Minolta DiMAGE F300 Review

The DiMAGE F300 has two modes of still image recording, AUTO and MULTI. The AUTO mode is the "point-n-shoot" mode, the exposure is handled by a Programmed AE system. The Automatic Digital Subject Program icons are across the top. The camera will automatically select the right exposure for the scene in these modes: Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Sunset or Night portrait mode.

Record AUTO options:

Drive Mode - Single, Selftimer/Remote Control, Continuous, Ultra High Speed Continuous, Bracketing

Image Size - 2560x1920, 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 640x480

Quality - Super Fine (TIFF uncompressed) or
Fine, Standard, Economy (JPEG compressed)

Digital Zoom - On or Off

Date Imprint - On or Off

The MULTI mode gives you access to the different exposure modes (Program AE, Shutter priority, Aperture priority or Manual) and all sorts of user-selectable options as shown in the following frame.

Record MULTI options:

BASIC page:
Exposure mode - Program, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual

Drive Mode - Single, Selftimer/Remote Control, Continuous, Ultra High Speed Continuous, Bracketing

Image Size - 2560x1920, 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 640x480

Quality - Super Fine (TIFF uncompressed) or
Fine, Standard, Economy (JPEG compressed)

White balance - Auto, Preset, Custom Set, Custom Recall

Custom1 page

Focus mode - AF-Single, Tracking, Manual Focus

Full-time AF - On or Off

Flash compensation - Flash output power +/- 2.0

Metering mode - Multi-segment, Center-weighted or Spot

Sensitivity - ISO 64, 300, 200, 400 or Auto

Custom2 page

DigitalFX ctrl. - Color mode (Natural, Vivid, B&W), Sharpness (Hard, Normal soft), Contrast (High, Normal, Low), Saturation (High, Normal, Low)

Voice Memo - On or Off

Date imprint - Data stamp on the image, On or Off

Digital Zoom - On or Off

Inst.Playback - Display image after capture, 2 or 10 secs or Off

This is the Shutter priority AE mode, here you select any shutter speed from 15 seconds to 1/1000 sec and the camera picks the proper aperture value.

This is the Aperture priority AE mode, here you select an aperture value and the camera selects the proper shutter speed.

This is the Manual record mode, here you manually select both the shutter speed and aperture desired.

The user can manually chose one of the five AF areas by using the 4-way selector. By default the camera will automatically select one of the AF areas when the shutter release is half-pressed. If the Tracking option is selected the camera will continuously auto-select the AF area depending on subject movement up to the time that the shutter is fully depressed.

The Manual Focus mode displays a distance gauge and enlarges the view while you are actively adjusting the focus with the Up and Down buttons.

Movie mode lets you can record up to 3 minutes (per clip) of motion JPEG at 320 x 240 resolution at 15fps. Monaural audio is also recorded. Smaller resolution 160x120 movies can also be recorded with a maximum length of twenty minutes. In dim lighting situations, the DiMAGE F300 automatically boosts its sensitivity so you can take color movies in the dark.

In the audio recording mode the DiMAGE F300 can be used like a digital voice recorder to capture up to 3 hours (requires 128MB SD card) of monaural audio.