9224-2776-11 H-A112

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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. This manual contains information regarding products introduced before February, 2002. To obtain compatibility information for products released after this date, contact a Minolta Service Facility listed on the back cover of this manual. Check the packing list before using this product. If any items are missing, immediately contact your camera dealer. Minolta DiMAGE X digital camera Lithium-ion battery NP-200 Lithium-ion battery charger BC-200 Hand strap HS-DG100 8MB SD Memory Card AV cable AVC-200 USB cable USB-500 DiMAGE software CD-ROM for DiMAGE X PDF DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility manual on CD-ROM PDF Camera manual on CD-ROM Quick Reference Guide Warranty card
Do not remove the ferrite cores from the cables.
Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, Mac OS, and the Mac OS logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. The official name of Windows is Microsoft Windows Operating System. Pentium is a registered trademark of the Intel Corporation. Power PC is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. QuickTime is a trademark used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

PROPER AND SAFE USE

NP-200 Lithium-ion batteries
The DiMAGE X 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 60C (140F). Do not expose the battery to water, or moisture. Water can corrode or damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak. Do not drop or subject the battery to strong impacts. Impacts can damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak. Do not store the battery near or in metallic products. Only use the battery specified in this camera manual. Only use the specified charger within the voltage range specified on the charger unit. An inappropriate charger or current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock. Do not use a leaking battery. If fluid from the battery enters your eye, immediately rinse the eye with plenty of fresh water and contact a doctor. If fluid from the battery makes contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area thoroughly with water.
(Continued on the next page.)

WARNING

Tape over the lithium-ion battery contacts to avoid short-circuiting during disposal; always follow local regulations for battery disposal. Only use the battery specified in this manual. If charging is not completed after the specified period elapses, unplug the charger and discontinue charging immediately. Only use or charge the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between 0 and 40C (32 and 104F) and a humidity of 45% to 85% RH. Only store the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between -20 and 30C (-4 and 86F) and a humidity of 45% to 85% RH.

CAUTION

Do not use or store these product 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. Burns may result if the memory card or battery is removed immediately after extended periods of use. Turn the camera off and wait for it to cool. Do not fire the flash while it is in contact with people or objects. The flash unit discharges a large amount of energy which may cause burns. Do not apply pressure to the LCD monitor. A damaged monitor may cause injury, and the liquid from the monitor may cause inflammation. If liquid from the monitor makes contact with skin, wash the area with fresh water. If liquid from the monitor comes in contact with the eyes, immediately rinse the eyes with plenty of water and contact a doctor. When using the AC adapter and charger, insert the plug securely into the electrical outlet. Do not use if the AC adapter or charger cord is damaged. Do not cover the AC adapter or charger. A fire may result. Do not obstruct access to the AC adapter or charger; this can hinder the unplugging of the units in emergencies. Unplug the AC adapter or charger when cleaning or not in use.

OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS MANUAL
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-mode section between pages 20 and 29, and the playback-mode section between pages 50 and 56. 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. The menu navigation sections concisely describe how to change menu settings. Descriptions of the settings immediately follow the navigation sections. The appendix contains a troubleshooting section to help answer questions about the operation of the camera. Information covering camera care and storage is also provided. Please store this manual in a safe place. Names of parts....10 Getting up and running....12 Charging the lithium-ion battery....12 Changing the lithium-ion battery....13 Battery-condition indicator...14 Auto power off....14 AC adapter (sold separately)....15 Attaching the hand strap....15 Installing and removing a memory card....16 About memory cards....17 Setting the date and time....18 Recording mode.....20 Handling the camera....20 Setting the camera to record images...20 Using the zoom lens....21 LCD monitor display - recording mode...22 Camera-shake warning....22 Basic recording operation....23 Focus lock....24 Focus range.....24

Strap eyelet (p. 15)
Battery/Card chamber door (p. 13, 16)
Tripod socket (Located on the bottom of the body.)
Viewfinder* Indicator lamp (p. 81) Left key Right key
Zoom lever (p. 21) Mode switch Recording mode (p. 20) Playback mode (p. 50) LCD monitor* Speaker
Enter button Menu button Flash-mode button (p. 26) Display button (p. 48, 52) AV-out-terminal/USB-port cover

GETTING

UP AND RUNNING

GETTING UP AND RUNNING

This section covers how to prepare your camera for use. Details on the use and installation of the battery and memory card are given as well as how to attach the hand strap and optional AC adapter.
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 83 for battery care and storage. Plug the power cord into the charger unit (1). With the battery terminals toward the front and the label face up, slide the battery into the charger (2).
Plug the charger into a live household outlet. After a few seconds, the indicator lamp (3) will glow to show the battery is charging. The lamp will go out when the battery has been charged. Charging time is approximately eighty minutes. Unplug the power cord from the outlet. Remove the battery from the charger (4).
Changing 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 bottom of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door (2).
Move the battery latch towards the back of the camera to insert the battery (3). Slide the battery into the battery chamber (4) with the battery terminals first until it is caught by the latch.

To zoom in on the subject, push the zoom lever up. To zoom out, push the zoom lever down. The digital-zoom function can double the power of the lens. The digital zoom is activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28).
LCD monitor display - recording mode
Microphone indicator Recording mode Flash modes (p. 26) Exposure compensation (p. 46) White balance (p. 38) Digital zoom (p. 40) Image size (p. 35) Image quality (p. 36) Battery-condition indicator (p. 14) Drive mode (p. 30) Frame counter (p. 37) Camera-shake warning Focus signals (p. 27)
The frame counter cannot exceed 999. When the number of recordable images exceeds this, 999 will be displayed. The frame counter will continue to count down when the number of recordable images falls below one thousand.

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. Camera shake is slight blurring caused by subtle hand motion and is more pronounced at the telephoto position of the lens than at the wideangle position. Although the warning appears, the shutter can still be released. If the warning appears, place the camera on a tripod or use the built-in flash.
Basic recording operation
Turn the camera on and slide the mode switch 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. 24) 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.
Press the shutter-release button partway down (1) to lock the focus and exposure. The focus signals (p. 25) on the monitor and the indicator lamp next to the viewfinder will confirm that the image is in focus. If the monitor focus signal is red or the indicator lamp is green and blinks quickly, the camera was unable to focus on the subject. Repeat the previous steps until the focus signal is white and the lamp glows steadily. Press the shutter-release button all the way down (2) to take the picture. After the shutter releases, the indicator lamp next to the viewfinder will turn orange and blink indicating image data is being written to the memory card. Never remove a memory card while data is being transferred.

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. The focus signal on the monitor and the viewfinder indicator lamp will indicate if the focus is locked.

White balance is the cameras 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. When one of the preset white-balance settings is selected, an icon will be displayed on the LCD monitor to indicate the active white-balance setting. White balance is set in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28).

Automatic white balance

The automatic white balance compensates for the color temperature of a scene. In most cases, the auto setting will balance the ambient light and create beautiful images, even under mixed-lighting conditions. When the built-in flash is used, the white balance is set for the color temperature of the flash.

SHOOTING TIPS

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 if the subject is within range. With landscapes containing these types of lights, set the white balance to the preset daylight setting.

Preset white balance

Preset white-balance settings must be set before the image is taken. Once set, the effect is immediately visible on the monitor. To record the ambient light, set the flash mode to flash cancel (p. 26). The built-in flash can be used with preset white-balance, but will create a pinkish or blueish cast with the fluorescent and tungsten settings. The flash is daylight balanced and will produce good results with the daylight and cloudy settings.
Daylight - for outdoor and sunlit subjects. Cloudy - for overcast outdoor scenes.
Tungsten - for incandescent lighting: household filament light bulbs.
Fluorescent - for fluorescent lighting: office ceiling lights.

Digital zoom

Assisting the optical zoom is a four-step 2X digital zoom. The digital zoom is activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). The digital zoom increases the magnification of the greatest telephoto setting of the optical zoom in four steps: X1.25, X1.50, X1.75, and X2.00. 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 effect of the digital zoom is visible on the LCD monitor only. The digitalzoom function is canceled if the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 48).
Activate the digital zoom in the custom section of the recording mode menu. The digital zoom will remain active until reset on the menu. At the maximum telephoto position, press the zoom lever up to engage the digital zoom. The zoom magnification will be displayed in the top right corner of the monitor. To zoom out, press the zoom lever down.

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. 31). When the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 48), it will automatically activate for the instant playback period. Instant playback can be activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). When used with voice memo, the audio recording will begin after the image is played back.

MINOLTA HISTORY

Innovation and creativity has always been a driving force behind Minolta products. The Electro-zoom X was purely an exercise in camera design. It was unveiled at Photokina in Germany in 1966. The Electro-zoom X was an electronically controlled aperture-priority mechanical SLR with a built-in 30 120mm f/3.5 zoom lens giving twenty 12 X 17mm images on a roll of 16mm film. The shutter-release button and battery chamber are located in the grip. Only a few prototypes were built making it one of Minoltas rarest cameras.

Voice memo

Voice memo allows an audio track up to fifteen seconds to be recorded with a still image. The function is activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). When the function is active, the white microphone icon 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. 48), it will automatically activate for the voice-memo period. After an image is captured, a screen will appear indicating the audio recording has started. A bar graph (1) will display the amount of recording time remaining. To stop the recording, press the shutter-release button or enter button (2). The recording will automatically stop when the fifteen-second limit has elapsed. Voice memo is attached to the last image of a continuous-advance series (p. 31). When played back, images with voice-memo audio tracks have a note icon displayed with them (p. 51). When making audio recordings, be careful not to touch or cover the microphone. The quality of the recording is proportional to the subject to microphone distance. For best results, hold the camera approximately 20cm (8in) from your mouth.

Microphone

Sometimes the cameras exposure meter is deceived by certain subjects. Exposure compensation can be used in these situations. For example, a very bright scene, such as a snowy landscape or a white sandy beach, can appear too dark in the captured image. Before taking the picture, adjusting the exposure by +1 or +2 Ev will result in an image with normal tonal values. In this example, the dark scene appears bright and washed-out on the LCD monitor. By decreasing the exposure by 1.5 Ev, the richness of the sunset is preserved.

What is an Ev?

Ev stands for exposure value. A change of one Ev will adjust the exposure calculated by the camera by a factor of two.
Change in Ev +2.0 Ev +1.0 Ev 0.0 Ev 1.0 Ev 2.0 Ev
Adjustment to exposure 4X as much light 2X as much light Calculated exposure 1/2 as much light 1/4 as much light
Display button - recording mode
The display-information 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 appear, see page 44. Battery power can be conserved by turning the monitor off and using the viewfinder to take pictures. However, because of parallax, the monitor should be used for subjects closer than 1m (3ft.) at the zoom lens wide-angle position or 3m (10ft) at the telephoto position. When the flash-mode or menu button is pressed, the monitor will automatically turn on. The digital zoom is disabled when the monitor is off. The monitor cannot be turned off in audio or movie recording. When the LCD monitor is off, it will automatically activate for the instant playback period.
Full display Monitor off Display button

Live image only

A short guide to photography
Photography can be a rewarding pursuit. This guide is an introduction to some basic photographic principles. The zoom lens does not only affect how large the subject is in the picture, but it also influences the depth of field and perspective. Depth of field is the area between the closest object in focus and the furthest object in focus. As the lens zooms in (telephoto position) to the subject, the depth of field becomes shallower, separating the subject from the background. Many portraits are taken with telephoto lenses. Zooming the lens out to the wide-angle position makes both the foreground and background appear sharper. Usually landscape photographs take advantage of the large depth of field of wide-angle lenses.

For information on frame-selection screens, see page 56.

Yes No

Choosing Yes will execute the operation, No will cancel the operation Refer to the following sections for descriptions of the menu options and settings.

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 and right keys move the yellow border to select the frame.
Pressing the zoom lever up selects the frame; when selected, an icon will appear next to the frame. Pressing the zoom lever down deselects the frame removing the icon.
The menu button cancels the screen and any operation made.

Confirm

The garbage-can icon indicates the frame is selected for deletion.
The key icon indicates the image or audio file is locked or selected to be locked.
The printer icon indicates the image is selected for printing. The number next to the icon shows if two or more copies are requested.

Audio captioning

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. 54).
On the playback menu, highlight the Enter setting in the audio-caption option. Press the enter button (1) to start recording. If an audio track is already attached to the image file, a confirmation screen will appear. Choosing and entering Yes will start the audio caption recording replacing the previous audio track. No will cancel the audio-caption operation. The audio caption can be stopped during the fifteen-second recording period by pressing the enter button (1).

Recording audio.

Deleting image and audio files
Deleting permanently erases the image or audio file. Once deleted, a file cannot be recovered. Care should be taken when deleting files.
Single, multiple, or all image or audio files on the memory card can be deleted with the playback-mode menu. Before a file is deleted, a confirmation screen will appear; choosing Yes will execute the operation, No will cancel the operation. The delete option has three settings: This frame - The image or recording displayed or highlighted in playback mode will be deleted. All frames - All unlocked files on the memory card will be deleted. Marked frames - To delete multiple image or audio files. When this setting is chosen, the frameselection screen will be displayed. Use the left and right keys to highlight the first file to be deleted. Pressing the zoom lever up will mark the frame with the garbage-can icon. To deselect a file for deletion, highlight it with the yellow border and press the zoom lever down; the garbage-can icon will disappear. Continue until all the files to be deleted are marked. Press the enter button to continue (a confirmation screen will appear), or press the menu button to cancel the operation and return to the playback menu. On the confirmation screen, highlighting and entering Yes will delete the marked files. The delete function will only erase unlocked image or audio files. If a file is locked, it must be unlocked before it can be deleted. If an image file has a voice memo or audio caption attached, both the image and audio file will be deleted.

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 zoom lever to set the number of copies desired. If the all-frames setting was used to create a print order, any additional images saved afterwards on the memory card will not be included in the order. The print icon is displayed with selected images in playback mode. If more than one copy of the image is ordered, the number of copies will be displayed next to the icon. After the pictures have been printed, the DPOF file will still remain on the memory card. The DPOF files must be canceled manually. DPOF files cannot be created for images captured with another camera. DPOF data created on other cameras will not be recognized.

Ordering an index print

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

Formatting memory cards

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 images 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. A screen will appear to indicate the card has been formatted. If the unable-to-use-card message appears, the inserted card in the camera may need to be formatted. A memory card used in another camera may have to be formatted before being used.

Video output

Camera images can be displayed on a television (p. 63). 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 menu language can be changed.
Viewing images on a television
It is possible to view camera images on your television. The camera has a AV-out terminal to make the connection 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 the setup 2 section of the playback menu (p. 54). 1. Turn off the television and the camera. 2. Insert the AV cable into the cameras AV-out / USB terminal. 3. Plug the other end of the AV cable into the video and audio input terminals on the television. The yellow plug is for the video output. The white plug is for the monaural audio output. 4. Turn the television on. 5. Set the television to the video channel. 6. Turn the camera on and slide 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.

Attach the other end of the USB cable to the computers USB port. Make sure the plug is firmly attached. The camera should be connected directly to the computers USB port. Attaching the camera to a USB hub may prevent the camera from operating properly.
(Continued on the next page)
Turn on the camera to initiate the USB connection. While the camera is connected to a computer, the datatransfer screen will be displayed.
When the camera is properly connected, a drive icon will appear on the computer. When using Windows XP, the removable-disk window will be displayed.
If the computer does not recognize the camera, disconnect the camera and restart the computer. Repeat the connection procedure above. For users with Windows operating systems, the driver software can be uninstalled in the event of an error during installation. See page 81 for instructions.
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 systems 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.

Automatic Installation

Before connecting the camera to the computer, place the DiMAGE software CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. The DiMAGE installer menu should automatically activate. To automatically install the Windows 98 USB driver, click on the starting-up-the-USB-device-driverinstaller button. A window will appear to confirm that the driver should be installed; click Yes to continue. When the driver has been successfully installed, a window will appear. Click OK. Restart the computer before connecting the camera (p. 65).

Manual installation

To install the Windows 98 driver manually, follow the instructions in the connecting-the-camera-to-acomputer section on page 65. When the camera is plugged into the computer, the operating system will detect the new device and the add-new-hardware-wizard window will open. Place the DiMAGE software CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drive. Click Next.
Choose the recommended search for a suitable driver. Click Next.

CAMERA NOTES

Image files contain exif tag data. This data includes the time and date the image was recorded as well as the camera settings used. This data can be viewed with the camera or the DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility software. If an image is opened in a image-processing application that does not support exif tag data, and then the image is saved overwriting the original data, the exif tag information will be erased. When using software other than the DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility, always rename the image file to protect the exif tag data.
Disconnecting the camera from a computer
The camera cannot be turned off until the USB cable is disconnected.
Confirm the indicator lamp is not lit. Disconnect the USB cable and then turn off the camera.
To disconnect the camera, left click on the unplug-or-eject-hardware icon located on the task bar. A small window will open indicating the device to be stopped.
Click on the small window to stop the device. The safe-to-remove-hardware window will appear. Close the window and then disconnect the USB cable and turn off the camera. When more than one external device are connected to the computer, repeat the procedure above except right click on the unplug-or-eject-hardware icon. This will open the unplug-or-eject-hardware window after clicking on the small window indicating the device.
On the unplug-or-eject-hardware window, 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.
The safe-to-remove-hardware screen will appear. Click OK. Disconnect the USB cable and then turn off the camera.
Confirm the indicator lamp is not lit and then drag the mass-storage device icon and drop it into the trash. Disconnect the USB cable and turn off the camera. If the USB cable is disconnected before performing the first step, an alert message will appear. Always complete the first step before disconnecting the USB cable.

SETTING THE

MENU LANGUAGE
Setting the menu language
The menu language is set on the setup 2 section of the playback menu. Turn the camera on by pressing the main switch near the shutter-release button (1). Slide the mode switch to the playback position (2).
Press the menu button to active the playback menu.

Use the right key to highlight the setup 2 tab at the top of the menu. Use the zoom lever to highlight the language menu option.

Format

Setup 1 NTSC
Press the right key. The language settings will appear on the right side of the menu.

Video output Language

English
Use the zoom lever to select the language.
Press the enter button to set the selected language. The playback menu will be displayed. Playback menu: setup 2 section Press the menu button to close the playback menu.

TROUBLESHOOTING

APPENDIX
This 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

Symptom
The battery is dead. The auto-power-off function has shut down the camera.

Solution

Recharge the battery (p. 12). Turn the camera on using the main switch.
The camera will not work.
Nothing displayed on the the monitor.
The AC adapter is not connected properly.
Check that the adapter is connected to the camera and a live electrical outlet (p. 15).
000 is displayed on the frame counter.
The 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. 16), delete some images (p. 54), or change the image-quality or image-size setting (p. 28).
Shutter will not release.
No-card warning appears on the monitor. Card-locked warning appears on the monitor.
No memory card in the camera.
Insert a memory card (p.16).

Memory card is locked.

Unlock the memory card using the write-protect switch (p.17).

Subject is too close.

Make sure the subject is within the autofocus range of 25cm (0.8ft.) to infinity.

Pictures are not sharp.

E INSTRUCTION MANUAL

BEFORE YOU

PROPER AND SAFE USE

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. This manual contains information regarding products introduced before February, 2002. To obtain compatibility information for products released after this date, contact a Minolta Service Facility listed on the back cover of this manual. Check the packing list before using this product. If any items are missing, immediately contact your camera dealer. Minolta DiMAGE X digital camera Lithium-ion battery NP-200 Lithium-ion battery charger BC-200 Hand strap HS-DG100 8MB SD Memory Card AV cable AVC-200 USB cable USB-500 DiMAGE software CD-ROM for DiMAGE X DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility manual Camera manual Warranty card
NP-200 Lithium-ion batteries
The DiMAGE X operates on a small, but powerful lithium-ion battery. Misuse or abuse of the lithium-ion 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 60C (140F). Do not expose the battery to water, or moisture. Water can corrode or damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak. Do not drop or subject the battery to strong impacts. Impacts can damage the internal battery safety devices and cause the battery to overheat, ignite, rupture, or leak. Do not store the battery near or in metallic products. Only use the battery specified in this camera manual. Only use the specified charger within the voltage range specified on the charger unit. An inappropriate charger or current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock. Do not use a leaking battery. If fluid from the battery enters your eye, immediately rinse the eye with plenty of fresh water and contact a doctor. If fluid from the battery makes contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area thoroughly with water.
Do not remove the ferrite cores from the cables.
Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, Mac OS, and the Mac OS logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. The official name of Windows is Microsoft Windows Operating System. Pentium is a registered trademark of the Intel Corporation. Power PC is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation. QuickTime is a trademark used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2
(Continued on the next page.)
Do not fire the flash directly into the eyes. It may damage eyesight. Do not fire the flash at vehicle operators. It may cause a distraction or temporary blindness which may lead to an accident. Do not use the monitor while operating a vehicle or walking. It may result in injury or an accident. Do not use these products in a humid environment, or operate these products with wet hands. If liquid enters these products, immediately remove the battery or unplug the power cord, 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. The use of inflammable cleaners and solvents may cause an explosion or fire. When unplugging the AC adapter or charger, do not pull on the power cord. Hold the plug when removing it from an outlet. Do not damage, twist, modify, heat, or place heavy objects on the AC adapter or charger cord. A damaged cord may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock. If these products emits a strange odor, heat, or smoke, discontinue use. Immediately remove the battery taking care not to burn yourself as the battery may become hot with use. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire. Only use the specified AC adapter within the voltage range indicated on the adapter unit. An inappropriate adapter or current may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock. Take the product to a Minolta Service Facility when repairs are required.

WARNING

Tape over the lithium-ion battery contacts to avoid short-circuiting during disposal; always follow local regulations for battery disposal. Only use the battery specified in this manual. If charging is not completed after the specified period elapses, unplug the charger and discontinue charging immediately. Only use or charge the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between 0 and 40C (32 and 104F) and a humidity of 45% to 85% RH. Only store the battery in an environment with ambient temperatures between -20 and 30C (-4 and 86F) and a humidity of 45% to 85% RH.

General warnings and cautions for product use.
Read and understand the following warnings and cautions for safe use of the digital camera and its accessories.
Do not disassemble the camera or charger. Electric shock may cause injury if a high voltage circuit inside the product is touched. Immediately remove the battery or unplug the AC adapter and discontinue use if the camera is dropped or subjected to an impact in which the interior, especially the flash unit, is exposed. The flash has a high voltage circuit which may cause an electric shock resulting in injury. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire. Keep the battery, memory card, or small parts that could be swallowed away from infants. Contact a doctor immediately if an object is swallowed. Store this product out of reach of children. Be careful when around children, not to harm them with the product or parts.

OF CONTENTS

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. Burns may result if the memory card or battery is removed immediately after extended periods of use. Turn the camera off and wait for it to cool. Do not fire the flash while it is in contact with people or objects. The flash unit discharges a large amount of energy which may cause burns. Do not apply pressure to the LCD monitor. A damaged monitor may cause injury, and the liquid from the monitor may cause inflammation. If liquid from the monitor makes contact with skin, wash the area with fresh water. If liquid from the monitor comes in contact with the eyes, immediately rinse the eyes with plenty of water and contact a doctor. When using the AC adapter and charger, insert the plug securely into the electrical outlet. Do not use if the AC adapter or charger cord is damaged. Do not cover the AC adapter or charger. A fire may result. Do not obstruct access to the AC adapter or charger; this can hinder the unplugging of the units in emergencies. Unplug the AC adapter or charger when cleaning or not in use.

OF PARTS

Viewfinder* Indicator lamp (p. 81) Flash (p. 26) Main switch Self-timer lamp (p. 32) Viewfinder window* Microphone Left key Right key
* 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. 82).

Shutter-release button

Zoom lever (p. 21) Mode switch Recording mode (p. 20)
Lens* DC terminal (p. 15)
Playback mode (p. 50) LCD monitor* Speaker
Strap eyelet (p. 15) Enter button Menu button Flash-mode button (p. 26) Display button (p. 48, 52) Tripod socket (Located on the bottom of the body.) AV-out-terminal/USB-port cover
Battery/Card chamber door (p. 13, 16)

GETTING

UP AND RUNNING
Changing 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 bottom of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door (2). Move the battery latch towards the back of the camera to insert the battery (3). Slide the battery into the battery chamber (4) with the battery terminals first until it is caught by the latch.

GETTING UP AND RUNNING

This section covers how to prepare your camera for use. Details on the use and installation of the battery and memory card are given as well as how to attach the hand strap and optional AC adapter.
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 83 for battery care and storage. Plug the power cord into the charger unit (1). With the battery terminals toward the front and the label face up, slide the battery into the charger (2). Plug the charger into a live household outlet.
After a few seconds, the indicator lamp (3) will glow to show the battery is charging. The lamp will go out when the battery has been charged. Charging time is approximately eighty minutes.
To remove the battery, move the latch towards the back of the camera until the battery is released (5). Pull the battery out of the chamber (6).
Close the battery-chamber door (7) and slide it toward the top of the camera to engage the safety catch (8).
After installing the battery, the set-time/date message may appear on the monitor. The clock and calendar is set in the setup 1 section of the menu (p. 18).
Unplug the power cord from the outlet. Remove the battery from the charger (4).
AC adapter (sold separately)
Do not change the power supply while the camera is on. Always turn off the camera before changing between power supplies.

Writeprotect switch

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. Slide the battery-chamber door toward the bottom of the camera to release the safety catch (1). Open the door (2). Insert the memory card all the way into the card slot and then release (3). The card should catch in the slot.
Insert the card so the face is toward the front of the camera. Always push the card in straight, never at an angle. Never force the card. If the card does not fit, check that it is orientated correctly. If a MultiMediaCard is inserted incorrectly, it will lock, but the card chamber door will not close.

Lock position

If the unable-to-use-card message appears, the inserted card in the camera may need to be formatted. A card used in another camera may also have to be formatted before being used. A card can be formatted in the setup 2 section of the playback menu (p. 54). When a card is formatted, all the data on the card is permanently erased.
To eject a memory card, press the card into the slot and release (4). The card can now be pulled out. Close the battery-chamber door (5) and slide it toward the top of the camera to engage the safety catch (6).
Basic Power off Audio signals Date/Time set Setup 1 Setup 2
Setting the date and time
After initially inserting a memory card and charging the battery, the cameras clock and calendar must be set. 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, refer to page 76.
Press the menu button to active the playback menu. Use the right key to highlight the setup 1 tab at the top of the menu. Use the zoom lever to highlight the date/time-set menu option. Press the right key. Enter will appear on the right side of the menu. Press the enter button to display the date/time setting screen. Use the left and right keys to select the item to be changed. Use the zoom lever to adjust the item.
LCD brightness 3 min. On -
Turn the camera on by pressing the main switch near the shutter-release button (1). Slide the mode switch to the playback position (2). The date and time can be set on the playback menu. Navigating the menu is simple. The menu button (3) turns the menu on and off. The zoom lever and left and right keys (4) control the cursor and change settings on the menu. The enter button (5) selects menu options and sets adjustments.

Date format YYYY/MM/DD

Playback menu: setup 1 section

Date/Time set

Date/Time setting screen Press the enter button to set the clock and calendar. The playback menu will be displayed. Press the menu button to close the playback menu.

RECORDING

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 controlled by the zoom lever at the back of the camera. In 35mm photography, focal lengths below 50mm are referred to as wide-angle; the angle of view is larger than that of the human eye. Above 50mm is referred to as telephoto and makes distant objects appear closer. The effect of the optical zoom is visible in both the viewfinder and LCD monitor. To zoom in on the subject, push the zoom lever up. To zoom out, push the zoom lever down. The digital-zoom function can double the power of the lens. The digital zoom is activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28).

RECORDING MODE

This section covers the basic recording operation as well as advanced recording functions. To start using the camera, read pages 20 through 29. Many of the recording functions are controlled with menus. The menu navigation sections concisely describe how to change menu settings. Descriptions of the settings immediately follow the navigation section.

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. When taking vertical pictures, hold the camera so that the flash is above the lens with the shutter-release button to the top. Take care not to cover the lens with your fingers or the strap.
Setting the camera to record images
Turn the camera on by pressing the main switch (1). Slide the mode switch to the recording position (2).
Basic recording operation
Turn the camera on and slide the mode switch 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. 24) can be used with off-center subjects. If the subject is closer than 1m (3ft.) at the zoom lens wideangle position or 3m (10ft) at the telephoto position, only use the LCD monitor to frame the subject.
LCD monitor display - recording mode
Microphone indicator Recording mode Flash modes (p. 26) Exposure compensation (p. 46) White balance (p. 38) Digital zoom (p. 40) Image size (p. 35) Image quality (p. 36) Battery-condition indicator (p. 14) Drive mode (p. 30) Frame counter (p. 37) Camera-shake warning Focus signals (p. 27)

The frame counter cannot exceed 999. When the number of recordable images exceeds this, 999 will be displayed. The frame counter will continue to count down when the number of recordable images falls below one thousand.
Press the shutter-release button partway down (1) to lock the focus and exposure.
The focus signals (p. 25) on the monitor and the indicator lamp next to the viewfinder will confirm that the image is in focus. If the monitor focus signal is red or the indicator lamp is green and blinks quickly, the camera was unable to focus on the subject. Repeat the previous steps until the focus signal is white and the lamp glows steadily.

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. Camera shake is slight blurring caused by subtle hand motion and is more pronounced at the telephoto position of the lens than at the wideangle position. Although the warning appears, the shutter can still be released. If the warning appears, place the camera on a tripod or use the built-in flash.
Press the shutter-release button all the way down (2) to take the picture.
After the shutter releases, the indicator lamp next to the viewfinder will turn orange and blink indicating image data is being written to the memory card. Never remove a memory card while data is being transferred.

Focus lock

Focus signals
This digital camera has a quick, accurate autofocusing system. The focus icon 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 and the viewfinder indicator lamp is green and steady. Cannot focus - the LCD monitor focus signal is red and the viewfinder indicator lamp is green and blinking quickly. When the AF system cannot focus, the focus is set to 2m (6.5ft).

Focus signal

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.
The focus signal on the monitor and the viewfinder indicator lamp will indicate if the focus is locked.
Without lifting your finger from the shutter-release button, recompose the subject within the image area. Press the shutter-release button all the way down to take the picture.

Autoflash - the flash fires automatically in low-light and backlit conditions. Red-eye reduction - the flash fires multiple bursts before the main flash burst to reduce red-eye; an effect caused by light reflected from the retina. Use in low-light conditions when taking photographs of people or animals, the pre-flashes contract the pupils of the subjects eyes. Fill-flash - the flash fires with each exposure regardless of the amount of ambient light. Fill-flash can be used to reduce harsh shadows caused by strong direct light or sunshine.

Flash signals

The indicator lamp next to the viewfinder indicates the status of the flash. When the lamp is red and blinks quickly, the flash is charging and the shutter will not release. When the lamp turns green, the flash is charged and ready to fire.
Drive mode Single Continuous Self-timer Movie Audio rec. Image size 1600 X X X 480 Quality Super fine Fine Standard Economy White balance Auto Daylight Cloudy Tungsten Fluorescent Audio signals Date/Time set Date format
Navigating the recording-mode menu
Camera operations and recording functions are controlled on the menu. Navigating the menu is simple. The menu button turns the menu on and off. The zoom lever and left and right keys control the cursor and change settings on the menu. The enter button 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. Use the left/right keys to highlight the appropriate menu tab; the menus will change as the tabs are highlighted. When the desired menu section is displayed, use the zoom lever to scroll through the menu options. Highlight the option whose setting needs to be changed. With the menu option to be changed highlighted, press the right key; the settings will be displayed with the current setting indicated by an arrow. To return to the menu options, press the left key. Use the zoom lever to highlight the new setting. If Enter is displayed, press the enter button to display the setting screen. Press the enter button to select the highlighted setting.

Custom

Digital zoom Instant playback Voice memo Folder name On / Off On / Off On / Off Standard form Date form

Setup 1

LCD brightness Power off Enter 1 minute 3 minutes 5 minutes 10 minutes 30 minutes On / Off Enter YYYY/MM/DD DD/MM/YYYY MM/DD/YYYY

Basic Image size Quality

Drive mode
Single 1600X1200 Standard

White balance Auto

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 recording mode, press the menu button.
Refer to the following sections for details on the menu options and their settings. The setup 1 section can be accessed from both the recording-mode and playback menu (p. 54).

Drive modes

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 1600 X 1200, the maximum rate of capture is 2 fps. If the image quality is set to super fine (p. 36) only one frame can be captured at a time. Continuous advance is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). Compose the picture as described in the basic recording operation section (p. 23). Press the shutter-release button partway down to lock the exposure and focus for the series. Press and hold the shutterrelease button all the way down (1) to begin taking pictures. When the shutter-release button is pressed and held, the camera will begin recording images until the maximum number has been taken or the shutter button is released. The built-in flash can be used, but the rate of capture is reduced because the flash must recharge between frames. The frame counter is adjusted after the series has been taken while the images are being saved. The chart lists the maximum number of images that can be captured with different imagequality and image-size combinations.

Image Size 1600 X 1200

The drive modes control the rate and method images are captured. Icons indicating the selected drive mode appear on the monitor. The drive mode is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). When the camera is turned off, the drive mode is reset to single-frame advance.

Movie recording (p. 33)

Single-frame advance

Audio recording (p. 34)

Continuous advance (p. 31)

Self-timer (p. 32)

Single-frame advance allows only one image to be captured each time the shutter-release button is pressed. This is the cameras default setting.

Image Quality

1280 X 960

640 X 480

Fine Standard Economy

Self-timer

Movie recording
The movie-recording drive mode is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). Movie clips up to approximately thirty-five seconds in length with audio can be recorded. The movie image is 320 X 240 pixels (QVGA) and recorded at a rate of around 340KB/s. Approximately one 19-second movie clip can be stored on one 8MB memory card. Shooting digital video is simple. Frame the picture on the LCD monitor. Press and release the shutter-release button to begin recording (1); Rec will be displayed during recording. The camera will continue to record until the 1 recording time is used or the shutter-release button is pressed again. When recording, the frame counter will countdown the recording time. Take care not to cover the microphone while recording. During recording, focus is locked and the optical zoom is disabled. However, a stepless 2X digital zoom can be used with the zoom lever. After recording, a screen will appear indicating the movie clip is being saved to the memory Recording card. Never remove the memory card or disconnect the power supply while the clip is being saved. Stand-by

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. 28). With the camera on a tripod, compose the picture as described in the basic recording operation section (p. 23). Focus lock (p.24) can be used with off-center subjects. Press the shutter-release button partway down to lock the exposure and focus (1). Press the shutter-release button all the way down to begin the countdown (2). Because focus and exposure are determined when the shutter-release button is pressed, do not stand in front of the camera when taking a self-timer image. Always confirm the focus with the focus signals before beginning the countdown (p. 25). During the countdown, the self-timer lamp on the front of the camera (3) will start to blink. A few seconds before the exposure, the self-timer lamp will blink rapidly. The lamp will glow steadily just before the shutter fires. To stop the countdown, press the zoom lever. To stop the countdown and cancel the self-timer, press the main switch. The drive mode will be reset to single-frame advance after the exposure.
Maximum recording time for the next clip.

Saving to card.

Recording indicator

Remaining recording time

Audio recording

Image size

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. Image size must be set before the picture is taken. Image size is set in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). Three image sizes are available: 1600 X 1200 (UXGA), 1280 X 960 (SXGA), and 640 X 480 (VGA). Image size is defined by the images horizontal and vertical dimensions in pixels. The selected image-size setting is displayed on the LCD monitor by the horizontal dimension only. If the image size is 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.
Ninety seconds of audio can be recorded without an image. The audiorecording drive mode is selected in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). When the function is active, the live view is replaced with a blue screen. Approximately 842 seconds of audio can be stored on one 8MB memory card. Audio is recorded at approximately 8KB/s. Microphone To begin recording, press the shutter-release button (1). A bar graph (2) will display the amount of recorded time. The recording will stop when the shutter-release button is pressed again or the ninety-second limit has elapsed. Stand-by When making audio recordings, be careful not to touch or cover the microphone. The quality of the recording is proportional to the subject to microphone distance. For best results, hold the camera approximately 20cm (8in) from your mouth.

Recording audio. Press shutter to stop.
PressShutterButtonToRecord.

Recording

Image quality
The frame counter and memory card capacity
The number of images Approximate file sizes. that can be stored on a Image memory card is size 1600 X X 960 Image 640 X 480 determined by the size quality and type of card and the Super fine 5.5MB 3.5MB 0.89MB file size of the images. Fine 0.93MB 0.60MB 0.17MB The actual file size is determined by the Standard 0.47MB 0.31MB 0.09MB scene; some subjects Economy 0.24MB 0.17MB 0.05MB can be compressed Approximate card capacity for an 8MB memory card. further than others. The frame counter indiFine 6 images 10 images 39 images cates the approximate 13 images 20 images 68 images Standard number of images that Economy 25 images 39 images 117 images can be stored on the memory card at the cameras image quality and size settings. If the settings are changed, the frame counter adjusts accordingly. Because the calculation is based on approximate file sizes, the actual image taken may not change the counter or may decrease it by more than one. When the frame counter displays three red zeros, it indicates no more images at the image size and quality settings can be captured. Changing the image size or quality settings may allow more images to be captured.
This camera has four image-quality settings: super fine, fine, standard, and economy. Always select the desired setting before taking the picture. Image quality is set in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). Image quality controls the rate of compression, but has no effect on the number of pixels in the image. The higher the image quality, the lower the rate of compression and the larger the file sizes. If the economical use of the memory card is important, use the economy mode. Standard image quality is sufficient for normal usage. The superfine mode will produce the highest quality image and the largest image files. File formats vary with the image quality setting. Super fine images are saved as a TIFF file. Fine, standard, and economy images are formatted as JPEG files. If the image quality is changed, the LCD monitor 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 qualities.
LCD monitor display File type

Super fine

1 image

7 images

S. FIN FINE STD ECON
Super fine - the highest-quality image. Fine - high-quality image. Standard - the default setting. Economy - the smallest file sizes.

TIFF JPEG JPEG JPEG

White balance

Preset white balance

Preset white-balance settings must be set before the image is taken. Once set, the effect is immediately visible on the monitor. To record the ambient light, set the flash mode to flash cancel (p. 26). The built-in flash can be used with preset white-balance, but will create a pinkish or blueish cast with the fluorescent and tungsten settings. The flash is daylight balanced and will produce good results with the daylight and cloudy settings. Daylight - for outdoor and sunlit subjects. Cloudy - for overcast outdoor scenes.

White balance is the cameras 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. When one of the preset white-balance settings is selected, an icon will be displayed on the LCD monitor to indicate the active white-balance setting. White balance is set in the basic section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28).

Automatic white balance

The automatic white balance compensates for the color temperature of a scene. In most cases, the auto setting will balance the ambient light and create beautiful images, even under mixed-lighting conditions. When the built-in flash is used, the white balance is set for the color temperature of the flash. Tungsten - for incandescent lighting: household filament light bulbs.
Fluorescent - for fluorescent lighting: office ceiling lights.

Shooting tips

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.

Digital zoom

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. 31). When the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 48), it will automatically activate for the instant playback period. Instant playback can be activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). When used with voice memo, the audio recording will begin after the image is played back.
Assisting the optical zoom is a four-step 2X digital zoom. The digital zoom is activated in the custom section of the recording-mode menu (p. 28). The digital zoom increases the magnification of the greatest telephoto setting of the optical zoom in four steps: X1.25, X1.50, X1.75, and X2.00. 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 effect of the digital zoom is visible on the LCD monitor only. The digital-zoom function is canceled if the LCD monitor is turned off (p. 48). Activate the digital zoom in the custom section of the recording mode menu.

The digital zoom will remain active until reset on the menu.
At the maximum telephoto position, press the zoom lever up to engage the digital zoom.
The zoom magnification will be displayed in the top right corner of the monitor. To zoom out, press the zoom lever down.

Minolta History

Innovation and creativity has always been a driving force behind Minolta products. The Electro-zoom X was purely an exercise in camera design. It was unveiled at Photokina in Germany in 1966. The Electro-zoom X was an electronically controlled aperture-priority mechanical SLR with a built-in 30 - 120mm f/3.5 zoom lens giving twenty 12 X 17mm images on a roll of 16mm film. The shutter-release button and battery chamber are located in the grip. Only a few prototypes were built making it one of Minoltas rarest cameras.