Minolta DiMAGE F100 Review

Click on the DiMAGE F100 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The Minolta DiMAGE F100 is the world's first digital camera with Area autofocus (Area AF) and Subject Tracking autofocus (AF) and automatic digital subject program selection. It also features a 1/1.8-inch type CCD with 4-megapixel effective resolution and a 3x optical zoom Minolta GT LENS. Image processing is handled by Minolta's exclusive 12-bit A/D (analog to digital) conversion and CxProcess technology to optimize sharpness, color reproduction, tonal gradation and noise to create clear and natural images.

Advanced technology makes focusing on the DiMAGE F100 simple and effective. The DiMAGE F100's Subject Tracking AF and Area AF work together to locate and follow the subject through three-dimensional space within the camera's extra-wide focusing area, making the autofocus system ready to take a picture when you are. Simply activate the Area AF system with the shutter-release button and the camera evaluates the objects in the extra-wide focus frames and pinpoints the subject. If the subject moves, Subject Tracking AF will adjust the focus to ensure sharp image; the active AF sensor is displayed in the focus frames and will follow the subject movement.

The DIMAGE F100's Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically selects one of five subject programs - portrait, sports action, landscape, sunset, or night portrait - to optimize the camera's exposure and image-processing controls based on the subject and scene. This frees the photographer from having to evaluate the conditions and make camera settings for each new situation.

Its stylish, slim aluminum body features an easy-to hold, elegant grip and ergonomic control layout. A versatile camera, the DiMAGE F100 features the functions and controls essential for great image making. The DiMAGE F100 allows complete control over exposure, color, contrast, saturation, white balance, camera sensitivity and focus. It can also record movies with audio, attach voice memos or captions to still images or just monaural audio by itself.

DiMAGE F100 Major Features:

• Compact and lightweight with a durable aluminum body
• Minolta 3x optical F/2.8 38-114mm GT zoom lens
• 4-megapixel CCD, up to 2272 x 1704 pixel images
• Auto, Program AE, Aperture priority, Shutter Speed priority, Manual and Movie exposure modes
• Automatic Digital Subject Program: Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Sunset, Night portrait
• Wide focus area or Spot focus with area selection
• Subject Tracking AF and Area AF
• Exposure bracketing, 3 frames w/1.0, 0.5 or 0.3 EV increment
• Shutter speeds: 1/1000 to 4 secs, Bulb (max. 15 sec)
• Continuous advance: 1.5fps to a max. of 3 frames
• ISO 100, 200, 400, 800 or Auto
• Still images stored as JPEG with choice of 3 levels of quality or as uncompressed TIFF
• Motion video: 320 x 240 w/audio at 15fps up to 35 seconds
• Audio recording: 5 or 15 secs w/still image (voice memo or audio caption), 30 minutes maximum in monaural, WAVE format
• White balance: Auto, 4 presets or Custom
• Color modes: Vivid color, Natural color, B&W
• Sharpness, Contrast and Color Saturation control (3 levels each)
• Multi-segment or Spot metering
• 1.5-inch TFT color LCD monitor
• Minolta's CxProcess image processing provides clear and natural images
• 12-bit A/D conversion provides a finer tonal gradation
• White balance options: automatic, daylight, tungsten, cloudy and fluorescent
• built in flash with Auto, Red-eye reduction, Night portrait and Fill modes
• Audio/Video output, NTSC or PAL selectable
• USB v1.1 connectivity
• Removable flash memory cards (SD or MMC type)
• Epson PRINT Image Matching compliant
• Powered by 2-AA or one CR-3V battery

Physical Views

The DiMAGE F100 compared to a Compact Disc