[1] It was introduced in July 2003, replacing the Minolta Dimage 7 series.
A key feature of it is a long battery life.
(The NP-400 is also used with the final Konica Minolta DSLRs, the Dynax 7D/5D).
[2] This was the final Minolta-badged bridge camera product before the Konica Minolta merger.
Media related to Minolta Dimage A1 at Wikimedia Commons