A Camera that's Worth More than a Thousand Words

November 8, 2004 — This could be the most expensive 4.2-megapixel digital camera on the market in awhile. At about $1,290, the Minox DC 4211 comes plated in 24-carat gold and has three 0.2-carat diamonds embedded in the finger grip on the front of the camera body. The diamonds are supposed to serve as a highlight, but the placement on the finger grip doesn’t make much sense. The user will have to clean the diamonds periodically.

The Minox DC 4211 has a 2-inch LCD screen on the back of the body. The compact camera has a 3x optical zoom Minoctar lens with autofocus. In fact, many of the features are automated, such as the white balance. Unfortunately, this camera was not made for digital camera enthusiasts. This camera was made for wealthy people looking for a digital camera to match their jewelry and other accessories.

A fine wooden box comes with the Minox DC 4211, as well as a leather case, a wrist strap (make sure this one doesn’t drop), a lithium-ion battery, software and a 32MB Secure Digital card.