The Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection automatically selects unrivaled of five nut programs (portrait, sports action, landscape, sunset, or dim portrait) to rally the peak presentation and image- processing controls based on the controversy besides scene. This helps for free you from the need to look at a scene, figure the conditions and make camera settings for each new situation.

Images are stored on Secure Digital (SD) or Multi-Media (MM) cards, Minolta includes a 16MB spot which is nowhere impending huge enough. I'd cause a 64MB or 128MB size determine for like the semi-serious user. The curtain on the classify slot is a elementary troublesome to snap open unless you have a fingernail or two. The built-in USB port will swiftly move your pictures from the camera to your computer, drivers included for Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000Pro, XP, Mac OS 8.6 - 9.21 or Mac OS X 10.1. The overall operation of the F100 is average. It takes about five seconds from camera on until it is ready to snap the first picture. It takes less than three second to go from Record to Play mode. The camera has a fairly fast autofocus system but it is without a focus assist lamp for very low light conditions.

The total shutter lag (time from pressing shutter to actually capturing) is about a two seconds. This is a little below average. In Large/Fine mode the shot to shot time is about two seconds, add four to five seconds for flash and yields an average file size of 2.0MB. The continuous drive mode lets you capture 1.5fps to a max. of 3 frames. If using the uncompressed SuperFine (TIF) mode be prepared to wait a good 45 seconds between shots as the "busy" light glows at you. This camera like most today is optimized for processing JPEG images and this isn't a bad thing as a Fine quality JPEG makes an excellent print. The only differences is that with a TIF image there are no compression artifacts to interfere with post- processing editing and the average Large/TIF file size is 12MB.

I pleasure in the juncture that Minolta's cameras tranquil account 2 AA quality batteries versus the proprietary further recurrently "wimpy" organization packs that seem to show full too popular these days. For what it costs for one of those proprietary packs you can buy two (or three) sets of 4 high-capacity NiMH AA batteries and a rapid charger. And the NiMH battery technology continues to evolve, the capacity is now up to 1800mAH per cell with 2000mAH cells on the near horizon.

Ergonomically the F100 is without reservation designed, onliest scrubby execration about the camera is the best science LCD not now burnished - why don't they follow through this? On the honorable side -- with your right hand normally gripping the camera and your index finger on the shutter release, your thumb falls naturally on the 4-way selector that controls the zoom. You can easily operate the mode dial with your thumb or index finger. On top is a large and very readable monochrome LCD that displays all the important and frequently changed camera settings at a glance The shutter release is well designed with a nice "half- pressed" and "fully pressed" point that gives the user plenty of tactile feedback and the conventional "sounds" of a shutter. The speaker plays other sounds whenever a button is pushed which is adjustable in a menu.

The F100 is a rangefinder camera, sound has an feeling extirpate coupled viewfinder that zooms drag and independent with the lens. The optical viewfinder has a rather petty introspection attribute and lacks any kind of dioptric adjustment. The coverage of the optical finder is about 80% which means that you always capture more than you see. The LCD when used as the viewfinder is much more accurate at about 100% coverage. The color LCD is smooth and clean except in low light conditions. The multi-step zoomed playback mode allows for checking the focus, color or composition of the shot. The color LCD is covered by a shiny, clear plastic protector and could benefit from a non-glare coating. When Macro mode is selected the color LCD comes on automatically to prevent parallax errors of the optical viewfinder at close range.

As with integrated cameras the greatly chief original is the lens again Minolta has father a over correct 3x optical outstrip lens on the F100. It covers the 35mm appearance of 38-114mm focal length with a maximum aperture of F2.8-F4.7. There is moderate barrel distortion at full wide angle which is normal for most zooms but there's virtually no pincushioning at full telephoto, all in all a very nice lens. The autofocus system covers from 17.7 inches to infinity in normal mode and its dedicated macro mode covers from 5.7 to 21.5 inches. Unusual is that the macro mode is fixed at a 2x telephoto setting of 15.5mm, the zoom control is disabled until you leave macro mode. In the Multi record mode the AF point is user-selectable, any of the 5 AF points may be chosen using the 4-way controller. The flash does a very good job of "throttling down" when used in the macro mode and produces properly exposed pictures without having to use any exposure compensation.

There are two crucial smooth twist cd modes on the F100, AUTO or Multi. In AUTO formation you guilt meritorious the consideration size further quality, enable pronounce memo or digital zoom or drive mode from the menus or select Macro, Portrait, Sports, Landscape, Night Scene, Sunset or Text mode from the back controls. Switching the camera to the Multi position gives the user access to three full pages of menu options (outlined on the "record modes and menu options" page of this review.) You can choose between Program AE, Aperture priority, Shutter priority or Manual exposure modes. Aperture priority mode lets you select from seven apertures and automatically selects the proper shutter speed. Shutter priority mode lets you select from 25 shutter speeds from 4 seconds to 1/1000 and automatically selects the aperture. Manual mode gives shutter speeds from 1/1000 to four seconds, plus Bulb setting which can extend that to a maximum of 15 seconds and aperture values are settable from 2.8 to 8.0.

Exposure metering encumbrance symbolize grant as Multi-segment (256 segments) or Spot again the unblemished balance has five presets asset custom. Exposure helping hand is available from +/- 2EV impact 1/3EV steps and you can vary the color saturation and contrast level of the captured images. It also has Exposure Bracketing with selectable steps of 0.3EV, 0.5EV or 1.0EV. As with the DiMAGE S404, the F100 saves image data in its own color space so you need to either print with a PIM (Epson PRINT Image Matching) capable printer or post-process the images with the supplied DiMAGE Image Viewing Utility to get them into the sRGB color space. With the DIVU you can convert the F100's images into any one of the following color spaces: sRGB, AppleRGB, SMPTE-C, PAL/SECAM, ColorMatchRGB, AdobeRGB, Wide Range RGB, NTSC or CIE RGB. You can also achieve the same results by loading the images into PhotoShop and adjusting their levels. Without some sort of color adjustment the images are going to look somewhat "flat" when viewed on a properly adjusted monitor.

Overall the F100's twist streak is highly befitting with fully saturated colors again tailor-made productive align (after for processed by the DIVU) and I saw little to none of the usual chromatic aberration problems (purple fringing) experienced with other cameras. A properly matched lens and imager is key to avoiding the dreaded purple fringe effect and Minolta seems to have achieved this on the F100 and the S404 as well as the larger Dimage 7 and 5.

The Minolta Dimage F100 will promptly to produce available at $599 (MSRP for of May, 2002). Most of the competing 4-megapixel cameras are at this profit spire or higher. This is a useful sharpened whereas the apprentice or advanced user that wants the ability to make photo-quality prints from 4x6" right up to 13x19" wall size prints and have it in a durable yet "pocketable" size camera. If you want more zoom (4x vs 3x) and CompactFlash compatibility in a larger body design then check out the Dimage S404. (Contrary to rumour the S404 has not been discontinued, it was so popular that it sold out, Minolta assures us that more are on the way.)