Minolta DiMAGE E201

Digital Camera Reviews     

The Minolta DiMAGE E201 Digital Camera

With the Minolta DiMAGE E201 digital camera, capturing a great-looking picture is easy. Simply set the camera to a recording mode, frame the picture, and press the shutter-release button; the autofocus and programmed autoexposure system, and automatic white balance control will accurately produce sharp, clear, colorful images. Under low-light conditions, the built-in flash fires automatically.

The camera's Exif 2.1 (JPEG, TIFF) universal file format saves the uncompressed, high-quality super-fine images in a TIFF file format. The other image-quality settings produce JPEG files with varying rates of compression. The image files have an Exif tag that provides data on when the image was taken and the camera setting used.

The Minolta DiMAGE E201 is a model that users can grow with. Users can take control of the final image by using a simple combination of buttons. Changes to settings and their effect on the image are displayed instantaneously on a color LCD monitor at the back of the camera.

Exposure, white balance, image quality, image size, and camera sensitivity can be changed if users want to take charge of the camera's settings. The calculated camera exposure can be compensated by +/- 2EVs in 0.5 increments. The white balance can be matched to daylight, tungsten, or fluorescent light sources. Four image-quality settings (super fine, fine, standard, and economy) and two file-size settings (full and half) give control over the final image and recording capacity of the CompactFlash card. The sensitivity of the camera can be enhanced from an 85 to 340 ISO equivalent, extending the flash range, or reducing camera shake when not using the flash in low-light conditions.

The simple controls offer a range of possibilities over different shooting conditions. Users can select five versatile flash settings, which include fill flash, red-eye reduction, and flash cancel. The digital zoom magnifies the image by 1.4x or 2x to provide vivid shots of distant subjects. Getting close to your subject is possible with the macro mode. From as close as 12 inches, an area about the size of a sheet of 8.5 in. x 11 in. paper can be captured as a full-frame image. Self-portraits are easy with the built-in self-timer or the optional IR Remote Control RC-3.

Viewing and Editing
Images can be viewed and edited on the camera's color LCD monitor. Images can be viewed singularly or on a nine-image index display. For closer examination, a single image can be enlarged by up to three times with the press of a button. The images can also be presented in an automated slide show; they can be displayed in order, in reverse order, or randomly. Deleting or locking images as well as formatting CompactFlash cards can be done quickly and easily on the camera.

By simply connecting the television to the camera with the included cable, images can be played back to family and friends. The camera is compatible with the NTSC and PAL standards, making it an international traveler.

Simple PC Connectivity
Quick and Simple Connection - USB Mass Storage. The supplied USB cable allows quick and simple access to images. Simply plugging the USB cable between the camera and the computer enables the camera to be recognized as an external storage device; users can directly open image files, or drag and drop them into the computer's hard disk.

Fun Photo-Retouching Software - PhotoDeluxe. Included on the supplied CD-ROM is Adobe PhotoDeluxe. This easy-to-use software allows novices to use their pictures in many ways. The program provides simple but powerful retouching tools as well as effects to transform images beyond the ordinary. PhotoDeluxe ver. 2.0 is available for Macintosh users, and Home Edition 4.0 is provided for Window users.

Includes: Minolta DiMAGE E201 Digital Camera, Hand Strap, Case, USB Cable, Video Cable, One 8 MB CompactFlash Card, Four AA Alkaline Batteries, and CD-ROM Software (PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 4.0 Windows, CD-ROM PhotoDeluxe 2.0 Macintosh).