real engineering achievement. The folded periscope optics mean the 3× zoom never extends at any focal length. f/3.5 at the wide end is reasonable for the era. Super Macro focuses to 5cm. VGA video with Anti-Shake and optical zoom active during recording. 7 scene modes. SD/MMC storage. 95 × 68 × 19.5mm, 135g.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS

• Periscope folded optics at 19.5mm depth: the zoom mounts vertically inside the body with a 90-degree prism — never extending at any focal length, which is why the profile stays this thin.
• First X-series with Anti-Shake: a newly miniaturized stabilization system designed specifically for folded optics, compensating up to 3 EV — effective to around 1/6s at wide angle.
• 8-megapixel 1/1.8-inch CCD in a sub-20mm body: the highest-resolution compact sensor available at launch in 2005, in a camera thinner than most 3-megapixel rivals.

THE VERDICT

The X1 is the DiMAGE X-series at its peak — periscope optics pushed to 8 megapixels, Anti-Shake added for the first time, and a gunmetal black body that looks like it belongs in a design museum. It was Konica Minolta’s last significant compact before the company left the camera business in 2006, which gives it weight beyond the spec sheet. The CCD output is warm and characterful, and good examples are increasingly hard to find.