Minolta DiMAGE A2

Reviewed June 2004

Interface & Software

The A2's menu system is clear and concise, and so is the Setup menu. All options are presented in a very legible text format, and the only icons used are those that indicate the access to the Setup menu on the top right of the menu screens, or indicate the return to either the Recording or Playback menus from the Setup menu.

Using a system comparable to the other menus of the A2, the Setup menu's 5 screens are identified by numbers:

• LCD Brightness: allows adjusting the EVF or monitor brightness independently.
• Shortcut Help: lists all the button shortcuts available on the A2.
• Transfer Mode offers 3 settings: Data Storage which lets the A2 appear as a hard disk when connected via USB to a computer; PTP which allows connecting the A2 to a PictBridge compliant printer and printing photos directly without a computer; or Comp. Control which is used to control the A2 from a computer with optional software.

• EVF Auto Switch: This option controls the auto display function in the recording and movie modes. Two setting are available:
  • Auto EVF/LCD: the EVF’s eye sensors switch between the EVF and LCD monitor automatically.
  • EVF auto on: the LCD monitor is turned off and the eye and grip sensors activate the EVF when in use. This setting helps conserve battery power.
• Video Output: NTSC or PAL.
• Language: English, French, German or Spanish.

• Custom Set: allows allocating a frequently used function to the CUST function of the Function Dial (Image size, Flash control, Image quality, Colour mode, Flash mode, Depth-of-field preview).
• File Number Memory: On or Off. When On photo file names are numbered sequentially.
• Folder Name: to select if folders will be named with a number (Standard) or with the month, day and year (Date).
• Select Folder: serves to change from one folder to another.
  • New Folder: serves to create a new folder.
• Date/Time Set: serves to set the date and time on the A2.

• Reset Default: returns the camera to its factory settings.
• Audio Signals: Confirms operations on the A2. Two different sounds are available or Off.
• Focus Signals: also provides 2 different sounds or Off.
• Shutter FX: 2 different sounds or Off.
• Volume: sets the volume for all camera sounds.
• Power Save: sets the delay before the camera turns off the monitors (1, 3, 5 or 10 minutes). After 30 minutes the camera shuts down completely.

• Anti-Shake: decides when the Anti-Shake system is activated, Display and Exposure has the Anti-Shake system turn on when the shutter release is pressed halfway, and its effect is visible in the live image. Exposure turns the Anti-Shake system On when the shutter release is held partway in but is not reflected in the live image.
• Full-Time AF: On or Off.
• Grip Sensor: On or Off.
• Control Dial Setup: allows inverting the functions assigned to the Front and Rear Control Dials.
  • Manual Exposure: allows inverting the assignment of aperture selection and shutter speed selection with the Control Dials in the Manual mode.
• Delete Confirmation: Yes or No. When set to yes, a confirmation screen is displayed before an image is deleted.
• Lens Accessory: lets the camera know when a converter is attached. The options are None, Wideconverter, Teleconverter.

Software

Dimage Viewer displays images as thumbnails on the right pane of its window, and the folders on the left. Double-clicking any thumbnail opens the image at a much larger scale in an editing window.

In the editing window, images can be adjusted for brightness, contrast, colour balance, hue, saturation, lightness, and sharpness. In addition, the program provides a "variations" window which offers multiple view of the image as it would appear after a variety of changes.