Minolta

Measuring only 3.7 x 2.2 x 1.2 inches, the G500 can be easily slipped into a pocket, purse, or day-pack.

The Dimage G500 is a heavy on features and benefits yet weighs a mere 7 ounces.

Despite its small size, the Dimage G500 is packed with image-making features.

Exposures can be set manually.

Color saturation, contrast, and sharpness can be controlled to create the picture you want.

And a maximum 9X zoom ratio provides powerful photographic potential.

The Minolta Dimage G500 has a dual card-slot system for flexible image storage.

Both Memory Sticks and SecureDigital (SD) Cards can be used alone or in combination.

When both memory card types are used with the camera at the same time - up to 640MB of data can be saved depending on the capacity of the cards.

The Dimage G500 - an easy-to-use companion for you and your photographic occasions 5.0 Megapixels for High-Resolution Images - The Dimage G500's precision electro-optical system is built around a 5.36 megapixel, 1/1.76-type interline primary-color CCD with 5 million effective pixels for beautifully crisp high-resolution images.

The pixel resolution will produce 13 x 17 inch 150dpi prints or 6.5 x 8.5 inch photo-quality prints; creating print sizes larger than A3 and A5 respectively.

9X Zoom (3X Optical, 3X Digital) Lens - The Dimage G500 contains a high-quality 3X aspheric optical zoom lens.

With a focal range of 8 - 24mm, the lens is equivalent to a 39 - 117mm zoom on a 35mm camera.

This range covers everything from scenic landscapes to interiors and group shots to portraits and detailed close-ups.

The resolution of the seven-element, six-group lens design ensures optimum results from the 5.36 megapixel CCD.

Plus, the maximum aperture of f/2.8 - 4.9 allows the camera to be used in less than ideal lighting conditions without flash.

The Dimage G500's digital zoom can extend the optical zoom performance two or three times, giving the G500 a maximum equivalent of a 351mm telephoto lens on a 35mm camera.

The combined optical and digital zooms give this compact digital camera a powerful and very versatile 9X zoom range.Dual Card Slot System - SD Card and Memory Stick Compatibility - The Dimage G500 features a dual card slot system for expanded image storage.

Both Memory Sticks and SD Cards can be used alone or in combination.

When both memory card types are used in the camera at the same time, up to 640MB of data can be saved depending on the capacity of the cards.

Having two card slots eliminates the worries of running out of memory during important events.Fast 1.3 Second Startup Time - The Dimage G500 is ready when you are.

With a fast 1.3-second startup time, you can capture the action at a moment's notice.

Plus, the ergonomic control layout makes settings quick and simple; the three most used controls are conveniently placed on the top of the camera body for quick, one-touch access.Macro Mode - The G500's macro mode allows small objects and details to be captured clearly.

The lens can focus as close as 2.4 inches for beautifully crisp close-ups.

You can switch to macro at both telephoto and wide angles, to capture as much or as little of the background as you wish.

Manual Exposure Control - The Dimage G500 gives you creative control over the image-making process with manual exposure mode, allowing the lens aperture and shutter speed to be adjusted independently.

Shutter speeds from 1/1,000 to 15 seconds can be selected.

Continuous Shooting Mode - For capturing the action as it unfolds, the Dimage G500 can continuously record still images.Monitor Image Magnification - After you've captured your shots, you can see them magnified on the LCD monitor and scroll around quickly.

Images can be magnified up to 12X, making them easy to check for detail.Image Adjustment Controls - A wide array of settings gives you the freedom to experiment and be creative.

Settings include saturation, contrast, sharpness, and color balance.

To help you better handle lighting conditions, you can also adjust ISO-equivalent sensitivity and flash compensation.

Versatile Flash Control - The Dimage G500's versatile flash modes let you shoot in a variety of lighting situations with confidence.

In automatic mode, the flash fires whenever it's needed.

If the main subject is backlit, you can select fill-flash for additional subject illumination.

And if you're somewhere where flash use is not permitted or desirable, the flash can be turned off.Night Portrait Flash (Slow Shutter Sync) - This mode is ideal for taking portraits with the subject in the foreground of an illuminated night scene or a dramatic sunset.

Night Portrait mode synchronizes the flash with a slow shutter speed to balance the flash illumination on the subject with the background ambient light.Color Balance Control - The color balance control allows you to change the relative proportions of the red, green, and blue channels to shift the overall color of an image.Custom Settings - Using the four-way cross key, you can easily change certain settings to capture the images you have in mind.

Pressing the cross key adjusts exposure in 0.3 Ev steps, within a (+ -)1.5 Ev range.

Settings for AF Lock, AE Lock, and white balance can also be customized.

Once the camera is set, images can be captured at the same setting for as long as you like.Movie and Audio Recording - The Dimage G500 is a versatile multimedia tool, allowing digital video with audio to be captured.

Each clip can be as long as 30 seconds (320 x 240 pixel resolution, sound included). The Dimage G500 also lets you record audio on its own, either as an audio-only file (up to 30 seconds) or as an image caption.

Dark Noise Reduction - Dark noise, an ever-present problem in electronic systems, manifests itself by giving a grainy or sandy appearance to images taken with long exposures.

The Dimage G500 combats this with a noise-reduction function, which automatically activates for exposures of 0.5-second or longer.E-Mail Copy Function - The Dimage G500 makes it a breeze to send e-mail images.

The e-mail copy function creates a 640 x 480 or 160 x 120 JPEG copy of an image on the memory card so that it can be easily transferred over the Internet.Self-Timer - This convenient feature lets you set up the shot and then get into the picture, and can also be used to capture low-light scenes when the camera is mounted on a tripod.

The self-timer delays shutter-release for either 10 seconds or 3 seconds after the shutter-release button has been pressed.Bundled with Dimage Viewer - Dimage Viewer supports the latest generation of Minolta digital cameras.

The Viewer complements the camera by allowing still and movie images to be processed and edited on a computer.

A wide range of image-processing controls is available, plus a new movie enhancer plug-in for editing and processing digital video.