Minolta's 2003 ultra-slim compact — 3.2MP 1/2.7" CCD, non-extending folded 3x zoom, 20mm thin, 120g.
The Minolta DiMAGE Xt, introduced in March 2003, continued the DiMAGE X line of ultra-slim compacts and was billed at launch as the world's thinnest 3.2-megapixel digital camera with optical zoom. It refined the X and Xi with a smaller body, and the family carried on under Konica Minolta branding after the merger.
Its defining feature is a folded optical path: a periscope-style 3x zoom that never extends from the body, keeping the camera a constant 20mm thin whether off or shooting. The sensor is a 1/2.7-type 3.3-megapixel interline primary-colour CCD with 3.2 million effective pixels, recording up to 2048x1536 stills and 320x240 movie clips, with 4x digital zoom on top of the optical range. The body measures 85.5x67x20mm and weighs about 120g, powered by the small NP-200 lithium-ion battery.
The Xt is a pocket camera in the truest sense, and the non-extending lens means nothing protrudes to snag or jam — a genuine reliability advantage over telescoping rivals. It suits anyone wanting a truly tiny early-2000s CCD compact for casual and street shooting, accepting a small sensor's limits in low light.
Battery is the key check: the NP-200 is proprietary, and while third-party cells and chargers remain available, confirm the included battery holds charge. Look through the lens window for dust or haze in the folded optics, which cannot be cleaned easily, and check the internal zoom and AF operate silently. Verify the screen is unscratched and that the camera writes to a memory card without errors.