Style and Performance The new 4.0 megapixel DiMAGE F100 Osaka, Japan, March 5 th, 2002: Once in a while, a new product comes along that is so advanced and unique that comparisons are unnecessary. Introducing the Minolta DiMAGE F100, a 4.0 megapixel digital camera with an optical zoom. The first time you see and hold the DiMAGE F100 you will know that it is something special. The elegant design and rich metal body reveals the sophisticated performance inside: a 4.0 megapixel CCD and an ultra-compact 3X Minolta GT zoom lens. The 12-bit A/D conversion and Minolta s advanced CxProcess guaranty the detail of the original scene is preserved in the captured image. The DiMAGE F100 is the first in a line of cameras built around a new design philosophy. Minolta s F series cameras will be defined by their elegant design and sophisticated imaging performance. These cameras will be built around the cutting edge of digital technology pointing the way to the future of imaging. Using 74 years of designing award-winning cameras, Minolta has given the DiMAGE F100 the functions and controls essential for great image making. Surpassed only by our top-of-the-line digital cameras, the F100 allows complete control over exposure, color, contrast, saturation, white balance, camera sensitivity, and focus. It can also record movies and audio. Advanced technology makes focusing as easy as seeing. This is the first compact digital camera in the world to be equipped with Subject Tracking AF and also features Minolta s Area AF. Area AF and Subject Tracking AF work together to locate and follow the subject through three-dimensional space within the DiMAGE F100 s extra-wide focusing area. These responsive AF systems will be ready to take the picture when you are. 1
The DiMAGE F100 is the first digital camera in the world with Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection. This advanced feature 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. The slim body, elegant grip, and ergonomic control layout make carrying and using the DiMAGE F100 a pleasure. The sophisticated computer system provides responsive performance. Style Individuals with discerning taste can recognize quality at a distance. The rare quality of the DiMAGE F100 is apparent. The simple, rich aluminum shell with stainless steel accents around the viewfinder and lens reflects the sophisticated design and workmanship used in the F100. With a subtle minimalist approach to design, the DiMAGE F100 is striking. The wide and low body uses fine soft curves and intersecting planes to give it that mature appearance of understated elegance. This is not simply a camera, it is a work of art. The slim profile and compact body can easily slip into a pocket or small bag. The DiMAGE F100 is one of the smallest 4.0 megapixel digital cameras with a built-in lens. With the lens retracted, the camera is 11cm wide, 5.2cm high, and 3.2cm deep (4.4 (W) X 2.1 (H) X 1.3 (D) in.). The camera is available in two colors: classic silver and indigo blue. Quality and performance from an award-winning camera company Employing the technology from the top-of-the-line DiMAGE 7, the F100 s 2
high-precision electro-optical system is designed to maximize image quality. The system starts with a 4.13 mega-pixel 1/1.8-type interline complementary-color CCD with 3.95 million effective pixels for fine high-resolution images. The pixel resolution of the CCD will produce 28.9 X 38.5 cm (11 X 15 ) 150dpi prints or 14.4 X 19.2 cm (5 X 7 ) photo-quality prints; this allows full-frame prints on both A3 and A5 paper respectively. Minolta s image-processing technology, CxProcess, guaranties the image from the CCD will faithfully reproduce the scene. CxProcess controls image sharpness, color, and contrast while minimizing noise to produce vivid, natural pictures. CxProcess controls sharpness by balancing resolution with acutance. This allows fine detail to be preserved while adding depth to the image. Color is critically controlled to prevent objects from appearing over-saturated in the image while remaining vibrant; the warmth of the human complexion or the rich subtleties of green foliage will be rendered as clearly as they were perceived. Contrast is regulated to bring out a luminous quality in the mid-tones and highlights, and to strengthen and enrich the shadows. The secret to photography is in the details. Smooth gradations and fine details bring a photograph to life. The 12bit A/D conversion preserves all the subtleties of the original scene. With billions of colors and 4,096 levels in each color channel, images possess almost lifelike color and detail. This is especially evident in portraiture: smooth complexion, fine hair detail, and vivid eye color. The DiMAGE F100 s Minolta GT lens is an optical jewel. The sophisticated eight-element design is only 24mm long, less than an inch, when retracted. With a focal range of 7.8mm to 23.4mm, it is equivalent to a 38mm to 114mm 35mm zoom lens. It can range from wide angle for landscapes and interiors to telephoto for intimate portraits and details of distant landmarks. The 3X optical zoom employs three aspheric elements to ensure sharp, contrasty images at all focal lengths. 3
With almost 75 years experience creating some of the world s best cameras, Minolta has given the DiMAGE F100 the essential functions and imaging controls to capture beautiful pictures. The automatic systems provide beautiful photography effortlessly and the manual functions give complete control over image making. Control over exposure includes program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and manual exposure modes, multi-segment and spot metering, automatic bracketing, automatic and manual control over camera sensitivity from ISO 100 to 800, and exposure compensation. As well as automatic, the white-balance function has four preset settings for common light sources and a custom setting for calibrating the camera to specific lighting conditions. Electronic magnification enlarges the live image for critical over manual focusing. A histogram display allows critical evaluation of exposure and contrast. With continuous advance, a seamless 2.5X digital zoom, and a remote shutter release option, the DiMAGE F100 is a versatile camera. DiMAGE F100 s digital zoom seamlessly takes over from the maximum focal length of the optical zoom without interrupting the monitor image. The digital zoom can extend the optical zoom s performance by two and a half times in 0.25X increments giving the F100 an equivalent a 285mm lens on a 35mm camera. Located on a menu, the Digital Effects Control is an image-processing center built into the camera. Color, contrast, and saturation can be adjusted before the image is captured. These controls allow image data to be maximized at the scene. The color mode switches between Natural Color, Vivid Color, and black and white images. Natural Color preserves the actual colors of the scene and Vivid Color accentuates them. Contrast controls the difference between brightness levels; increasing the contrast makes the highlights brighter and the shadows darker. Color saturation changes the vividness of the colors. Two copy functions allow image files to be duplicated in camera onto the same or another memory card. The standard copy function makes a direct copy of a 4
file including any audio tracks that have been attached to it. The E-mail Copy function allows a still image to be copied and resized to a VGA format so that it may be attached to an e-mail message. Thoughts and comments can be recorded along with a still image or by themselves. Voice memo allows an audio track up to 15 seconds to be attached to an image when it is captured. The audio-caption function can attach an audio track to any recorded still-image. The audio recording mode allows extended audio tracks without an image to be made. The audio tracks can be played back in the camera. To catch all the action, 35 second QVGA (320 X 240) movie clips with audio can be recorded. A new autofocus system, Area AF, makes catching the perfect moment as easy as seeing. This sophisticated system locates the subject in three-dimensional space within the extra-wide focus frames; no complicated procedures to lock the focus on the subject are necessary. Employing technology developed for the top-of-the-line Dynax/Maxxum 9 and 7, Area AF evaluates the objects in the focus frames and locks the focus on the subject; the active AF sensor is displayed to confirm the point of focus. The extra-wide focus frames cover approximately 50% of the horizontal and vertical field of view. Simply point the camera at the scene and the autofocus system does the rest; subjects no longer have to be placed in the center of the picture. The DiMAGE F100 is the first digital camera in the world to feature Subject Tracking AF. This AF system compliments the Area AF by being able to follow a subject moving through the extra-wide AF area in three dimensions. Once the Area-AF system locates the subject, Subject Tracking AF will follow that person no matter the direction of motion: to the left or right, toward or away from the camera. Catching the action has never been this simple. The information about the subject location from the Area AF and Subject Tracking AF systems is used to calculate perfect exposures. The multi-segment 5
metering system uses subject-position information and 256 metering segments to calculate the exposure based on the subject and background luminance. There is no need to worry that the subject will be lost in deep shadows of noon or washed out in front of dark backgrounds. The aperture and shutter speed are controlled for optimum exposures, and the flash is activated automatically in backlit or low-light situations. This highly accurate system ensures the photograph will be perfectly exposed for the subject time after time. For the first time in a digital camera, Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection analyzes the shooting conditions and selects the best Digital Subject Program or programmed AE to match that condition. Five subject programs are active with this function: portrait, sports action, landscape, sunset, and night portrait. This frees the photographer from having to set the camera controls each time the shooting situation changes; the DiMAGE F100 automatically responds to each new situation to ensure the best possible results. Digital Subject Programs optimize exposure and image-processing controls for specific shooting conditions and subjects. Six subject programs are available: Portrait: optimized to reproduce warm, soft skin tones and a slight defocusing of the background. Sports action: to make clear, sharp images of fast moving subjects. Landscape: optimized to take sharp images of expansive scenes. Sunset: optimized to reproduce rich, warm sunsets. Night portrait: for deep, subtle night scenes. When used with the built-in flash, the subject and background exposures are balanced. Macro: to optimize depth of field for close-up pictures. This mode is selected manually. The grip follows the elegant design of the body without adding unnecessary bulk to the camera. A stylized spherical protrusion on the front and a rounded back plate allow firm handling. The controls and dials are laid out for clear, intuitive operation. All shooting 6
controls are placed around the grip area. The camera can be controlled with the thumb and index finger while allowing a firm grip on the body. Button size varies with the frequency of function use. Located above the grip, the sculpted main dial turns the camera on and gives direct access to the recording, playback, movie, audio recording, and setup modes. Placed on the back of the camera, the controller is a straightforward five-way array used to control many of the camera s advanced features and menus. Audio signals are used to make positive confirmation of button settings. A shutter sound effect accompanies the release of the shutter. The mechanical shutter sound effect was taken from a classic camera of a simpler age, the Minolta CLE. The audio signals can be disabled. Intelligent functions make photography simple If only we could use our eyes to make photographs. Minolta can t do this for you - yet, but we have made the next best thing, the DiMAGE F100. This is the first time in the world that two new groundbreaking technologies, Subject Tracking AF and Automatic Subject Program Selection, have been included in a digital camera. The DiMAGE F100 s sophisticated autofocus systems, Area AF and Subject Tracking AF, locates and follows a subject through three-dimensional space as naturally as seeing. 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 human eye is a complex imaging device that can compensate for the dramatic changes in natural light. In photography, the photographer always had to make time-consuming manual adjustments as the shooting environment changes. Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection analyzes the shooting 7
conditions and selects one of the five subject programs to optimize the camera s exposure and image-processing controls and create beautiful pictures effortlessly. So whether you are taking a portrait of a friend, shooting the action of a sporting event, capturing an expansive landscape, or recording the beauty of a sunset or a city skyline at night, the DiMAGE F100 will be ready. Advanced technology for a responsive camera The interior design is as impressive as the exterior. A high-speed RISC processor manages the camera s impressive response. Simultaneous processing within the computer system increases the efficiency of data-processing. This is apparent when recording images; the capturing interval is less than a second. For uncompromising style and performance in a compact digital camera, Minolta made the DiMAGE F100. This elegant camera will be able to capture and share the important moments in your life. 8
Technical Specifications Number of effective pixels: 3.95 million CCD: 1/1.8-type interline complementary-color CCD Total pixels: 4.13 million A/D conversion: 12 bits Camera sensitivity: Auto, ISO 100, 200, 400, 800 equivalents Focal length: 7.8 23.4mm (35mm equivalent: 38 114mm) Lens construction: 8 elements in 7 groups (includes three elements with four aspheric surfaces) Maximum aperture: f/2.8 f/4.7 Minimum focus distance: Wide: 0.5 m (approx. 1.6 ft.) from CCD Telephoto: 0.5 m (approx. 1.6 ft.) from CCD Macro focus range: 20-60cm (7.9 23.6 in.) from CCD 14.5 54.5 cm (5.7 21.5 in.) from front of lens Maximum magnification: 0.17x (1: 5.88) Equivalent to 0.74x (1: 1.35) in 35mm format Area covered at maximum magnification: 18.7 x 14.1mm (0.74 x 0.56 in.) Viewfinder type: Optical real-image zoom viewfinder Monitor LCD: 3.8 cm (1.5 inch) low-temperature polysilicon TFT color Total number of pixels: 110,000 Shutter: CCD electronic shutter and mechanical shutter Shutter speed range: 4-1/1000s, Bulb (max. 15s) Autofocus system: Video AF Autofocus areas: Wide focus area (Area AF) Spot focus areas with Focus Area Selection Focus modes: Autofocus: Subject Tracking AF, Single-shot AF Full-time AF is available in the autofocus mode. Manual focus Focus lock: In single-shot AF and Focus Area Selection 9
Subject lock: Metering: Multi-segment metering: Exposure modes: Digital Subject Programs: Exposure compensation: AE lock: Flash range: Flash modes: Continuous advance: Exposure bracketing: Self-timer: Remote control: Movie recording: By pressing shutter-release button partway down In Subject Tracking AF By pressing shutter-release button partway down Multi-segment, Spot 256 segments Programmed AE, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, Manual Automatic: Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, Sunset, Night portrait Manual: Portrait, Sports action, Landscape, Sunset, Night portrait, Macro ±2 Ev in 1/3 increments In single-shot AF, manual focus, and Focus Area Selection By pressing shutter-release button partway down Wide: 0.5 2.9 m (1.6 9.5 ft.) (approx.) Telephoto: 0.5 1.7 m (1.6 5.6 ft.) (approx.) (Camera sensitivity: auto) In programmed AE mode: Autoflash, Autoflash with red-eye reduction, Fill flash, Flash cancel In aperture priority, shutter priority, manual exposure modes: Fill flash, Fill flash with red-eye reduction, Flash cancel Available 1.0, 0.5, 0.3 Ev increments 10 s (approx.) IR Remote Control RC-3 (sold separately) Recording time: 35 s (max.) at 15 fps with 10
monaural audio Audio: Voice memo: 5s or 15s with still image Audio caption: 15 s (max.) with still image Audio recording: 30 min. (max.) Monaural audio with playback volume control Color modes: Natural Color, Vivid Color, Black and white White balance control: Automatic, Preset (Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Cloudy), Custom Sharpness settings: Three levels (Soft, Normal, Hard) Digital Effects Control: Contrast compensation, Color saturation compensation, Sharpness, Color modes Digital zoom: x1.25, x 1.5, x 1.75, x2, x2.25, x2.5 Copy function: Can copy single or multiple images to the same or another memory card. E-mail copy function: Creates a compressed VGA JPEG image for transmission. Date imprinting: Year/month/day (Format can be changed.) Imprinting can be disabled Image-quality modes: Super fine, Fine, Standard, Economy Number of recorded pixels (Still images): 2272 x 1704, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 Number of recorded pixels (Movie clips): 320 x 240 Storage capacity: Approximate storage capacity of a 16 MB SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card: Super fine: 1 frame Fine: 7 frames Standard: 14 frames Economy: 29 frames Movie 41seconds Audio recording: 30 minutes 9 seconds * Recorded at: 2272 x 1704 without voice memo or audio 11
caption ** Actual number of images may vary depending upon the subject and memory card used. Total number of seconds that can be stored. File formats: JPEG, TIFF Motion JPEG (MOV): with audio DCF 1.0-compliant DPOF-compliant (Supported by printing functions in ver. 1.1) WAVE Folder name formats: Printing output control: Standard, Date PRINT Image Matching, Exif Print Recording media: SD (Secure Digital) Memory Cards, PC interface: USB 1.1 MultiMediaCards AV output: Batteries: NTSC, PAL (selected on the camera) One CR-V3 lithium battery or two AA Ni-MH batteries External power source: 3V DC with specified AC adapter (sold separately) Dimensions: 111.0(W) x 52.3(H) x 32.0(D) mm (approx. 4.33(W) x 2.06(H) x 1.26(D) in.) Weight: 185 g (6.5 oz.) ( approx.) without batteries or recording media Operating temperature: 0-40ºC (32-104 F) Standard accessories: Hand Strap HS-DG100 AV Cable AVC-200 USB Cable USB-500 SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card (16 MB) CR-V3 lithium battery DiMAGE Software CD-ROM (Includes DiMAGE Viewer) Optional accessories: Camera Case CS-DG200 12
Leather Neck Strap NS-DG200 AC Adapter AC-6 IR Remote Control RC-3 Specifications and accessories are based on the information available at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice. 13
System Requirements IBM PC/AT compatible models with Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 98*, or Windows 98 Second Edition* and with a USB port as standard interface. Apple Macintosh models with preinstalled Mac OS 8.6** 9.2.2 or Mac OS X v10.1 10.1.3 and with a USB port as standard interface. The computer and operating system must be guaranteed by their manufacturers to support USB interface. Problems may be encountered depending on what other USB devices are being used in parallel with this product. Only a built-in USB port is supported. Problems may be encountered when the camera is connected to a USB hub. Normal operation may not be possible even when all the system requirements are met. * Users with Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition must install dedicated driver software included in the DiMAGE F100 package. ** Users with Mac OS 8.6 must download and install free driver software from the Apple Computer web site. System requirements are based on the latest information available at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice. * Windows is either a registered trademark or a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. * Macintosh is a trademark or registered trademark of Apple Computer Inc. * Other corporate names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. 14