Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Minolta Digital Cameras > Minolta DiMAGE A1

Minolta DiMAGE A1 Minolta updates their revolutionary five-megapixel electronic SLR with faster shutter speeds, an Anti-Shake mode, 14-bit A/D, and a tilting LCD monitor, among other improvements. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet A1 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on A1 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & Menus Review First Posted: 08/08/2003, Updated: 11/10/03

Camera Modes and Menus

• Record 1:
  • Image Size: Sets the pixel resolution of captured still images. Choices are 2,560 x 1,920; 2,080 x 1,560; 1,600 x 1,200; and 640 x 480.
  • Quality: Specifies the compression level of still images. Options are RAW, TIFF, Extra Fine, Fine, and Standard. RAW is a proprietary format, for use with Minolta's DiMAGE Viewer software only. (It captures the data directly from the CCD, and losslessly compresses it.
  • Flash Mode: Choose from Fill-Flash, Red-Eye Reduction, Rear Flash Sync, and Wireless. Rear Flash Sync is a slow-sync option that combines slower shutter speeds with the flash. The "Rear Flash" refers to what is commonly known as rear-curtain sync, in which the flash fires just before the shutter closes, rather than just after it opens. With rapidly moving subjects, this produces motion blurs that trail the sharp, flash-exposed image, rather than preceding it. The Wireless setting allows the flash to work with wireless and remote slave units, with four available channels. Wireless operation with Minolta's excellent 5600HS[D] flash unit is very smooth.
  • Flash Control: Selects the flash metering method. Options are ADI Flash, which uses distance information from the autofocus system together with a pre-flash to determine flash exposure, or Pre-flash TTL, which uses only the preliminary metering flash to gauge exposure before the shutter opens. (The Manual option lets you control the flash output directly, by pressing the Exposure Compensation button and turning a Control dial.)
  • AEL Button: Controls the function of the AEL button on the camera's rear panel. Options are as follows:
    • AE Hold: Locks exposure while you hold down the button.
    • AE Toggle: Toggles exposure lock on and off with successive presses.
    • Spot AE Hold: Determines the exposure with the spot metering area when the AE Lock button is pressed.
    • Spot AE Toggle: Toggles the spot area AE lock on and off with successive presses.
  • Reset: Resets the recording mode menu options to their defaults.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Record 2:
  • Interval Set: The DiMAGE A1 has a built-in intervalometer, that lets you snap photos at preprogrammed intervals. This control sets the interval between exposures anywhere from 30 seconds to 60 minutes, in one-minute increments over most of its range. You can also set the number of frames to be shot, from two to 240, and the delay time for starting the series, anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours.
  • Bracket Set: Sets the size of the exposure step between shots in Auto Exposure Bracketing mode. Options are 0.3 and 0.5 EV.
  • Data Imprint: Imprints information on captured photos. Options are Year/Month/Day, Month/Day/Hr:Min, Text, or Text with a numeric ID string. Selecting either Text option brings up a "virtual keyboard" display, with a complete alphabet and numbers, including a variety of special symbols and accented characters.
  • Imprint To: Designates whether the Data Imprint option imprints on the images directly, or only in the Exif data in the file headers.
  • Inst. Playback: Optionally enables an immediate playback of each photo, for either two or 10 seconds after capture.
  • Voice Memo: Turns the Voice Memo mode on or off, which lets you record either five or 15 seconds of sound to accompany still images.
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Record 3:
  • Color Mode: Selects the color mode. Choices are Natural (sRGB), Vivid (sRGB), Adobe RGB, Embedded Adobe RGB, Black and White, and Solarization. Note that the two sRGB modes and Adobe RGB are completely different RGB color spaces. (Use the sRGB modes unless you're working in a color-managed environment that supports Adobe RGB.) These options are also available externally, via the Function Dial.
  • Sharpness: Selects between varying degrees of in-camera sharpening: Low ("Soft"), Normal, or High ("Hard").
  • Noise Reduction: Turns the Noise Reduction feature on or off, which greatly reduces the level of image noise resulting from longer exposures.
  • Monitor Amplification: Activates automatic monitor amplification, which controls the display of the live image. Options are:
    • Auto: Automatically intensifies the monitor image in low light conditions, turning the image black and white (though the image is still recorded in color). This is the default option. (Note that the focus-assist viewfinder magnification option isn't available when the monitor is operating in "amplified" mode.
    • Normal: Does not amplify the image in low lighting.
  • Manual Exposure Setting: If shooting in Manual exposure mode, you can also set the monitor to Exposure Priority (image reflects exposure settings) or Display Priority (normal display). Normal display is helpful for seeing what's going on when you have the camera set to use a small lens aperture and fast shutter speed, for use in conjunction with an external flash.
  • Mag Button: Controls the function of the Magnify button on the camera's rear panel in Record mode. It can either toggle the 2x digital zoom on and off (Digital Zoom setting), or activate the 2x or 8x electronic magnification, to aid focusing in manual focus mode (Flex Magnifier setting).
    
    
    
    
    
• Record 4:
  • DSP Set: Assigns the Digital Subject Programs either to their specified places on the Exposure Mode dial or to the memory registers in Memory Recall mode.
  • Tracking AF: Activates Tracking AF when shooting in Continuous AF mode, which "tracks" a moving subject.
  • AE Lock: Determines whether or not the exposure is locked with the Shutter button.
  • Spot AE Area: Sets the default spot metering to the center of the frame, or links it to the Flex Focus Point AF Area selection.
  • Direct MF: Enables or disables Direct MF, which lets you manually adjust the focus while in AF mode.
    
    
    
    
    
    

Movie Shooting Menu Options

• Movie Mode: Options are Standard Movie, Night Movie, or Auto Select. Night movie mode switches to a monochrome recording mode to achieve much higher light sensitivity with less image noise. (It's a pretty significant boost, making the A1's Night Movie mode one of the most effective I've seen for low light levels.)
• Reset: Resets Movie mode to its default settings, adjusting Exposure Compensation, Contrast, Color Saturation, Filter, White Balance, Movie Mode, and Anti-Shake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Playback Menu Options
The Playback menu offers three pages of options, all accessed by pressing the Menu button.

• Playback 1:
  • Delete: Lets you delete the current photo, all photos, or only marked photos.
  • Format: Formats the CompactFlash card, erasing all files (even protected ones). There is an option to cancel, in case you select "Format" accidentally.
  • View Folder: Selects the folder on the memory card to view in Playback mode.
  • Lock: "Locks" captured images to prevent accidental erasure. (NOTE: This protects against "delete" operations, but not against card reformatting.) You can lock the current image, marked images, all images, or remove protection.
  • Copy: Makes a duplicate copy of either the current photo or of all marked photos.
  • Index Format: Lets you choose between four- or nine-image thumbnail image displays.
    
    
    
    
    
• Playback 2:
  • Slide Show: Initiates a slide show of photos on the memory card.
  • Playback: Chooses whether to play all photos or only marked ones in the slide show.
  • Duration: Sets the duration for each "slide" in the slide show, from one to 60 seconds, in one-second increments.
  • Repeat: Chooses whether or not to repeat the slide show after all photos have been displayed.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Playback 3:
  • DPOF Set: Sets up photos for DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) printing on a compatible standalone printer. This selection lets you choose whether to print the current photo, all photos, or only marked photos.
  • Index Print: Chooses whether or not to include an index print of all photos in your DPOF order.
  • Cancel Print: Deletes all print orders on the card.
    
    
    
    
    
    

Setup Menu Options -
The following menu options are available in any exposure mode, and are accessed through the Setup tab at the top of any menu screen.

• Setup 1:
  • LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness of the EVF or LCD display.
  • Shortcut Help: Displays the available button shortcuts.
  • Transfer Mode: Designates whether the camera acts as a storage-class device or a remote camera when connected to a computer.
  • EVF Auto Switch: Changes the behavior of the EVF and LCD when the Display Mode switch is in the "auto" position. Options are:
    • Auto EVF/LCD: Switches between EVF and LCD. (One turns off as the other turns on.)
    • EVF auto ON: The LCD remains off at all times, the EVF comes on when your eye is at the eyepiece or your hand covers the grip sensors. The LCD doesn't turn on when you pull your eye away. This helps conserve battery power.
  • Video Output: Select either NTSC or PAL timing for the video output signal.
  • Language: Sets the language for menu screens to Japanese, English, German, French, or Spanish.
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Setup 2:
  • Custom Setup: Assigns one camera function to the Custom option of the Function dial. Options are Image Size, Image Quality, Flash Mode, Flash Control, Sharpness, or Color Mode. (Color mode is the default.)
  • File# Memory: Chooses whether or not to number images sequentially across memory cards. If set to "yes," the DiMAGE A1 will remember the last number used to name a file, even if a different card is inserted. (A common feature, but very handy to prevent accidentally overwriting images when they're copied to your computer.)
  • Folder Name: Selects the folder naming scheme as either Standard or Date format. Date format integrates the current date into the folder name, to help keep track of images on your computer later.
  • Select Folder: As an aid to organizing large numbers of photos, the DiMAGE A1 lets you set up separate folders on the memory card. If you have more than one folder defined, this menu selection lets you choose which you want to use to save photos in.
  • New Folder: Creates a new folder to save photos on the memory card.
  • Date/Time Set: Sets the camera's date and time, with options for different display formats.
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Setup 3:
  • Reset Default: Resets all menu choices to their factory default values. (Very handy for getting back to "square one" after making a number of settings changes.)
  • Audio Signals: Turns the camera's beep sounds off, or activates "electrical" (option 1), or "mechanical" (option 2) camera sounds.
  • Focus Signal: Enables an audio signal that indicates when focus has been set.
  • Shutter FX: Turns on or off an audio confirmation sound when images are captured. Option 1 uses the AF signal from the Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 9, and the shutter sound from the Dynax/Maxxum 9 SLR. Option 2 uses an electronic AF signal and the shutter sound from the Minolta CLE.
  • Volume: Adjusts the camera's volume for playback sounds and other audio signals.
  • Power Save: Sets idle delay before the camera enters low-power mode. Options are 1, 3, 5, or 10 minutes.
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Setup 4:
  • Anti-Shake: Selects whether the Anti-Shake System is activated only during the exposure itself or any time the Shutter button is halfway pressed.
  • Full-Time AF: Enables or disables Full-Time AF mode.
  • Grip Sensor: Turns the grip sensors on the front of the camera on or off. When on, the sensor controls continuous autofocus operation and possibly EVF operation, depending on other menu settings.
  • Control Dial Set: Customizes the operation of the Selector wheel on top of the camera in different exposure modes.
  • Manual Exposure Setup: Controls the functions of the Selector wheel and the Rear Control dial in Manual exposure mode.
  • Delete Confirmation: Turns the delete confirmation screen on or off.