INSTRUCTION MANUAL
E
2
3B
EFORE YOU BEGIN
Thank you for purchasing this Minolta digital camera. Please take the time to read
through this instruction manual so you can enjoy all the features of your new camera.
Check the packing list before using this product. If any items are missing, immediately
contact your camera dealer.
Minolta DiMAGE F200 digital camera
Hand strap HS-DG100
SD Memory Card
AV cable AVC-200
USB cable USB-500
DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM
DiMAGE F200 instruction manual
DiMAGE Viewer instruction manual
Warranty card
Read and understand all warnings and cautions before using this product.
Using batteries improperly can cause them to leak harmful solutions, overheat, or explode
which may damage property or cause personal injury. Do not ignore the following warnings.
• Only use the batteries specified in this instruction manual.
• Do not install the batteries with the polarity (+/–) reversed.
• Do not use batteries which show wear or damage.
• Do not expose batteries to fire, high temperatures, water, or moisture.
• Do not attempt to short or disassemble batteries.
• Do not store batteries near or in metallic products.
• Do not mix batteries of different types, brands, ages, or charge levels.
• Do not charge lithium batteries.
• When recharging rechargeable batteries, only use the recommended charger.
• Do not use leaking batteries. If fluid from the batteries enters your eye, immediately
rinse the eye with plenty of fresh water and contact a doctor. If fluid from the batteries
makes contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area thoroughly with water.
• Tape over battery contacts to avoid short-circuiting during disposal; always follow local
regulations for battery disposal.
WARNING
• Use only the specified AC adapter within the voltage range indicated on the adapter
unit. An inappropriate adapter or current may cause damage or injury through fire or
electric shock.
• Do not disassemble this product. Electric shock may cause injury if a high voltage circuit
inside the product is touched.
• Immediately remove the batteries or unplug the AC adapter and discontinue use if the
camera is dropped or subjected to an impact in which the interior, especially the flash
unit, is exposed. The flash has a high voltage circuit which may cause an electric shock
resulting in injury. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries
or fire.
For proper and safe useBefore you begin
Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, Mac OS, and the Mac OS logo are registered
trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft
Corporation. The official name of Windows is Microsoft Windows Operating System. Pentium is a
registered trademark of the Intel Corporation. Power PC is a trademark of the International Business
Machines Corporation. QuickTime is a trademark used under license. USB DIRECT-PRINT is a
trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
4
5F
OR PROPER AND SAFE USE
• Keep batteries or small parts that could be swallowed away from infants. Contact a
doctor immediately if an object is swallowed.
• Store this product out of reach of children. Be careful when around children not to harm
them with the product or parts.
• Do not fire the flash directly into the eyes. It may damage eyesight.
• Do not fire the flash at vehicle operators. It may cause a distraction or temporary
blindness which may lead to an accident.
• Do not use the monitor while operating a vehicle or walking. It may result in injury or an
accident.
• Do not look directly at the sun or strong light sources through the viewfinder. It may
damage your eyesight or cause blindness.
• Do not use this product in a humid environment, or operate this product with wet hands.
If liquid enters the product, immediately remove the batteries or unplug the AC adapter
and discontinue use. The continued use of a product exposed to liquids may cause
damage or injury through fire or electric shock.
• Do not use the product near inflammable gases or liquids such as gasoline, benzine, or
paint thinner. Do not use inflammable products such as alcohol, benzine, or paint
thinner to clean the product. The use of inflammable cleaners and solvents may cause
an explosion or fire.
• When unplugging the AC adapter, do not pull on the power cord. Hold the adapter unit
when removing it from an outlet.
• Do not damage, twist, modify, heat, or place heavy objects on the AC adapter cord. A
damaged cord may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.
• If the product emits a strange odor, heat, or smoke, discontinue use. Immediately
remove the batteries taking care not to burn yourself as the batteries become hot with
use. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire.
• Take the product to a Minolta Service Facility when repairs are required.
• Do not use or store the product in a hot or humid environment such as the glove
compartment or trunk of a car. It may damage the product and batteries which may
result in burns or injuries caused by heat, fire, explosion, or leaking battery fluid.
• If batteries are leaking, discontinue use of the product.
• The lens retracts when the camera is turned off. Touching the lens barrel while it is
retracting may cause injury.
• The camera temperature rises with extended periods of use. Care should be taken to
avoid burns.
• Burns may result if the memory card or batteries are removed immediately after
extended periods of use. Turn the camera off and wait for it to cool.
• Do not fire the flash while it is in contact with people or objects. The flash unit
discharges a large amount of energy which may cause burns.
• Do not apply pressure to the LCD monitor. A damaged monitor may cause injury, and
the liquid from the monitor may cause inflammation. If liquid from the monitor makes
contact with skin, wash the area with fresh water. If liquid from the monitor comes in
contact with the eyes, immediately rinse the eyes with plenty of water and contact a
doctor.
• When using the AC adapter, insert the plug securely into the electrical outlet.
• Do not use if the AC adapter cord is damaged.
• Do not cover the AC adapter. A fire may result.
• Do not obstruct access to the AC adapter; this can hinder the unplugging of the unit in
emergencies.
• Unplug the AC adapter when cleaning or when the product is not in use.
CAUTION
6
7T
ABLE OF CONTENTS
The basic operation of this camera is covered between pages 14 and 37. This section of
the manual covers the camera parts, preparation of the camera for use, and the basic
camera operation for recording, viewing, and deleting images.
The basic and advanced auto-recording mode sections cover all the basic functions of
the camera in this mode and in the multi-function recording mode. Take time to read
these sections before moving on to the multi-function recording mode section. The basic
playback section describes how to view images. The other sections can be read as
needed.
Many of the features of this camera are controlled with menus. The menu navigation
sections concisely describe how to change menu settings. Descriptions of the settings
immediately follow the navigation sections.
About this manual
Special focusing situations......................................................................................................27
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection..........................................................................28
Digital-subject-program button ................................................................................................29
Display button - recording mode .............................................................................................31
Flash modes............................................................................................................................32
Flash range - auto-recording mode.........................................................................................33
Flash signals............................................................................................................................33
Camera-shake warning ...........................................................................................................33
Playback - basic operation...................................................................................................................34
Single-frame playback and histogram display.........................................................................34
Viewing and deleting images...................................................................................................35
Display button - playback mode..............................................................................................36
Display button - Quick View ....................................................................................................36
Enlarged playback...................................................................................................................37
Auto-recording mode - advanced operation.........................................................................................38
Drive modes ............................................................................................................................38
Self-timer .................................................................................................................................39
Remote control (sold separately) ............................................................................................40
Continuous advance................................................................................................................41
Bracketing................................................................................................................................42
Navigating the auto-recording mode menu.............................................................................44
Image size and image quality..................................................................................................46
Digital zoom.............................................................................................................................48
Date imprinting ........................................................................................................................49
Instant playback.......................................................................................................................50
Exposure compensation..........................................................................................................51
Focus area selection ...............................................................................................................52
Focus lock ...............................................................................................................................53
Multi-function recording mode - advanced operation...........................................................................54
Multi-function recording mode display.....................................................................................55
Navigating the multi-function recording mode menu...............................................................56
Exposure modes......................................................................................................................58
Programmed AE - P....................................................................................................58
Aperture priority - A.....................................................................................................58
Shutter priority - S.......................................................................................................59
Manual exposure - M..................................................................................................60
Bulb exposures........................................................................................................................61
White balance..........................................................................................................................62
Automatic white balance.............................................................................................62
Preset white balance ..................................................................................................62
Names of parts ....................................................................................................................................10
Camera body...........................................................................................................................10
Viewfinder................................................................................................................................12
Mode dial.................................................................................................................................12
Data panel...............................................................................................................................13
Getting up and running.........................................................................................................................14
Inserting batteries....................................................................................................................14
Attaching the hand strap .........................................................................................................15
Battery condition indicator.......................................................................................................16
Auto power save......................................................................................................................16
Connecting the AC adapter (sold separately) .........................................................................17
Changing the memory card.....................................................................................................18
About memory cards...................................................................................................19
Setting the date and time ........................................................................................................20
Auto-recording mode - basic operation................................................................................................22
Handling the camera ...............................................................................................................22
Power / Access lamp...............................................................................................................22
Setting the camera to record images automatically................................................................23
Using the zoom lens................................................................................................................24
Focus range.............................................................................................................................24
About camera operation..........................................................................................................25
Basic recording operation........................................................................................................26
Focus signals...........................................................................................................................27
8
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ABLE OF CONTENTS
Custom white balance ................................................................................................63
Camera sensitivity - ISO..........................................................................................................64
Flash range and camera sensitivity............................................................................64
Focus modes...........................................................................................................................65
Single-shot AF ............................................................................................................65
Subject Tracking AF....................................................................................................65
Subject Tracking AF with Focus Area Selection.........................................................66
Manual focus ..............................................................................................................67
Full-time AF .............................................................................................................................67
Flash compensation ................................................................................................................68
Metering modes.......................................................................................................................68
Voice memo.............................................................................................................................69
Color mode..............................................................................................................................70
Digital Effects Control..............................................................................................................70
A short guide to photography...............................................................................................................72
What is an Ev?........................................................................................................................73
Using exposure and flash compensation ................................................................................74
Movie and audio recording...................................................................................................................75
Recording audio ......................................................................................................................75
Recording movies....................................................................................................................76
Notes on movie recording .......................................................................................................77
Recording movies and audio with the RC-3 remote control (sold separately)........................77
Navigating the movie menu.....................................................................................................78
Direct Video.............................................................................................................................80
Playback mode - advanced operation..................................................................................................82
Playing back voice memos and audio captions ......................................................................82
Playing back movies and audio recordings.............................................................................83
Navigating the playback-mode menu......................................................................................84
Frame-selection screen...........................................................................................................86
Deleting files............................................................................................................................87
Auto rotate...............................................................................................................................88
Locking files.............................................................................................................................88
Audio captioning......................................................................................................................89
Slide Show...............................................................................................................................90
About DPOF............................................................................................................................92
Creating a DPOF print order ...................................................................................................92
Ordering an index print............................................................................................................93
Copy and E-mail Copy ............................................................................................................94
Viewing images on a television...............................................................................................96
Setup mode - controlling the camera’s operation ................................................................................97
Navigating the setup menu......................................................................................................98
LCD monitor brightness.........................................................................................................100
Formatting memory cards......................................................................................................100
Auto power save....................................................................................................................101
Language...............................................................................................................................101
File number (#) memory........................................................................................................101
Folder name ..........................................................................................................................102
Audio signals.........................................................................................................................102
Shutter FX .............................................................................................................................103
Volume ..................................................................................................................................104
Reset default .........................................................................................................................104
Noise reduction......................................................................................................................106
Setting the date and time ......................................................................................................106
Setting the date format..........................................................................................................106
Video output ..........................................................................................................................106
Data-transfer mode - connecting to a computer ................................................................................107
System requirements.............................................................................................................107
Connecting the camera to a computer..................................................................................108
Connecting to Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition ..............................................................110
Automatic installation................................................................................................110
Manual installation.....................................................................................................111
QuickTime system requirements ...........................................................................................113
Auto power save (data-transfer mode)..................................................................................113
Memory card folder organization...........................................................................................114
Disconnecting the camera from the computer.......................................................................116
Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition.........................................................................116
Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP.................................................................116
Macintosh..................................................................................................................117
Changing the memory card (data-transfer mode) .................................................................118
Using USB DIRECT-PRINT...................................................................................................118
Notes on printing errors.........................................................................................................120
Navigating the USB DIRECT-PRINT menu...........................................................................120
Printing DPOF files................................................................................................................121
Appendix ..................................................................................................................................122
Troubleshooting.....................................................................................................................122
About Ni-MH batteries...........................................................................................................124
Uninstalling the driver software - Windows...........................................................................125
Care and storage...................................................................................................................126
Technical specifications.........................................................................................................130
10
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AMES OF PARTS
* This camera is a sophisticated optical instrument. Care should be taken to keep these
surfaces clean. Please read the care and storage instructions in the back of this manual
(p. 126).
Camera body
Data panel (p. 13)
Shutter-release button
Lens*
The USB port, AV-out termi-
nal, and DC terminal are
located behind the terminal
cover.
Self-timer/Remote-control lamp (p. 39, 40)
Flash (p. 32)
Strap eyelet (p. 15)
Viewfinder* (p. 12)
LCD monitor*
Flash mode/Information button (p. 32, 34)
Power/Access
lamp (p. 22)
The tripod socket is located on the
bottom of the body.
Speaker
Microphone
Remote-control receiver
Mode dial (main switch)
Viewfinder window*
Battery-chamber door (p. 14)
Drive-mode button (p. 38)
Controller
Card-slot door (p. 18)
Zoom lever (p. 24)
Digital-subject-program
button (p. 29)
Menu button
QV/ Delete button (p. 34, 35)
Display button (p. 31, 36)
12
13N
AMES OF PARTS
Data panel
Frame counter (p. 47)
Mode dial
Auto-recording mode (p. 22, 38)
Multi-function recording mode (p. 54)
Playback mode (p. 34, 82)
Movie-recording mode (p. 76)
Setup mode (p. 97)
Audio recording mode (p. 75)
Viewfinder
Focus lamp (green) Flash lamp (orange)
This dial gives
direct and easy
access to the
camera’s major
modes. It also
acts as the main
switch.
Exposure compensation indicator (p. 51, 68)
Battery-condition indicator (p. 16)
Flash-mode indicators (p. 32)
Drive-mode indicators (p. 38)
Exposure-mode indicators (p. 58)
Because the optical viewfinder and the lens are slightly separated, the image seen
through one is not exactly the same as the other; this is called parallax. Parallax can
cause errors in framing at close distances and is more pronounced at longer focal
lengths. When the subject is closer than 1m (3ft) at the wide-angle lens position or 3m
(9.8ft) at the telephoto position, use the LCD monitor to compose the image; because the
lens creates the monitor image, it does not suffer from parallax.
Located on the top of the camera body, the data panel shows the status of the camera.
All icons have been shown for clarity.
The frame counter cannot exceed 999. When the number of recordable images exceeds this,
999 will be displayed. The frame counter will continue to count down when the number of record-
able images falls below one thousand.
Camera Notes
Close the battery-chamber door (3) and slide it toward
the top of the body (4) to engage the safety catch.
After installing the battery, the set-time/date message
may appear on the monitor. The clock and calendar are
set in the custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 20).
3
4
14
15G
ETTING UP AND RUNNING
GETTING UP AND RUNNING
Inserting batteries
Insert the battery.
CR-V3 - the battery must be inserted
with the battery terminals first. The
flat side of the battery should face the
front of the camera. If the battery
does not fit, check its orientation.
Never force the battery.
1
2
Always keep the strap around your wrist in the event that the camera is accidentally
dropped. An optional metal chain neck strap, NS-DG100, and leather neck strap, NS-
DG200, are also available from your Minolta dealer. Availability varies with region.
Pass the other end of the strap through the small
loop and tighten (2).
2
Open the battery-chamber door by sliding the door
toward the bottom of the camera (1) to release the safety
catch; the door can then be opened (2).
1
Pass the small loop of the hand strap through the strap eyelet
on the camera body (1).
This digital camera uses one CR-V3 lithium battery. Two AA-size Ni-
MH batteries can also be used. Do not use other types of AA batteries.
When replacing the batteries, the mode dial should be in the off
position.
AA batteries - install as shown in the diagram; make sure the positive and negative
battery terminals are oriented correctly.
Attaching the hand strap
16
17G
ETTING UP AND RUNNING
Battery condition indicator
Full-battery indicator - the battery is fully charged. This icon
is displayed for three seconds on the monitor when the
camera is turned on. The icon remains on the data panel.
Blinking low-battery warning - displayed on the data panel
with no other icons; power is insufficient for camera
operation. The shutter will not release.
Low-battery indicator - battery power is low. The battery
should be replaced as soon as possible. The monitor will turn
off while the flash is charging to save power.
This camera is equipped with an automatic battery-condition indicator. When the camera
is on, the battery-condition indicator appears on the data panel and monitor. If the data
panel and monitor are blank, the battery may be exhausted or installed incorrectly.
The AC Adapter AC-6 allows the camera to be powered from an electrical household
outlet. The AC Adapter is recommended when the camera is interfaced with a computer
or during periods of heavy use.
Always turn off the camera before
changing between power supplies.
Connecting the AC adapter (sold separately)
Auto power save
To conserve battery power, the camera will turn off displays and unnecessary functions
if an operation is not made within a minute. The LCD monitor turns off after thirty
seconds. To restore power, press any button or key, or turn the mode dial to another
position. Except for the thirty-second monitor period, the length of the auto-power-save
period can be changed in the basic section of the setup menu (p. 98).
1
Lift the DC terminal cover from the bottom (1).
The cover is attached to the body to prevent loss.
Insert the mini plug of the AC adapter into the DC
terminal (2).
Insert the AC adapter plug into an electrical
outlet.
2
Low-battery warning - battery power is very low. The monitor
icon is red. The battery should be replaced as soon as
possible. This warning automatically appears and remains on
the monitor until the battery is changed. The monitor will turn
off while the flash is charging to save power. If power falls
below this level, the battery-exhausted message will be
displayed just before the camera shuts down.
The response time during recording and playback is
longer with MultiMediaCards compared with SD Memory
Cards. This is not a defect, but rather due to the
specifications of the cards. When using large capacity
cards, some operations like deletion may take longer.
SD Memory Cards have a write-protect switch to prevent
image data from being deleted. By sliding the switch to
the bottom of the card, the data will be protected.
However, when the card is protected, images cannot be
recorded. If an attempt is made to record or delete an
image with the camera, the card-locked message will
appear on the monitor. For memory card care and store
see page 127.
Memory cards should not be used to permanently store image data. Always make a copy
of camera files on an appropriate storage device or recording media. Making an
additional backup copy of the data is recommended. Minolta has no responsibility for any
loss or damage to data.
18
19G
ETTING UP AND RUNNING
Changing the memory card
An SD Memory Card or MultiMediaCard must be inserted for the camera to operate. If a
card has not been inserted, a no-card warning will automatically be displayed on the
monitor and three dashes (– – –) will be displayed on the data-panel frame counter.
Open the card-slot door by sliding the door toward the bottom of the camera to release
the safety catch (1); the door can then be opened.
Insert the memory card all the way into the card slot and release (2). Insert the card so
the face is toward the front of the camera. Always push the card in straight. Never force
the card. If the card does not fit, check that it is oriented correctly. The card should catch
in the slot.
To eject a memory card, press the card into the slot and release (3). The card can now
be pulled out. Take care when removing the card as it becomes hot with use.
Close the battery-chamber door and slide it toward the top of the body to engage the
safety catch (4).
If the card-not-recognized message appears, the inserted card in the camera may need
to be formatted. A card used in another camera may have to be formatted before being
used. If the unable-to-use-card message appears, the card is not compatible with the
camera and cannot be formatted. A card is formatted in the basic section of the setup
menu (p. 98). The formatting operation permanently erases all the data on the card.
1
About memory cards
234
Always turn off the camera and confirm the power/access lamp is not red
before removing a memory card; damage and data loss may result.
Write-
protect
switch
Lock
position
Basic Custom1 Custom2
LCDbrightness
Format
Power save
Language English
1 min.
–
–
20
21G
ETTING UP AND RUNNING
Reset default
Date/Time set
Date format
Video output
–
–
YYYY/MM/DD
NTSC
Use the right key to highlight the
custom 2 tab at the top of the menu.
Use the down key to highlight the
date/time-set menu option.
Press the central button to display the
date/time setting screen.
Use the left and right keys to select the item to
be changed.
Press the central button to set the clock and
calendar. The setup menu will be displayed.
:enter
Date/Time set
Setting the date and time
After initially inserting a memory card and battery, the camera’s clock and calendar must
be set. When images are recorded, the image data is saved with the date and time of
recording. Depending on the region, the menu language may also have to be set. To
change the language, see the camera notes on the following page.
Turn the mode dial on the top of the camera to the setup position. The
camera will turn on and the setup menu will be displayed.
Press the right key. “Enter” will appear
on the right side of the menu.
Setup menu: custom 2 section
Date/Time setting screen
Navigating the menu is simple. The up/down and left/right keys of the
controller (1) move the cursor and change settings on the menu.
The central button of the controller selects menu options and sets
adjustments.
Use the up and down keys to adjust the item.
For customers in certain areas, the menu language must also be set. Highlight the lan-
guage option in the basic section of the setup menu. Press the right key to display the lan-
guage settings. Using the up/down keys, highlight the desired language. Press the central
button to set the highlighted language; the setup menu will be displayed in the selected lan-
guage.
Camera notes
Noise reductn On
Controller
Basic
Custom1 Custom2
Power / Access lamp
22
23A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION
AUTO-RECORDING MODE
Setting the camera to record images automatically
Turn the mode dial to the auto-recording mode position
(1); all camera operations are now fully automatic. The
autofocus, exposure, and imaging systems will work
together to bring beautiful results effortlessly.
While many of the camera’s systems in this mode are
automatic, the camera’s operation can be optimized to
different subjects very simply with the digital subject
program button (p. 29). The flash mode (p. 32) and drive
mode (p. 38) can also be changed. Image size and
quality can be set on the auto-recording mode menu (p.
44).
Exposure mode Program (fixed)
Metering mode
* Changes to the flash mode, focus area, drive mode, or exposure compensation will be reset
when the mode dial is turned to another position. The flash mode is reset to autoflash or
autoflash with red eye reduction depending on which of the two modes was set last.
While using the viewfinder or LCD monitor, grip the camera firmly
with your right hand while supporting the body with your left. Keep
your elbows at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart to hold
the camera steadily.
When taking vertical pictures, hold the camera so that the flash is
above the lens with the grip to the top. Take care not to cover the
lens with your fingers or the strap.
Handling the camera
This section covers the basic operation of this camera. Thoroughly familiarize yourself
with the operations in this section before moving on to the other sections in the manual.
The sophisticated technology employed in the auto-recording mode frees the
photographer from complicated camera settings. Although automated, the camera’s
operation can be changed to meet various conditions as well as to suit personal shooting
preferences.
1
BASIC OPERATION
Multi-segment (fixed)
Camera sensitivity (ISO)
Flash mode
Focus area
Focus control
Drive mode
Auto (fixed)
Autoflash (can be changed*)
Single-frame advance (can be changed*)
Exposure compensation
Sharpness
0.0 (can be adjusted*)
Normal (fixed)
Contrast Normal (fixed)
Saturation Normal (fixed)
Color mode
White balance
Natural Color (fixed)
Auto (fixed)
Area AF & Subject Tracking AF (fixed)
Wide focus area (can be changed*)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
The power / access lamp turns green and glows steadily
when the camera is on. The lamp will turn red and blink
when data is being transferred between the camera and
memory card; never remove the card during this period.
If the lens is hindered while extending, the green lamp may
blink for a three-minute period. Turn the camera off and on
to initialize the lens.
24
A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION 25
This camera is equipped with a 7.8 to 23.4mm optical zoom. This is equivalent to a 38 to
114mm zoom lens on a 35mm camera. In 35mm photography, focal lengths below 50mm
are referred to as wide-angle; the angle of view is larger than that of the human eye.
Above 50mm is referred to as telephoto and makes distant objects appear closer. The
effect of the optical zoom is visible in both the viewfinder and LCD monitor.
Using the zoom lens
The zoom lever controls the
lens (1). Turning the lever to
the right (T) will zoom in to
the telephoto position of the
lens. Turning the lever to
the left (W) will zoom out to
the wide-angle position.
Focus range
About camera operation
Normal focusing range
Macro mode (p. 29)
0.5m - ∞ (1.6ft - ∞)
0.2m - 0.6m (0.7ft - 2ft)
All distances are measured from the CCD.
CCD plane
The auto-recording mode uses advanced technology to make photography as effortless
as possible. Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection optimizes exposure, color, and
image-processing settings for each subject. The sophisticated AF system locates and
tracks the subject automatically.
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection - The icons at the top of the LCD monitor
display indicate the Digital Subject Program in use. When taking pictures, the icon for the
active subject program will remain. If no icons are displayed, programmed AE is
employed. For more on Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection, see page 28.
Area AF & Subject Tracking AF - Area AF locates the subject
within the extra large focus frames. An AF sensor will be displayed
when the camera locates and focuses on the subject. Subject
Tracking AF will continue to follow the subject in the focus frames
whether the subject moves or the camera position is changed.
Automatic Digital Subject Program Display
Area AF focus frames
Subject Tracking AF
AF sensor
1
Press the shutter-release button all the way down (2) to
take the picture.
• The access lamp will turn red and blink indicating image
data is being written to the memory card. Never remove a
memory card while data is being transferred.
27AUTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION
This digital camera has a quick, accurate autofocusing system. The focus icon in the
lower right corner of the LCD monitor and the green focus lamp next to the viewfinder
indicate the focus status. The shutter can be released even if the camera cannot focus
on the subject.
Subject locked. The camera will continue the track
the subject within the focus frames.
Focus icon: white
Focus lamp: steady
Focus icon: red
Focus lamp: blinking
The camera may not be able to focus in certain situations. If the autofocus system cannot
focus on a subject, the focus icon will turn red. In this situation, focus-lock with Focus
Area Selection can be used to focus on an object at the same distance as the main
subject and then the image can be recomposed on the monitor (p. 52, 53).
The subject in the
focus frame is low in
contrast.
The subject is too dark. Two subjects at differ-
ent distances overlap
in the focus frame.
The subject is near a
very bright object or
area.
Cannot focus. The subject is too close or a special
situation is preventing the AF system from focusing.
If the subject lock is lost, the monitor icon will change from white to red, but the focus
lamp will continue to glow steadily. For more about Subject Tracking AF, see page 65.
When the AF system cannot focus, focus lock with Focus Area Selection can be used (p.
53, 52).
Focus signals
Special focusing situations
With the mode dial set to auto recording, the camera will be on and the
LCD monitor will activate. Auto recording mode uses two advanced AF
systems, Area AF and Subject Tracking AF, to locate and track the subject
in the the extra-wide focus frames.
Place the subject anywhere within the focus frame.
• Make sure the subject is within the focus range of the lens:
0.5m - ∞ (1.6ft - ∞). For subjects closer than 0.5m, use the
macro function (p. 29).
• If the subject is closer than 1m at the wide-angle lens
position or 3m at the telephoto position, use the monitor to
frame the subject.
Basic recording operation
Press the shutter-release button partway down (1) to lock
onto the subject and fix the exposure.
• The focus signals on the monitor will confirm subject lock. If
the focus signal is red, the camera was unable to locate the
subject. Repeat the previous steps until the signal is white.
• When the subject lock engages, an AF sensor will appear
on the live image to indicate the subject. If the subject
moves within the focus frames, the AF sensor will change to
track the subject.
• The shutter speed and aperture will appear indicating the
exposure is locked.
• See page 28 for information on Automatic Digital Subject
Selection.
1
26
2
28
29A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection
Automatic Digital Program Selection chooses between programmed AE and one of five
subject programs: portrait, sports action, landscape, sunset, and night portrait. The digital
subject programs optimize the camera’s performance for various conditions and
subjects. Exposure, white-balance, and image-processing systems work in unison for
beautiful results. For information on individual subject programs, see page 30.
A row of gray indicators at the top on the monitor display will
indicate Automatic Digital Subject Selection is active. Place
the subject in the focus frames; the procedure is the same as
the basic recording operation described on page 26.
Pressing the subject-program button
(1) cycles through the modes. The
active subject program will be indicated
at the top of the live image. The subject
program will remain in effect until it is
changed or the mode dial is turned to
another position. Except for macro and
night portrait, digital subject programs
cannot be used in the multi-function
recording mode. For information on
individual subject programs, see page
30.
Digital-subject-program button
1
Press the shutter-release button partway down; the AF
system will locate the subject and the Automatic Digital
Subject Selection function will choose a subject program. If
no icons are displayed, programmed AE is active. Press the
shutter-release button all the way down to take the picture.
Programmed AE
Portrait
Sports action
Landscape
Sunset
Night portrait
Sports action
Landscape
Sunset
Night portrait
Programmed AE
Portrait
Macro
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection
While camera performance is optimized for each shooting condition, some changes can
be made to camera settings with subject programs. The flash mode (p. 32) can be
changed and the exposure can be altered using exposure-compensation (p. 51). In
extreme lighting conditions, adjustments using exposure compensation may not produce
the intended results in the portrait, or night-portrait mode. The camera-shake warning (p.
33) may appear in macro, landscape, sunset, or night-portrait modes.
(No icons)
Hold the camera steadily when the
sunset or night-portrait subject program
is selected as exposures can be long.
30
31A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION
MACRO - used for close-up photography between 20 and 60 cm (0.7 -
2.0ft) from the CCD. The lens will automatically zoom to the macro
position and cannot be changed. Because of parallax, the LCD monitor
should be used to compose the picture. Full-time AF (p. 67) is employed.
Available in the multi-function recording mode.
NIGHT PORTRAIT - the flash and ambient exposures are balanced to
reveal the subject and background in low light. Ask your subject not to
move after the flash burst; the shutter may still be open for the
background exposure. To take pictures of landscapes at night, set the
flash mode to flash cancel (p. 32). Because the flash does not fire,
exposures can be long. The use of a tripod is recommended. Available
in the multi-function recording mode.
PORTRAIT - optimized to reproduce soft skin tones and a slight
defocusing of the background. Most portraits look best at a telephoto
setting; longer focal lengths do not exaggerate facial features and the
shallower depth of field softens the background.
LANDSCAPE - optimized to produce sharp, colorful landscapes. With
bright outdoor scenery, Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection
activates this mode with distant subjects a wide-angle lens setting. The
flash will not fire in this mode. To use the flash, change the flash mode
to fill flash.
SPORTS ACTION - optimized to stop action. Automatic Digital Subject
Program Selection activates this mode when shooting moving subjects
at a distance with a telephoto lens setting. Full-time AF (p. 67) is
employed.
SUNSET - optimized to produce rich, warm sunsets. Automatic Digital
Subject Program Selection recognizes the warmth of the setting sun in
a landscape photograph and activates this mode.
Monitor
off
The display button controls the LCD monitor display. The display cycles to the next
position each time the button is pressed: full display, live image only, and monitor off.
Battery power can be conserved by turning the monitor off and using the viewfinder to
take pictures. When the menu, exposure-compensation, or macro mode is used, the
monitor will automatically turn on. Subject Tracking AF, Full-time AF (p. 67), and the
digital zoom are disabled when the monitor is off.
Full display Live image only
Display button
Display button - recording mode
32
33A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION
Autoflash
Fill-flash
Flash cancel
Autoflash with
red-eye reduction
Flash cancel - the flash will not fire. Use flash cancel when flash photography is
prohibited, natural light is desired to illuminate the subject, or the subject is beyond the
flash range. The camera-shake warning may appear when flash cancel is selected.
To set the flash mode, simply press the flash
mode button (1) on the back of the camera
until the appropriate mode is indicated.
Autoflash - the flash fires automatically in
low-light and backlit conditions.
Red-eye reduction - multiple flashes are
used before the main flash burst to reduce
red-eye; an effect caused by light reflected
from the retina. Use in low-light conditions
when taking photographs of people or
animals. The pre-flashes contract the pupils
of the subject’s eyes.
Fill-flash - the flash fires with each
exposure regardless of the amount of
ambient light. Fill-flash can be used to
reduce harsh shadows caused by strong
direct light or sunshine.
1
Flash modes
The orange flash lamp next to the viewfinder indicates the status of the flash. When the
lamp blinks quickly, the flash is charging and the shutter will not release. The lamp glows
steadily when the flash is charged and ready to fire.
If the shutter speed falls below the point where the camera can be safely hand held,
the camera-shake warning will appear on the LCD monitor and the orange flash lamp
will blink slowly. Camera shake is slight blurring caused by subtle hand motion and is
more pronounced at the telephoto position of the lens than at the wide-angle. Although
the warning appears, the shutter can still be released. If the warning appears, the fol-
lowing steps can be taken:
• Place the camera on a tripod.
• Use the built-in flash.
• Zoom the lens towards the wide-angle position until the warning
disappears.
Camera-shake warning
Flash range - auto-recording mode
The camera will automatically control the flash output. For well-exposed images, the
subject must be within the flash range. Because of the optical system, the flash range is
not the same at the lens’ wide-angle position as it is at the telephoto position.
Wide-angle position
Telephoto position
0.5m ~ 3.4m (1.6 ft. ~ 11.1 ft.)
0.5m ~ 2.0m (1.6 ft. ~ 6.6 ft.)
Flash signals
35
34
PLAYBACK - BASIC OPERATION
To view images from the auto-recording
or multi-function recording modes, press
the Quick View / delete button.
PLAYBACK - BASIC OPERATION
Images can be viewed in the Quick View or playback modes. This section covers the
basic operations in both modes. The playback mode has additional functions, see page
82.
To view images from the playback mode, turn the mode
dial to the playback position.
Single-frame playback and histogram display
Date of capture
Frame number/ total number of images
Lock indicator (p. 88)
DPOF indicator (p. 92)
Image size (p. 46)
Image quality (p. 46)
Time of
capture
Audio-track
indicator (p. 82,83)
Shutter speed
Aperture value
White-balance
setting (p. 62)
Sensitivity
setting (p. 64)
Degree of exposure
compensation (p. 51)
Folder name
Folder number - image file number
Histogram
Mode
indicator
To switch between the single-frame
playback and histogram display,
press the information button.
The histogram shows the luminance distribution of the image from black (left) to white
(right). The 256 vertical lines indicates the relative proportion of that light value in the
image. The histogram can be used to evaluate exposure, but displays no color
information.
Quick View / Delete button
In Quick View or the playback mode, use the left/right keys of the controller
to scroll through the images.
The displayed image can be deleted. Once deleted, an image cannot be recovered.
Delete this frame?
NoYes
To delete the displayed image, press the
QV/delete button. A confirmation screen will
appear.
Press the central button of the controller to
delete the image.
Use the left/right keys to highlight “Yes,” “No” will
cancel the operation.
Viewing and deleting images
To return to the recording mode from Quick View,
press the menu button or shutter-release button
partway down.
Menu button
Controller
36
37P
LAYBACK - BASIC OPERATION
Enlarged playback
Use the four-way keys of the controller to scroll the image. When
scrolling, the arrows in the display will disappear when the edge of the
image has been reached.
In single-frame playback in Quick View or the playback mode, a still image can be
enlarged up to 6X in 0.2 increments for closer examination.
With the image to be magnified displayed, turn the zoom lever to the right (T) to activate
the enlarged playback mode. The degree of magnification is displayed on the LCD
monitor.
Turn the zoom lever to the right (T) to increase the image magnification. Turn the lever
to the left (W) to decrease the magnification.
To exit the enlarged playback mode, press the menu button.
The display button switches between showing the full display and the image
only.
Full display
Index playback
In index playback, the four-way keys of the controller will move the yellow border. When
the image is highlighted with the border, the date of recording, voice-memo indicator, the
lock and printing status, and the frame number of the image are displayed at the bottom
of the screen. The highlighted image can be deleted using the QV/delete button (p. 35),
or an audio track or movie clip can be played by pressing the central button of the
controller. When the display button is pressed again, the highlighted image will be
displayed in the single-frame playback mode.
The display button controls the display format. Each time the button is pressed, the
display cycles through to the next format: full display, image only, index playback.
Image only
Display button - playback mode
Display button
Display button - Quick View
Pressing the display button in Quick
View switches between the full display
and the image-only display.
39
38
AUTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The drive modes control the rate and method images are captured. To set the drive
mode, simply press the drive mode button (1) on the back of the camera until the
appropriate mode is indicated.
Single-frame advance - to take a single image each time the shutter-
release button is pressed (p. 26).
Continuous advance - to take multiple images when the shutter-
release button is pressed and held.
Self-timer - to delay the release of the shutter. Used for self-portraits.
Bracketing - to take a series of three images with differing exposures.
All icons have been shown for clarity. The single-
frame advance and continuous drive indicators
occupy the same area of the data panel. All the
drive-mode icons appear in the lower right corner of
the monitor.
Drive modes
In auto-recording mode, the drive mode resets to single-frame advance each time the
position of the mode dial is changed. In multi-function recording mode, the drive mode
will remain in effect until changed on the menu or the camera is reset to its default
settings.
Used for self-portraits, the self-timer will delay the release of the shutter for approximately
ten seconds after the shutter-release button is pressed. When the drive mode is set to
self-timer, the focus mode is changed from Subject Tracking AF to single-shot AF
allowing the use of focus lock (p. 53). The self-timer is set with the drive-mode button (p.
38).
With the camera on a tripod, compose the picture so the subject is within
the focus frames. Press the shutter-release button partway down to lock
the exposure and focus (1). Press the shutter-release button all the way
down to begin the countdown (2). Because focus and exposure are
determined when the shutter-release button is pressed, do not stand in
front of the camera when taking a self-timer image. Always confirm the
focus with the focus signals before beginning the countdown (p. 53).
During the countdown, the self-timer lamp on the front of
the camera (3) will start to blink and is accompanied by
an audio signal. A few seconds before the exposure, the
self-timer lamp will blink rapidly. The lamp will glow
steadily just before the shutter fires. To stop the
countdown, turn the mode dial to another position. The
self-timer drive mode is reset to single-frame advance
after the exposure. The audio signal can be turned off in
the custom 1 section of the setup menu (p. 98).
The self-timer can be used to minimize camera shake with long exposures. When using the cam-
era on a tripod, photographs of static subjects (landscapes, still-lifes, or close-up photographs)
can be made with the self-timer. Because no contact is made with the camera during exposure,
there is no risk of camera shake caused by the operator.
Shooting tips
1
3
Self-timer
2
AUTO-RECORDING MODE -
ADVANCED OPERATION
1
Data panel
Remote control - to release the shutter using the optional IR Remote
Control RC-3. Used for self-portraits.
40
A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Place the camera on a tripod, and set the drive
mode to remote control (p. 38). Arrange the
camera and subject to compose the picture.
When setting up the camera, make sure the
subject will fall within the focus frames. Focus lock
cannot be used with the IR remote control. Focus
area selection (p. 52) and manual focus (p. 67) can
be used.
41
The optional IR Remote Control RC-3 allows remote camera operation up to 5m (16 ft.)
away. The remote control unit can also be used in movie and audio recording (p. 77). The
remote control may not operate with backlit subjects or under fluorescent light.
1
Point the emitter window of the remote
control unit toward the camera and press the
release button or the delay button to take the
picture.
When the release button is pressed, the self-
timer lamp on the front of the camera (1) will
blink once before the picture is taken. When
the delay button is pressed, the self-timer
lamp will blink for two seconds before the
picture is taken.
Emitter window
Delay button
Release button
The continuous-advance drive mode allows a series of images to be captured while
holding down the shutter-release button. Continuous advance acts like a motor drive on
a film camera. The number of images that can be captured at one time and the rate of
capture depend on the image-quality and image-size setting. The maximum rate of
capture is 1.2 fps with the shutter FX on (p. 103), or 1.5 fps with it off. Date imprinting
lowers the frame rate. The continuous-advance mode is set with the drive-mode button
(p. 38).
When the shutter-release button is pressed and held, the camera will begin
recording images until the maximum number has been taken or the shutter
button is released. TIFF images (p. 46) cannot be captured. The built-in
flash can be used, but the rate of capture is reduced because the flash
must recharge between frames. Date-imprinting (p. 49) also reduces the
rate of capture.
Compose the picture as described in the basic recording
operation section (p. 26). Press the shutter-release
button partway down to lock onto the subject and set the
exposure for the series. Press and hold the shutter-
release button all the way down (1) to begin taking
pictures; focus is locked with the first frame.
The following chart lists the maximum number of images that can be captured with
different image-quality and image-size combinations.
Economy
Standard
Fine
2272 X 1764 1600 X 1200 1280 X 960 640 X 480
3
7
14
7
14
25
11
20
36
36
57
80
Continuous advance
1
Quality
Size
Remote control (Sold separately)
This mode makes a three-image bracket of a scene. Bracketing is a method of taking a
series of images of a static subject in which each image has a slight variation in
exposure. The bracketing mode is set with the drive-mode button (p. 38). Brackets
cannot be made with TIFF images (p. 46).
The order of the bracket series is normal exposure, underexposure, and overexposure.
The exposure bracket can be made in 0.3, 0.5, or 1.0 Ev increments (p. 73). The larger
the number, the greater the difference in exposure between the images in the bracketed
series.
42
A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Bracketing
select enter
Immediately after selecting the bracketing
drive mode with the drive-mode button, a
selection screen is displayed so that the
bracketing increment can be set. Press the
left/right keys of the controller (1) to select the
bracketing increment. Press the central button
of the controller (2) to set the value. To change
the increment, select the bracketing drive
mode again with the drive-mode button. After
the bracketing increment is set, the left/right
controller keys are used for exposure
compensation (p. 51)
1
2
0.3 Ev
bracket
0.5 Ev
bracket
1.0 Ev
bracket
Normal
Under
Over
43
Compose the picture as described in the
basic recording operation section (p. 26).
Press the shutter-release button partway
down (1) to lock onto the subject and set
the exposure for the series. Press and
hold the shutter-release button all the
way down (2) to make the bracket series;
three consecutive images will be
captured. Focus is locked with the first
frame.
1
Number of frames in
bracketing series
Frame counter
2
The remaining number of frames in the bracket series is displayed on the monitor next to
the bracketing icon. If the memory is filled or the shutter button is released before the
series has completed, the camera will reset and the entire bracket must be made again.
If the red low-battery indicator appears, the bracketing drive mode is disabled. The flash
cannot be used with the bracketing drive mode.
When using exposure compensation (p. 51), the bracketing series will be made in
relation to the compensated exposure. Under extreme conditions, one of the bracketed
exposures may be inaccurate because it is outside the exposure control range of the
camera.
Basic
Image size
Quality
Digital zoom
Date imprint Off
Off
Standard
2272 X 1764
Inst.Playback Off
44
45A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Settings made with the auto-recording menu will
remain in effect until changed or the camera is
reset to its default settings (p. 104).
Image size - to set the pixel resolution of the
images. Image size affects the size of the image
file.
Image quality - to set the rate of compression of
the images. Image quality affects the size of the
image file.
Digital zoom - the digital zoom can be turned off
or on.
Date imprinting - to imprint the date of capture
on each image when it is recorded.
Instant playback - to display a still image imme-
diately after it is captured.
In auto-recording mode, the menu button (1) turns the menu on and off. The left/right and
up/down keys of the controller (2) are used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the
central button of the controller will enter a setting.
Use the up/down keys of the controller (2) to scroll through the menu options.
Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right controller key; the
settings will be displayed with the current setting highlighted. To return to the menu
options, press the left key.
Once a setting has been
selected, the cursor will
return to the menu options
and the new setting will be
displayed. Changes can
continue to be made.
To return to the auto-
recording mode, press the
menu button.
Use the up/down keys to highlight the new setting.
Press the cent
ral button of the controller to select the highlighted setting.
Navigating the auto-recording mode menu
2272 X 1764
1600 X 1200
1280 X 960
640 X 480
TIFF
Fine
Standard
Economy
On
On
Image size
Quality
Date imprinting
Digital zoom
Basic
1
2
10 secondsInstant playback
Off
Off
2 seconds
Off
Read the following sections for more details on these options and settings. Changes
made to the menu will affect the multi-function recording mode. All of these functions
appear on the multi-function recording mode menu.
Changing image size affects the number of pixels in
each image. The greater the image size, the larger
the file size. Choose image size based on the final
use of the image - smaller images will be more
suitable for web sites whereas larger sizes will
produce higher quality prints.
46
47A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
LCD monitor
2272
1600
1280
640
Number of pixels
(hor. X vert.)
2272 X 1764
1600 X 1200
1280 X 960
640 X 480
Image size and image quality
TIFF
Fine
Standard
Economy
12314
7142269
14 27 39 100
27 47 69 150
Approximate number of images that can be stored on a 16MB memory card.
Quality
Size
2272 X 1764 1600 X 1200 1280 X 960 640 X 480
TIFF
Fine
Standard
Economy
12.0MB 5.8MB 3.7MB 950KB
2.0MB 1.0MB 650KB 210KB
1.0MB 550KB 350KB 130KB
550KB 300KB 200KB 90KB
Approximate file sizes.
Image quality controls the rate of compression, but has no effect on the number of pixels
in the image. The higher the image quality, the lower the rate of compression and the
larger the file sizes. If economical use of the memory card is important, use the economy
mode. Standard image quality is sufficient for normal usage. The TIFF mode will produce
the highest quality image and the largest image files. Astatus bar is displayed when large
images are saved.
File formats vary with the image quality setting. TIFF images are saved as a TIFF file.
The fine, standard, and economy settings are formatted as a JPEG file. TIFF, fine,
standard, and economy files can be recorded as color or monochrome images (p. 70) in
the multi-function recording mode.
Image size and quality must be set before the picture is taken. Changes are displayed
on the LCD monitor. Image size and quality must be reset manually. See navigating the
auto-recording mode menu section on page 44. In multi-function recording mode, image
size and quality are controlled in the basic section of the multi-function recording menu
(p. 56).
Economy - the smallest file sizes. (JPEG)
A high-quality TIFF image.
Fine - high-quality JPEG image.
Standard - the default setting. (JPEG)
The frame counter indicates the approximate number of images that can be stored on the mem-
ory card at the camera’s image quality and size settings. If the settings are changed, the frame
counter adjusts accordingly. Because the counter uses approximate file sizes, the actual image
taken may not change the counter or may decrease it by more than one. When the frame counter
displays zero, it indicates no more images at the image size and quality settings can be captured.
Changing those settings may allow more images to be saved to the card.
Camera Notes
ECON.
If image size or quality are changed, the frame counter will display the approximate
number of images that can be recorded at that setting on the installed memory card. One
memory card can contain images with differing sizes and qualities. The number of
images that can be stored on a memory card is determined by the size of the card and
the file size of the images. The actual file size is determined by the scene; some subjects
can be compressed further than others.
FINE
STD.
TIFF
48
49A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Date imprinting
Every time a still image is recorded, it is stored with an exif tag that contains the date and time
of recording as well as shooting information. This information can be viewed with the camera in
the Quick View or playback mode, or on a computer with the DiMAGE Viewer software.
Camera Notes
The date is imprinted in the lower right
corner of the image when viewed
horizontally. It is printed directly on the
photograph writing over the image
information. The date can be imprinted in
three formats: year / month / day, month /
day / year, and day / month / year. The date
and date format are set in the custom 2
section of the setup-mode menu (p. 98).
The date of recording can be printed directly on the image. The imprinting function must
be activated before the image is taken. Once activated, the date will continue to be
imprinted until the function is reset; a yellow bar is displayed
behind the frame counter on the monitor to indicate the
imprinting function is active. Date imprinting is activated with
auto-recording mode menu (p. 44) and with the custom 2
section of the multi-function recording menu (p. 56).
Date-imprinting indicator
Digital zoom
The digital zoom is activated on the auto-recording mode menu (p. 44) and in the custom
1 section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56). The digital zoom extends the
power of the telephoto position of the optical zoom by up to 4X in 0.1X increments. The
transition between the optical zoom and digital zoom is seamless. When the digital zoom
is active, the image magnification is displayed on the monitor and the focus frames
change to a single focus area. The autofocus mode is set to single-shot AF (p. 65). The
digital zoom is canceled if the LCD monitor is turned off.
The digital zoom is operated by
the zoom lever (1). Turn the
lever right (T) to zoom in to the
telephoto position of the lens.
When the digital zoom activates,
the image magnification will be
displayed on the monitor. Only
the LCD monitor will show the
affect of the digital zoom; the
viewfinder will not. Turn the lever
left (W) to zoom out.
Digital zoom images are
interpolated to the set image
size. Some loss of quality to
images taken with the digital
zoom may be evident.
Magnification display
1
To adjust the exposure, press
the left or right controller key
(1); the exposure-compensation
screen will appear.
Use the left/right keys of the
controller (2) to adjust the exposure-
compensation value. Changes to
exposure are visible in the live image.
Press the shutter-release
button partway down or
press the central
button of the
controller to set
the adjustment.
1
50
A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The camera exposure can be adjusted to make the final picture lighter or darker by as
much as ±2Ev in 1/3 increments. For information on the use of exposure compensation,
see page 74. In auto-recording mode, exposure compensation is reset when the mode
dial is moved to another position. In multi-function recording mode exposure
compensation will remain in effect until it has been reset.
Exposure compensation must be set before the image is captured. When making
adjustments to exposure, the amount of compensation is shown next to the exposure-
compensation indicator on the monitor. After the setting is made, the shutter-speed and
aperture displays will indicate the actual exposure. Because the exposure can be
adjusted in fine steps, the shutter speed or aperture value displayed may not change.
When set to any value other than 0.0, the exposure-compensation indicator will remain
on the data panel and LCD monitor as a warning.
Exposure compensation
An image can be displayed on the monitor after it is captured. When used with the
continuous-advance drive mode (p. 38), thumbnails of the last six images in the series
will be displayed.
Instant playback is activated with auto-recording mode menu (p. 44) and with the custom
2 section of the multi-function recording menu (p. 56). A playback period of two or ten
seconds can be selected. When used with voice memo, the audio recording will begin
after the image is played back.
Instant playback
Single still images can be previewed immediately after being captured without instant playback
active. Simply continue to hold the shutter-release button down after taking the picture to display
the image. Release the shutter button to end the playback.
Camera Notes
To cancel the playback and save the image before the end of the
playback period, press the shutter-release button partway down.
51
Press the shutter-release button partway
down (1) or press the central button of the
controller (2) to select the area; the other
four areas will disappear. Focus and
exposure are locked when the shutter-
release button is pressed partway down. Press the
shutter-release button all the way down to take the
picture.
Once a focus area is selected, it will remain active even after the picture
has been taken. Only when a focus area has been selected, can the
controller be used for other camera operations.
52
53A
UTO-RECORDING MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Press and hold the central button of the controller until the Area-AF frame
lines change to the spot-focus-area display. Press and hold the controller
again to return to the Area-AF frame lines.
Focus area selection
Use the four-way key of the controller to highlight
the desired autofocus area; the active area is blue.
Focus lock prevents the AF system from focusing. This can be used with off-center
subjects or when a special focusing situation prevents the camera from focusing (p. 27).
When using single-shot AF with Area AF in the multi-
function recording mode, place the subject in the focus
frames and press the shutter-release button partway
down. The focus frames will disappear and a red AF
sensor will indicate the point of focus.
Without lifting your finger from the shutter-release button,
recompose the subject within the image area. Press the
shutter-release button all the way down to take the
picture.
The focus signal in the lower right corner of the LCD
monitor and the green focus lamp next to the viewfinder
indicate the focus status.
Focus lock
Focus locked.
Focus icon: white
Focus lamp: steady
Focus icon: red
Focus lamp: blinking
Cannot focus. The subject is too close or a special
situation is preventing the AF system from focusing.
Press the central button of the controller to display all five focus areas. To
use another focus area, repeat the procedure. Press and hold the central
button of the controller about one second to return to the Area AF focus
frames.
When using focus area selection, place the active focus
area on the subject. Press and hold the shutter-release
button partway down; the active focus area will turn red
and the other areas will disappear. The focus signal
should turn white to indicate the focus is locked.
1
2
Individual focus areas can be selected in the auto recording and multi-function recording
modes. In the multi-function recording mode, focus area selection can also be used with
Subject Tracking AF, see page 66.
55
54
MULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
d. Flash-mode indicator (p. 32)
g. White-balance indicator (p. 62)
m.Camera-sensitivity (ISO) display (p. 64)
j. Metering-mode indicator (p. 68)
k. Camera-shake warning (p. 33)
l. Shutter-speed display
n. Aperture display
o. Focus signal (p. 27, 53)
u. Digital-zoom display (p. 48)
r. Drive-mode indicator (p. 38)
p. Date-imprinting indicator (p. 50)
q. Frame counter (p. 12, 45)
v. Color-mode indicator (p. 70)
t. Image-size display (p. 44)
s. Image-quality indicator (p. 44)
c. Mode indicator
1. Focus frame
2. Spot metering area (p. 68)
3. Spot focus areas (p. 52)
i. Exposure-mode indicator (p. 58)
f. Sharpness, contrast, and color-
saturation compensation displays (p. 70)
a. Digital-subject-program indicator (p. 29)
b. Microphone indicator
h. Exposure-compensation display (p. 51)
e. Flash-compensation display (p. 68)
MULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
Except for digital subject programs, the basic operation of the camera in multi-function
recording mode is identical to the auto-recording mode. Thoroughly familiarize yourself
with the previous sections before moving on.
The multi-function recording mode allows greater control over image making. This
recording mode gives more control over autofocus and composition. The menu controls
are extensive allowing critical adjustments to image qualities such as sharpness,
contrast, and color saturation.
Multi-function recording mode display
In the center of the Sakai plant in Japan is Okina bridge.
In the 15th century, Sakai was a very prosperous free city,
and Okina bridge spanned the moat at one of the
entrances into the walled town. For centuries, this bridge
carried pilgrims on their way to two of Japan’s sacred
places: the mountain monastery of Koyasan and the great
Shinto shrine, Kumano Taisha.
The bridge in the courtyard dates from 1855. In 1968,
Minolta offered to remove and preserve the bridge when
the city government announced they would fill in the moat
for a planned highway. The bridge now spans a specially
constructed goldfish pond. The writing on the stone bol-
lard at the front of the bridge prohibits vehicles from cross-
ing.
Minolta history
Basic Custom1 Custom2
ExposureMode
Image size
Quality
WhiteBalance Auto
Standard
2272 X 1764
Program
Sensitivity Auto
56
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
Press the central button of the
controller to select the highlighted
setting.
Activate the recording-mode menu with the menu button. The basic tab at the top of
the menu will be highlighted. Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight the
appropriate menu tab; the menu will change as the tabs are highlighted.
In the multi-function recording mode, the menu button (1) turns the menu on and off. The
left/right and up/down keys of the controller (2) are used to move the cursor in the menu.
Pressing the central button of the controller will enter a setting.
When the desired menu section is displayed, use the up/down keys to scroll through
the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right controller key; the
settings will be displayed with the current setting highlighted. To return to the menu
options, press the left key.
Use the up/down keys to highlight
the new setting.
Refer to the auto-recording mode section for
details on image size (p. 44), image quality (p.
44), digital zoom (p. 48), date imprinting (p. 49),
and instant playback (p. 50).
Navigating the multi-function recording mode menu
Once a setting has been
selected, the cursor will return
to the menu options and the
new setting will be displayed.
To return to the recording
mode, press the menu button.
Changes made to image size,
image quality, digital zoom,
and date imprinting will affect
the auto-recording mode.
Exposure mode Program
Aperture priority
Shutter priority
Manual
2272 X 1764
1600 X 1200
1280 X 960
640 X 480
TIFF
Fine
Standard
Economy
Cust.set
Auto
Image size
Quality
White balance
Basic
100 - 800 ISO
Auto
CameraSensitivity
Digi FX ctrl
Natural Color
Voice memo
Date imprinting
Instant playback
Custom 2
Sharpness
Contrast
CustRecall
Preset
Use the left/right keys
to select the setting
and the central button
to enter the setting.
select enter
On / Off
On / Off
10 sec.
2 sec.
Off
Saturation
1
2
Focus mode AF-single
Tracking AF
Manual
On / Off
±2.0
Multi-segment
Spot
Full-time AF
Flash compensation
Metering mode
Custom 1
Digital zoom
Center weighted
On / Off
Color mode
Vivid Color
B&W
Sepia
The photographer selects the shutter speed and
the camera sets the appropriate aperture to
ensure correct exposure. When shutter priority is
selected, the shutter speed on the monitor turns
blue and a double arrow icon appears next to it. If the LCD monitor is turned off, the
shutter speed is fixed at the last setting and cannot be changed. The flash mode is set
to flash cancel. Fill-flash and fill-flash with red-eye reduction can be selected (p. 32).
The photographer selects the aperture and the
camera sets the appropriate shutter speed to
ensure the correct exposure. When aperture
priority is selected, the aperture value on the
monitor turns blue and a double arrow icon appears next to it. If the LCD monitor is turned
off, the aperture value is fixed at the last setting and cannot be changed. The flash mode
is set to flash cancel. Fill-flash and fill-flash with red-eye reduction can be selected (p.
32).
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The program exposure mode controls both the shutter speed and aperture to ensure
perfect exposures. The sophisticated exposure system allows the photographer the
freedom to shoot without having to worry about the technical details of exposure settings.
The shutter speed and aperture values of the exposure are displayed on the monitor. If
shutter speed and aperture displays turn red, the scene is beyond the exposure control
range of the camera. This exposure mode is also used in the auto-recording mode, but
the exposure-mode indicator is not displayed.
Aperture priority - A
Exposure modes
Programmed AE - P
Shutter priority - S
Because the maximum aperture is not the same at the wide-angle and telephoto position,
as the lens is zoomed, the aperture will automatically shift. If the aperture value is beyond
the shutter-speed range, the shutter-speed display will turn red on the monitor.
Use the up/down keys of the
controller (1) to set the aperture.
The aperture value can be
changed in half stop increments.
Press the shutter-release button to
activate the exposure system; the
corresponding shutter speed will
be displayed on the monitor.
Use the up/down keys of the
controller (1) to set the shutter
speed. Press the shutter-release
button to activate the exposure
system; the corresponding
aperture will be displayed on the
monitor.
The shutter speed can be set between 1/1000 and 15 seconds. If the shutter speed is
beyond the aperture range, the aperture display will turn red on the monitor.
1
1
Manual exposure mode allows individual selection
of shutter speeds and apertures. This mode
overrides the exposure system giving the
photographer total control over the final exposure.
The changes made to the exposure will be visible in the live image on the monitor. The
monitor shutter-speed and aperture display will turn red if the image is underexposed or
overexposed by more than 3 Ev. If the monitor is black, increase the exposure until the
image is visible; decrease the exposure if the monitor is white. If the LCD monitor is
turned off, the exposure is fixed at the last setting and cannot be changed. When the
shutter-release button is pressed partway down, the brightness of the live image may
change while the camera focuses.
In manual exposure mode, the auto camera-sensitivity setting will fix the ISO value at
100. The camera sensitivity can be changed in the basic section of the multi-function
recording menu (p. 56). The flash mode is set to flash cancel. Fill-flash and fill-flash with
red-eye reduction can be selected (p. 32), but the live image will not reflect the flash
exposure.
The monitors will be blank during the exposure. Releasing the shutter button will end the
exposure. Noise reduction processing is applied to the image after the exposure. Noise
reduction can be canceled in the custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 98).
Bulb photographs can be taken in the manual-exposure
mode. Exposures up to fifteen seconds can be made.
A
tripod is recommended for bulb exposures. The camera’s
exposure system cannot be used to calculate bulb
exposures. The use of a separate light meter is
recommended.
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
Manual exposure - M
Use the up/down keys of the
controller to change the shutter
speed.
Bulb exposures
Emitter window
Delay button
Release button
Use the down key of the controller (1) to
decrease the shutter speed below 15
seconds until “bulb” is displayed.
Set the aperture using the left/right keys
of the controller (2).
To take the picture, press and hold the
shutter-release button (3) for the
duration of the exposure.
Use the left/right keys of the
controller to change the aperture.
1
2
The optional remote control RC-3 can be used to eliminate
the risk of camera shake. Set the drive mode to remote
control with the drive mode button (p. 38). While pointing
the remote control toward the front of the camera, press
and release either button to begin the exposure; the delay
button begins the exposure after two seconds. Press either
button again to end it.
3
Custom white-balance allows a photographer to calibrate the camera to a
specific lighting condition. The setting can be used repeatedly until reset.
Custom white balance is especially useful with mixed-lighting conditions or
when critical control over color is needed. The object used to make a calibration must be
neutral. A blank piece of white paper is an ideal surface and can easily be carried in a
camera bag.
To calibrate the camera, select custom set from the white balance option in the basic
section of the multi-function recording mode menu; the custom white-balance calibration
screen will open.
Fill the image area with a white object; the object does not
need to be in focus. Press the central button of the
controller to make the calibration or press the menu button
to cancel the routine. The live view will show the effect of
the new white balance setting.
The custom setting will remain in effect until another
calibration is made or the white-balance setting is changed.
If the custom white-balance setting is required again, select
custom recall from the white-balance option of the menu;
the last custom white-balance setting will be applied to the
camera. The same custom white-balance setting is made
and accessed from both the multi-function recording mode
and the movie mode.
Preset white-balance settings must be set before the image is taken. Once set, the effect
is immediately visible on the LCD monitor.
The built-in flash can be used with
preset white-balance settings, but will
create a pinkish or blueish cast with the
fluorescent and tungsten settings. The
flash is daylight balanced and will
produce acceptable results with the
daylight and cloudy settings.
To apply a preset white-balance
setting, select preset from the white
balance option in the basic section of
the multi-function recording mode
menu; the preset setting screen will
open.
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
Automatic White Balance
Preset White Balance
The automatic white balance compensates for the color temperature of a scene. In most
cases, the auto setting will balance the ambient light and create beautiful images, even
under mixed-lighting conditions. When the built-in flash is used, the white balance is set
for the color temperature of the flash.
Fluorescent - for fluorescent lighting:
office ceiling lights.
Tungsten - for incandescent lighting:
household filament light bulbs.
Daylight - for outdoor and sunlit
subjects.
Cloudy - for overcast outdoor scenes.
Custom White Balance
White balance is the camera’s ability to make different types of lighting appear neutral.
The effect is similar to selecting daylight or tungsten film, or using color compensating
filters in conventional photography. An indicator will be displayed on the monitor if a
setting other than auto white-balance is chosen. White balance is set in the basic section
of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56).
M
Custom WB set
:enter
White balance
select
enter
1
Use the left/right keys of the controller (1) to select
the preset setting, an indicator is displayed in the
bottom left corner of the screen and the live image
shows the effect of the white-balance setting. Press
the central button of the controller (2) to apply the
setting.
Calibration screen
2
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
This camera has autofocus and manual focus control. The focus mode is set in the
custom 1 section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56).
Autofocus will produce excellent results in almost every situation, however, under certain
conditions, the autofocus system will not work accurately; see special focusing situations
on page 27. In these situations the camera can be manually focused.
Focus modes
Single-shot AF
Subject Tracking AF
Single-shot AF focuses on the subject and locks the focus position. This focus mode is
ideal for static subjects. Because the focus is locked when the shutter-release button is
pressed partway down, single-shot AF can be used when the subject is outside the focus
frames, or when a special focusing situation is preventing the autofocus system from
focusing. For more on focus lock, see page 53. The self-timer and remote control drive
mode (p. 38) uses single-shot AF.
Place the subject within the Area-AF focus frames and press the
shutter-release button partway down; Subject Tracking AF will lock
onto the subject and follow the subject’s movement in three-
dimensional space through the focus area; the AF sensors are
displayed to indicate the subject. Subject Tracking AF will not work
with fast moving subjects. This is the primary focus mode in the
auto-recording mode.
Subject Tracking AF will automatically switch to single-shot AF
under very low lighting conditions. Single-shot AF is used with the
self-timer and remote control drive mode (p. 38), the digital zoom,
or when the monitor is turned off (p. 31).
ISO setting
AUTO
100
0.5m ~ 3.4m (1.6 ft. ~ 11.1 ft.)
Flash range (telephoto)
0.5m ~ 2.0m (1.6 ft. ~ 6.6 ft.)
0.5m ~ 2.4m (1.6 ft. ~ 7.9 ft.) 0.5m ~ 1.4m (1.6 ft. ~ 4.6 ft.)
The flash range is measured from the CCD. Because of the optical system, the flash
range is not the same at the lens’ wide-angle position as it is at the telephoto position.
Camera sensitivity - ISO
Flash range and camera sensitivity
Five camera sensitivity settings can be selected: Auto, 100, 200, 400, and 800; the
numerical values are based on an ISO equivalent. ISO is the standard used to indicate
film sensitivity: the higher the number, the more sensitive the film. Camera sensitivity is
set in the basic section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56).
The auto setting automatically adjusts the camera sensitivity to the light conditions
between ISO 100 and 200. When any other setting than auto is used, “ISO” will appear
on the data panel, and “ISO” and the set value will be displayed on the monitor.
A specific sensitivity setting can be selected. As the ISO value doubles, the camera
sensitivity doubles. Like grain in silver-halide film that increases with speed, noise
increases with sensitivity in digital imaging; an ISO setting of 100 will have the least noise
and 800 will have the most. An ISO setting of 400 or 800 may allow the camera to be
hand-held in low-light conditions without the need of a flash. The affect of noise with
exposures of one second or longer is reduced by the noise-reduction function in the
custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 98).
200
400
800
0.5m ~ 3.4m (1.6 ft. ~ 11.1 ft.)
0.5m ~ 4.8m (1.6 ft. ~ 15.7 ft.)
0.5m ~ 6.8m (1.6 ft. ~ 22.2 ft.)
0.5m ~ 2.0m (1.6 ft. ~ 6.6 ft.)
0.5m ~ 2.8m (1.6 ft. ~ 9.2 ft.)
0.5m ~ 4.0m (1.6 ft. ~ 13.2 ft.)
Flash range (wide angle)
(Continued on the next page)
67
66
MULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
When using the shutter-priority, aperture-priority,
or manual exposure modes (p. 58) with manual
focus, press the central button of the controller to
switch between using the up/down keys to focus
or to adjust the exposure. The active function is
indicated in blue.
Use the up/down controller keys to focus. When
focusing, the monitor image is automatically
magnified by a maximum of 2.5X depending on
the digital zoom setting; the focusing scale shows
approximate distance. The live image returns to
normal after two seconds, when zooming, or
when the shutter-release button is pressed
partway down.
Manual focus
The camera can be focused manually. When focusing, the monitor image is automatically
magnified so that image sharpness can be judged. Manual focus is disabled when the
monitor is turned off.
Full-time AF
With full-time AF active, the autofocus systems continually focuses to keep the monitor
image sharp. This also reduces the autofocusing time when taking pictures. Full-time AF
can be activated in the custom 1 section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p.
56).
When the monitor is turned off or when the camera is set to manual focus, full-time AF is
disabled. Turning the full-time AF function off can help conserve battery power. Full-time
AF is always used with the macro subject program as well as the sports action subject
program in the auto-recording mode (p. 30).
Subject Tracking AF with Focus Area Selection
Press the shutter-release button partway
down (1) to select the area and active the
subject lock; the other four areas
disappear and the subject lock indicator
(2) is displayed.
Use the four-way key of the controller to highlight
the desired autofocus area; the active area is blue.
Once a focus area is selected, it will remain active even after the picture has
been taken. Press the central button of the controller to display all five focus
areas. To use another focus area, repeat the procedure. Only when a focus
area has been selected, can the controller be used for other camera
operations. Press and hold the central button of the controller about one
second to return to the Area AF focus frames.
In the multi-function recording mode, focus area selection (p. 52) can be
used with Subject Tracking AF. Press and hold the central button of the
controller to activate the spot-focus-area display.
1
Subject Tracking AF will follow the subject if it moves or the
camera is panned. Press the shutter-release button all the
way down to take the picture.
2
Center weighted: a traditional metering method in film cameras. The system
measures light values over the entire image area with emphasis given the central
region.
Spot metering: uses a small area within the image
to calculate the exposure. When this mode is
selected, the LCD monitor will automatically
activate if off and a small circle will appear in the middle of
the live image indicating the measuring area. The spot
allows precise exposure measurements of a particular
object without being influenced by extremely bright or dark
areas within the scene. If the LCD monitor is turned off, the
spot-metering mode will remain active.
Multi-segment metering: uses 256 segments to measure luminance and color.
This data is combined with distance information to calculate the camera exposure.
This advanced metering system will give accurate worry-free exposures in almost
all situations.
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
The icons indicating the metering modes are displayed on the monitor. The metering
mode is set in the custom 1 section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56).
Metering modes
Flash compensation
Flash compensation increases or decreases the flash exposure
in reference to the ambient exposure by as much as 2 Ev. For
information on the use of flash compensation, see page 74.
Select the flash compensation option on the custom 1 section of
the multi-function recording mode menu. Use the up/down keys
to adjust the degree of compensation (1). Press the central
controller button to set this value (2). If any value other than 0.0
is set, an icon will be displayed on the monitor and data panel
as a warning.
1 2
Voice memo allows a fifteen second audio track to be recorded with a still image. The
function is activated in the custom 2 section of the multi-function recording menu (p. 56).
When the function is active, the microphone indicator is displayed on the data panel and
LCD monitor. Voice memo must be set before taking a picture. It will remain in effect until
reset.
When making audio recordings, be careful not to touch or cover the microphone. The quality of
the recording is proportional to the subject to microphone distance. For best results, hold the cam-
era approximately 20cm (8in) from your mouth.
Recording Tips
Recording audio
: stop
1
Voice memo
Microphone
After an image is captured, a screen
will appear indicating the audio
recording has started. A bar graph (1)
will display the amount of recorded
time remaining. The recording will
automatically stop when the set time
has elapsed. To stop the recording
before the total time has elapsed,
press the central button of the
controller (2).
When used with the continuous-
advance or bracketing drive modes
(p. 38) the audio file is attached to the
last frame of the series. The voice
memo can be played back in Quick
View or the playback mode (p. 82).
Images with voice-memo audio
tracks have the audio-track indicator
displayed with them.
2
Basic Custom1 Custom2
Focus mode
Full-time AF
Flash comp.
Metering mode
–2 ~ +2
Digital zoom
+1.3
Normal
Contrast: low Contrast: high
Sharpness: hard
Sharpness: soft
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ULTI-FUNCTION RECORDING
Changes in color, sharpness, contrast, and saturation can be made using the custom 2
section of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56). These imaging controls give
photographers the ability to maximize the image information at the scene.
Any changes made with these functions are applied to the live image on the monitor.
Changes made may be difficult to see on the monitor. However, when viewed with a
computer, the changes will be evident. The sharpness, contrast, and color-saturation
levels must be set before the image is recorded. These functions can be used individually
or in combination. Turning the camera off will not reset these functions.
Digital Effects Control
select
enter
Use the left/right keys of the controller (1) to select
the sharpness, contrast, or saturation level; an
indicator is displayed and the live image shows the
effect of each setting. Press the central button of
the controller (2) to apply the setting.
Color Mode
The color mode controls whether a still image is color or
black and white. This must be set before the image is
recorded. The color mode is set in the custom 2 section
of the multi-function recording mode menu (p. 56). The
live image on the monitor reflects the selected color
mode. The color mode has no effect on image file size.
Natural Color reproduces the colors in the scene
faithfully. This mode uses no monitor indicator when
active. Vivid Color increases the saturation of the colors
in the scene. Black & White produces neutral
monochrome images. The sepia mode creates warm-
tone monochrome images.
Black & White
Vivid Color
Sepia
To change sharpness, contrast, or saturation, select the appropriate setting from the
Digital Effects Control option in the custom 2 section of the multi-function recording mode
menu; the setting screen will open.
1
2
Color saturation - to accent or subdue the color of a scene in three
levels: high (+), normal, and low (–).
Contrast - to increase or decrease the contrast of the scene in three levels:
high (+), normal, and low (–).
Sharpness - to accent or soften details in an image in three levels: hard (+),
normal, and soft (–).
If sharpness, contrast, or saturation are set to any setting other than normal, an indicator
will be displayed on the monitor indicating an increase (+) or decrease (–) in the quality
selected.
Photography can be a rewarding pursuit. It is a broad and disciplined field that can take
years to master. But the pleasure in making photographs and the joy of capturing a
magical moment cannot be compared. This guide is an introduction to some basic
photographic principles.
The lens aperture controls not only exposure, but also depth of field; the area between
the closest and the furthest object in focus. The larger the aperture value, the greater the
depth of field and the longer the shutter speed needed to make the exposure. The
smaller the aperture value, the shallower the depth of field and the faster the shutter
speed needed to make the
exposure. Usually landscape
photographs use a large depth of
field (large aperture value) to keep
the foreground and background in
focus, and portraits use a shallow
depth of field (small aperture value)
to separate the subject from the
background.
Depth of field also changes with focal
length. The wide-angle position of the
lens has a large depth of field; the
telephoto position has a shallow depth
of field.
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SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY
The shutter controls not only exposure,
but also the ability to stop motion. Fast
shutter speeds are used in sport
photography to stop action. Slow shutter
speeds can be used to show the flow of
motion such as water cascading over a
waterfall. The use of a tripod is
recommended with slow shutter speeds.
The change in aperture and shutter speed is not apparent in the live image. For critical
work, take a test photograph at the set aperture or shutter speed and view the result in
Quick View. The image can be deleted if not acceptable and another test image can be
taken at a different setting.
A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY
What is an Ev?
Ev stands for exposure value. A change
of one Ev adjusts the exposure
calculated by the camera by a factor of
two.
+2.0 Ev
+1.0 Ev
±0.0 Ev
–1.0 Ev
–2.0 Ev
4X as much light
2X as much light
1/2 as much light
1/4 as much light
Calculated exposure
Sometimes the camera’s exposure meter is deceived by
certain conditions, exposure compensation can compensate
for this. For example, a very bright scene, such as a snowy
landscape or a white sandy beach, can appear too dark in the
captured image. Before taking the picture, adjusting the
exposure by +1 or +2 EV will result in an image with normal
tonal values.
In the example on the right, the dark water caused the camera
to overexpose the image making it too bright and washed-out.
By compensating the exposure, detail is brought out in the
leaves, and the stones and water appear richer.
Flash compensation changes the ratio between the ambient
and flash exposures. For example, when using the fill-flash to
reduce harsh shadows on the subject caused by direct
sunlight, flash compensation can change the ratio between the
highlights and shadows. The fill-flash will affect the darkness of
the shadows without affecting the area illuminated by the sun.
By decreasing the flash output with a negative Ev setting, the
shadows will receive less light and be deeper, but will have
detail that would be lost without the flash. Increasing the flash
output by using a positive Ev setting will soften or eliminate
shadows.
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74
A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY
No compensation Negative compensation
Using exposure and flash compensation
MOVIE AND AUDIO RECORDING
Recording audio
Audio can be recorded without an image.
About 30 minutes of audio can be stored on
a 16MB memory card. Audio is recorded at
approximately 8KB/s. A maximum of 180
minutes can be recorded at one time; the
optional AC adapter is required for long
recordings.
Recording audio.
Press shutter to stop.
Press shutter button
to record.
To begin recording, press and release the shutter button
(3). The frame counter will display the remaining
recording time. The recording will stop when the shutter-
release button is pressed again or the remaining time
has elapsed.
When making audio recordings, be careful not to touch
or cover the microphone. The quality of the recording is
proportional to the subject to microphone distance. For
best results, hold the camera approximately 20cm (8in)
from your mouth.
Microphone
Turn the mode dial to the audio-recording position (1); a
blue screen is displayed. In stand-by, the monitor and
data panel show the approximate recording time
available. Above the data panel frame counter (2), the
unit of the remaining time is displayed: M - minute, S -
second.
When turning the camera on, the lens can be prevented from extending. Turn the zoom lever to the
left and hold when turning the mode dial from off to the audio recording position.
Camera Notes
3
1
2
Positive compensation No flash
–2.0Ev
–1.0Ev
Camera exposure
Before recording, the data-panel and monitor frame
counters will show the maximum time in seconds that
can be recorded on the next movie clip.
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OVIE AND AUDIO RECORDING
Recording time
Shooting digital video is simple. Set the main dial to
movie recording (1). Frame the picture as described in
the basic recording operation section (p. 26). Press the
shutter-release button partway down to lock the focus
(2). Press the shutter-release button all the way down
and release to start recording.
Recording indicatorCountdown in seconds
Recording movies
During recording, the focus is fixed, but a stepless 4X
digital zoom is available. The camera will continue to
record until the recording time is used or the shutter-
release button is pressed again. When recording, the
data panel and monitor frame counters will count down
the remaining time.
Image size
In movie recording, some functions can be used, some are fixed, and some are disabled,
see chart. Image size, white balance, and movie mode can be selected with the movie
menu.
When the red low-battery
indicator appears (p. 16),
power is insufficient for
movie recording. The
writing speed of the
memory card in use may
prevent an entire movie
clip from being recorded.
The RC-3 remote control (sold separately)
can be used to record movie clips and audio
tracks (p. 75) from up to 5m (16ft) away.
Simply point the remote control toward the
camera and use the release or delay button
to start and stop the recording.
When the release or delay button is
pressed, the self-timer lamp (1) will blink
before the camera starts to record; there is a
two second delay when the delay button is
used before the lamp glows to indicate
recording. Both buttons will stop the
recording when pressed; the self-timer lamp
will blink to confirm the operation. The
remote control may not operate with backlit
subjects or under fluorescent light.
Remote movie and audio recording with the RC-3
Single-shot AF (fixed)
Area AF focus frames (fixed)
Program (fixed)
Auto (fixed)
Focus mode
Autofocus area
Exposure mode
Camera sensitivity
–
–
–
–
Notes on movie recording
4X (fixed)Digital zoom –
DisabledFlash –
Available (p. 51)Exposure compensation –
Emitter window
Delay button
Release button
DisabledDigital subject programs –
Multi-segment (fixed)Metering mode –
This camera can record digital video with sound. Total recording time varies with the
image size, see the navigating the movie menu section on page 78. In movie recording,
some functions can be used, some are fixed, and some are disabled, see the notes
section on page 77.
2
1
1
79
78
MOVIE AND AUDIO RECORDING
Navigating the movie menu
Image size not only affects the resolution of the movie image, but also changes the
maximum length of the movie clip. The recording rate for a 320 X 240 size movie is
approximately 340 KB/sec, and approximately 85 KB/sec for a 160 X 120 movie.
Recording time is only limited by the capacity of the memory card. A16 MB memory card
can contain approximately 41 seconds of digital video recorded at 320 X 240 or 150
seconds at 160 X 120.
The movie mode option selects the type of movie recorded. Standard produces a normal
movie clip. Night Movie uses high camera sensitivity to record under low light levels;
camera sensitivity will automatically increase in low light. Image quality can be lower with
Night Movies because of the higher sensitivity.
320 X 240
160 X 120
Night movie
STD. movie
Cust set
Auto
Image size
Movie mode
White balance
CustRecall
Preset
Basic
In auto-recording mode, the menu button (1) turns the menu on and off. The left/right and
up/down keys of the controller (2) are used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the
central button of the controller will enter a setting.
Use the up/down keys of the controller (2) to scroll through the menu options.
Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right controller key; the
settings will be displayed with the current setting highlighted. To return to the menu
options, press the left key.
Once a setting has been
selected, the cursor will
return to the menu options
and the new setting will be
displayed. Changes can
continue to be made.
To return to the auto-
recording mode, press the
menu button.
Use the up/down keys to highlight the new setting.
Press the cent
ral button of the controller to select the highlighted setting.
1
2
On / OffDirect Video
See page 62 for information on white balance.
See page 80 for information on Direct Video.
Basic
Image size
White balance
Movie mode
Direct Video Off
STD. movie
Auto
320 X 240
To start, pause, or stop recording, use the video or DVD deck’s controls. Refer to the
unit’s instruction manual.
Direct Video allows the camera to record movies to a video or DVD deck. The only limit
to recording time is the capacity of the tape or disk. The camera is compatible with the
NTSC and PAL standards (p. 106). The video-output setting can be checked and set in
the custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 98). When Direct Video is active, no data is
recorded to the camera’s memory card. Auto power save (p. 16) is disabled.
Active the Direct Video function on the movie menu; a message
will appear. Direct Video can be canceled by pressing the central
button of the controller.
Insert the small plug of the AV cable into the camera’s AV-out terminal (1). Plug the other
end of the AV cable into the video and audio input terminals on the television or video or
DVD deck (2). The yellow plug is for the video output. The white plug is for the monaural
audio output.
81
80
MOVIE AND AUDIO RECORDING
Direct Video
2
A separate microphone can be used to record the audio track of the video recording. Disconnect
the white audio plug of the AV cable from the television or video deck. Connect a microphone
directly to the deck. Refer to the deck’s and microphone’s instruction manual for the connection
procedure.
Shooting tips
If recording PAL video, the monitor will turn off when the
cable is attached to the camera. Use the television monitor
or the camera’s viewfinder to frame the subject.
1
Attach AV cable.
:cancel
The camera can be focused periodically by pressing
the shutter button partway down. The AF system does
not continually focus when the button is pressed and
held so the operation should be repeated as the
subject distances changes.
Changes to exposure can be made with exposure compensation (p. 51) and changes to
white balance and the movie mode can be made with the movie menu. Before activating
exposure compensation or the movie menu, pause the video deck. Restart the deck after
the changes have been made.
For long recordings, the use of the optional AC adapter (p. 17) is recommended over
batteries. The display button can turn the camera monitor off when recording NTSC video
to save power.
Turn the Direct Video function off using the movie menu. Movie clips cannot be recorded
to the memory card if Direct Video is on. If the mode dial is turned to another position,
Direct Video is turned off.
The zoom lever controls the optical and digital zoom. The
camera’s viewfinder will not show the effect of the digital zoom.
The television or monitor should be used.
Press the controller
to pause the movie
or audio playback;
press the controller
again to resume the
playback.
82
83P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Movie clips and audio recordings are played back the same way. Use the left/right keys
of the controller to display the movie or audio file; audio files are displayed with a blue
screen.
Press the center of
the controller to play
back a movie or
audio file.
Playing back movies and audio recordings
FWD
Vol
When turning the camera on, the lens can be prevented from extending. Turn the zoom lever to
the left and hold when turning the mode dial from off to the playback position.
Camera Notes
Playing back voice memos and audio captions
Voice memos (p. 69) and audio captions (p. 89) can be played back in Quick
View and the playback mode. When one of these audio tracks is attached to
a still image, the audio-track indicator will be displayed at the bottom of the
monitor.
Stop
Press the central button of the controller to start
the audio playback.
Press the menu button to
cancel the playback.
Playback time is displayed on a bar at the top of the
image. The display will return to Quick View or the
playback mode when the audio track finishes.
Vol.
During playback, the up/down keys of the
controller adjust the volume.
PLAYBACK MODE -
Press the display button to view the movie with or without the guidance bar.
During playback, the up/down keys adjust the volume and the left/right
keys rewind and fast forward the recording.
ADVANCED OPERATION
The basic functions in this mode are described in the basic playback section on pages
34 through 37. This section covers how to playback movie clips and audio tracks as well
as the advanced function on the playback menu.
: play
Audio file
Movie file
To cancel the playback, press the menu button.
: play
Speaker
Pause
RWD
FWD
Vol
Pause
RWD
Basic Custom1 Custom2
Delete
Auto rotate
Lock
Audio caption –
–
On
–
84
85P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Navigating the playback-mode menu
1 Copying to camera memory.
Choosing “Yes” will execute
the operation, “No” will can-
cel it.
Yes No
For information on
frame-selection
screens, see page 86.
New folder
name
2 Change card.
3 Copying to memory card.
4 Copying completed.
Delete This frame
All frames
Marked frames
Enter
Lock
Audio caption
Basic
This frame
All frames
Marked frames
Unlock all
Slide show Enter
1 - 60 sec.
Yes / No
Duration
Repeat
Custom 1
DPOF set This frame
All frames
Marked frames
Index print
Custom 2
Cancel all
Yes / No
Copy This frame
Marked frames
E-mail Copy This frame
Pressing the menu button will
cancel the slide show and
return to the menu.
Number of
copies
Folder name
All framesPlayback
Marked frames
Marked frames
Press the central button of the
controller to select the highlighted
setting.
Activate the playback-mode menu with the menu button. The basic tab at the top of
the menu will be highlighted. Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight the
appropriate menu tab; the menu will change as the tabs are highlighted.
In the playback mode, the menu button (1) turns the menu on and off. The left/right and
up/down keys of the controller (2) are used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the
central button of the controller will enter a setting.
When the desired menu section is displayed, use the up/down keys to scroll through
the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right controller key; the
settings will be displayed with the current setting highlighted. To return to the menu
options, press the left key.
Use the up/down keys to highlight
the new setting.
Once a setting has been
selected, the cursor will return
to the menu options and the
new setting will be displayed.
To return to the playback
mode, press the menu button.
Refer to the following sections
for descriptions of the menu
options and their settings.
1
2
On / OffAuto rotate
Recording audio
Image size 640 X 480
160 X 120
87
Deleting permanently erases the file. Once deleted, a file cannot be
recovered. Care should be taken when deleting images.
Single, multiple, or all files on the memory card can be deleted in the basic section of the
playback-mode menu (p. 84). Before a file is deleted, a confirmation screen will appear;
choosing “Yes” will execute the operation, “No” will cancel the operation. The delete
option has three settings:
Deleting files
When a marked-frames setting is chosen on a menu, the frame selection screen will
appear. This screen allows multiple images to be chosen.
The left/right keys of the controller
move the yellow border to select the
image.
The up key of the controller selects the
frame; when selected, an indicator will
appear next to the image. The down
key will deselect the image removing
the indicator.
The menu button cancels the screen
and any operation made.
The garbage-can icon indicates the
image is selected for deletion.
The key icon indicates the image is
locked or selected to be locked.
The check icon indicates the image is
selected for the slide show or to be
copied.
Frame-selection screen
The file displayed or highlighted in playback mode will be deleted.
The delete function will only erase unlocked files. Locked files must be unlocked before
they can be deleted.
This
frame
All
frames
Marked
frames
To delete multiple files. When this setting is chosen, the frame-selection
screen will be displayed. Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight
the first file to be deleted. Pressing the up key will mark the thumbnail with
the garbage-can icon. To deselect a file for deletion, highlight it with the
yellow border and press the down key; the garbage-can icon will disappear.
Continue until all the files to be deleted are marked. Press the central button
of the controller to continue (the confirmation screen will appear), or press
the menu button to cancel the operation and return to the playback menu.
On the confirmation screen, highlighting and entering “Yes” will delete the
marked files.
All unlocked files will be deleted.
Press the central button of the controller to complete the operation.
The printer icon indicates the image is
selected for DPOF printing. The
number of copies is shown on the right.
PLAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
86
:move
:sel. :enter
Movie file
Audio file
E-mail copy file
Indicators may be displayed on the right of each
index image to indicate movie, audio, and E-mail
copy files.
Basic Custom1 Custom2
Delete
Auto rotate
Lock
Audio caption
Enter
88
89P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
Single, multiple, or all files can be locked. A locked file cannot be deleted by either the
playback-mode menu functions or the QV/delete button. However, the formatting function
(p. 100) will erase all files on a memory card whether locked or not. Important images
and audio recordings should be locked. The lock function is in the basic section of the
playback menu (p. 84). The lock option has four settings:
Locking files
Astill image can have a fifteen-second audio caption attached to it. This function will also
replace a voice-memo audio track recorded with an image. Audio captions cannot be
attached to movie clips, nor can they over rewrite audio recordings.
Audio captioning
Display the image to which the audio caption will be
attached. If the image is locked, unlock it using the basic
section of the playback menu (p. 84).
1
Recording audio.
Stop
The file displayed or highlighted in playback mode will be locked.
This
frame
All
frames
Marked
frames
To lock or unlock multiple files. When this setting is chosen, the frame-
selection screen will be displayed. Use the left/right keys of the controller to
highlight the file to be locked. Pressing the up key will mark the file with the
key icon. To unlock a file, highlight it with the yellow border and press the
down key; the key icon will disappear. Continue until all the files to be locked
are marked. Press the central button of the controller to lock the marked
thumbnails, or press the menu button to cancel the operation and return to
the playback menu.
All files on the memory card will be locked.
Unlock
all
All files on the memory card will be unlocked.
On the playback menu, highlight the enter setting
in the audio-caption option.
Press the central button of the controller (1) to
start recording. If an audio track is already
attached to the image, a confirmation screen will
appear. Choosing and entering “Yes” will start the
audio caption recording replacing the previous
audio track. “No” will cancel the audio-caption
operation.
A bar graph and the frame counter displays the
remaining recording time. The audio caption can
be stopped during the fifteen-second recording
period by pressing the central button of the
controller (1).
Auto rotate
Auto rotate displays orients vertical image so they can
be viewed without having to turn the camera sideways.
This function affects the playback and Quick View
modes, but not instant playback. Auto rotate is
disabled in the basic section of the playback-mode
menu (p. 84).
90
91P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The custom 1 section of the playback-mode menu controls the slide-show function. This
function automatically displays all still images on the memory card in order.
Slide Show
Menu options Settings
Press the central button of the controller to pause and restart the slide show
presentation.
To cancel the presentation, press the menu button.
Slide
show
Playback
Duration
Repeat
Enter
All frames
Marked
Frames
1 - 60s.
Yes / No
To start the slide-show presentation. Pressing the central
button of the controller will pause the presentation. During
the slide show, press the menu button to stop the presen-
tation and return to the playback-mode menu.
To select all the images on the memory card to be displayed
in the slide-show presentation.
To select specific images to be displayed in the slide-show
presentation. When this setting is chosen, the frame-selec-
tion screen will be displayed. Use the left/right keys of the
controller to highlight the image to be included in the pre-
sentation. Pressing the up key will mark the image with a
check icon. To deselect a marked image, highlight it with
the yellow border and press the down key; the check icon
will disappear. Continue until all the images have been edit-
ed. Press the controller to set the marked frames, or press
the menu button to cancel the operation and return to the
playback menu.
To select the period each image will be displayed during the
slide show.
Selecting “Yes” will cause the slide show to repeat until it is
canceled using the down key of the controller. “No” will end
the slide show presentation and return to the playback-
mode menu when all the images have been displayed
once.
The presentation can be viewed without image information. Before opening the play-
back menu, press the display button to turn off the information display.
Camera Notes
92
P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The DPOF-set menu option is used to create an order for standard prints from still
images on the memory card. Single, multiple, or all images can be printed. Print orders
are created in the custom 2 section of the playback-mode menu (p. 84). The print menu
option has four settings:
About DPOF
This camera is supported by DPOF™ version 1.1. The DPOF (Digital Print Order Format)
allows direct printing of still images from digital cameras. After the DPOF file is created,
the memory card is simply taken to a photofinishing service or inserted into the memory-
card slot of DPOF compatible printers. When a DPOF file is created, a misc. folder is
automatically created on the memory card to store it (p. 114).
Creating a DPOF Print Order
When the this-frame or all-frames setting is chosen, a screen will appear requesting the
number of copies of each image; a maximum of nine copies can be ordered. Use the
up/down keys of the controller to set the required number of copies. If the all-frames
setting was used to create a print order, any additional images recorded afterwards will
not be included in the order.
DPOF files created with another camera will be canceled. After the pictures have been
printed, the DPOF file will still remain on the memory card and must be canceled
manually.
Ordering an Index Print
To create an index print of all the images on the card, select
“Yes.” To cancel an index print, simply change the setting to
“No.”
If an index-print order is created, any additional images
saved afterwards on the card will not be included in the
index print. The number of images printed per sheet differs
between printers. The information printed with the
thumbnails can vary.
To create a DPOF file for the displayed or highlighted image.
This
frame
All
frames
Marked
frames
To chose a group of images to be printed or when the number of copies of
each image varies. When selected, the frame selection screen will appear.
Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight an image to be printed.
Pressing the up key will mark the image with the printer icon. The number
next to the icon indicates the number of copies that will be printed. Pressing
the up key will increase the number of copies, pressing the down key will
decrease the number. A maximum of nine copies can be ordered. To
deselect an image for printing, press the down key until the number of
copies reaches zero and the printer icon disappears. Continue until all the
images to be printed are marked. Press the central button of the controller
to create the DPOF file, or press the menu button to cancel the operation
and return to the playback menu.
To create a DPOF file for all images on the memory card.
Cancel
all
To delete the DPOF file.
93
DPOF files and images can be printed directly from the camera, see page 118.
Camera Notes
Before starting the E-mail copy routine, select the image size of the copy in the custom
2 section of the playback menu (p. 84). Two sizes are available: 640 X 480 (VGA) or 160
X 120 (QVGA).
When the image(s) to be converted to an e-mail file are selected, the
copy routine will begin and a screen will appear indicating the name
of the folder containing the copied images; press the central button of
the controller to return to the menu. The same folder is used to store
e-mail copies until the number of images exceed 9,999.
Copy
94
95P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The copy function makes exact copies of image, audio, or movie files and can store the
copied data on another memory card. E-mail Copy makes a standard 640 X 480 (VGA)
or 160 X 120 (QVGA) JPEG copy of an original still image so that it may be easily
transmitted by e-mail. If an economy image is selected for E-mail Copy, the image quality
will not change. E-mail copies can only be copied to the original card. The copy functions
are selected in the custom 2 section of the playback-mode menu (p. 84).
When a copy function is used, a folder is created for the files (p. 114); copy files are
placed in a folder with a name ending in CP, and E-mail Copy images are placed in a
folder ending in EM. Images with voice memos are copied with their audio files. Copies
of locked images are unlocked. DPOF information is not copied.
The copy and E-mail copy functions have two menu options:
Copy and E-mail Copy
After the copy-completed message is highlighted, a new screen will
appear to indicate the name of the new folder containing the copied
images; press the central controller button to return to the menu.
When the image(s) to be copied are selected, a screen with four messages is displayed.
The messages are highlighted during the copying procedure.
Copy
Enter
1
2
3
4
Copying to card.
Copying completed.
Copied to 101MLTEM
OK
Up to 14.5 MB of data can be copied. If too many images have been selected, a warning
will appear and the copy routine will be canceled. Divide the number of images into two
or three batches. The amount of data can be converted into E-mail copies depends on
the free space remaining on the memory card and the image size of the copy. The image
size of the E-mail copy is selected in the custom 2 section of the playback menu (p. 84).
To copy the file displayed or highlighted in playback mode.
This
frame
Marked
frames
To copy single or multiple files. When selected, the frame-selection screen
will appear; highlight the file to be copied with the yellow border and then
press the up key of the controller to mark it with the check icon. To deselect
a file to be copied, highlight the selected thumbnail and press the down key;
the check icon will disappear. Continue until all the files to be copied are
marked. Press the central button of the controller to continue, or press the
menu button to cancel the operation and return to the playback menu.
E-mail Copy
OK
The copy-unsuccessful message will appear when one or all of the images could not be copied.
Check the memory card to see which files were copied and then repeat the procedure for the
uncopied images.
Camera Notes
Copied to 101MLTCP
When the change-card message
is highlighted, remove the
camera’s memory card and insert
the card to which the image
should be copied. Press the
central button of the controller to
continue or the menu button to
cancel the copy operation.
Change card.
Copying to camera memory.
96
97P
LAYBACK MODE - ADVANCED OPERATION
The setup mode is used to control the camera’s functions and operation. The navigating
the setup menu section covers the operation of the menu. The section is followed by
detailed descriptions of the settings.
Viewing images on a television
It is possible to view camera images on your television. The camera has a video-out
terminal to make the connection using the supplied AV cable. The camera is compatible
with the NTSC and PAL standards. The video-output setting can be checked and set in
the custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 98).
2
3
Innovation and creativity has always been a
driving force behind Minolta products. The
Electro-zoom X was purely an exercise in
camera design. It was unveiled at Photokina
in Germany in 1966.
The Electro-zoom X was an electronically
controlled aperture-priority mechanical SLR
with a built-in 30 - 120mm f/3.5 zoom lens giv-
ing twenty 12 X 17mm images on a roll of
16mm film. The shutter-release button and
battery chamber are located in the grip. Only
a few prototypes were built making it one of
Minolta’s rarest cameras.
Minolta History
CONTROLLING THE CAMERA’S OPERATION
SETUP MODE
When turning the camera on, the lens can be prevented from extending. Turn the zoom lever to
the left and hold when turning the mode dial from off to the setup position.
Camera Notes
1.Turn off the television and the camera.
2.Insert the small plug of the AV cable into the camera’s
AV-out terminal.
3.Plug the other end of the AV cable into the video and
audio input terminals on the television. The yellow
plug is for the video output. The white plug is for the
monaural audio output.
4.Turn the television on.
5.Change the television to the video channel.
6.Turn the camera’s mode dial to the playback position.
The camera’s monitors will not activate when the cam-
era is attached to a television. The playback-mode
display will be visible on the television screen.
7.View images as described in the playback section.
Basic Custom1 Custom2
LCDbrightness
Format
Power save
Language English
1 min.
–
–
98
99S
ETUP MODE
To access the menu, simply turn the mode dial to the setup position. The left/right and
up/down keys of the controller are used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the
central button of the controller will enter a setting.
Once a setting has been
selected, the cursor will
return to the menu
options and the new
setting will be displayed.
Setting can continue to
be made.
Choosing “Yes” on
the confirmation
screens will execute
the operation, “No”
will cancel it.
Yes No
Yes No
On the date/time setting screen, use the left/right
keys of the controller to select the year, month, day,
hour, or minute. The up/down keys are used to
change the value. Press the central button of the
controller to set the calendar and clock.
Navigating the setup menu
LCD brightness
Format
Language
Basic
Enter
Enter
1, 3, 5, 10 min.
Español
Japanese
English
Deutsch
Français
Power save
File # memory
Folder name
Custom 1
On / Off
Standard form
1Audio signals
Date form
2
Off
1Shutter FX
2
Off
Reset default
Date/Time set
Custom 2
Enter
Enter
MM/DD/YYYY
Date format YYYY/MM/DD
DD/MM/YYYY
NTSC
Video output
1 (Low) - 3 (High)Volume
PAL
Refer to the following sections for descriptions
of the menu options and their settings.
Use the left/right keys to
adjust the monitor
brightness. Press the central
button to set the level.
Noise reduction On / Off
Custom
Custom record
Press the central button of the
controller to select the highlighted
setting.
The basic tab at the top of the menu will be highlighted. Use the left/right keys of the
controller to highlight the appropriate menu tab; the menu will change as the tabs are
highlighted.
When the desired menu section is displayed, use the up/down keys to scroll through
the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right controller key; the
settings will be displayed with the current setting highlighted. To return to the menu
options, press the left key.
Use the up/down keys to highlight
the new setting. If “Enter” is
displayed, press the central button
to continue.
:enter
Date/Time set
100
101S
ETUP MODE
LCD monitor brightness
The brightness of the LCD monitor can be set in
eleven levels. The brightness setting screen is
opened from the basic section of the setup menu
(p. 98); the lens will extend if retracted. Use the
left/right keys of the controller (1) to adjust the
brightness, the monitor image will change
accordingly. Press the central button of the
controller (2) to set the brightness level.
Formatting memory cards
The formatting function is used to erase all data on a memory card. Before formatting a
memory card, copy the data to a computer or storage device. Locking images will not
protect them from being deleted when the card is formatted. Always format the memory
card using the camera; never use a computer to format a card.
When the format option is selected and entered in the basic section of the setup menu
(p. 98), a confirmation screen will appear. Choosing “Yes” will format the card, choosing
“No” will cancel the formatting operation. A screen will appear to indicate the card has
been formatted.
If the card-not-recognized message appears, the inserted card in the camera may need
to be formatted. A memory card used in another camera may also have to be formatted
before being used. If the unable-to-use-card message appears, the card is not
compatible with the camera and cannot be formatted.
Auto power save
To conserve battery power, the camera will shut down if no operation is made within a
certain period. The length of the auto-power-save period can be changed to 1, 3, 5, or 10
minutes. When the camera is connected to a computer, the auto-power-save period is
fixed at ten minutes.
Language
The language used in the menus can be changed. The language is selected in the basic
section of the setup menu.
If file number memory is selected, when a new folder is created, the first file stored in the
folder will have a number one greater than the last file saved. If the file number memory
is disabled, the image file number will be 0001. File number memory is activated in the
custom 1 section of the setup menu.
If file number memory is active and the memory card is changed, the first file saved to
the new card will have a number one greater than the last file saved on the previous card
if the new card does not contain an image with a greater file number. If it does, the file
number of the new image will be one greater than the greatest on the card.
File number (#) memory
High
1
2
When a memory card is formatted, all data on the card is erased.
Low
:enter
102
103S
ETUP MODE
Shutter FX Folder name
All recorded images are stored in folders on the memory card. Folder
names come in two formats, standard and date.
Standard folders have an eight character name. The initial folder is
named 100MLT20. The first three digits are the folder’s serial number,
which will increase by one each time a new folder is created. The next
three letters refer to Minolta, and the last two numbers indicate the
camera used; 20 indicates a DiMAGE F200.
A date folder name also starts with the three digit serial number and is
followed by one register for the year, two register for the month, and two
registers for the day: 101YMMDD. The folder 10130412 was created in
2003 on April 12
th
.
With the date folder format selected, when an image is recorded a new folder with the
day’s date will be created. All images recorded that day will be placed in that folder.
Images recorded on a different day will be placed in a new folder with the corresponding
date. If the file number memory function is off (p. 101), when a new folder is created, the
serial number in the image-file name is reset to 0001. If file number memory function is
on, the serial number in the image-file will be one greater than the last image saved. For
more information on folder organization and file names, see page 114.
100MLT20
(Standard)
10130412
(Date)
Audio signals
Every time a button is pressed, an audio signal will give a positive confirmation of the
operation. The audio signals can be turn off in the custom 1 section of the setup menu
(p. 98). The tone of the signal can also be changed; signal 1 is mechanical and signal 2
is electrical.
When the shutter is released, a shutter sound effect
will give a positive confirmation of the operation. The
sound effect can be turn off in the custom 1 section
of the setup menu (p. 98). Three shutter effects are
available; signal 1 is mechanical, signal 2 is
electrical, and custom for a personalized effect. The
mechanical shutter sound was taken from the
legendary Minolta CLE, a compact rangefinder that
represents the pinnacle of the development of the
Leitz-Minolta CL.
Press shutter button
to record.
To record a custom shutter effect, select custom record
from the shutter FX option on the menu. Messages will
appear during the routine. Press the shutter-release
button to begin the recording of the shutter sound effect.
T
W
Recording audio.
Press shutter to stop.
Remaining recording time
Microphone
During the recording, hold the camera’s microphone
approximately 20cm (8in) from your mouth. Up to five
seconds of audio can be recorded. The remaining
recording time is indicated by a status bar and the
frame counter on the monitor. The recording will
end when the shutter-release button is pressed
again or recording time has elapsed.
The length of the recording will affect the performance of
the camera. The longer the recorded sound effect, the
longer the delay between image capture. This can have a
significant affect on the continuous-advance frame rate.
(Continued on the next page.)
Stop Vol.
104
105S
ETUP MODE
Sharpness
Repeat (Slide Show)
LCD monitor brightness
Auto-power-save period
Audio signals
File number memory
Normal
No
Normal
1 minute
1
Off
Color-saturation
Contrast Normal
Normal
p. 70
p. 70
p. 70
p. 90
p. 100
p. 101
p. 102
p. 101
Shutter FX 1 (custom recording erased) p. 103
Folder name Standard p. 102
Volume 2 p. 104
Noise reduction On p. 106
p. 67
Volume
The volume of the audio signals and shutter FX can be increased or decreased in the
custom 1 section of the setup menu (p. 98). This affects the camera’s audio signals only
and will not change the playback levels of an audio track.
Reset default
This function affects all modes. When selected, a confirmation screen will appear;
choosing “Yes” resets the following functions and settings, “No” cancels the operation.
Image quality
Drive mode
Flash mode
Full-time AF
Standard
Single-frame advance
Autoflash
Off (Multi-function recording mode)
p. 58
p. 65
Exposure mode
Focus mode (Multi-function rec.)
Digital zoom
Program
Area AF with single-shot AF
Off p. 48
p. 38
p. 32
p. 44
p. 62
Movie mode
Metering mode
Voice memo
Standard
Multi-segment
Off
Exposure compensation 0.0
Camera sensitivity (ISO) Auto
Date imprinting
Instant playback
Off
Off
Color mode Natural Color
p. 69
p. 49
p. 50
p. 68
p. 51
p. 78
p. 64
p. 70
White balance Auto (custom setting deleted)
Save custom recording?
Yes No
To test the recording select and enter “Yes.” During
playback, the up/down controller keys control volume and
the menu button cancels the playback. Select and enter
“Next” to continue.
Test custom recording?
Yes Next
To save the shutter sound effect and replace any previous
recording, select and enter “Yes.” “No” will cancel the
operation. Once saved the sound effect can be recalled
anytime by selecting the custom setting from the sound
FX option on the setup menu.
Flash compensation 0.0 p. 68
Image size (movie) 320 X 240 p. 79
Image size (still) 2272 X 1764 p. 44
Auto rotate On p. 88
Image size (E-mail copy) 640 X 480 p. 94
5 seconds p. 90Duration (Slide Show)
106
107S
ETUP MODE
DATA-TRANSFER MODE
Read this section carefully before connecting the camera to a computer. Instructions on
using and installing the DiMAGE Viewer software are found in the supplied software
manual. The DiMAGE manuals do not cover the basic operation of computers or their
operating systems; please refer to the manual supplied with your computer.
Check the Minolta web site for the latest compatibility information:
North America: http://www.minoltausa.com
Europe: http://www.minoltaeurope.com/pe/digital/languages_stage.html
Users with Windows 98 or 98 second edition will need to install the driver software on the
included DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM (p. 110). No special driver software is required for
other Windows or Macintosh operating systems.
Customers who have bought a previous DiMAGE digital camera and have installed the
Windows 98 driver software must repeat the installation procedure. The updated version
of the driver software included on the supplied DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM is required for
the operation of the DiMAGE F200 with a computer. The new software will have no affect
on the performance of older DiMAGE cameras.
IBM PC / AT Compatible
Macintosh
Windows 98, 98SE, Me,
2000 Professional, and XP.
Mac OS 9.0 ~ 9.2.2 and Mac OS X
10.1.3 - 10.1.5, 10.2.1, and 10.2.2.
System requirements
For the camera to be connected directly to the computer and used as a mass-storage
device, the computer must be equipped with a USB port as a standard interface. Both the
computer and the operating system must be guaranteed by their manufacturers to
support USB interface. The following operating systems are compatible with the camera:
Setting the date and time
It is important to accurately set the clock. When a still image or a movie clip is recorded,
the date and time of the recording are saved with the image and are displayed during
playback or can be read with the DiMAGE Viewer software included on the CD-ROM.
The camera’s clock is also used with date imprinting (p. 49). See page 20 for instructions
on how to set the clock and calendar.
Setting the date format
The date format that is displayed or imprinted can be changed: YYYY/MM/DD (year,
month, day), MM/DD/YYYY (month, day, year), DD/MM/YYYY (day, month, year). Simply
select the format and enter it by pressing the central button of the controller; the new
format will be displayed on the menu.
Video output
Camera images can be displayed on a television (p. 96). The video output can be
changed between NTSC and PAL. North America uses the NTSC standard and Europe
uses the PAL standard. Check which standard is used in your region to play back images
on your television set.
Noise reduction
This function reduces the affect of dark noise caused by long exposures. Noise reduction
is only applied to exposures of one second or longer. Processing is applied to each image
after it is captured. The processing time varies from image to image; a message will be
displayed during this period.
108
109D
ATA-TRANSFER MODE
Connecting the camera to a computer
Start up the computer. The computer must be on before
connecting the camera.
Insert the memory card into the camera. To change the memory card while the
camera is connected to a computer, see page 118.
Confirm the battery has sufficient power before connecting the camera to a computer, the
full-battery indicator should be displayed on the monitor and data panel. The use of the
AC adapter (sold separately) is recommended over the use of the battery. For users with
Windows 98 or 98 Second Edition, read the section on page 110 on how to install the
necessary USB driver before connecting the camera to a computer.
4
Remove the USB-port cover. Attach the smaller plug of the
USB cable to the camera. Make sure the plug is firmly
attached. The USB-port cover is attached to the body to
prevent loss.
2
1
2
3
Attach the other end of the USB cable to the computer’s
USB port. Make sure the plug is firmly attached.
• The camera should be connected directly to
the computer’s USB port. Attaching the
camera to a USB hub may prevent the
camera from operating properly.
3
Turn on the mode dial to any position to initiate the
USB connection. While the camera is connected to
a computer, the data-transfer screen will be
displayed.
5
When the camera is properly connected to the
computer, a drive icon, or volume, will appear. When
using Windows XP or Mac OS X, a window will open
requesting instructions on what to do with the image
data; follow the directions in the window. If the
computer does not recognize the camera, disconnect
the camera and restart the computer. Repeat the
connection procedure above.
Mac OS X
Windows XP
Mac OS
The volume name varies between memory cards.
Mac OS X
Windows
110
111D
ATA-TRANSFER MODE
Choose the recommended search for a
suitable driver. Click “Next.”
Choose to specify the location of the
driver. The browse window can be used to
indicate the driver location. The driver
should be located in the CD-ROM drive at
:\Win98\USB. When the location is shown
in the window, click “Next.”
The driver needs only to be installed once. If the driver cannot be installed automatically,
it can be installed manually with the operating system’s add-new-hardware wizard; see
the instructions on the following page. During installation, if the operating system
requests the Windows 98 CD-ROM, insert it into the CD-ROM drive and follow the
accompanying instructions on the screen. No special driver software is required for other
Windows or Macintosh operating systems.
Before connecting the camera to the
computer, place the DiMAGE Viewer
CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. The
DiMAGE installer menu should
automatically activate. To
automatically install the Windows 98
USB driver, click on the starting-up-
the-USB-device-driver-installer
button. A window will appear to
confirm that the driver should be
installed; click “Yes” to continue.
Automatic Installation
Manual Installation
To install the Windows 98 driver manually, follow the instructions in the connecting-the-
camera-to-a-computer section on page 108.
When the camera is plugged into the
computer, the operating system will detect
the new device and the add-new-hardware-
wizard window will open. Place the DiMAGE
Viewer CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive.
Click “Next.”
(Continued on the next page)
Connecting to Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition
When the driver has been
successfully installed, a window will
appear. Click “OK.” Restart the
computer and connect the camera
(p. 108) to complete the operation.
112
113D
ATA-TRANSFER MODE
The add new hardware wizard will confirm
the location of the driver. The letter
designating the CD-ROM drive will vary
between computers. Click “Next” to install
the driver in the system.
One of three drivers may be located:
MNLVENUM.inf, USBPDR.inf, or
USBSTRG.inf.
The last window will confirm the driver has
been installed. Click “Finish” to close the
add new hardware wizard. Restart the
computer.
When the my-computer window is
opened, a new removable-disk icon will be
displayed. Double click on the icon to
access the camera’s memory card; see
page 114.
Auto power save (data-transfer mode)
If the camera does not receive a read or write command within ten minutes, it will shut
down to save power. When the camera shuts down, an unsafe-removal-of-device
warning may appear on the computer monitor. Click “OK.” Neither the camera or
computer will be damaged in this operation. Turn off the camera with the mode dial.
Remake the USB connection by turning on the camera with the mode dial.
QuickTime system requirements
IBM PC / AT Compatible
Pentium-based computer
Windows 95, 98, 98SE, NT, Me,
2000 Professional, or XP.
32MB or more of RAM
Sound Blaster or compatible sound card
DirectX 3.0 or later recommended
To install QuickTime, follow the instructions
in the installer. Macintosh users can
download the latest version of QuickTime
free of charge from the Apple Computer
web site: http://www.apple.com.
114
115D
ATA-TRANSFER MODE
Once the camera is connected to the computer, image and audio
files can be accessed by double clicking on icons. Image folders are
located in the DCIM folder. To copying images and audio
recordings, simply drag and drop the file icon into a location in the
computer. Files and folders on the memory card can be deleted
using the computer. Never format the
memory card from the computer; always
use the camera to format the card. Only
files recorded by the camera should be
stored on the memory card.
Image and audio file names begin with “PICT” followed by a four-digit file number and a
tif, jpg, mov, or thm extension. Voice-memo and audio caption files have a wav extension
and the file name corresponds to their image file. Audio recordings also use the wav
extension. The thumbnail images (thm) are produced with TIFF images and are only
used in camera and DiMAGE Viewer operation.
Copy images (p. 94) are placed in a folder with a name ending in “CP.” E-mail Copy
images are placed in a folder ending in “EM.” When a new folder is created, the first three
digits in the folder name will be one greater than the largest folder number on the card.
When the index number in the image file name exceeds 9,999, a new folder will be
created with a number one greater than the greatest folder number on the memory card:
e.g. from 100MLT20 to 101MLT20.
The number in the image file name may not correspond to the frame number of the
image. As images are deleted in the camera, the frame counter will adjust itself to show
the number of images on the card and reassign the frame numbers accordingly. The
serial numbers used with image files will not change when an image is deleted. When a
new image is recorded, it will be assigned a number one greater than the largest serial
number in the folder. File serial numbers can be controlled with the file-number-memory
function in the custom 1 section of the setup menu (p. 98).
Memory card folder organization
Image files contain exif tag data. This data includes the time and date the image was recorded
as well as the camera settings used. This data can be viewed with the camera or the DiMAGE
Viewer software. If a camera image is opened in a photo-retouching application like Adobe
Photoshop, and then the image is saved overwriting the original data, the exif tag information is
erased. When using software other than the DiMAGE Viewer, always make a backup copy of the
image files to protect the exif tag data.
To view images correctly on your computer, the monitor’s color space may need to be adjusted.
Refer to your computer manual on how to calibrate the display to the following requirements:
sRGB, with a color temperature of 6500K, and a gamma of 2.2. Changes made to the captured
image with the camera’s contrast and color-saturation controls will affect any color-matching soft-
ware in use.
Camera Notes
PICT0001.THM
Drive Icon
Dcim
PICT0001.TIF
PICT0002.JPG
PICT0003.MOV
Audio recordingFine, standard,
or economy
image
Movie clip
Misc
The misc. folder
contains DPOF
print files (p. 92).
PICT0002.WAV
PICT0002’s
voice-memo or
audio-caption
file
PICT0004.WAV
100MLT20 10130801
TIFF image
102MLTCP 103MLTEM
116
117D
ATA-TRANSFER MODE
Disconnecting the camera from the computer
Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP
Confirm that the access lamp is not lit. Turn the mode dial to another position and then
disconnect the USB cable.
To disconnect the camera, click once on the unplug-or-eject-hardware icon
located on the task bar. A small window will open indicating the device to be
stopped.
Windows 98 / 98 Second Edition
When more than one external device are connected to the computer, repeat the
procedure above except right click on the unplug-or-eject-hardware icon. This will open
the unplug-or-eject-hardware window after clicking on the small window indicating the
unplug-or-eject-hardware routine.
Click on the small window to stop
the device. The safe-to-remove-
hardware window will open. Close
the window, turn the camera off,
and then disconnect the USB
cable.
The hardware devices to be stopped will be
displayed. Highlight the device by clicking on it
then click “Stop.”
Confirm that the access lamp is not lit and then drag
the mass-storage device icon and drop it into the
trash. Turn the camera off, and then disconnect the
USB cable.
A confirmation screen will appear to
indicate the devices to be stopped.
Clicking “OK” will stop the device.
A third and final screen will appear
to indicate the camera can be safely
disconnected from the computer.
Close the window, turn the camera
off, and then disconnect the USB
cable.
Macintosh
Never disconnect the camera when the access lamp is red - the data
or memory card may permanently be damaged.
119
118
DATA-TRANSFER MODE
USB DIRECT-PRINT allows still images to be printed directly from a compatible Epson
printer. This function prints a single image on one sheet of paper. Index prints and TIFF
images cannot be printed with USB DIRECT-PRINT. To print index prints, see page 121.
Before each print run, check the printer settings; refer to the printer manual. A fully
charged battery should be used when the camera is connected to the printer. The use of
the AC adapter (sold separately) is recommended over the use of the battery.
Using USB DIRECT-PRINT
Connect the camera to the printer using the camera’s USB cable. The
larger plug on the cable is connected to the printer. Lift the rubber
cover and insert the smaller plug of the cable into the camera. Turn
the camera on with the mode dial; the dial can be set to any position.
The USB Direct Print screen will be displayed.
Use the left/right keys of the controller to
display the image to be printed.
Printing finished.
Changing the memory card - Data-transfer mode
Windows 98 and 98 Second Edition
1. Turn off the camera.
2. Change the memory card.
3. Turn on the camera to remake the USB connection.
Windows ME, 2000 Professional, and XP
Macintosh
1. Stop the USB connection using the unplug-or-eject-hardware routine (p. 116).
2. Turn off the camera.
3. Change the memory card.
4. Turn on the camera to remake the USB connection.
1. Stop the USB connection by dragging the drive icon into the trash (p. 117).
2. Turn off the camera.
3. Change the memory card.
4. Turn on the camera to remake the USB connection.
Never remove the card when the access lamp is red - the data or
memory card may permanently be damaged.
The number of prints in the print run are displayed on the
LCD monitor. Use the left/right keys to highlight “Yes,” and
press the center of the controller to start printing.
Print file?
Number of prints: 7
Yes No
Number of prints in the print run.
Number of copies of the displayed image.
Strike through indicates unprintable file type.
Repeat the previous steps until all the
images to be printed are selected. Press
the central button of the controller to
begin the printing routine.
Press the up key to select the number of
copies to be printed. A maximum of nine
copies can be selected. To deselect an
image for printing, press the down key
until the number of copies reaches zero.
Once printing begins, the operation can be canceled by
pressing the center of the controller. The printing finished
message will indicate the end of the operation; turn the
camera off to end the routine.
The display button switches between
the single frame and index playback
formats.
:move :sel. :print
OK
121
120
DATA-TRANSFER MODE
If a minor problem occurs during printing, such as the paper runs out, follow the
procedure recommended for the printer; no action is required for the camera. If a major
printer error occurs, press the center of the controller to end the routine. Refer to the
printer manual for the correct procedure for the printer problem. Check the printer
settings before starting again and use the USB Direct Print screen to deselect the images
that were printed.
The USB DIRECT PRINT menu DPOF-print option allows JPEG (fine, standard, and
economy) images and an index print selected with the DPOF printing options in the
playback menu to be printed from an Epson USB DIRECT-PRINT compatible printer. See
page 92 on how to create a DPOF file.
Before each print run, check the printer settings; refer to the printer manual. A fully
charged battery should be used when the camera is connected to the printer. The use of
the AC adapter (sold separately) is recommended over the use of the battery.
Printing DPOF files
1
Connect the camera to the printer using the camera’s USB cable.
The larger plug on the cable is connected to the printer. Lift the
rubber cover and insert the smaller plug of the cable into the
camera (1).
Turn the camera on with the mode dial; the dial can be set to any
position. Open the USB DIRECT-PRINT menu. Highlight “Start”
in the DPOF-print option in the DPOF section of the menu. Press
the central button of the controller to begin the routine.
The number of prints in the print run are displayed on the
LCD monitor; index prints are counted as one. Use the
left/right keys to highlight “Yes,” and press the center of the
controller to start printing.
Printing finished.
All frames
Reset
Batch print
Basic
Navigating the USB DIRECT-PRINT menu
When the camera is connected to a compatible printer, the menu button turns the menu
on and off. The left/right and up/down keys of the controller are used to move the cursor
in the menu. Pressing the central button of the controller will enter a setting.
StartDPOF print
DPOF
Batch print selects all JPEG images (fine, standard, and economy) on the memory card
for printing. When the all-frames option is selected, a screen opens so the number of
copies of each image can be specified. Up to nine copies can be printed. The reset option
cancels all changes made to the print selection screen.
After the batch-print option is chosen, the USB DIRECT-PRINT selection screen will
show which images and the number of copies selected. The controller can be used to
edit the print order, see page 119.
DPOF print allows the JPEG images (fine, standard, and economy) and an index print
selected with the DPOF printing options in the playback menu to be printed from an
Epson USB DIRECT-PRINT compatible printer. Simply select the start option from the
menu to begin the routine, see the following page.
Once printing begins, the operation can be canceled by
pressing the center of the controller. The printing finished
message will indicate the end of the operation; turn the
camera off to end the routine.
OK
Notes on printing errors
Print file?
Number of prints: 7
Yes No
122
123A
PPENDIX
Problem Symptom Cause Solution
The camera
will not work.
Nothing dis-
played on the
data panel or
the monitors.
The battery is dead.
AA Ni-MH batteries are
inserted incorrectly.
The AC adapter is not
connected properly.
Replace battery (p. 14).
Reinsert the batteries taking
care that the negative and pos-
itive terminals are orientated as
indicated on the inside of the
battery chamber door (p. 14).
Check that the adapter is con-
nected to the camera and a
live electrical outlet (p. 17).
The section covers minor problems with basic camera operation. For major problems or
damage, or if a problem continues to reoccur frequently, contact a Minolta service facility
listed on the back cover of this manual.
Shutter will
not release.
“000” is dis-
played on the
frame counter.
Memory card is full and
unable to store an image
at the image-quality or
image-size setting on the
camera.
Insert a new memory card (p.
18), delete some images (p.
35), or change the image-quali-
ty or image-size setting (p. 44).
No-card warn-
ing appears on
the monitors.
No memory card in the
camera.
Insert a memory card (p. 18).
APPENDIX
Troubleshooting
Pictures are
not sharp.
Subject is too close.
Make sure the subject is within
the autofocus range (p. 24) or
use the macro mode (p. 29).
The camera is in macro
mode.
Cancel the macro mode setting
(p. 29).
A special situation is pre-
venting the autofocus
system from focusing (p.
27).
Use the focus-lock function to
focus on an object at the same
distance as the subject (p. 53)
or use manual focus (p. 67).
Pictures are
taken indoors
or in low-light
situations with-
out flash.
Slow shutter speeds
result in blurred images
when the camera is
hand-held.
Use a tripod, change the cam-
era sensitivity to a higher set-
ting (p. 64), or use the flash (p.
32).
Continuous
advance and
bracketing
drive mode
does not
work.
The image quality is set to TIFF.
Change the image-quality set-
ting (p. 44).
The subject is beyond the flash
range (p. 64).
Move closer to the subject or
change the camera sensitivity
to a higher setting (p. 64).
Problem Symptom Cause Solution
Focus signal is
red.
While using
flash, the pic-
tures are too
dark.
124
125A
PPENDIX
The camera temperature rises with extended periods of use. Care should be taken to
avoid burns when handling the camera, batteries, or memory card.
If the camera does not function normally or the system error message appears, turn it off,
remove and reinsert the batteries, or unplug and reconnect the AC adapter. If the camera
has become hot with extended use, wait for it to cool before removing or disconnecting
the power supply. Always turn the camera off using the mode dial otherwise the memory
card may be damaged and camera settings reset.
Shutter speed and
aperture combination is
extremely under or over-
exposing the live image.
Change the shutter speed or
aperture value until an image
appears on the monitor (p. 60).
Shooting data
is displayed,
but live image
is entirely
black or
white.
Camera set to
manual-
exposure
mode (M).
Problem Symptom Cause Solution
When using Ni-MH batteries, clean both battery terminals with dry cloth to wipe off any
dirt or residue. Because of the sophisticated computer system, the camera critically
monitors power levels. If the battery terminals are dirty, the camera may give a false low-
battery warning. If battery performance is unusually low, wipe the battery terminals with
a clean, dry cloth.
Ni-MH battery performance will decrease if the batteries are often recharged before they
have been fully discharged. Completely exhaust the Ni-MH batteries using the camera
before charging.
About Ni-MH batteries
1.Insert a memory card in the camera and connect it to the computer with the USB cable.
Other devices must not be connected to the computer during this procedure.
2.Right click on the My-computer icon. Select “properties” from the drop-down menu.
Windows XP: from the start menu go to the control panel. Click on the performance and
maintenance category. Click “System” to open the system properties window.
3.Windows 2000 and XP: select the hardware tab in the properties window and click the
device-manager button.
Windows 98 and Me: click the device-manager tab in the properties window.
4.The driver file will be located in the universal-serial-bus-controller or other-devices
location of the device manager. Click on the locations to display the files. The driver
should be indicated with the camera name. Under certain conditions, the driver name
may not contain the camera name. However, the driver will be indicated by either a
question mark or exclamation point.
5.Click on the driver to select it.
6.Windows 2000 and XP: click on the action button to display the drop-down menu.
Select “uninstall.” A confirmation screen will appear. Clicking “Yes” will remove the dri-
ver from the system.
Windows 98 and Me: click the remove button. A confirmation screen will appear.
Clicking “Yes” will remove the driver from the system.
7.Disconnect the USB cable and turn off the camera. Restart the computer.
Uninstalling the driver software - Windows
126
127A
PPENDIX
Operating temperatures and conditions
• This camera has been designed for use in temperatures from 0°C to 40°C (32°F to
104°F).
• Never leave the camera exposed to extreme high temperatures, such as in a car
parked in the sun, or to extreme humidity.
• When taking the camera from a cold to a warm environment, place it in a sealed plastic
bag to prevent condensation from forming. Allow the camera to come to room
temperature before removing it from the bag.
Memory cards
SD Memory Cards and MultiMediaCards are manufactured with precision electronic
components. The following may cause data loss or damage:
• Improper use of the card.
• Bending, dropping, or subjecting the card to impact.
• Heat, moisture, and direct sunlight.
• Static electrical discharge or electromagnetic fields near the card.
• Removing the card or interrupting the power supply while the camera or a computer is
accessing the card (reading, writing, formatting, etc.).
• Touching the electrical contacts of the card with your fingers or metal objects.
• Using the card beyond its life. Purchasing a new card periodically may be necessary.
Minolta has no responsibility for any loss or damage to data. It is recommended that a
copy of the card data be made.
Read this section in its entirety to get the best results from your camera. With proper
care, your camera will provide years of service.
Camera care
• Do not subject the camera to shock or impact.
• Turn off the camera when transporting.
• This camera is neither waterproof nor splashproof. Inserting or removing batteries or
the memory card, or operating the camera with wet hands may damage the camera.
• When at the beach or near water, take care not to expose the camera to water or sand.
Water, sand, dust, or salt can damage the camera.
• Do not leave the camera under direct sunlight. Do not point the lens directly at the sun;
the CCD may be damaged.
Cleaning
• If the camera or the outside of the lens is dirty, gently wipe it with a soft, clean, dry cloth.
If the camera or lens comes in contact with sand, gently blow away loose particles.
Wiping may scratch the surface.
• To clean the lens surface, first blow away any dust or sand, then gently wipe the lens
with a cloth or tissue designed for optics. Use lens-cleaning fluid if necessary.
• Never use organic solvents to clean the camera.
• Never touch the lens surface with your fingers.
Storage
• Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from dust and chemicals. For long
periods of disuse, store the camera in an airtight container with a silica-gel drying
agent.
• Remove the batteries and memory card from the camera when not in use for extended
periods.
• Do not store the camera in an area with naphthalene or mothballs.
• During long periods of storage, operate the camera occasionally. When taking the
camera out of storage, check that the camera is functioning properly before using.
Care and storage
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Before important events and journeys
• Check the camera’s operation; take test pictures and purchase spare batteries.
• Minolta has no responsibility for any damage or loss incurred by equipment
malfunction.
Questions and service
• If you have questions about your camera, contact your local camera dealer or write to
the Minolta distributor in your area.
• Before shipping your camera for repair, please contact a Minolta Service Facility.
This mark on your camera certifies that this camera meets the requirements
of the EU (European Union) concerning interference causing equipment
regulations. CE stands for Conformité Européenne (European Conformity).
Tested To Comply
With FCC Standards
FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
Do not remove the ferrite cores from the cables.
Tested by the Minolta Corporation
101 Williams Drive, Ramsey, New Jersey 07446, U.S.A.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
The following marks may be found on the product:
Batteries
• Battery performance decreases with temperature. In cold environments, we
recommend keeping spare batteries in a warm place, such as the inside of a coat.
Batteries can recover their power when they warm up.
• If batteries have been exhausted when used in the camera, do not reload them even if
their charge seems to recover over time. These batteries will interfere with normal
camera operation.
• A special built-in long-life battery supplies power to the clock and memory when the
camera is off. If the camera resets each time it is turned off, the battery is exhausted.
The battery must be replaced at a Minolta service facility.
LCD monitor care
• Although the LCD monitor is manufactured using high precision technology, there may
occasionally be a lack of color or bright points on the monitor.
• Do not apply pressure to the surface of the LCD monitor; it may be permanently
damaged.
• In cold temperatures, the LCD monitor may become temporarily dark. When the
camera warms up, the display will function normally.
• The LCD monitor may be slow to react in low temperatures or may turn dark in a hot
environment. When the camera reaches normal operating temperature, the display will
function normally.
• If fingerprints are on the LCD monitor surface, gently wipe with a soft, clean, dry cloth.
Copyright
• TV program, films, video tapes, photographs, and other materials may be copyrighted.
Unauthorized recording or duplication of such material may be contrary to copyright
laws. Taking pictures or images of performances, exhibitions, etc., is prohibited without
approval and can infringe on copyright. Images protected by copyright can only be used
under the provisions within the copyright laws.
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Batteries: One CR-3V lithium battery or two AA Ni-MH batteries.
Battery performance (recording): Approximately 230 frames with a CR-V3 battery, or
140 frames with 1850 mAh Ni-MH batteries: based on
Minolta’s standard test method: LCD monitor on, full-
size images (2272 X 1704), standard image quality,
no instant playback, no voice memo, no full-time AF,
no subject tracking AF, flash used with 50% of the
frames.
Approximately 600 frames with a CR-V3 battery, or
400 frames with 1850 mAh Ni-MH batteries: based on
Minolta’s standard test method: LCD monitor off, full-
size images (2272 X 1704), standard image quality,
no instant playback, no voice memo, no full-time AF,
no subject tracking AF, flash used with 50% of the
frames.
Battery performance (playback): Approx. continuous playback time: 270 min. with a
CR-V3 battery, or 150 min. with 1850 mAh Ni-MH bat-
teries. Based on Minolta’s standard test method.
External power source: AC Adapter AC-6 (sold separately)
Dimensions: 111.0 (W) X 52.5 (H) X 32.0 (D) mm
4.37 (W) X 2.07 (H) X 1.26 (D) in
Weight: Approximately 185g / 6.5 oz.
(without batteries or memory card)
Operating temperature: 0° - 40°C / 32° - 104°F
Operating humidity: 5 - 85% (noncondensing)
Specifications are based on the latest information available at the time of printing and are
subject to change without notice.
CCD: 1/1.8-type interline primary-color CCD
Number of effective pixels: 4.0 million
Total number of pixels: 4.1 million
Camera sensitivity (ISO): Auto and 100, 200, 400, 800 ISO equivalents.
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Lens construction: 8 elements in 7 groups
Maximum aperture: f/2.8 (wide-angle position), f/4.7 (telephoto position)
Focal length: 7.8 - 23.4 mm (35mm equivalent: 38 - 114 mm)
Focusing range (from the CCD): 0.5 m - ∞ / 1.6 ft - ∞
0.2 - 0.6 m / 0.7 - 2.0 ft in macro mode
Autofocusing system: Video AF
Shutter: CCD electronic shutter and mechanical shutter
Shutter speeds: 1/1000 - 4s, bulb (15s maximum)
Built-in flash recycling time: 6s (approx.)
Viewfinder: Optical real-image zoom viewfinder
Monitor LCD: 38 mm (1.5 in) low-temperature polysilicon TFT color
Monitor field of view: 100% (approx.)
A/D conversion: 12 bits
Recording media: SD Memory cards and MultiMediaCards
File formats: JPEG, TIFF, Motion JPEG (mov), WAV.
DCF 1.0 and DPOF compliant.
Printing output control: Exif print, PRINT Image Matching II, Epson USB
DIRECT-PRINT
Menu languages: Japanese, English, German, French, and Spanish
AV output: NTSC and PAL
Technical specifications
9222-2788-11 P-A302
Printed in Japan
Minolta Co., Ltd. 3-13, 2-Chome, Azuchi-Machi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-8556, Japan
Minolta Europe GmbH Minoltaring 11, D-30855 Langenhagen, Germany
Reparatur/Repair Senator-Helmken-Strasse 1, D-28197 Bremen, Germany
Minolta France S.A.S. 365 Route de Saint-Germain, F-78420 Carrieres-Sur-Seine, France
Minolta (UK) Limited 7 Tanners Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5BU, England
Minolta Austria Ges. m.b.H. Amalienstrasse 59-61, A-1131 Wien, Austria
Minolta Camera Benelux B.V. Zonnebaan 39, P.O. Box 6000, NL-3600 HA Maarssen, The Netherlands
Belgian Branch Prins Boudewijnlaan 1, B-2550 Kontich, Belgium
Minolta (Schweiz) AG Riedstrasse 6, CH-8953 Dietikon, Switzerland
Minolta Svenska AB Albygatan 114, S-171 54 Solna, Sweden
Finnish Branch Niittykatu 6 PL 37, SF-02201 Espoo, Finland
Minolta Portugal Limitada Av. do Brasil 33-A, P-1700 Lisboa, Portugal
Minolta Corporation 101 Williams Drive, Ramsey, New Jersey 07446, U.S.A.
Minolta Canada Inc. 369 Britannia Road East, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 2H5, Canada
Minolta Hong Kong Limited Room 208, 2/F, Eastern Center, 1065 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
Minolta Singapore (Pte) Ltd. 10, Teban Gardens Crescent, Singapore 608923
Shanghai Minolta Optical
Products Co., Ltd. 368 Minolta Road, Songjiang, Shanghai, China
© 2003 Minolta Co., Ltd. under the Berne Convention
and the Universal Copyright Convention.
