E INSTRUCTION MANUAL 9222-2786-11 P/ME-A302
BEFORE YOU BEGIN Thank you for purchasing this Minolta product. Please take the time to read through this instruction manual so you can enjoy all the features of your new digital camera. Check the packing list before using this product. If any items are missing, immediately contact your camera dealer.
FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE NP-200 Lithium-ion batteries The DiMAGE Xt operates on a small, but powerful lithium-ion battery. Misuse or abuse of the lithiumion battery can cause damage or injury through fire, electric shock, or chemical leakage. Read and understand all warnings before using the battery. DANGER • Do not short, disassemble, damage, or modify the battery. • Do not expose the battery to fire or high temperatures over 60°C (140°F). • Do not expose the battery to water, or moisture.
GENERAL WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS Read and understand the following warnings and cautions for safe use of the digital camera and its accessories. WARNING • Only use the battery specified in this manual. • Only use the specified charger or AC adapter within the voltage range indicated on the unit. An inappropriate adapter or current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock. • Only use the charger power cord in the sales region for which it was designed.
• Do not use these products in a humid environment, or operate them with wet hands. If liquid enters these products, immediately remove the battery or unplug the product, 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 these products 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 these products.
CAUTION • Do not use or store these products in a hot or humid environment such as the glove compartment or trunk of a car. It may damage the camera, charger, and battery which may result in burns or injuries caused by heat, fire, explosion, or leaking battery fluid. • If the battery is leaking, discontinue use of the product. • The camera, charger, and battery temperature rises with extended periods of use. Care should be taken to avoid burns.
The following marks may be found on the product: 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). 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. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
TABLE OF CONTENTS The getting up and running section covers how to prepare the camera for use. It contains important information about power supplies and memory cards. The basic operation of this camera is covered in the recording - basic operation section between pages 22 and 31, and the playback - basic operation section between pages 32 and 35. Read the data-transfer mode section in its entirety before connecting the camera to a computer. Many of the features of this camera are controlled with menus.
Special focusing situations ......................................................................................................27 Flash modes ............................................................................................................................28 Flash range - Automatic operation ..........................................................................................29 Flash signals....................................................................................................
Playback - advanced operation ............................................................................................................60 Playing back voice memos and audio captions.......................................................................60 Playing back movies and audio recordings .............................................................................61 Navigating the playback-mode menu ......................................................................................
Disconnecting the camera from the computer ........................................................................92 Windows 98 and 98SE ....................................................................................................92 Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP........................................................................92 Macintosh.........................................................................................................................
NAMES 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. 107). Shutter-release button Main switch Self-timer lamp (p. 42) Viewfinder window* Flash (p. 28) Lens* AV-out-terminal/ USB-port Microphone Charger contacts* DC terminal (p. 17) Battery/Card chamber door (p.
Recording Playback Movie/Audio recording Setup mode mode mode mode (p. 22) (p. 32) (p. 56) (p. 74) Mode dial Controller Indicator lamp (p. 105) Viewfinder* Strap eyelet (p. 17) LCD monitor* Speaker Flash-mode button (p. 28) Display button (p. 30, 34) Quick View / Delete button (p.
GETTING UP AND RUNNING INSERTING THE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY This digital camera uses one NP-200 lithium-ion battery. Before using the battery, read the safety warnings on pages 3 and 4 of this manual. When replacing the battery, the camera should be turned off. Slide the battery-chamber door toward the front of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door. 1 Move the battery latch towards the back of the camera to insert the battery (2).
CHARGING THE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY Before the camera can be used, the lithium-ion battery must be charged. Before charging the battery, read the safety warnings on pages 3 and 4 of this manual. Only recharge the battery with the supplied battery charger. The battery should be recharged before each shooting session. See page 108 for battery care and storage. 1 Plug the power cord into the back of the charger unit (1). Plug the other end of the cord into a live household outlet.
BATTERY-CONDITION INDICATOR This camera is equipped with an automatic battery-condition indicator displayed on the LCD monitor. The icon will change from white to red when battery power is low. Full-battery icon - the battery is fully charged. This icon is displayed when the camera is on. Half-full-battery icon - the battery is partially charged. This icon is displayed when the camera is turned on. The LCD monitor will turn off when the flash is charging. Low-battery warning - battery power is very low.
AC ADAPTER (SOLD SEPARATELY) Always turn off the camera before changing between power supplies. The AC adapter AC-4 or AC-5 allows the camera to be powered from a household outlet. The AC adapter is recommended when the camera is interfaced with a computer or during periods of heavy use. AC adapter model AC-4 is for use in North America, Japan, and Taiwan, and AC-5 is for use in all other areas. The battery cannot be charged using the AC adapter.
INSTALLING AND REMOVING A MEMORY CARD Always turn off the camera and confirm the indicator lamp is not orange and blinking before changing the memory card, otherwise the card may be damaged, and data lost. An SD (Secure Digital) Memory card or MultiMediaCard must be inserted for the camera to operate. If a card has not been inserted, a no-card warning will appear on the LCD monitor; the shutter can still be released and a single image can be captured (p. 55).
ABOUT MEMORY CARDS 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. The SD Memory Card has 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.
SETTING THE DATE AND TIME After initially inserting a memory card and charging the battery, the camera’s clock and calendar must be set on the setup menu. 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. 1 Turn the camera on by pressing the main switch near the shutter-release button (1).
Basic Custom1 Reset default – Date/Time set – Date format Custom2 YYYY/MM/DD Video output NTSC Transfer mode Data storage Use the right key to highlight the custom 2 tab at the top of the menu. Use the down key to highlight the date/timeset menu option. Press the right key. “Enter” will appear on the right side of the menu. Press the central button to display the date/time setting screen. Setup menu: custom 2 section Use the left and right keys to select the item to be changed.
RECORDING MODE - BASIC OPERATION This section covers basic recording operation. To prepare the camera for use, read pages 14 through 21. HANDLING THE CAMERA While using the viewfinder or LCD monitor, grip the camera firmly with your right hand while supporting the camera body with your left. Keep your elbows at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart to hold the camera steadily.
USING THE ZOOM LENS This camera is equipped with a unique 5.7 - 17.1mm zoom lens. This is equivalent to a 37 to 111mm lens on a 35mm camera. The lens is operated by the controller at the back of the camera. The effect of the optical zoom is visible in both the viewfinder and LCD monitor. To zoom in on the subject, push the up key (T) of the controller. To zoom out, push the down key (W) of the controller. The digital-zoom function can increase the power of the lens.
LCD MONITOR DISPLAY - BASIC Recording mode Flash modes (p. 28) Image size (p. 44) Image quality (p. 44) Battery-condition indicator (p. 16) Wide focus frame Camera-shake warning Drive mode (p. 40) Frame counter (p. 45) Focus signal (p. 27) LCD monitor CAMERA-SHAKE WARNING If the shutter speed falls below the point where the camera can be hand held safely, the camera-shake warning indicator will appear on the monitor and the viewfinder indicator lamp will turn green and blink slowly.
BASIC RECORDING OPERATION Turn the camera on and turn the mode dial to the recording position. Place the subject within the focus frame on the LCD monitor or center the subject in the viewfinder. • The focus-lock function (p. 26) can be used with off-center subjects. • If the subject is closer than 1m (3ft.) at the zoom lens’ wide-angle position or 3m (10ft) at the telephoto position, only use the LCD monitor to frame the subject.
FOCUS LOCK The focus-lock function is used when you want to compose the image with the subject off-center and outside the focus frame. Focus lock may also be used when a special focusing situation prevents the camera from focusing on the subject. This function is controlled with the shutter-release button. Place the subject within the monitor focus frame or center the subject in the viewfinder. Press and hold the shutter-release button partway down to lock the focus.
FOCUS SIGNALS This digital camera has a quick, accurate autofocusing system. The focus signal in the lower right corner of the LCD monitor and the indicator lamp next to the viewfinder indicate the focus status. The shutter can be released regardless if the camera can focus on the subject or not. Focus confirmed - the LCD monitor focus signal is white, the viewfinder indicator lamp is green and steady. Focus is locked.
FLASH MODES The flash can be used when taking still images. To select the flash mode, press the flash mode button (1) on the back of the camera until the desired mode is displayed. Press the shutter-release button to set the mode. The active flash mode is displayed in the top left corner of the LCD monitor. When the camera is turned off and auto reset (p. 49) is active, the flash mode is reset to autoflash with red-eye reduction if this mode was last set, if not the mode will be reset to autoflash.
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 (p. 24). Night portrait - for flash portraits at night. The camera automatically balances the flash and background exposures.
DISPLAY BUTTON - RECORDING MODE 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. If the display button is pressed and held, the LCD-brightness adjustment screen will be displayed, see page 76. Full display Live image only Monitor off Display button Battery power can be conserved by turning the monitor off and using the viewfinder to take pictures.
Minolta history 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.
PLAYBACK - BASIC OPERATION Images can be viewed in the Quick View or playback modes. This section covers the basic operation in both modes. The playback mode has additional functions, see page 60. To view images from the playback mode, turn the mode dial to the playback position. To view images from the recording or movie/audio recording mode, press the Quick View / Delete button. SINGLE-FRAME PLAYBACK DISPLAY Mode indicator Magnification display (p. 35) Image-size display (p.
VIEWING IMAGES In Quick View or the playback mode, use the left/right keys of the controller to scroll through the images on the memory card. To return to the recording mode from Quick View, press the menu button or press the shutterrelease button partway down. Controller Menu button Quick View / Delete button DELETING SINGLE IMAGES To delete a displayed file, press the flash-mode/delete button. A confirmation screen will appear. Use the left/right keys to highlight “YES.” “NO” will cancel the operation.
DISPLAY BUTTON - 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 Full display Index playback Display button In index playback, the left/right and up/down keys of the controller move the yellow border around the index thumbnails.
ENLARGED PLAYBACK In single-frame playback in both the Quick View and playback modes, a still image can be enlarged by up to 6X in 0.2X increments. With the image to be magnified displayed, press the up key of the controller to activate the enlarged playback mode. The degree of magnification is displayed on the LCD monitor. Pressing the up key increases the image magnification. Pressing the down key decreases the image magnification.
RECORDING - ADVANCED OPERATION LCD MONITOR DISPLAY - ADVANCED Microphone indicator Color mode (p. 49) Digital zoom (p. 52) Image size (p. 44) Image quality (p. 44) Spot-metering area (p. 48) Drive mode (p. 40) Frame counter (p. 45) Date-imprinting indicator (p. 51) Focus signal (p. 27) Metering-mode indicator (p. 48) Camera-sensitivity display (p. 47) White balance (p. 43) Exposure compensation Flash modes (p.
Use the left/right controller keys to adjust the exposure-compensation value. The LCD monitor will display the exposure-compensation icon and value. The change in exposure is visible in the monitor image. Exposure compensation is set automatically after five seconds or when another camera button is pressed. Shooting tips Sometimes the camera’s exposure meter is deceived by certain conditions. Exposure compensation can be used in these situations.
NAVIGATING THE RECORDING-MODE MENU Navigating the menu is simple. The menu button turns the menu on and off. The left/right and up/down keys of the controller control the cursor and change settings on the menu. Pressing the center button of the controller selects menu options and sets adjustments. To activate the recording-mode menu, press the menu button. The basic tab at the top of the menu will be highlighted.
Basic Drive mode Image size Quality White balance Key func. Custom 1 Single Continuous Self-timer 2048 X 1536 1600 X 1200 1280 X 960 640 X 480 TIFF Fine Standard Economy Auto Daylight Cloudy Tungsten Fluorescent Exp. comp. White balance Drive mode Sensitivity Color mode Refer to the following sections for details on the menu options and their settings. Sensitivity Metering mode Exp. comp. Noise reduction Auto reset ISO 400 ISO 200 ISO 100 ISO 50 Auto Multi-segment Spot –2.0 ~ +2.
DRIVE MODES The drive modes control the rate and method images are captured. Indicators indicating the selected drive mode appear on the monitor. The drive mode is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). If auto reset (p. 49) is active, the drive mode is reset to single-frame advance when the camera is turned off. Single-frame advance - to take a single image each time the shutter-release button is pressed. This is the camera’s default setting.
Continuous advance The continuous-advance drive mode allows a series of images to be captured while holding down the shutter-release button. 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. With the image-size setting of 2048 X 1536, the maximum rate of capture is 1.3 fps. If the image quality is set to TIFF (p. 44) only one frame can be captured at a time.
Self-timer 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. The self-timer drive mode is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). With the camera on a tripod, compose the picture as described in the basic recording operation section (p. 25). Focus lock (p. 26) can be used with offcenter subjects. Press the shutter-release button partway down to lock the exposure and focus (1).
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. One automatic and four preset white-balance setting are available with still image and movie recording. White balance is set in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38) or the movie/audio recording menu (p. 58). When auto reset (p.
IMAGE SIZE AND IMAGE QUALITY 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. TIFF FINE STD. ECON. LCD monitor Number of pixels (hor. X vert.) 2272 1600 1280 640 2048 X1536 1600 X 1200 1280 X 960 640 X 480 A high-quality TIFF image. Fine - high-quality JPEG image.
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. Approximate file sizes.
CUSTOMIZING KEY FUNCTIONS Initially in the recording mode, exposure compensation is adjusted with the left/right keys of the controller, see page 36. The function adjusted with these keys can be changed in the basic section of the recording-mode menu. This function does not affect the movie recording mode. Select the key func. option in the basic section of the recording mode menu. Use the up/down keys to select the function (1). Press the central controller button to set the function (2).
CAMERA SENSITIVITY - ISO Four camera sensitivity settings can be selected with a still image: Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400; 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. Sensitivity can be changed in the custom 1 section of the recording-mode menu The auto setting automatically adjusts the camera sensitivity to the light conditions between ISO 50 and ISO 160.
METERING MODES The icons indicating the metering modes are displayed on the monitor. The metering mode is set in the custom 1 section of the recording mode menu (p. 38). 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. Spot metering: uses a small area within the image to calculate the exposure.
AUTO RESET When auto reset is active, the following functions return to their program setting when the camera is turned off. Auto reset is initially off. This function can be turned on in the custom 1 section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). Flash mode Drive mode White balance Camera sensitivity Exposure compensation Metering mode Color mode AF area LCD monitor display (p. 28) (p. 40) (p. 43) (p. 47) (p. 36) (p. 48) (p. 49) (p. 25) (p. 30) – – – – – – – – – Auto Single-frame advance Auto Auto 0.
VOICE MEMO Voice memo allows an audio track up to fifteen second to be recorded with a still image. The function is activated in the custom 2 section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). When the function is active, the microphone indicator is displayed on the LCD monitor. The voice memo must be set before taking a picture. It will remain in effect until reset. When the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 30), it will automatically activate for the voice-memo period.
DATE IMPRINTING The date and time 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 indicator Date imprinting is activated with the custom 2 section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). Date imprinting has two menu options.
DIGITAL ZOOM The digital zoom is activated in the custom 2 section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38). The digital zoom increases the magnification of the greatest telephoto setting of the optical zoom by up to 4X in 0.1X increments. Although the images recorded with the digital zoom are interpolated to the set image size, the quality of the images may not be equal to images taken without the digital zoom; the greater the power of the digital zoom the lower the image quality.
INSTANT PLAYBACK After a still image is captured, it can be displayed on the monitor for two seconds before being saved. Instant playback shows the last frame in the series when used with the continuous-advance drive mode (p. 41). When the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 30), it will automatically activate for the instant playback period. Instant playback can be activated in the custom 2 section of the recording-mode menu (p. 38).
SPOT AF The spot AF is used for selective focusing. Both focus and exposure are determined with the spot focus area. When auto reset (p. 49) is active, the spot AF area will reset to the wide focus frame when the camera is turned off. The spot focus area can be used with movie recording. When used with the digital zoom (p. 52), spot focus area is enlarged. Press and hold the center button of the controller (1) to display the spot focus area; the center button switches between the spot and wide AF areas.
RECORDING WITHOUT A MEMORY CARD If no memory card is installed in the camera, a single still image can be recorded and saved in the camera’s buffer memory. Only the last image captured is stored; each time an image is captured, it replaces the image data saved in the buffer. If the mode dial is turned to another position or the camera is turned off, the image data is deleted from the buffer memory. Quick View can be used to preview the image. TIFF images cannot be recorded. Voice memo cannot be used.
MOVIE AND AUDIO RECORDING MOVIE RECORDING This camera can record digital video with sound. Total recording time varies with the image size and the memory card capacity, see the navigating the movie menu section on page 58. In movie recording, some functions can be used, some are fixed, and some are disabled, see the notes section on page 59. Set the mode dial to the movie/audio recording position.
AUDIO RECORDING 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. Turn the mode dial to the movie/audio recording position (1). On the movie/audio menu, change the recording mode to audio. See page 58 for details on menu operation. The audio recording mode uses a blue screen.
NAVIGATING THE MOVIE/AUDIO RECORDING MENU Navigating the menu is simple. The menu button turns the menu on and off. The left/right and up/down keys of the controller control the cursor and change settings on the menu. Pressing the center button of the controller selects menu options and sets adjustments. To activate the recording-mode menu, press the menu button. Use the up/down key to scroll through the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed.
The recording mode option switches between recording movie clips or audio. Basic Recording mode Image size White balance Color mode Movie Audio 320 X 240 160 X 120 Auto Daylight Cloudy Tungsten Fluorescent Color B&W Sepia 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.
PLAYBACK - ADVANCED OPERATION The basic functions in this mode are described in the basic playback section on pages 32 through 35. This section covers how to playback movie clips and audio tracks as well as the advanced function on the playback menu. PLAYING BACK VOICE MEMOS AND AUDIO CAPTIONS Voice memos (p. 50) and audio captions (p. 66) can be played back in Quick View and the playback mode.
PLAYING BACK MOVIES AND AUDIO RECORDINGS 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. : play Audio file : play Movie file Pause RWD FWD Vol Press the controller to pause the movie or audio playback; press the controller again to resume the playback.
NAVIGATING THE PLAYBACK-MODE MENU Navigating the menu is simple. The menu button turns the menu on and off. The left/right and up/down keys of the controller control the cursor and change settings on the menu. Pressing the center button of the controller selects menu options and sets adjustments. To activate the playback-mode menu, press the menu button. The basic tab at the top of the menu will be highlighted.
Basic Delete Audio caption Lock Yes This frame All frames Marked frames Enter This frame All frames Marked frames Unlock all Choosing “Yes” will execute the operation, “No” will cancel it. Recording audio Yes Custom 1 Slide show Playback Duration Repeat Enter All frames Marked frames 1 - 60 sec. Yes / No Custom 2 DPOF set Index print E-mail Copy Image size No No For information on frame-selection screens, see page 64.
FRAME-SELECTION SCREEN When a marked-frames setting is chosen on the menu, the frame selection screen will appear. This screen allows multiple image and audio files 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. :move :sel.
DELETING IMAGE AND AUDIO FILES 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 playbackmode menu (p. 62). Before a file is deleted, a confirmation screen will appear; choosing “Yes” will execute the operation, “No” will cancel the operation.
AUDIO CAPTION A still 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. 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. 62).
LOCKING IMAGE AND AUDIO FILES Single, multiple, or all files can be locked. A locked file cannot be deleted by either the playbackmode menu functions or the QV/delete button. However, the formatting function (p. 76) 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. 62).
SLIDE SHOW 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. Press the central button of the controller to pause and restart the slide show presentation. To cancel the presentation, press the menu button. Camera Notes The presentation can be viewed without image information. Before opening the playback menu, press the display button to turn off the information display.
Menu options Slide show Settings Enter 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 presentation and return to the playback-mode menu. All frames To select all the images on the memory card to be displayed in the slide-show presentation. Marked Frames To select specific images to be displayed in the slide-show presentation.
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. 90).
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.
E-MAIL COPY 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 are saved to the original card. The copy function is selected in the custom 2 section of the playback-mode menu (p. 62). When the copy function is used, a folder is created for the files (p. 90); copy folder name ends in EM.
Camera Notes 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. 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.
SETUP MODE NAVIGATING THE SETUP MENU Navigating the menu is simple. The left/right and up/down keys of the controller control the cursor and change settings on the menu. Pressing the center button of the controller selects menu options and sets adjustments. The basic tab at the top of the menu will be highlighted. Use the left/right keys to highlight the appropriate menu tab; the menus will change as the tabs are highlighted.
Basic LCD brightness Format File # memory Folder name Language Enter Enter On / Off Standard form Date form Japanese English Deutsch Français Español Yes No Choosing “Yes” on the confirmation screens will execute the operation, “No” will cancel it. Use the left/right keys to adjust the monitor brightness. Press the central button to set the level. Custom 1 Audio signals Shutter FX Cust. FX record Volume Power off On / Off 1 2 Custom Off Focus signal Shutter FX 1 (Low) - 3 (High) 1, 3, 5, 10, 30 min.
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. 74). 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. Low High 1 2 :enter FORMATTING MEMORY CARDS When a memory card is formatted, all data on the card is erased.
FILE NUMBER (#) MEMORY 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.
LANGUAGE The language used in the menus can be changed. The language is selected in the basic section of the setup menu. 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. 74). SHUTTER FX When the shutter is released, a shutter sound effect will give a positive confirmation of the operation.
Press shutter button to record. Microphone Recording audio. Press shutter to stop. Press the shutter-release button to begin the recording of the shutter sound effect. 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.
AUTO POWER OFF To conserve battery power, the camera will shut down if an operation is not made within a certain period. To restore power, press the main switch. The length of the auto-power-off period can be changed in the custom 1 section of the setup menu (p. 74): 1, 3, 5, 10, and 30 minutes. The length of the auto-power-off period is fixed at 10 minutes when the camera is connected to a computer.
Voice memo Off p. 50 Date imprinting Off p. 51 Instant playback Off p. 53 Color mode Color p. 49 Auto reset Off p. 49 Custom key function Exposure compensation p. 46 Recording mode (Movie/audio menu) Movie p. 58 Duration (Slide Show) 5 seconds p. 68 Repeat (Slide Show) No p. 68 Image size (E-mail copy) 640 X 480 p. 72 LCD monitor brightness Normal p. 76 Auto-power-off period 3 minutes p. 80 File number memory Off p. 77 Folder name Standard p.
DATE AND TIME It is important to accurately set the clock. When a recording is made, the date and time of the recording are saved with the file and are displayed in playback mode or with the DiMAGE Viewer software included on the CD-ROM. See page 20 for how the set the date and time. DATE FORMAT The date format that is used in monitor displays and for date imprinting can be changed: YYYY/MM/DD (year, month, day), MM/DD/YYYY (month, day, year), DD/MM/YYYY (day, month, year).
DATA-TRANSFER MODE Read this section carefully before connecting the camera to a computer. Details 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.
CONNECTING THE CAMERA TO A COMPUTER A fully charged battery should be used when the camera is connected to a computer. The use of the AC adapter (sold separately) is recommended over the use of the battery. For users with Windows 98 or 98SE, read the section on page 86 on how to install the necessary USB driver before connecting the camera to a computer. 1. Start up the computer. The computer must be turned on before connecting the camera. 2. Insert the memory card into the camera.
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. Windows XP Mac OS X Windows Mac OS Mac OS X The volume name varies between memory cards.
CONNECTING TO WINDOWS 98 AND 98SE 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 operating systems.
Manual installation To install the Windows 98 driver manually, follow the instructions in the connecting-the-camera-to-acomputer section on page 84. When the camera is plugged into the computer, the operating system will detect the new device and the add-newhardware-wizard window will open. Place the DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. Click “Next.” Choose the recommended search for a suitable driver. Click “Next.” Choose to specify the location of the driver.
The add new hardware wizard will confirm the location of the driver. One of three drivers may be located: MNLVENUM.inf, USBPDR.inf, or USBSTRG.inf. The letter designating the CD-ROM drive will vary between computers. Click “Next” to install the driver in the system. 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.
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.
MEMORY CARD FOLDER ORGANIZATION 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. Drive Icon Dcim 100MLT18 PICT0001.TIF Misc The misc. folder contains DPOF print files (p. 70). 10130801 90 103MLTEM PICT0002.JPG Fine, standard, or economy image PICT0001.
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. E-mail Copy images are placed in a folder ending in “EM.
DISCONNECTING THE CAMERA FROM A COMPUTER Never disconnect the camera when the access lamp is red - the data or memory card may permanently be damaged. Windows 98 / 98 Second Edition Confirm that the access lamp is not lit. Turn the camera off, and then disconnect the USB cable. Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP 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.
The hardware devices to be stopped will be displayed. Highlight the device by clicking on it then click “Stop.” 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.
CHANGING THE MEMORY CARD - DATA-TRANSFER MODE Never remove the card when the access lamp is red - the data or memory card may permanently be damaged. 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 1. Stop the USB connection using the unplug-or-eject-hardware routine (p. 92). 2. Turn off the camera. 3. Change the memory card. 4. Turn on the camera to remake the USB connection.
Connect the camera to the printer using the camera’s USB cable. The larger plug on the cable is connected to the printer. Slide open the USB-port cover and insert the smaller plug of the cable into the camera. Turn the camera on. The USB Direct Print screen will be displayed. Number of prints in the print run. Strike through indicates unprintable file type. Number of copies of the displayed image. Use the left/right keys of the controller to display the image to be printed.
NOTES ON PRINTING ERRORS 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.
PRINTING DPOF FILES 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.
REMOTE CAMERA SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS For the camera to be connected directly to the computer and used as a remote imaging device, the computer must be equipped with a USB port as a standard interface. The computer and the operating system must be guaranteed by their manufacturers to support USB interface. See chart for system requirements. The remote-camera driver software must be installed. Specific application software, such as Microsoft Net Meeting, is required to view the images.
The InstallSheild Wizard window is displayed. Click the next button to continue. The license agreement is displayed. if you accept the agreement, click the yes button to continue. Read the entire agreement carefully before continuing. If you do not agree to the terms, click the no button to exit the installation program. An installation confirmation screen appears. To install the remote camera driver, click “Yes.’ The no button will cancel the operation without installing the driver.
CONNECTING THE REMOTE CAMERA Before the camera can be connected to a computer, the remote camera driver must be installed, see page 98. A fully charged battery should be used when the camera is connected to a computer. The use of the AC adapter (sold separately) is recommended over the use of the battery. For users with Windows 98SE, the USB driver must be installed before connecting the camera to a computer (p. 86). 1.
NOTES ON REMOTE CAMERA OPERATION When using the remote camera, exposure, white balance, and camera sensitivity are set to auto. The optical and 4X digital zoom are active. There are no menu controls. The monitor cannot be turned off. The flash is disabled. There is no audio. The camera can be focused periodically by pressing the shutterrelease button partway down.
APPENDIX TROUBLESHOOTING 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. Problem The camera will not work. Symptom APPENDIX Solution The battery is dead. Replace battery (p. 14). The auto-power-off function has turned the camera off. Press the main switch to restore power.
Problem Shutter will not release. Symptom Cause Card-locked warning Memory card is locked. appears on the monitor. Solution Unlock the memory card using the write-protect switch (p. 19). Subject is too close. Make sure the subject is within the autofocus range (p. 26). A special situation is preventing 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. 26).
Problem Symptom Part of the Viewfinder was image area is used to caphidden behind ture the image. a dark object. Cause Solution The lens was partially covered with an object or finger. When using the viewfinder, take care not to cover the lens. If the camera does not function normally, turn it off, remove and reinsert the battery, or unplug and reconnect the AC adapter. Always turn the camera off using the main switch otherwise the memory card may be damaged and camera settings reset.
VIEWFINDER INDICATOR LAMPS The indicator lamp next to the viewfinder can be used to diagnose camera operations. The lamp colors change between green, red, and orange, and the lamp can glow steadily or blink at two rates. Color Green State Indication Steady Camera ready to take an image. Blinking slowly Camera-shake warning - shutter speed is below the limit where the camera can be safely hand-held. Use flash (p. 28) or tripod. Blinking quickly The camera cannot focus. The subject is closer than 0.
REMOVING THE DRIVER SOFTWARE - WINDOWS 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.
CARE AND STORAGE 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.
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.).
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.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Number of effective pixels: CCD: Camera sensitivity (ISO): Aspect ratio: Lens construction: Maximum aperture: Focal length: Focusing range: Autofocusing system: Shutter: Shutter speeds: Built-in flash recycling time: Viewfinder: Monitor LCD: Monitor field of view: A/D conversion: Recording media: File formats: Print Image Matching: Menu languages: Video output: Battery: 110 APPENDIX 3.2 million 1/2.7-type interline complementary-color CCD with a total of 3.3 million pixels.
Battery performance (recording): Approximately 130 frames: based on Minolta’s standard test method: NP-200 lithium-ion battery, LCD monitor on, full-size images (2048 X 1536), standard image quality, no instant playback, no voice memo, flash used with 50% of the frames. Approximately 200 frames: based on Minolta’s standard test method: NP-200 lithium-ion battery, LCD monitor off, full-size images (2048 X 1536), standard image quality, no instant playback, no voice memo, flash used with 50% of the frames.
Minolta Customer Support: www.minoltasupport.com ©2003 Minolta Co., Ltd. under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention.
