A portable wireless flash s
Gary Friedman, author of the popular downloadable e-book all about using Dynax 7D and 5D, explains how he uses Konica Minolta 5600 HS (D) flash units to create professional portraits
m a big fan of anything portable. Im also a big fan of Konica Minoltas wireless flash system, which is indeed portable yet more powerful than most people realize. Since I hate lugging lots of heavy studio lights, light banks, and cords when doing field work, I have devised a rather portable studio setup which, while not a replacement for more traditional equipment, is still ideal for small gigs, is relatively inexpensive, and produces outstanding results. In this article I will share the secrets to setting up a studio and making exceptional portraits using these little gems, and in the process Ill also alert you to common pitfalls. The Konica Minolta 5600HS (D) flash is ideal for this kind of work because it is quite powerful, has a swivel head and a manual flash mode, and is amazingly energy efficient. For example, I have shot weddings using only eight AA batteries in my 5600 no burdensome or bulky Q-flash, or battery pack, or cords! My portable studio setup pushes these versatile flashes to the edge of their capabilities in terms of light output and recycling time. But again, it is easy to transport, sets up in 10 minutes, and is cheaper than a low-end studio flash setup. For those of you who are not familiar with Konica Minoltas wireless flash, it is quite an ingenious invention it uses rapid flash bursts of varying duration (kind of like a Morse Code using lowintensity bursts) to communicate to any flash in the vicinity. Although the systems work somewhat differently for film vs. digital cameras, the basic idea is that the cameras pop-up flash can communicate with all off-camera flashes and control how much light is output and when to fire. Although it uses light bursts to communicate, youd be surprised to learn that direct line-of-sight between the camera and flash is not always required to have it work properly. When used indoors, the control signal from the camera will often bounce off of the subject, walls, and ceiling and still be received by the off-camera flashes, making the use of wireless pretty foolproof for automatic exposures. The basic setup requires only three flashes: One main light
bounced into an umbrella reflector, and the other two which illuminate the background. Because the white background will almost guarantee underexposure when using automatic (TTL) exposure, all three flashes must be put into Manual flash mode and checked with a flash meter or by viewing a digital test exposure and histogram to get the desired results. Older flash units such as the 5400 HS not TTL or wireless compatible with 5D/7D can be used with suitable film bodies for this set-up, but need cable connections for the 5D/7D and work at full power only.

Two heads and a sheet

For the examples, I used a large white backdrop and illuminated it using two unmodified flashes set to 24mm zoom: one pointing to the top half of the backdrop; the other to the bottom half. See photo, left, and above it examples of shots taken with this setup. Even if the coverage seems blotchy when shot as a wide angle of the set, when zoomed in the results can look quite consistent and professional. When setting up the flashes to illuminate the background, I used the 5600s swivel head feature to allow

photoworld 26

studio
the flash head to point at the backdrop while the control signals sensor points at the camera not always necessary but in theory its the best way. A third flash is mounted on a lightstand with a softening umbrella, near the camera position. For flash/ umbrella brackets with standard flash shoes, an OS-1100 adaptor can be used to fit the 5600s proprietary hot shoe. If the stand has a tripod head, the supplied flash stand foot is threaded to fit this and no adaptor is needed. Again, to maximize the sensitivity to the control signals, the flash swivel head is turned 180 degrees, so that the flash tube faces into the umbrella, but the wireless flash sensor is facing the subject. As mentioned earlier, the guns have to be set to manual because of the white backgrounds. To set the 5600 (or 5400, etc) to manual, hit the MODE button on the back of the flash until the displays shows a large M on the left-hand side. Then use the + and buttons to adjust the amount of output desired all the way from 1/1 (full power) to 1/32nd of full power. Using a conventional handheld flash meter to measure a wireless triggered flashs output will yield inaccurate results. The control signals from your camera pop-up flash confuse the flash meter. To make it work, you have to put an infrared filter an exposed and developed strip of color negative film works nicely, see below on the pop-up flash, reducing the control signal power so that the flashmeter picks up only the real flash

If the background light power is bright enough, a very clean result can be obtained. Gary turned from facing his subjects (above) to photograph his 5600 flash with bounce umbrella, standing just behind him, to the right, a little above shoulder height. You can see the quality of light and shadow produced by this in the shot above. Because the filtered pop-up control flash is aiming at the subject, and the main flash is behind the camera, the flash body is turned so its IR receptor faces the set.

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burst. If you dont own a flashmeter (or dont want to bother making an IR filter) you can always shoot test shots with your digital camera and check the shot using the playback histogram to make sure the amount of light being output is registering as white but not being completely blown out. When setting your studio up, check the output of the background flashes first. Hold your flashmeter in front of the centre of the backdrop and fire a test shot with the camera (remember to have an IR filter over the pop-up flash). The two background flashes will fire simultaneously and your flashmeter will measure the total amount of light on that spot. Since youre measuring the incident light thats falling onto the backdrop, you dont have to compensate by +1.5 to get it to look white. My settings are typically ISO 200, 11, and flash power. Next, measure the output of the main flash on the subject. Turn off the rear flashes, place the flashmeter in front of your subject, and fire the camera again to trigger the main flash. Using the previous settings of ISO 200 and 11, the diffusing nature of the umbrella usually warrants either 1/2 or 1/1 (full) power for the main flash. Since such high power can easily cause long recycling times, I invested in a Minolta EP-1 external battery pack which houses six C batteries and plugs into the 5600s power socket. The EP-1 reduces recycling time to something close to 1/2 second. The EP-2, which uses six AA batteries instead of six C batteries, is the successor to the EP-1, and is more commonly available. Once your flashes are set correctly, turn the rear ones back on, set your camera to manual exposure mode (safe setting, 1/60th of a second and whatever -stop you measured) and shoot away! I am probably the only person in the world to ever try to use these accessory flashes in this way.

Make it fun!

Truth be told, nobody cares about how simple your lighting setup is or how sharp or natural your skin tones are. Only other pros care about these things. People only react when a photo catches a persons true spirit. For this reason, all photo sessions much be designed to be FUN to put people at ease and relax in front of the camera. You can help by posing people so they touch and interact with each other. Digital can help by letting your subjects see intermediate results (like on a TV screen!) which tends to warm them up even faster. Away with standard boring poses! Let digital and a new paradigm herald in the age of portraits that capture spirit!

A little simpler

Does all this sound like too much work? You can greatly simplify the studio setup and get very nice results by using only ONE flash (the main light with umbrella bounce) and NOT light up the background at all. This results in darker (but not black) backgrounds as shown in the male portrait above. For this shot I used TTL (automatic) flash metering instead of manual which simplified the setup even further, and is possible when you dont have a white background.

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Drawbacks
My three-flash system does have its drawbacks. For starters, it is limited to one- to three-person portraits (group shots require more light). For finishers, flash recycling times can be slow, even when the pop-up flash is only being used to trigger the other flashes. The 7D and the 5D, for example, will only allow one shot every two seconds using the built-in flash as the trigger or wireless master. This can sometimes make it difficult to capture the truly natural expressions which almost always occur just after the first, posed picture is taken. This problem didnt occur with film cameras, where when used with the EP-1 for fast recycle times mounting an accessory flash to the camera and setting it to control mode provided no practical restriction to how often I could take a picture.
feature that you cant disable, people with slightly slower reaction times are starting to display this problem. Everyone will blink at one point or another; all you have to do is find the right interval between the pre-flash and the blink. What can be done? Bear in mind that this is NOT a digital camera problem; it is a people problem. Everyones different. If you find that you get a subject who consistenly displays droopy-eye syndrome, then switch to either film (where the pre-flash is non-existent) or a Dimage A1 or A2 (where the pre-flash is significantly longer) and the problem will go away.

Conclusion

We Minolta photographers have always been ahead of the curve. We employed our Maxxum 9000s when the pros were dismissing autofocus; we enjoyed wireless flash long before any competitor thought it was worth copying. Now with the advent of more powerful flashes and a phenomenally good digital sensor with the best skin tones around, great off-camera, bounced and controlled shots are within everyones reach. The 3600/5600 HS (D) kit can be your stepping stone to real studio skills.

Those lazy eyes

There are a small percentage of people in the world with remarkably fast reflexes. They are the ones who always seem to be blinking when the flash goes off. This happened in the days of film, too! Now with the advent of digital cameras and a pre-flash
Gary Friedman is a larger-than-life character with a great rapport, an adventurous tourist, occasionally serious traveller, expert teacher and an exceptional photographer. Visit his website (www.friedmanarchives.com) and youll spend hours reading his illustrated diaries David Kilpatrick.

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REAR FLASH SYNC
Rear flash sync is used with long exposures to make trailing lights or blurring appear to follow rather than proceed the subject. The effect is not apparent if the shutter speed is too fast and stops the subjects motion. When the shutter is released, a pre-flash will fire. This pre-flash does not exposure the subject, but is used in the calculation of the flash exposure. The flash will fire again just before the shutter closes.

Camera Notes

Slow shutter sync can be set in P and A exposure modes. This flash mode controls the shutter and aperture to balance the ambient and flash illumination. When photographing a subject outside at night, the ambient-light exposure will be balanced to bring out the details in the background with the flash exposure for the subject. Because shutter speeds can be longer than usual, the use of a tripod is recommended. 1. Set the camera to the P or A exposure mode (p. 50). 2. Frame the subject on the monitors. 3. Press and hold the AE lock button to lock the exposure. 4. Press the shutter-release button partway down to lock the focus. Compose the image on the monitors. 5. Press the shutter-release button all the way down to take the picture. The operation of the AE lock button can be changed in section 1 of the recording menu.

System Accessories

The Close-up Diffuser CD-1000 is used directly on the camera with the built-in flash to provide soft lighting for close-up photography. Contact your local Minolta dealer for more information.

WIRELESS / REMOTE FLASH

On-camera flash Wireless/Remote flash allows the camera to control an off-camera Minolta 5600HS(D) and 3600HS(D) flash unit without the need of a cable. Single or multiple flash units can be placed around the subject to create different lighting effects. The cameras built-in flash fires to control the offcamera flash units rather than to illuminate the subject. See your local camera dealer about Minolta lighting accessories.

Wireless/ Remote flash

Slide the cap off the accessory shoe (p. 75). Slide the Minolta 5600HS(D) or 3600HS(D) flash on the accessory shoe until the safety lock engages. Turn on the camera and flash unit.
Image size Quality Flash mode Flash control AEL button Reset
Fill-flash Red eye Rear sync. Wireless
Set the camera to the wireless flash mode in section 1 of the recording menu (p. 80). This will simultaneously set the flash to the wireless mode and set the camera to the flashs wireless channel.

RECORDING

Press and hold the mounting-foot-release button (1) to disengage the safety catch to remove the flash unit from the camera.
Position the camera and flash around the subject. See the following page for the camera-to-subject and flash-to-subject ranges. Make sure no objects come between the camera and flash unit.
Raise the built-in flash on the camera. The wireless flash indicator (WL) will be displayed in the top left corner of the live image. The number next to it indicates the channel in use. The flash signal will turn white when the flash is charged. When the 5600HS(D) and 3600HS(D) flash is charged, the AF illuminator on the front of the unit will blink (2). Take a picture as described in the basic recording section on page 33. The flash units can be test fired by pressing the AEL button on the camera. If the flash does not fire, change the camera, flash, or subject position. The slow-shutter-sync function will be active in P and A exposure modes (p. 87).

WIRELESS/REMOTE CAMERA AND FLASH RANGES
Camera-to-subject distance
Flash-to-subject distance
The camera and flash must be within 5m or 16.4 ft of the subject. Minimum camera-to-subject distance Camera sensitivity setting Aperture ISO 100 ISO 200 / AUTO ISO 400 2.0 m / 6.6 ft 2.8 m / 9.2 1.4 m / 4.6 ft /2.8 1.0 m / 3.2 ft 1.4 m / 4.6 ft 2.0 m / 6.6 /4.0 1.0 m / 3.2 ft /5.6 0.7 m / 2.3 ft 1.4 m / 4.6 0.5 m / 1.6 ft 0.7 m / 2.3 ft 1.0 m / 3.2 /8.0 Minimum flash-to-subject distance 1.0 m / 3.2 ft 1.4 m / 4.6 ft 2.0 m / 6.6 /2.8 0.7 m / 2.3 ft 1.0 m / 3.2 ft 1.4 m / 4.6 /4.0 0.5 m / 1.6 ft1 0.7 m / 2.3 ft 1.0 m / 3.2 /5.6 0.7 m / 2.3 0.5 m / 1.6 ft1 /8.0 0.4 m / 1.3 ft2

ft ft ft ft ft ft ft ft

ISO 800 3.9 m / 12.8 ft 2.8 m / 9.2 ft 2.0 m / 6.6 ft 1.4 m / 4.6 ft 2.8 2.0 1.4 1.0 m m m m / / / / 9.2 6.6 4.6 3.2 ft ft ft ft
1 Maximum flash-to-subject distance for the 3600HS(D) for these conditions is 3.5 m / 11.5 ft. 2 Maximum flash-to-subject distance for the 3600HS(D) for these conditions is 2.5 m / 8.2 ft.
NOTES ON WIRELESS/REMOTE FLASH
Wireless/Remote flash performs best under subdued light or interior lighting. Under bright light sources, the flash may not be able to detect the control signals from the cameras built-in flash. The wireless/remote system has four channels so that multiple lighting systems can be used in the same area without affecting each other. Once the camera and flash are separated, the wireless channel can be changed. Refer to the flashs instruction manual on how the set the wireless channel. The flash and the camera must be set to the same channel. When not using off-camera flash units, always turn off the wireless flash mode in section 1 of the recording menu, or inaccurate flash exposures will result. The 5600HS(D) and 3600HS(D) flash units can be reset simultaneously with the camera. Simply mount the flash unit in the accessory shoe and change the wireless flash mode setting on the menu to another flash mode. This camera does not have a preset flash sync speed. In program (P) or aperture-priority (A) exposure mode, the shutter speed will not fall below the camera-shake limit unless the slow-sync function is activated (p. 87). When using shutter-priority (S) or manual (M) exposure mode, any shutter speed can be used in the exposure. The flash can synchronize with the camera at any shutter speed, the 5600HS(D) and 3600HS(D) high-speed sync function is unnecessary. When using flash, the shutter speed should be set to the flash duration of flash unit to prevent underexposure. A maximum shutter speed of 1/250s is recommended when using a compatible Minolta flash unit. The Wireless/Remote Flash Controller is not compatible with this camera.

FLASH CONTROL

ADI, pre-flash TTL, and manual flash controls are available. Flash control is changed in section 1 of the recording menu (p. 80). ADI (Advanced Distance Integration) flash metering - combines distance information from the autofocusing system with information from a pre-flash exposure. Unlike conventional TTL flash metering, ADI is not influenced by the reflectance of the subject or background ensuring optimum flash exposures. Pre-flash TTL - calculates flash exposure with a pre-flash only. This mode must be used when using close-up filters or filters that reduce the amount of light entering the camera such as neutral density filters. Pre-flash TTL must be used when a diffuser is attached to the built-in flash or an external flash unit. The camera will automatically switch from ADI metering to pre-flash TTL when a lowcontrast subject is preventing the autofocus system from focusing. If the autofocus system cannot lock on the subject, use manual focus; the ADI metering will remain in effect. Manual flash control - fires the flash at full power, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, or 1/16 power. Because no pre-flash is used, it can be used to fire slave flash units. Manual flash cannot be used with red-eye reduction or wireless.

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 monitor remains blank during processing for a maximum of 30 seconds. Noise reduction uses dark-frame subtraction.
Color mode Sharpness Noise reductn On Monitor amp. Off Manual exp. Mag. button

MONITOR AMPLIFICATION

The monitor amplification options control the display of the live image. Monitor amplification has two settings: Auto - in low-light conditions when the camera-sensitivity gain has reached its limit, the automatic monitoramplification function will intensify the monitor image. Although the live image turns black and white, this does not affect the color mode in use. When the automatic monitor amplification activates, the Flex Digital Magnifier (p. 105) cannot be used. If the realtime histogram (p. 45) is used, it will reflect the amplified image and not the final values of the exposure. Normal - the monitor image is not amplified in low light. When using the manual (M) exposure mode (p. 56), two other options are available: Display-priority indicator
Color mode Sharpness Noise reductn Monitor amp. Manual exp. Mag. button Nat. (sRGB) Normal On Auto Exp.priority Digital zoom
Exposure priority - the live image reflects the set exposure. Automatic monitor amplification is disabled. Display priority - the live images is displayed regardless of the exposure settings. This allows the image to be composed on the monitor when using a flash as the main light source. When selected, the manual exposure mode indicator turns red on the monitor.

MAGNIFICATION BUTTON

The function assigned to the magnification button can be changed between the digital zoom (p. 47) and the Flex Digital Magnifier in section 3 of the recording menu (p. 80). The Flex Digital Magnifier can only be used during manual focus. Button shortcuts can be used to switch between the digital zoom and Flex Digital Magnifier (p. 132).

FLEX DIGITAL MAGNIFIER

The Flex Digital Magnifier is a focusing aid for manual focus (p. 46). The live image can be magnified by X2 and X8. It is activated with the recording menu, see above. This function is disabled in the other focusing modes. Initially, the 2X magnification area is displayed. This can be moved in the live image with the four-way keys of the controller (1). Pressing the center button of the controller returns the area to the middle of the image. Press the magnification button (2) to enlarge the image.

Magnification area

When enlarged, the degree of magnification is displayed in the top right corner of the monitor. At 2X, the 8X magnification area is displayed; pressing the magnification button will display the framed portion of the image. The controller can be used to scroll and center the image area. Pressing the magnification button a third time cancels the function. The locator indicator shows which portion of the image is displayed. When the shutter-release button is pressed partway down, the entire image area is displayed.

Locator indicator

DSP (DIGITAL SUBJECT PROGRAM) SETUP
The memory registers used for camera settings can be assigned to the Digital Subject Program positions on the exposure-mode dial. This is set in section 4 of the recording menu (p. 80). Two options are available: DSP - the Digital Subject Programs are active on the exposure-mode dial. Memory recall - the memory register are assigned to the Digital Subject Program positions as indicated in the illustration. For more about Digital Subject Programs, see page 58. To save camera settings turn to page 72.
DSP set Tracking AF AE lock Spot AE area Direct MF DSP On On Center spot Off

TRACKING AF

Subject Tracking AF used in the continuous AF focus mode (p. 46) can be turned off in section 4 of the recording menu (p. 80). When off, the position of the focus area can still be changed with the four-way keys of the controller.

AE LOCK

AE (autoexposure) lock can be turned off and on in section 4 of the recording menu (p. 80). When AE lock is on, the exposure is locked when the shutter-release button is pressed partway down; the shutter speed and aperture displays turn black to confirm the exposure lock. When AE lock is off, the exposure continues to change with the lighting conditions when the shutter-release button is pressed partway down. This has no affect on the operation of the AEL button (p. 50). When using single-shot AF with multi-segment metering, AE lock is always active Exposure locked regardless of the menu setting.

SPOT AE AREA

When using spot metering (p. 69) with the Flex Focus Point (p. 48), the position of the spot metering area can be specified at the center of the live image or linked to the Flex Focus Point; the spot moves after the position of the FFP is set. This is set in section 4 of the Center spot recording menu (p. 80).

With Flex Focus Point

DIRECT MANUAL FOCUS
Direct manual focus allows manual adjustments to be made after the AF system has locked onto the subject. Direct manual focus is activated in section 4 of the recording menu (p. 80). Direct manual focus is canceled when continuous AF or manual focus (p. 46) is in use. As described in the basic recording operation section (p. 33), press the shutter-release button partway down to lock the focus (1); the focus signal will turn white. DMF will be displayed next to the drive-mode indicator. While holding the shutter-release button partway down, the camera can be manually focused with the focusing ring (2). Always use the monitor image to confirm focus. The approximate focusing distance is displayed next to the frame counter. If active, the Flex Digital Magnifier (p. 105) can be used.

Positive compensation

No compensation

Negative compensation

No flash

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 Calculated exposure 1/2 as much light 1/4 as much light

LIGHT SOURCES AND COLOR

The human eye adapts itself extremely well under different conditions. The paper of this manual you are reading looks white regardless of the type of lighting. Photographic systems are much less flexible. As the light source changes, so does the overall color of a scene - fluorescent office ceiling lights create a green cast to pictures, regular household tungsten light bulbs make everything red. Like your eyes, the cameras whitebalance controls adjust for different lighting to make natural looking pictures. The most common source of light, our sun, changes color depending on the time of day and the atmospheric conditions. The sun is of course very warm near the horizon and very blue at noon. The daylight preset white-balance setting is for beautiful sunny days. When the weather is overcast, the color is cooler. When the main light source is skylight, light from the blue sky rather than the direct light of the sun, the resulting color is very blue. The shade preset white-balance is designed for this condition. Artificial lighting is more consistent but will show variations. Tungsten lamps become warmer as their wattage decreases. And fluorescent lamps come in classifications that define their color. The preset white balance settings can be adjusted with the rear control dial (p. 70) to match the change in these light sources. Some artificial lighting have a discontinuous spectrum that create very unnatural color in a photograph. White balance cannot correct high-energy vapor lighting: sodium-vapor (yellow highway lights), or mercury vapor. For portraits under these lighting conditions, the flash can be used to overpower the ambient light. With landscapes containing these types of lights, set the white balance to the preset daylight setting.

MOVIE MENU

In movie mode, press the menu button to activate the menu. The menu button also closes the menu after making settings. The four-way key of the controller is used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the central button of the controller will enter a setting.

PLAYING BACK VOICE MEMOS

Voice memos can be played back in Quick View and the playback mode. See page 101 on how to record voice memos.
Voice memos are indicated by the voice-memo indicator displayed at the bottom of the monitor image. Press the central button of the controller to start the audio playback.
During playback, use the up/down keys of the controller to adjust the volume. Press the menu button to cancel audio playback.

Stop Vol

Playback time
NAVIGATING THE PLAYBACK MENU
In playback mode, press the menu button to activate the menu. The menu button also closes the menu after making settings. The fourway key of the controller is used to move the cursor in the menu. Pressing the central button of the controller will enter a setting. Activate the playback menu with the menu button. Tab 1 at the top of the menu will be highlighted. Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight the appropriate menu tab; the menus will change as the tabs are highlighted. When the desired menu section is displayed, use the up/down key to scroll through the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed. Press the right controller key to display the settings; the current setting is indicated by an arrow. To return to the menu options, press the left key. Use the up/down key to highlight the new setting. If Enter is displayed, press the central button of the controller to open the next screen.
Press the central button of the controller to select the highlighted setting. 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 playback mode, press the menu button.

ADVANCED

PLAYBACK
To delete images on the memory card (p. 119).
Delete Format View folder Lock Copy Index format 100MLT16 9 frames
To format the memory card (p. 120). To select the folder to view in playback mode (p. 120). To protect images from deletion (p. 121). To copy images from one memory card to another (p. 122). To specify the index playback format (p. 121). To play back images automatically (p. 124)
Slide show Playback Duration Repeat

All frames 5 sec. No

To select the images for the Slide Show (p. 124). To specify how long each image is played back (p. 124) To repeat the Slide Show presentation automatically (p. 124).
To select images for DPOF printing (p. 126).
DPOF set Index print Off Cancel print
To create an index print with the DPOF order (p. 127) To cancel DPOF print orders on the memory card (p. 127).

FRAME-SELECTION SCREEN

When a marked-frames setting is chosen on a menu, the frame selection screen will appear. This screen allows multiple files to be selected. The index format of the screen can be changed in section 1 of the playback menu (p. 121).

FORMAT

When a memory card is formatted, all data on the card is erased. The formatting function is used to erase all data on a memory card. Before formatting a card, copy the data to a computer or storage device. Locking files 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, a confirmation screen will appear. Choosing Yes will format the card, choosing No will cancel the formatting operation. never remove the card while it is being formatted. A screen will appear to indicate the card has been formatted; press the central button of the controller to return to the playback menu. Although it is recommended to format a CompactFlash card with the camera, a card can be formatted with a computer. The card must be formatted on a Windows system using a FAT or FAT32 file system.

VIEW FOLDER

Recorded images are stored in folders on the memory card. To view or edit these images, the folder they are contained in can be selected temporarily with the view-folder option in section 1 of the playback menu (p. 116). The view-folder option is reset to the folder selected in the select-folder option in section 2 of the setup menu (p. 137) each time the the camera is turned off or switched to the recording or movie modes.
For more on memory card organization, see page 152. Folders can be created and selected in section 2 of the setup menu (p. 129).
Single, multiple, or all images in a folder can be locked. A locked image cannot be deleted by either the playback menu functions or the QV/delete button. Important images should be locked. To lock images in other folders, the folder must first be selected with the viewfolder option in section 1 of the playback menu (p. 116) or the select-folder option in section 2 of the setup menu (p. 137). The lock option has four settings: This frame - The image displayed or highlighted in playback mode will be locked. All frames - All images in the folder will be locked. Marked frames - To lock or unlock multiple images. When this setting is chosen, the frame-selection screen (p. 118) will be displayed. Use the left/right keys of the controller to highlight the image to be locked. Pressing the up key will mark the thumbnail with the lock indicator. To unlock an image, highlight it with the yellow border and press the down key; the lock indicator will disappear. Continue until all the images are marked. Press the controller to lock the marked frames, or press the menu button to cancel the operation and return to the playback menu. Unlock frames - All images in the folder will be unlocked. A confirmation screen appears. Locking an image will protect it from a delete function. However, the formatting function will erase all files on a memory card whether locked or not.

DPOF SETUP

The print menu option is used to set an order for standard prints from images in a specific folder. Single, multiple, or all images can be printed. If a memory card has multiple folders, a printing file must be created for each folder. Folders are selected with the view-folder option in section 1 of the playback menu (p. 116) or the select-folder option in section 2 of the setup menu (p. 137).
This-frame - To create a DPOF file for the image displayed or highlighted in playback mode. All-frames - To create a DPOF file for all images in the folder specified in section 1 of the playback menu. Marked frames - To choose a group of images to be printed or when the number of copies for each image varies. When selected, the frame-selection screen will appear (p. 118). 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 indicator. The number next to the indicator indicates the number of copies of that image 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 the number of copies reaches zero and the printer indicator disappears. Continue until all the images to be printed are marked. Press the controller to create the DPOF file, or press the menu button to cancel the operation and return to the playback menu.
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 number of copies desired. If the all-frames setting was used to create a print order, any additional images saved afterwards in the folder will not be included in the order. DPOF files created with another cameras will be canceled.

INDEX PRINT

To create an index print of all the images in the folder, select the Yes option. To cancel an index print, simply change the setting to No. If an index-print order is created, any additional images saved afterwards in the folder 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.

CANCEL PRINT

After the pictures have been printed, the DPOF file will still remain on the memory card and must be canceled manually. The cancel-print option deletes the DPOF files. When the setting is selected, a confirmation screen will appear; choosing and entering Yes will execute the operation and cancel the print and index-print order. All frames C - To cancel all printing files on the memory card. All frames F - To cancel the printing file in the folder.
VIEWING IMAGES ON A TELEVISION
It is possible to view camera images on your television. The camera has a video-out terminal which can be used to connect the camera to a television 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 section 1 of the setup menu (p. 129). 1.Turn off the television and the camera. 2.Insert the single plug of the AV cable into the cameras AV-out terminal. 3.Plug the other end of the AV cable into the video and audio input terminal on the television. The yellow plug is for the video output, and the white plug is for the monaural audio output. 4.Turn the television on. 5.Change the television to the video channel. 6.Turn on the camera and set the mode switch to the playback position. The cameras monitors will not activate when the camera is attached to a television. The playback-mode display will be visible on the television screen.

(Continued on the next page.)
Hold down the function button (1) and press the menu button (2) to open the setup menu.
Hold down the function button (1) and press the QV/delete button (2) to reset the camera. This shortcut only resets the recording mode or movie mode depending on the position of the mode switch. Refer to page 95 to see which functions reset in the recording mode, and page 113 for the movie mode.

TRANSFER MODE

The data-transfer mode specifies whether the camera will act as a mass storage device or a remote camera when connected to a computer. To download images from the memory card to the computer, the data storage option should be selected. To capture images from a computer with a Windows operating system using the DiMAGE Capture software, the computer-control option should be selected. DiMAGE Capture software is sold separately. See your local Minolta dealer for information on this product.

EVF AUTO SWITCH

This option controls the auto-display function in the recording and movie mode (p. 39). Two setting are available: Auto EVF/LCD - the EVFs eye sensors switch between the EVF and LCD monitor automatically. EVF auto on - the LCD monitor is turned off and the eye and grip sensors activate the EVF when in use. This setting will help conserve battery power. The grip sensor can be disabled in section 4 of the setup menu.

VIDEO OUTPUT

Camera images can be displayed on a television (p. 128). 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.

LANGUAGE

The language used in the menus can be changed.

CUSTOM SETUP

The one frequently used function can be allocated to the custom position on the function dial. The function is selected in section 2 of the setup menu (p. 130). The following recording functions are available: Image size (p. 82) Image quality (p. 82) Flash mode (p. 86) Flash control (p. 92) Sharpness (p. 97) Color mode (p. 102)
Custom set File # memory Folder name Select folder New folder Date/Time set Image size Quality Flash mode Flash control Sharpness Color mode
In the recording mode, the function specified in the menu is set with the function dial.
Turn the function dial to the custom position (1). Press the function button in the center of the dial (2). Turn the front or rear control dials to select the setting (3). Press the shutter-release button partway down or press the function button to complete the operation. Also see camera notes on page 65.

FILE NUMBER (#) MEMORY

When file number memory is selected, if a new folder is created, the first file stored in the folder will have a number one greater than the last file saved. This allows multiple folders to be created to store images by category, place, or date, but the image file numbers will be in the order in which they were shot. If the file number memory is disabled, the image file name will have a number one greater than the last image saved in the folder. 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.

Every folder name begins with a three digit index number. When the electronic keyboard activates, three digits will be displayed in the register. This number cannot be changed. Every time a new folder is created, the folder number will increase automatically by one greater than the highest folder number on the memory card. A five-character folder name must be entered after the number; only capital letters, numbers, and the underbar can be used. To cancel the electronic-keyboard display without creating a new folder, press the menu button.

DATE AND TIME SETUP

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 cameras clock is also used with data imprinting. When the Date/Time-set option is selected and entered, the date/time screen will be displayed. The left/right keys of the controller are used to select the item to be changed and the up/down keys are used to change the value. When the date and time have been adjusted, set the clock by pressing the central button of the controller.
Date/Time set 2003. 10. : 14 YYYY/MM/DD

RESET DEFAULT

This option resets all camera modes: recording, movie, playback, and setup. To reset the recording or movie modes, see pages 95 and 113. When selected, a confirmation screen will appear; choosing Yes resets the following functions and settings, No cancels the operation.
Recording mode Display mode Exposure compensation Flash compensation Digital zoom Anti-shake Drive mode White balance Custom-white balance registers Camera sensitivity (ISO) Metering mode Memory Contrast compensation Color-saturation compensation Filter Focus area Standard 0.0 0.0 Canceled Active Single-frame advance Auto Settings deleted (Daylight) Auto Multi-segment Reset to default settings 0 Wide focus frames Recording menu Image size Image quality Flash mode Flash control AEL button Interval setup Bracket setup 2560 X 1920 Fine Fill-flash ADI AE hold 1 min. interval, 2 frames, no delay 0.3Ev p. p. p. p. p. p. p. 96 p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. p. 33
Data imprinting Imprint to Instant playback Voice memo Color mode Sharpness Noise reduction Monitor amplification Monitor amplification (Manual exposure) Magnification button DSP setup Subject Tracking AF AE lock Spot AE area Direct Manual Focus (DMF) Movie menu Movie mode
Off Image + Exif Off Off Natural (sRGB) Normal On Auto Exposure priority Digital zoom DSP On Off Center spot On

Anti-shake Full-time AF Grip sensor Ctrl dial set Manual exp. Delete conf. Display + Exp On On SS F/no. SS F/no. No
Exposure - Anti-shake is only applied during the exposure and is not apparent in the live image. When the shutter-release button is pressed partway down, wait a moment before taking the picture for the Anti-shake system to stabilize the image.

FULL-TIME AF

Full-time AF continually focuses the camera so the monitor image is always sharp. When the grip sensor is on, full-time AF is activated when the camera is held; the eye sensor is also employed when using the EVF. With the grip sensor off, full-time AF is always active when using the LCD monitor and activated by the eye sensors when using the EVF. This function can be turned off to conserve power.

GRIP SENSOR

The grip sensor conserves power by only activating the fulltime AF function when the camera is held. The grip sensor also works with the eye sensors when the EVF auto on option is used, see page 135. The grip sensor can be turned off when the camera is mounted on a tripod so that full-time AF and the EVF auto on function can be used. Wearing gloves may prevent the grip sensor from working. The sensor is controlled in section 4 of the setup menu. Grip sensor

CONTROL DIAL SETUP

The control dial setup option in section 4 of the setup menu changes the front and rear control dial operation in the P, A, and S exposure modes. Exposure compensation (p. 59) can also be assigned to one of the control dials. Refer to the sections on the exposure modes for more information.
Anti-shake Full-time AF Grip sensor Ctrl dial set Manual exp. Delete conf. SS F/no. SS F/no. F/no. SS SS F/no.
P (Program exposure) Front dial Rear dial
SS SS F/no. F/no. SS SS F/no. F/no.
A (Aperture priority) Front dial Rear dial Aperture Aperture Aperture Aperture Exposure comp. Exposure comp. Aperture Exposure comp. Exposure comp. Aperture Aperture Aperture
PS shift PS shift PA shift PA shift Exposure comp. Exposure comp.
PA shift Exposure comp. Exposure comp. PS shift PS shift PA shift
S (Shutter priority) Front dial Rear dial Shutter Shutter speed speed Shutter Exposure speed comp. Shutter Exposure speed comp. Shutter Shutter speed speed Exposure Shutter comp. speed Exposure Shutter comp. speed
CONTROL DIAL SETUP - MANUAL EXPOSURE
The manual-exposure option in section 4 of the setup menu changes the front and rear control dial operation in the manual (M) exposure mode. Three options are available: Front dial Rear dial

SS F/no. F/no. SS

Shutter speed Aperture

Aperture Shutter speed

Program manual
Programmed manual - both shutter speed and aperture are used to change the exposure following the cameras program line.

1. Stop the USB connection by dragging the drive icon into the trash (p. 155). 2. Turn off the camera. 3. Change the memory card. 4. Turn on the camera to remake the USB connection.
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.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 driver 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.

TROUBLESHOOTING

The section covers minor problems with basic camera operation. For major problems or damage to the camera or charger, or if a problem continues to reoccur frequently, contact a Minolta service facility listed on the back cover of this manual.

Problem

Symptom
Nothing displayed on the data panel or the monitors.

The batteries are dead.

Solution
Recharge battery (p. 22). Check that the adapter is connected to the camera and a live electrical outlet (p. 25).
The AC adapter is not connected properly.
The camera will not work. Err displayed on the data panel. The camera is hot or it has been left in a very hot environment. Turn off the camera and allow it to cool. If Err is still displayed on the camera after it cools, remove and replace the battery or power cord.
000 is displayed on the frame counter. Shutter will not release. No-card warning appears on the monitors.
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. 26), delete some images (p. 41), or change the image-quality or image-size setting (p. 82).

Battery: One NP-400 lithium-ion battery Battery performance (recording): Approx. number of recorded images: 330 frames with a NP-400 lithium-ion battery, full-size images (2560 X 1920), standard image quality, EVF on, LCD monitor off, flash used with 50% of the frames, no instant playback, no voice memo. Battery performance (playback): Approx. continuous playback time: 300 min. with a NP-400 lithium-ion battery, LCD monitor on, EVF off. External power source: AC adapter (AC-1L or AC-11) External High-Power Battery Pack Kit EBP-100 Battery Pack BP-400 Dimensions: 117.0 (W) X 85.0 (H) X 113.5 (D) mm 4.61 (W) X 3.35 (H) X 4.47 (D) in Weight: Approximately 560g (19.8 oz) (without batteries or memory card) Operating temperature: 0 - 40C (32 - 104F) Operating humidity: 5 - 85% (noncondensing) Lithium-ion Battery Charger BC-400 Input voltage: AC 100-240V, 50-60Hz Weight: 86g (3.0 oz.) Dimensions: 65 (W) X 90 (H) X 30 (D) mm 2.56 (W) X 3.54 (H) X 1.18 (D) in Lithium-ion Battery NP-400 Voltage: Weight: Dimensions:
7.4V, 1500mAh 85g (3.0 oz.) 56.0 (W) X 39.5 (H) X 21.0 (D) mm 2.20 (W) X 1.56 (H) X 0.83 (D) in
Specifications are based on the latest information available at the time of printing and are subject to change without notice.

BATTERY PACK BP-400

The Battery Pack BP-400 is a portable power source for the camera. This accessory uses two NP-400 lithium-ion batteries or six Ni-MH or alkaline batteries to power the camera. For more details on the Battery Pack BP-400 or other accessories listed in this manual, contact your local Minolta dealer.
Approximate recording performance With two NP-400 lithium-ion batteries With six 2100mAh Ni-MH batteries

660 frames 350 frames

Based on the following test conditions: full-size images, standard image quality, EVF on, LCD monitor off, flash used with 50 % of frames, no instant playback, no voice memo Approximate continuous playback performance With two NP-400 lithium-ion batteries 600 minutes With six 2100mAh Ni-MH batteries 320 minutes Based on the following test conditions: LCD monitor on, EVF off.

BATTERY PACK

FILTER EXAMPLES
Filter levels with color images
Filter settings with black and white images.
For more on Filter effects, see page 78.
2003 Konica Minolta Camera, Inc. under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention. 1AG6P1P1613-9222-2782-11 SY-C309 Printed in Japan