E
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Thank you for purchasing this Minolta digital camera. Please take the time to read
through this instruction manual so you can enjoy all the features of your new camera.
This manual contains information regarding products introduced before May, 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 F100 digital camera
CR-V3 battery
Hand strap HS-DG100
16MB SD Memory Card
AV cable AVC-200
USB cable USB-500
DiMAGE software CD-ROM
Camera manual
Warranty card
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FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE
Read and understand all warnings and cautions before using this product.
WARNING
Using batteries improperly can cause them to leak harmful solutions, overheat, or explode
which may damage property or cause personal injury. Do not ignore the following
warnings.
• Only use the batteries specified in this instruction manual.
• Do not install the batteries with the polarity (+/–) reversed.
• Do not use batteries which show wear or damage.
• Do not expose batteries to fire, high temperatures, water, or moisture.
• Do not attempt to short or disassemble batteries.
• Do not store batteries near or in metallic products.
• Do not mix batteries of different types, brands, ages, or charge levels.
• Do not charge alkaline batteries.
• When recharging rechargeable batteries, only use the recommended charger.
• Do not use leaking batteries. If fluid from the batteries enters your eye, immediately
rinse the eye with plenty of fresh water and contact a doctor. If fluid from the batteries
makes contact with your skin or clothing, wash the area thoroughly with water.
• Use only 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.
• Do not disassemble this product. Electric shock may cause injury if a high voltage circuit
inside the product is touched.
• Immediately remove the batteries 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.
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FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE
• Keep batteries 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.
• 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 this product in a humid environment, or operate this product with wet hands.
If liquid enters the product, immediately remove the batteries or unplug the AC adapter
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 the product 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 the product. The use of inflammable cleaners and solvents may cause
an explosion or fire.
• When unplugging the AC adapter, do not pull on the power cord. Hold the adapter unit
when removing it from an outlet.
• Do not damage, twist, modify, heat, or place heavy objects on the AC adapter cord. A
damaged cord may cause damage or injury through fire or electric shock.
• If the product emits a strange odor, heat, or smoke, discontinue use. Immediately
remove the batteries taking care not to burn yourself as the batteries become hot with
use. The continued use of a damaged product or part may cause injuries or fire.
• Take the product to a Minolta Service Facility when repairs are required
CAUTION
• Do not use or store the product in a hot or humid environment such as the glove
compartment or trunk of a car. It may damage the product and batteries which may
result in burns or injuries caused by heat, fire, explosion, or leaking battery fluid.
• If batteries are leaking, discontinue use of the product.
• The camera temperature rises with extended periods of use. Care should be taken to
avoid burns.
• Burns may result if the memory card or batteries are 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, insert the plug securely into the electrical outlet.
• Do not use if the AC adapter cord is damaged.
• Do not cover the AC adapter. A fire may result.
• Do not obstruct access to the AC adapter; this can hinder the unplugging of the unit in
emergencies.
• Unplug the AC adapter when cleaning or when the product is not in use.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
About this manual
The basic operation of this camera is covered between pages 14 and 38. This section
of the manual covers the camera parts, preparation of the camera for use, and the
basic camera operation for recording, viewing, and deleting images.
The auto-recording mode section covers all the basic functions of the camera in this
mode and the multi-function recording mode. Take time to read this section before
moving on to the multi-function recording mode section. The other sections, movie
recording mode, playback mode, setup mode, and data transfer mode, can be read as
needed.
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.
Names of parts ....................................................................................................................................10
Camera body ...........................................................................................................................10
Viewfinder ................................................................................................................................12
Mode dial .................................................................................................................................12
Data panel ...............................................................................................................................13
Getting up and running.........................................................................................................................14
Changing the CR-3V battery ...................................................................................................14
Installing AA batteries ..............................................................................................................15
Attaching the hand strap .........................................................................................................15
Battery condition indicator .......................................................................................................16
Auto power save......................................................................................................................16
Connecting the AC adapter (sold separately) .........................................................................16
Changing the memory card .....................................................................................................18
About memory cards...................................................................................................19
Setting the date and time ........................................................................................................20
Auto-recording mode - basic operation................................................................................................22
Handling the camera ...............................................................................................................22
Setting the camera to record images automatically ................................................................23
Using the zoom lens................................................................................................................24
Focus range.............................................................................................................................24
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About camera operation ..........................................................................................................25
Basic recording operation........................................................................................................26
Focus signals...........................................................................................................................27
Special focusing situations ......................................................................................................27
Automatic Digital Subject Program Selection..........................................................................28
Digital-subject-program button ................................................................................................29
Display button - recording mode .............................................................................................31
Flash modes ............................................................................................................................32
Flash range - auto-recording mode .........................................................................................33
Flash signals............................................................................................................................33
Camera-shake warning ...........................................................................................................33
Quick View...............................................................................................................................34
Quick View display......................................................................................................35
Deleting images in Quick View ...................................................................................35
Enlarged playback ...................................................................................................................36
Other Quick View features ......................................................................................................37
Navigating the auto-recording mode menu .............................................................................38
Drive modes ............................................................................................................................40
Continuous advance................................................................................................................41
Self-timer .................................................................................................................................42
Remote control (sold separately) ............................................................................................43
Bracketing................................................................................................................................44
Image size and image quality..................................................................................................46
Voice memo.............................................................................................................................48
Digital zoom.............................................................................................................................49
Focus area selection ...............................................................................................................50
Focus lock ...............................................................................................................................51
Exposure compensation ..........................................................................................................52
What is an Ev? What is a stop? ..............................................................................................53
Multi-function recording mode - advanced operation...........................................................................54
Multi-function recording mode display.....................................................................................55
Navigating the multi-function recording mode menu...............................................................56
Exposure modes......................................................................................................................58
Programmed AE - P....................................................................................................58
Aperture priority - A.....................................................................................................58
Shutter priority - S.......................................................................................................59
Manual exposure - M..................................................................................................60
Bulb exposures........................................................................................................................61
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
White balance..........................................................................................................................62
Automatic white balance.............................................................................................62
Preset white balance ..................................................................................................62
Custom white balance ................................................................................................63
Focus modes ...........................................................................................................................64
Single-shot AF ............................................................................................................64
Subject Tracking AF....................................................................................................64
Manual focus ..............................................................................................................65
Full-time AF .............................................................................................................................65
AF sensor display....................................................................................................................66
Metering modes.......................................................................................................................66
Camera sensitivity - ISO..........................................................................................................67
Flash range and camera sensitivity ............................................................................67
Digital Effects Control ..............................................................................................................68
Date imprinting ........................................................................................................................70
Instant playback.......................................................................................................................71
A short guide to photography ...............................................................................................................72
Movie recording....................................................................................................................................74
Recording movies and audio with the RC-3 remote control (sold separately)........................75
Audio recording ....................................................................................................................................76
Playback mode - viewing and editing images......................................................................................77
Single-frame playback and histogram display.........................................................................77
Viewing images .......................................................................................................................78
Playing back voice memos and audio captions..........................................................78
Playing back movies and audio recordings.............................................................................79
Deleting single files..................................................................................................................79
Enlarged playback ...................................................................................................................80
Display button - playback mode ..............................................................................................81
Navigating the playback-mode menu ......................................................................................82
Frame-selection screen ...........................................................................................................84
Deleting files ............................................................................................................................85
Locking files.............................................................................................................................86
Audio captioning ......................................................................................................................87
Slide show ...............................................................................................................................88
About DPOF ............................................................................................................................90
Creating a DPOF print order ...................................................................................................90
Ordering an index print............................................................................................................91
Copy and E-mail Copy ............................................................................................................92
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Viewing images on a television ...............................................................................................94
Setup mode - controlling the camera’s operation ................................................................................95
Navigating the setup menu......................................................................................................96
LCD monitor brightness...........................................................................................................98
Formatting memory cards........................................................................................................98
Auto power save......................................................................................................................99
Language.................................................................................................................................99
File number (#) memory ..........................................................................................................99
Folder name ..........................................................................................................................100
Audio signals .........................................................................................................................100
Shutter FX .............................................................................................................................101
Volume ..................................................................................................................................101
Reset default .........................................................................................................................101
Setting the date and time ......................................................................................................103
Setting the date format ..........................................................................................................103
Video output ..........................................................................................................................103
Data-transfer mode - connecting to a computer ................................................................................104
QuickTime system requirements ...........................................................................................104
System requirements.............................................................................................................105
Connecting the camera to a computer ..................................................................................106
Connecting to Windows 98 and 98SE...................................................................................108
Automatic installation................................................................................................108
Manual installation ....................................................................................................109
Connecting to Mac OS 8.6.....................................................................................................111
Auto power save (data-transfer mode) ..................................................................................111
Memory card folder organization ...........................................................................................112
Disconnecting the camera from the computer.......................................................................114
Windows 98 and 98SE .............................................................................................114
Windows Me, 2000 Professional, and XP.................................................................114
Macintosh..................................................................................................................115
Changing the memory card (data-transfer mode) .................................................................116
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................117
About Ni-MH batteries ...........................................................................................................119
Removing the driver software - Windows..............................................................................120
Care and storage ...............................................................................................................................121
Technical specifications......................................................................................................................126
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NAMES OF PARTS
Camera body
* 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. 121).
Shutter-release button
Self-timer/
Remote-control
lamp (p. 42)
Mode dial (main switch)
Data panel (p. 13)
Microphone
Speaker
Remote-control
receiver
Flash (p. 32)
Lens*
Viewfinder window*
The tripod socket is located on
the bottom of the body.
Flash mode/Information button (p. 32, 78)
Viewfinder* (p. 12)
Exposure-compensation button (p. 52)
LCD monitor*
Display button (p. 31, 81)
QV/ Delete button (p. 34)
Menu button
Digital-subject-program button (p. 29)
Strap eyelet (p. 15)
Controller
Power/Access
lamp
• When the lamp
is red, data is
being transferred
to and from the
memory card.
Battery-chamber door (p. 14)
Card-slot door (p. 18)
The USB port, AV-out terminal, and DC termi-
nal are located behind the terminal cover.
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NAMES OF PARTS
Viewfinder
Focus lamp (green)
Flash lamp (orange)
Because the optical viewfinder and the lens are slightly separated, the image seen
through one is not exactly the same as the other; this is called parallax. Parallax can
cause errors in framing at close distances and is more pronounced at longer focal
lengths. When the subject is closer than 1m (3ft) at the wide-angle lens positions or 3m
(9.8ft) at the telephoto lens position, use the LCD monitor to compose the image;
because the lens creates the monitor image, it does not suffer from parallax.
Mode dial
This dial gives
direct and easy
access to the
camera’s major
modes. It also
acts as the main
switch
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Auto-recording mode (p. 22)
Multi-function recording mode (p. 54)
Playback mode (p. 77)
Movie-recording mode (p. 74)
Audio recording mode (p. 76)
Setup mode (p. 95)
Data panel
Located on the top of the camera
body, the data panel shows the
status of the camera. All icons
have been shown for clarity.
Manual-focus indicator (p. 65)
Camera-sensitivity indicator (p. 67)
Spot-metering indicator (p. 66)
White-balance indicator (p. 62)
Drive-mode indicators (p. 40)
Battery-condition indicator (p. 16)
Microphone indicator (p. 48, 76, 87)
Exposure-compensation indicator (p. 52)
Flash-mode indicators (p. 32)
Image-quality display (p. 46)
Image-size display (p. 46)
Exposure-mode indicators (p. 58)
Frame counter
(p. 47)
The frame counter cannot
exceed 999. When the num-
ber of recordable images
exceeds this, 999 will be dis-
played. The frame counter
will continue to count down
when the number of record-
able images falls below one
thousand.
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GETTING UP AND RUNNING
GETTING UP AND RUNNING
Changing the CR-V3 battery
This digital camera uses one CR-V3 lithium battery. When replacing
the batteries, the mode dial should be in the off position.
Open the battery-chamber door by sliding the door toward the bottom
of the camera (1) to release the safety catch; the door can then be
opened open (2).
2
1
Insert the battery.
• The CR-V3 battery must be inserted with the battery
terminals first. The flat side of the battery should face the
front of the camera. If the battery does not fit, check its
orientation. Never force the battery.
Close the battery-chamber door (3) and slide it toward
the top of the body (4) to engage the safety catch.
• After installing the battery, the set-time/date message may
appear on the monitor. The clock and calendar are set in
the custom 2 section of the setup menu (p. 96).
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3
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Installing AA batteries
Although performance is better with a CR-V3 lithium battery, two AA-size Ni-MH
batteries can also be used. Other types of AA batteries should not be used. When
using Ni-MH batteries, fully recharge them with a battery charger suitable for complex
electronic equipment. Please consult your vendor about an appropriate charger.
Install the AA batteries as shown in the diagram; make
sure the positive and negative battery terminals are
oriented correctly.
Attaching the hand strap
Always keep the strap around your wrist in the event that the cam-
era is accidentally dropped.
1
Pass the small loop of the hand strap through the strap eyelet on
the camera body (1).
2
Pass the other end of the strap through the small loop
and tighten (2).
An optional leather neck strap, NS-DG200, is also
available from your Minolta dealer.
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