Minolta Dimage F100 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

by Konica-Minolta

Product Details

Product Manual [2.18mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 2 x 3 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000067DKB
• Item model number: F100
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,035 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 3, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Minolta has packed quite a punch into the compact, 4-megapixel DiMAGE F100, adding a 7.5x total zoom, movie mode, and audio recording capability so you can leave yourself notes about your shots. Even better, Minolta has done a great job of making the camera fun and easy to use, which is essential in any camera, but invaluable in today's crowded compact digital-camera market.

The 4-megapixel resolution of the F100 produces very large images that are fantastic for prints larger than 11 by 14 inches. Thankfully, the F100 allows you to step down the resolution to a more manageable 2-megapixel level (1,600 x 1,200 pixels) if you need the space on your memory card.

Its 3x optical zoom lens aids in photo composition, and an additional 2.5x digital zoom (7.5x total) further magnifies your image. Remember, however, that digital zoom reduces the sharpness and detail of your image, so it's best used sparingly.

Minolta built in some great autofocus features to help make your life easier, including wide-focus area autofocus, and spot-focus areas with focus-area selection (which enables you choose a specific, narrow focus field). During our testing, the autofocus worked beautifully, and we never ended up with our target out of focus.

The F100 uses AA batteries and, disappointingly, comes with a set of disposables. We used the camera at a family gathering over the course of a weekend, and the batteries held up fine, so the power drain isn't as horrendous as in past digital cameras. Ideally, though, you'll want to buy a set of rechargeables, to help preserve your sanity, pocketbook, and the environment.

Overall, the DiMAGE F100 performs admirably and is the perfect size to carry just about anywhere. --Michael Lewis

Pros:

• 4-megapixel resolution produces fantastically rich prints up to 11 x 14 inches
• Nice bonuses, including movie mode and audio recording for notes to yourself
• 7.5x total zoom
• Compact size

Cons:

• 3x optical zoom is serviceable, but you can always use more
• Includes disposable batteries--you'll want to add rechargeables

Amazon.com Product Description

Take the quick and easy route to high-quality images with the stylish 4-megapixel Minolta DiMAGE F100.

Optics and Resolution
With its 4 million effective pixels, the DiMAGE F100 captures sharp, detail-rich images. At this level of resolution, you can turn your shots into photo-quality prints that are larger than postcards or even enlargements of up to 11 by 14 inches.

A wide zoom range is an essential tool for framing the shot you're looking for. The F100 offers 3x optical zoom, with a range covering the equivalent of 38mm to 114mm on a 35mm film camera. When you've reached the limit of the optical zoon, the F100 then shifts into its digital zoom, providing an added 2.5x magnification--for a total of 7.5x zoom and a telescopic 285mm (equivalent) focal length.

The F100 features area AF (autofocus), which automatically follows the movement of your subject within the autofocus area, switching the active focusing block to make sure the subject stays sharp. Camera response is further enhanced by rapid autofocusing via to the ultrafast ASIC circuitry, a sophisticated focusing algorithm, and quick lens adjustment. You'll get focusing speeds of approximately 0.35 seconds at the widest lens angle and approx. 0.5 seconds in telephoto (1 meter).

More Features
A movie mode captures video clips with sound. Depending upon resolution, these clips can last up to 35 seconds. Movie files are recorded in JPEG format (320 x 240 pixels). The limited length and resolution of these clips guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

The F100 is also equipped with audio-only recording, which can be a convenient tool for taking notes. A single clip can be 30 minutes long, and is stored as an 8-bit uncompressed wave file. Playback is not included.

Keep a record of where and when you took a particular shot by adding an audio caption to it. Captions are recorded after image capture, and can be 5 or 15 seconds long.

The built-in flash features a TTL (through-the-lens) flash metering system, and has a variety of selectable flash modes. When the camera is set to auto, you have four modes to choose from: auto, manual fill-flash, red-eye reduction, and flash cancel.

Power
The included CR-V3 lithium battery provides power. You can also use a pair of AA batteries.

We recommend getting a set or two of rechargeable nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries and a charger. A digital camera is power intensive, especially if you're using the camera's LCD display, so they aren't recommended except in a pinch. To ensure you'll always be ready for action, we recommend having two sets of rechargeables so you can always have one set in the camera and the other set in the charger.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on Secure Digital memory cards. Consider the included 16 MB card a starter capacity, since its 14-picture limit means you'll need to return to your computer often to transfer images and free up the card for more pictures. A 64 MB card will store nearly 60 images taken in standard mode at a 1,600 x 1,200 resolution.

To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera. Your computer should automatically recognize your camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.

Size
The DiMAGE F100 is easy to carry around on all your photo expeditions, coming in at just 4.4 by 2.2 by 1.3 inches and 6.5 ounces.

Contents and Recommended Accessories
The package includes the DiMAGE F100 camera, CR-V3 battery, AV and USB cables, hand strap, software suite, and 16 MB Secure Digital memory card.

Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we strongly recommend the addition of a larger memory card, an extra set of rechargeable NiMH batteries and battery charger, and a compact carrying case (for protection and to keep pocket lint out of the viewfinder).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great, beautifully designed little camera!, June 7, 2002

By 

Ant "indigoant" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minolta Dimage F100 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

After spending more than a year looking for just the right digital camaera, I chose the F100 and am very happy. With 4 megapixels, 3x zoom, and good optics, the camera is an excellent value for the price.

Most of all, I love the design and ergonomics (I'm an industrial designer and ergonomic engineer, so I'm fussy about these things). The camera is very sturdy and has a clean all-metal housing. It's very small as well, yet it's still quite easy to hold and operate with one hand. The controls make good sense too. Aesthetically, it's very smart looking without being over the top.

The area autofocus works well, though the subject tracking responds so slowly that It doesn't seem that helpful. No matter. All in all, it takes great pictures in Auto mode, and also has a "Multi" mode which gives you full manual control over focus and exposure, or you can choose to control some things and let the camera handle the rest.

Note that unlike some cameras, it doesn't include a rechargeable battery or charger, but it does take 2 AAs. You can buy a smart charger and 4 AA NiMH batteries--around the same cost as buying a second proprietary battery for rival cameras.

All in all, this is well designed and constructed fully featured camera in a small, elegant package.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small in size, large on features, December 3, 2002

By 

ejwitt (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minolta Dimage F100 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

Overall, a small, easy to carry feature packed camera. Subject Tracking AF and Area AF make it easy to stay locked onto a subject that's moving so you can take a clear picture. The 110,000 pixel LCD display provides a crisp clear image. The optional RC-3 remote control allows you to tripod mount the camera and take self-portraits--if you think being able to do that is worth the [money]for the remote.

A customer from San Diego, CA USA claimed that the F100 'did not have "time stamp" option which will allow customer to put date on picture automatically'. Actually it does. Under Manual mode, Menu->Custom 2 tab, there's an option called "date imprint". Turning it on sticks the date on the photo automatically. This option applies to manual mode, but you can still configure manual mode with the menus to be mostly automatic anyway. Why so many complain about features a device doesn't (appear to) have without bothering to read the manual first, eludes me. Besides, why ruin a good picture with a big DATE STAMP when the camera records all of the image details in the jpeg file? With the software included, it's very easy to see the time, date, capturing device settings and dozens of other jpeg properties after the fact without compromising the photo.

The fact that Minolta doesn't include an AC adapter is a kicker because the AC-6 adapter costs a hefty [amount]. If you happen to have a card reader which is a better option than the USB cable anyway (go ahead and buy the 6-in-1 type so you can read anything), the adapter really isn't that important unless you like putting up slide shows on TV with the included A/V adapter cable.

Minolta was one of the few companies who considered customer convenience in this design--they wisely chose to use AA batteries. Olympus is one of the few manufacturers to use AAs in most of their models. Most cameras I reviewed in the 4MP range use those ridiculously overpriced proprietary Li-Ion batteries. If you happen to be overseas without a charger that supports alternate voltages (a situation I'm in frequently), you'd better take a spare, and plan on paying around [money], or foot the bill for a dual-voltage charger if you can even get one. On top of that, you'll be lucky if you get 2 years out of the stupid things, and then you're out another [money] or so if the manufacturer even still makes them by that time. Minolta eliminated all of this pain by using standard off-the-shelf good old [inexpensive] AAs in the F100. Buy a few NiMH to carry around and keep a couple of lithium AAs with you to use if you run out of charged NiMH batteries. Worst case, stop at a gas station and load up on Alkaline AAs. They'll have a shorter life, but at least your camera still functions! If you're looking at cameras that use proprietary batteries, think long and hard about how you might wind up without the facilities to recharge before you buy. Sooner or later, it will be a problem.

The LCD is recessed which helps protect it from sharp objects sliding over the back of the camera--an unfortunate oversight on another brand which now has several scratches across the screen.

The lens retracts into the camera and a cover automatically closes to protect it. No lens cap to lose, no slide cover to forget to close. This lens cover design may not protect quite as well as a heavy sliding cover on other models, but given the price, I have no intentions of using my camera as a football anyway. Keep it in a padded carry bag.

One last pleasant surprise from the Minolta is the F100's ISO capability. Most cameras I've seen go up to 400, amd nearly all use 100-200 when left in auto--including the Minolta. In manual mode, the Minolta can go as high as ISO 800. This allows the camera to take photos in surprisingly low-light situations--often without the flash! There is a tradeoff though: just as with film, the higher ISO settings result in "granier" images. Still, if it's grainy or nothing, I'll choose grainy.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great camera for the price!, November 23, 2002

By 

Maria Vasallo (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minolta Dimage F100 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

I bought this camera after my wonderful husband dropped and broke my Fuji Finepix 2400. I decided to upgrade to a 4 mp camera and after MUCH research, I chose the Minolta F100. I've had it for about a month now and absolutely love it! The pictures are brilliant and the prints from my printer are almost film photo quality. It is small enought to fit in your purse or pocket, and it has a feature that once you lock in on your subject, it'll follow it around and take a great picture - great for taking pictures of an active toddler! The trick is to press and hold the shutter button half way down to focus, and when you're ready, snap your picture! I haven't missed many shots this way!
The bottom line is that this is one of the best values for the money - it has better features than most of the 4 mp cameras in this class, as Minolta came late in the game of digital imaging and has to 'catch' up with the rest of the world, thus giving you great features, quality, and ease of use, for much, much less.