Minolta Dimage S404 4MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
By: Konica-Minolta Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 46
More Information
 On: 2007-02-23
I love this camera. Pure and simple. It has been super reliable and has produced stunning landscape and sunset photographs for me. Some of my favorite photographs have been taken with this camera. You can point this lens straight into the sun with no flare and it produces vivid color and good detail. More than I can say for my $900 dollar Nikon lens, (already in for repair after only 6 months of use). It has never broken down, or let me down. The only changes I would hope for is more than 4mp to produce larger than 8x10 prints, and a larger standard f4 to f22 aperture range. Otherwise, this little "point and shoot" is a wonderful and reliable photographic tool. I was really dissapointed to hear the Minolta company going out of business.
On: 2005-01-16
This camera takes a impressive picture out of the box, in default modes. Taking it to the next step in full manual modes allows for unlimited adjustments.
This is a great camera for the semi-beginner in the digital camera world. Even if youve had a digital camera for a while now, this is a good buy.
On: 2004-07-03
First off I am not a camera expert, go to www.steves-digicams.com, www.dcresource.com or www.dpreview.com if you really need all the techie details.I love it. Its point and shoot (for novices like me). USB image transfer is straightfoward. It uses regular AA batteries (no proprietary stuff). Images are very good (as long as I take the picture at the right time, as I said I am not such a great photographer... beautiful picutres of people with their eyes closed or looking away... In any case... its snappy (no real awful delays) its not too expensive, its easy to use, does mini-movies w/sound and just works. Not too small, has a nice grip. Doesnt weigh too much (I caried it around Renisiance Festival all day no trouble). I know it has a lot more features but I dont use them (I will tweak digitally on the computer a bit but not on the camera). Preview is a great but that is true of all good digicams. Resolution is great, color is great, and in general contrast is very good (a bit dark but I keep messing with the flash settings and I can fix it on the PC), when I leave it alone it seems to be much better). The zoom is easy to use but it can REALLY zoom (both optical and digital) so be careful. The multi-shot is great, the flash seem good and seems to reduce red-eye. Things to think about:
1. Get a large CFRam card (I have a 128) and get a few hundred shots.
2. My CFRAM card is a little slow (check the speed when you buy).
3. Get good rechargable AA batteries (2 or 3 sets). Spend a few more bucks on good ones, you wont regret it (and make sure to get a car charger for trips).
4. In "automatic" mode make sure you focus on what you want your picture focused on (its very easy but I miss the target once in a while and focus is out).
5. Watch the zoom (optical is great) but you cant see for sure through viewfinder with digital zoom (of course) so keep it in mind you need to look at LCD display when digital zooming.
6. You might want a stand (tripod) for family pictures and such. Overall 5 stars!
On: 2004-06-25
Id previously purchased a lower-end digital camera/MP3 player, and although I was happy with it, I wanted something that was going to take good pictures that I could make prints with. After a little research I ran across this camera and liked all of the features I was seeing. I bought it and have been using it for almost two years now.The 4 MPs and optical zoom were both very important in my decision. The quality is absolutely great. You can use it right out of the box as a point and shoot with the automatic setting and most of the picture come out excellent. The best thing though is that the camera also allows the a wide range of manual settings. As I learned more and more about photography the camera grew with me and allowed me to tweak my pictures more and more. For me, thats where the camera is the strongest: It can take quick and easy automatic shots when you want them, but it is very flexible and customizable when you are trying to take more professional or tricky shots. The battery life is decent. I use two sets of rechargable batteries, and if I bring both sets, Ive never needed more. And I take a lot of pictures on an outting. If you use the highest quality setting, the save time can get a bit long, as it creates large 5 or more megabyte .tiff files, but if youre worried about that, you can step down a quality setting to jpegs, which are still excellent quality. All in all, this camera has grown up with me, and has served for everything I need, from quick shots at group functionings to closeup shots for professional nature websites Ive worked on. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
 On: 2004-01-08
Ive had this camera for about three months now. Ive taken some great shots with it, and Im impressed with how sharp the photos can be, especially if I use a tripod to hold it steady. But it is much more complicated to use than the old Kodal DC215 Zoom that I had before. I agree with all its good points mentioned by previous reviewers.
Now for some complaints. It eats alkaline batteries like theres no tomorrow. The cheap, factory-provided alkalines that came with the camera checked good on my multimeter, but the camera repeatedly shut down and gave a low-power indication on the LCD screen as soon as I powered it up. At first I thought the camera was defective, but then I then tried the most powerful NiMH AA batteries I could find (Power 2500 mAH). The camera liked them and has behaved itself ever since. And the extra power allows me to shoot dozens of photos (using the High Quality setting) before the batteries are exhausted.
But you cant just punch the shutter button and expect to take a sharp photo. You have to press the shutter button halfway, let the camera do its autofocusing first, and then press the shutter button the rest of the way or else the picture turns out noticably blurry - so much for those Kodak-moment type shots. And you cant use the zoom feature if youre in movie mode, so whatever focal length you started your 30-second movie clip in is what you stay with for the whole clip.
And the most irritating of all, you have to make sure that the camera has finished saving the previous photo to memory before you try taking another photo or the whole operating system basically freezes and ignores whatever setting you put the mode switch in. At times I have had to physically open the battery compartment in order to get the camera to cycle power because it ignored the fact that I had set the power/mode knob to the OFF position. Using a CF card with a very fast write speed (like 40X) should minimize this problem - just dont expect to be able to take a rapid series of photos with this camera.
And speaking of the power/mode knob, yes, it is EXTREMELY easy to bump it from Power Off to Auto without ever knowing it. Its situated right on the edge of the camera, and it rotates extremely easily. Theres no real detent positions that the mode switch locks into, so you cant casually slip the camera into a pocket without accidentally rotating the knob. Ive actually had this camera power itself on while I was walking with the camera hanging by its shoulder strap. Several times my girlfriend has accidentally rotated the mode switch a little too far and put it into manual-focus mode without meaning to, so sometimes her photos turn out useless, and shes also accidentally powered it on simply by putting it in her luggage, so you cant pack it inside a suitcase. Fortunately the camera can be set to automatically power down after a preset period of non-use. I chose to have the Power-On sound play whenever it powers up so that I know instantly when it happens, because it happens so often. A better design, such as having solid detents for the knob to lock into for eahc mode selection would help tremendously. EXTREMELY poor design.
And finally, macro shots are a joke. You have to use the LCD screen for macro shots, but its too small to be useful for determining when your subject is in sharp focus or not. The best that the user manual says is a minimum limit of 16 cm from your subject for macro, but that depends on how precisely how much zoom youre using, and its hard to judge without a ruler, and often thats not close enough for really close-up shots.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-12-06
The service provided by Minolta repair is unacceptable. Ive had to send my S404 camera back to them twice. Both times they claimed it arrived with physical damaged. If it was, it was not by me. When I asked them to initiate a claim at the Post Office on the first repair, they said, oh well, we will fix it. The same story on the second time I had problems 5 months later. Except his time they wont fix it under the extended warranty, and when I asked to speak to a manager, I was told to write them a letter. I asked them again to take it to the Post Office with the original packaging (per the procedure the Post Office where it was sent from told me was needed to start a claim), they said write a letter. I suspect they have a scam to avoid warranty work by claiming the camera was damaged. Also I suspect they cant start the claim at the Post Office as they have thrown away the original packaging. They have had the camera one month to the day and still no work has been done, and I wont likely have the camera by the Holidays.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-24
At highest resolution/size my S404 takes over 30 seconds to save the image, which is an 11 meg .TIFF file. I would venture that for most of us, the delay is a major or fatal issue, and for everyone I know the size of the file prevents any normal shooting at the top end. Accordingly, four megapixels is more theoretical than real, and perhaps this camera should be compared (especially as to price) with 3 MP boxes. As much noted, the flash does not have quite the range as claimed by the specs. It is a fine instrument, that having been said. I think it deserves a 3.75.
On: 2003-06-16
We bought this camera about a month and a half ago, and it has been nothing but trouble since the day that we bought it. We can only take a few pictures before it turns itself off, and says that the batteries are gone. Or it will not turn itself off, but will not take pictures. The pictures have been mediocre, and it takes forever to turn on and be ready to take a picture. We went into the store wanting a Canon S45, and let ourselves be talked into this piece of junk. What a big mistake.
On: 2003-04-02
This camera is awesome. It has everything you would want in a 4 MP camera. It takes excellect pictures. I would buy any camera from the minds of Minolta.
 On: 2003-03-03
Ive owned this camera for about a year now. Overall, I am pleased with its performance, but in retrospect I think I would have been happier with the Canon Powershot G2 or G3. In ideal lighting situations, the camera performs very well and produces very good images. Battery life has been good, and Compact Flash is by far the best storage format. However, in less-than-ideal conditions, I believe there are better cameras on the market.There two areas in which this camera has disappointed me are: 1. Flash photography- The stated range of the flash unit on this camera is a bit shorter than others (~10 ft.), and in real-world conditions subjects appear very dimly lit in the upper end of that range. Other cameras in the same price/resolution category have flash ranges closer to 15 ft. 2. Time between shots- The camera is rated at 5-seconds between shots in normal shooting mode. The Canon Powershot, for example, can take back-to-back shots in 2 seconds. This has been a problem for me when trying to capture movement and action shots. That being said, this camera is significantly less expensive than the Canon Powershot G2/G3. Hope this helps.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-01-04
I have owned the S404 for about six months and will agree with all those who have said the many good things about this camera, BUT.. I would like to point out one thing about Minolta in general that has me kind of annoyed.I have found that when you use the S404 to take short videos (.AVI files), then save the videos on your computer, if you try to play the videos back using any media software other than "Quicktime" - you will see superimposed over top of your videos (in LARGE WHITE LETTERING) the words: "PIC Video" and "www.jpg.com" (the words appear above and below your videos actually covering some of your recorded image). I called Minoltas Customer Service about this and basically they said "Yea, thats right.. you can "only" use Quicktime to playback videos made on this camera" - "If you try to use the Windows Media Player or the Real Video Player or even a video editor like Adobe Premiere, you will see those words." I would imagine that you are probably not going to purchase this camera strictly for its video ability.. but even so, I thought that you might want to know about how Minolta will force you to use "Quicktime" (like it or not) to view any videos that you make on this camera.
On: 2002-12-19
I began looking for digital cameras 2 weeks ago and the s404 was one of the first cameras I liked. Target had it for .... After numerous trips to other stores looking for something better and reading these helpful comments I decided the s404 was for me. I just got back from Target where they no longer had it on display but when I asked for it they still had it and it came up at $.... I bought it quick without asking a lot of questions. Much cheaper than anywhere online (other than ebay). So thanks to all, I have not used it yet but by the way these reviews sound I think I will not be disappointed.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-17
After looking at cameras made by Olympus, Canon, HP, Kodak and Sony, I settled on the Minolta S404. Ive been using it for 7 months and havent had any major problems. In fact, it takes excellent photos.The only problem to mention is that I had problems getting the colors adjusted on my PC for printing -- thats not a problem with the camera though. Running the photos through the included imaging software or another third-party photo software product made the printed photos look great. I would highly reccommend getting rechargable batteries (this one takes 4 AA size) -- two sets if you can -- as digital cameras can go through a lot of batteries. Also be sure to pick up a larger memory card -- I bought a 256MB card. Finally, and possibly the most overlooked, get a skylight filter for the lens. Youll thank me when the "cheap" skylight filter gets scratched and not your expensive camera lens. I have one and havent noticed any difference in quality with the filter on.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-07
I purchased a Minolta Dimage S404 about a month ago after spending nearly a month doing research on digital cameras. I have taken pictures for years with a Canon AE1 but wanted to get into digital photography. I have not been disappointed. Though I admit the first couple of times I took pictures at my sons high school football games, I shot with both cameras to make sure I had pictures.
The Minolta has a fast enough shutter speed to catch the action during daylight football games. The flash is not good enough for action after dark, but I knew that would be the case.
I bought a 128 card and a card reader which both work great. One of the reasons I bought the Minolta was because it uses AA batteries. Yes, it eats the regular ones, but Ive had very good luck with the two sets of rechargables that I bought. At least you can always find AA batteries if youre in a bind.
Since I have a Macintosh computer at home, I was a little concerned about how the camera would work with it, but Ive had no problems. The photo software I already had on my computer works great and the prints are wonderful.
Ive also taken the card from the camera and used it in the Picture Maker at a local store just to see how that works or if Im short on time and it makes wonderful prints.
This is a camera I highly recommend.
 On: 2002-12-02
Pretty good price on this camera. You know why? Its so you can spend the money you saved on BATTERIES. I should know, we sell these at the store where I work. Probably 50% of the S404s we sell are returned because people cant use them for a normal period of time without the batteries going dead.I suggest you look at the Nikon 4300 or Canon S40/S45. Youll thank me later.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-11-28
This is my 1st. digital camera. Easy to use and the picture quality is great. Also baught a 128 flash card and card reader. Would recommend both the bigger flash card for more pictures and the flash card reader to simplify the process! I would recommend this camera to any 1st. time user or anyone who appreciates great pictures and ease of use.
On: 2002-10-17
I have used this camera for two weeks now and I feel compelled to write about my experiences. I find that the pictures that this camera takes are superb! I have printed them on both glossy and matte finish photo paper and the prints look beautiful. This camera has wonderful detail in the high-resolution setting. But, the 16 MB CompactFlash card that comes with it is woefully small. You MUST buy at least 128 MB CompactFlash card to make it really useful. With the 128MB card, you can get 61 full-sized high-resolution photos. Also, dont even bother trying to use standard AA batteries. Buy some high-quality rechargable Ni-Mh batteries because this camera, like all other digital cameras, chews through batteries very quickly.
I have, and would continue to recommend this camera to anyone I know (or in this case, to anyone reading this!)
On: 2002-10-04
Generally this is a great camera, easy to use, nice pictures. Variety of resolutions to adjust your storage volume, and a nice zoom and scroll feature when viewing stored images. Makes nice movies too, max 60sec. each. Full auto or full manual settings if ya want. A little awkward at times- your R. thumb unwittingly opens the side access pannel. And it dosnt like high contrast shots.
On: 2002-09-26
I reviewed several similar cameras Sony, Canon, Olympus,and Minolta S404.I bought the Minolta S404 camera and was using it about 1/2 hour out of the box. I think I am going to really like the camera. It sure appeared to me that this was a great value for what you got...4x optical zoom, 32Mb internal buffer,12 bit instead of 10 bit processor in the camera.
And here is a very very good performance feature.....this camera turns on almost instantantly and has awesome speed in loading the pics onto the CF card when taking two or more pictures in rapid succession......(give some credit to the write speed of my Viking CF Card.) The pictures are very sharp and clear and require very little exposure and contrast correction when running them through my pic handling software. Probably you wont need help from Minolta tech support, but if you do forget it. I called them once with a simple question not a technical one and I couldnt believe how little this guy knew about his own product. I dont understand why this isnt a "hot seller" .
by: Anonymous On: 2002-09-18
This is my first digital camera and I think its great! Very few camera have 4.0 MP for [such a low price]. Im only begining to use all of the features and flexibility that the S404 offers.
On: 2002-08-08
Ive used this camera for two months now and Im really pleased. I researched digital cameras for about a month (reading reviews on the internet, visiting local camera shops and talking to people who own digital cameras) before I made my final decision. I wanted a camera that was easy to use, took nice enough pictures to print for framing and/or photo albums, and wanted to stay within a budget of $500.00The S404 was the only camera in my price range that was 4 megapixels and a 4X optical zoom. I did compare it with the Sony DC75 and the Olympus 3020 and I think you can see a difference between the 3 megapixel and 4 megapixel when you have pictures side by side. The Sony and the Olympus did have more in manual controls, but only a 3X optical zoom and the Olympus didnt have sound with its video. Another nice feature on the S404 is the voice memo you can attach to the picture. This, plus the fact that subject program buttons (Macro, Portrait, Landscape and Night), the flash/red eye and zoom are exactly like my 35mm point & shoot camera, a Minolta Freedom Zoom 140EX. This was an added bonus for me, I felt like I already knew the S404. ... Now the fun began. I wanted to try every feature on the camera. Outdoor pictures were great, however in bright sunlight I do adjust the white balance to "daylight". The Macro is fantastic, you can see every detail (very close to my SRL shots), the Portrait mode is a really nice feature and gives your pictures a professional look. I used this for my daughters high school graduation pictures. After reading some people were having problems with indoor pictures, I tried the different ways and found the best pictures were when I was using "auto", they look great to me. I havent had the opportunity to use the Night Portrait yet, but I know it works beautifully on my point and shoot and Im hoping for the same with the S404. I did view some photos other people took of fireworks on the 4th and they look great! I take all my photos in the 2274 x 1704 imagine size and the fine quality mode. I started using superfine, however I really didnt see much of a difference, and fine uses a lot less space. I do download my pictures using the Dimage Image Viewer Utility, save them, and then I can open them in any other program. I just started using the print index feature and having 4 X 6 prints made at the local camera shop. (I found this is where the flash card that came with the camera comes in handy, I can drop this one off and I still have one in my camera). WOW!!! YOU CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE FROM PRINT FILM!!! Although I have been getting beautiful print outs with my HP 930C, I have been using a lot of ink and photographic paper. From now on, pictures I want for the photo album I will have printed at the camera shop. The paper is a little heavier, its probably cheaper and saves time. This camera is easy to use, fits your hand nicely, and takes beautiful pictures. I met all my objectives with this camera. If you can find one, I highly recommend it! Problems
As mentioned in other reviews, the auto focus sometimes misses. However the more Im using the camera, the less this is happening. I really dislike the lens cap, I wish Minolta could have figured an internal lense cover which would close when the camera is turned off.
On: 2002-08-01
I purchased this camera locally and used these factors in this order to make my decision:1) value
2) reviews ...
3) optical zoom The 4X optical zoom is a great improvement over the 2X I had in my previous camera. If youre wondering how close that is, I can get a full frame shot of my kids from about 30 feet away. I would like to have even more zoom but this is about the best I found without spending a small fortune. One of the best things about this camera over my previous one is that I can take about 10 pictures before I have to wait on the camera. The pictures can be taken about 1.5 seconds apart as long as you arent using flash. I do have some problems getting pictures in focus which has been mentioned in various reviews around the net. I think if you really need a shot it would be best to take several shots and also look in to the exposure bracketing feature on the camera. Also the flash is really strong. If you are close to the subject, I recommend backing off a little and using the zoom. I have taken some of these digital prints and gotten them printed at the photo developer. I have just gotten 4X6 prints so far but they come out indistinguishable from film as far as Im concerned. I recommend this method over trying to print them yourself as it is cheaper and much less hassle. I do think my prints come out a touch blue so I need to figure out how to properly color correct them. I have a 64Mb compact flash card and can take about 50 pictures at the full 2272x1704 resolution with Standard compression. As with many high res cameras buying high capacity NiMH batteries is a must for this camera. The first day I had it I went through 3 sets of Energizer AAs. But I can usually shoot an entire outing (100 pictures or so) with 1 set of the rechargables. I am considering purchasing a large flash card that has a low power mode to extend the battery life. This camera seems to be mostly compatible with Mac OS X. It mounts on the desktop and launches iPhoto to import the photos. I do have one problem with a 48MB flash card I have. If I format the card in the camera, I can not read it with the computer. If I format the card with another camera (a Kodak) I can still use it in the camera and read it with the computer.
On: 2002-07-29
Hello, I purchasesd this camera recently and enjoy it. I have little experience with cameras, and this is my first digital camera ever. It is easy to use, with a fully automatic setting. I did a lot of research before purchasing this camera. As said before by others, this camera packs the most bang for its buck!! PROBLEM: BATTERIES (or is it?). I believe this can be resolved!! I have looked at all kinds of batteries, but reccommended by Minolta are their re-chargeable "gold" batteries that their professional cameras come with. I believe these are the best batteries I have ever used. These are probably the most versatile batteries I have ever used. Alkalines dont last 1/2 as long!! They are 1800 MaH "platinum" batteries. Most nickel metal hydride batteries lose their charge after a few hours out of their chargers. I have used these Quest batteries and they hold a charge for at least 2 days. There are "gold", "standard" and "platinum" batteries available. I use only the best... I believe its not only a great investment, but an essential purchase. Let me know if this helps anyone:) ji_inc@hotmail.com
...
On: 2002-07-29
...I settled on the Minolta afer seeing so many excellent reviews here and on other sites. Amazon, as usual, came through with a fair price and excellent service. As for the camera I rate it higher then the Kodak, both on feature and on consistent quality of image. I have the following feedback for those of you just buying the camera. 1. Must have 2 sets of NiMH rechargable batteries. Standard alkaline just wont last.
2. Indoor shots are best with flash. Outdoor daytime shots are downright beautiful. Night time shots are the most difficult...
3. Additional accesories seem almost non-existent. I found a step-up ring adapter (also on Amazon) from the odd 35.5mm size on this camera to a more standard 43mm, from which I can buy other standard size step-up rings (52mm, etc)
4. Autofocus and the general auto settings are fine for most shots (Im no pro - just love digital photography). Just getting into manual mode.
5. The video mode is fun but quite limited in both time (60 seconds max) and resolution (320x240) and at 15fps the resulting image is grainy and choppy. This seems more of a novelty then any practical value as a feature. File size is huge (~20MB).
6. Buy one or two large Compact Flash cards...are selling 256MB cards for < 50 cents per mb. Plenty of room for high-resolution pictures.
7. Dont bother with the digital zoom. As on most digital cameras this feature can be emulated by software and the image quality really drops when this feature is used. Consider a telephoto lens to preserve the quality this camera provides for long-distance close-up needs. All in all this has been a wonderful camera. No glitches at all, highly recommended. I would give it 5 stars but for a few issues. Accessories - hard to find, night-time shots (probably operator error), one call to service to ask about accessories resulted in no help (how can a company like Minolta afford to miss reselling to an existing customer?). Buy with confidence - you will love this camera. Look, feel and quality are all there.
On: 2002-07-16
First off I really like the camera. I takes great pictures with excellent color quality. I have used the Sonys and I think the Minoltas colors are far superior. The time between shots is minimal with the 32 MB buffer. Unfortunately, this thing sucks down batteries like there is no tomorrow. I bought the 1800 mA PowerEx batts (which Id recommend) and it even drains those fast. Not only that but it just died completely on me-- the lens stuck out and flashed "err"-- just dead. Minolta is fixing under warranty, but Im still out of a camera for my vacation. Anyway, I still think this is the best deal around.
On: 2002-07-11
Great Camera. Id like to add, in addition to the other comments, the following pros/cons:PRO: Good Bang-for-the-buck; 4x Optical Zoom; Lots of MegaPixels (4) allows for cropping of photos and still being able to print out clean enlargements; Easy to navigate menus.
CON: Zoom speed is V E R Y S L O W. Full Zoom does not really feel like 4x. Compared to my 35..115mm P&S Camera, the zoom on this does not seem to get as close and it takes forever to move; Xfer Speed - moving pictures from camera to computer via USB is slow. I highly recommend a separate CF card reader w/ USB2 interface. It takes ~20+minutes to empty a 128MB C/F Card using the cameras interface to USB.
On: 2002-07-09
Ive been using this camera for 3 months and in that time Ive taken almost 1300 exposures under many different conditions. Ive used and owned many cameras in the past 30 years and this is easily one of the best values in a 4MP camera today.Picture quality is excellent, the reason why I wanted a 4MP camera. The lens exhibits measurable distortion but in the type of use that this camera is most likely to see, its negligible. Under bright daylight, colors are well saturated and contrast is very good. In moderate room light, color saturation is still good but contrast starts to fall if the built in flash isnt used. The most difficult lighting situation I encountered was in a large underground cavern with low level artificial lighting. With some post-processing I was able to extract usable images, very impressive! The S404 produces pictures equal to, or better than any other 4MP camera and better than any camera in its price range. The camera is shaped a little differently from other cameras, being short and squat instead of tall and thin. I find this makes it very easy to hold as I can use most of my hand to comfortably grip the camera rather than just my fingertips. The controls are well placed and can be used without looking. Auto mode works well for most situations but there is manual mode too. Manual mode isnt truely manual though. In this mode you can set various operating parameters, such as metering mode, focus mode, exposure mode (including limited manual control), etc., that are preset and unadjustable in auto mode. Its really a custom mode that can be easily accessed through the main control, a useful feature in some cases. This camera feels solid. Most of the body is satin finished aluminum, the various doors and covers are plastic or silicone. Although it isnt a heavy camera, its small size (in relation to its weight) makes it feel substantial. Everything is nicely finished although there are very slight color differences between the different materials. This is a good looking camera. Yes, it eats alkaline batteries like candy. I bought two sets of 1700 mAh NiMH rechargeables and a 256MB CF card at the same time as the camera and with conservative use of the LCD, I can take 127 photos at 2272 x 1704 pixels on a single set of batteries. Its best if images are processed with the Minolta DiMage Image Viewer Utility. I view my images on a 21" monitor and remapping the colorspace makes a huge difference to saturation and shadow detail. Theres also another advantage if you archive your photos. The Minoltaspace photos have exposure information (white balance, shutter speed, aperture, date, etc.) embedded in the file. Resaving the file with a photo editing program loses this valuable information. The original 36-bit image can be archived on CD, preserving significantly more information than the 24-bit image produced by most editing programs. Great pictures, good ergonomics, a decent feature set, and excellent construction. If you dont earn a living as a photographer this is probably all the camera you need for everyday use.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-07-02
We wanted to upgrade from our 1 MP camera and have been looking at the Minolta Dimage series for several months. We finally bought a Kodak DX3900 and it was an awful camera! We were able to get our money back and we immediately ordered the Minolta Dimage S404. We got it just in time for our Colorado vacation and the pictures are awesome! We now have beautiful mountain pictures that we can enlarge and print. Ive already done some printing and the pictures look like 35mm photos. I have read that some people complain about having to process the pictures through special software. We tried this processing, but didnt see a difference. We have very vivid color just using our regular photo editor. It isnt time consuming to use the Minolta software though. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone. Its great for point and shoot and gives you more professional settings if you want to use them. Weve had great luck with the auto settings so far.
On: 2002-06-30
I posted back in April but I would like to note some second thoughts about this camera. I did make one mistake. I said that in Auto you only could shoot in next hightest pixel density.
I discovered a few days later that you can shoot in any of the four pixel density selections. I also had the time to shoot some pictures and there is a lot of flexability to this camera once you get to used to it. I shot some macro pictures of my day lilies and got good results. I still wish that there was a cable release instead of having to use a timer, especially if its a little windy, so that I could snap the shutter immediately as soon as the wind setted for a second. Using the timer release, I had to hit the sutter button and hope that the wind didnt start blowing again before the shutter tripped.However, I was still able to get some fantastic shots. The picture were just a bit grainy on 8 x 10s with the immage size about 125-150% of actual size. Remember that this can happen with film cameras too. If you are running PhotoImpact, you will not be able to download you camera directly to the program. This is easy to get around, however by just down loading into a Microsoft folder and then using PhotoImpact to open the files in that folder.
On: 2002-06-18
After using a digital camera at work for a couple of years and searching for my own I landed on the Dimage S404. It is a lot of camera for the price. Easy to use, easy downloading of the images to a computer. It doesnt use a proprietery battery so that is handy. I would suggest the purchase of rechargeble batteries if you go with this camera however.
This is really all the camera I need. If it has a downside... I dont believe the macro works as well as other cameras I have used. It doesnt have quite the detail of several Sonys I had used. That said the macro still works well.
Other than that I dont think you can do better dollar for dollar.
On: 2002-06-02
First of all know what you want from your camera... I wanted to be able to print at least 4x6 prints of every picture I took with this camera. That put me in the 4 mega pixel range. I was looking at the Canon G2, Canon S40, Olympus D60, and the Olympus C4040. Id gone to the local retailers and tested them all out. Then the Minolta S404 came out and hit my personal price sweet spot ... All the other ones I was holding off on because I knew I would need to spend more money on extra memory and probably an extra battery pack. That put the others out of my price range.
Im at best an amatuer photographer and this camera turns out to be a very good match for my skills. Most of the time I use the all auto feature, but Ive many of the more sophisticated features including macro (real good close ups of plants and small animals), night shot, and portrait. Ive worked with some of the more manual features such as black & white and the exposure settings. The camera is extremely easy to use including the menus one uses on the LCD. Im a computer programmer, so using some of the features is almost second nature.
The photos have come out absolutely wonderful both on the computer screen and in print. Ive had 4x6 and 5x7s made. Theres an 8x10 on the way in the mail. Ive taken this camera to a school field day, a company picnic, Baltimore (Inner Harbor and Aquarium), and Mount Vernon, Virginia. Ive also taken it on tour of the neighborhood, where I used the macro function exclusively. Ive kept the image settings mainly on 2272X1704 pixels (size)-fine (picture quality) and 1600x1200 pixels - super fine . From time to time Ill use 2272x1704 - super fine.
Using the biggest picture and the highest quality settings produces an 11 MB file. The image capture is excellent, but it takes 15-20 seconds to save the image to the compact flash. I thought Id broken the camera the first time I took one of these large pictures. I dont consider this a draw back, just something to keep in mind.
The look and feel of the camera -- its all there. It comes in a silver metal case and definitely does not feel ... light weight ... The brightness of the LCD can be changed by the user. All the way from off to super bright. When using the camera in bright sunlight dont expect to see the LCD too well. That goes for any machine with an LCD.
Batteries... This camera eats the alkaline batteries it comes with. They last long enough for you to test it out and decide whether or not this camera meets your needs. Buy at least 8 rechargeable AA batteries (the camera takes 4, so youll have two sets). Get the highest rating possible - I have 1600, but Ive seen 1800 too.
When I bought the camera, I also bought a 128 MB compact flash card. If you take pictures like I do, youll need it. I also bought a compact flash reader. Ive found it easier to use than the camera when downloading pictures to my computer. Not to mention, it saves the camera batteries.
On: 2002-05-07
I am completely sold on this Minolta. It takes fantastic photos, is simple to use and a pleasure to work with. I have been taking photos seriously for over 15 years and have owned over 30 camera, from Canon 35mm to large format cameras. I have not been impressed with digital cameras, though I have used them, until now. This camera delivers crisp, clean images, comperable to a 35mm film camera, and features all the benefits of a digital camera. If you are thinking of a new camera give this one a shot. You can preview your shots, delete them, tweak them on your home PC, it offers it all. I have compared this camera to the Canon G2 (at almost 2x the price) and remain impressed with the Minolta. A few shortcomings - battery drain and a hard-to-see backpanel (in FULL daylight that is - otherwise it is fine) moderate my review from raving to complely impressed. Definately buy the rechargable batteries, Monster, the company that makes Monster Cable, makes some which are very good. I have seen people in these reviews complain that the digital cameras are not up to film in the images they create, but that is a bit of a non-sequitar to me, if you want a film camera, get one. If you want a digital camera you cant do better than this one - literally - for the price.
Enjoy it...
On: 2002-05-01
I have always been using Minolta cameras. So I am very familiar with its navigation system. I consider myself a serious amateur photographer and have a Minolta 35mm SLR. This is my first digital camera. So far I am very satisfied with it. The picture quality is outstanding. With 4x Optical zoom, this camera is soooo much lighter than my QTSi with 100mm lens. I probably going to store my SLR for a while until I need to use it for more complicated task.
On: 2002-04-30
This is (was) my second digital camera. After much research for an upcoming trip I decided on the Minolta. Long story short... I took it back 3 days later. Heres why: Battery Drainer! Even with 1800 Mah NiMH batteries, it does not last long. Although it has nice features and takes nice photos, it isnt worth much to me if you have to carry around a boat-load of batteries...especially on a vacation. Another thing to remember, 2,272 x 1,704 pixel images is large, but will never be as large as 35mm film. I am getting a very nice compact film camera, having the film scanned to CD, and calling it a digital camera for a fourth of the price.
On: 2002-04-21
This camera is great. I agree with everything written above. The only negative is the way these digital cameras eat up batteries, but thats across the board. Make sure you get the NiMH AA batteries, rechargable if possible. The quality of the pictures is awesome, but what impressed me the most was the features. You can do anything automatically or manually. You name it, this camera does it except for the effect processing things like B&W or sepia. These things I prefer doing on the computer anyway and dont want to pay for it. Speaking of paying for it, yes thats the real price. I thought compared to the prices of other cameras, either this was a wrong price or the camera was junk. Especially with the zoom factor. But the price was real and the cameras anything but junk. The main reason Im writing is to let all the Apple users know that this camera does work with OS X and iPhoto perfectly. No software install needed with a Mac. Just plug the camera into your keyboard and it launches iPhoto automatically. Click Import and your done. Beautiful.
On: 2002-04-21
This camera is great. I agree with everything written above. The only negative is the way these digital cameras eat up batteries, but thats across the board. Make sure you get the NiMH AA batteries, rechargable if possible. The quality of the pictures is awesome, but what impressed me the most was the features. You can do anything automatically or manually. You name it, this camera does it except for the effect processing things like B&W or sepia. These things I prefer doing on the computer anyway and dont want to pay for it. Speaking of paying for it, yes thats the real price. I thought compared to the prices of other cameras, either this was a wrong price or the camera was junk. Especially with the zoom factor. But the price was real and the cameras anything but junk. The main reason Im writing is to let all the Apple users know that this camera does work with OS X and iPhoto perfectly. No software install needed with a Mac. Just plug the camera into your keyboard and it launches iPhoto automatically. Click Import and your done. Beautiful.
On: 2002-04-21
Ive just been playing with the camera for a few days and, with reservations, I am really impressed. This is a very easy camera to learn how to use. Even in full auto mode there are still options available, such as flash mode, drive mode and exposure compensation. Auto mode also give the macro, portrait, night portrain, and landscape programs. The picture quality is quite good too in auto. The only option at the auto setting is the standard (default) setting. That still gives very good 5x7s and this is the next to lowest quality setting. With a 127M card at 2272 x 1704 pic setting the camera will hold about 100 shots.What I dont care for is that there are only 2 aperature settings each at telephoto and normal/wide angle. This limits the control over the depth of field in manuel setting. Speaking of manuel settings, dont get the idea that once you bypass the auto setting that you are going to grab focus or zoom rings to manually adjust the settings. Everything is still operated through the control button on the back. This makes adjusting the zoom and the focus a little hit and miss. Youll just have to get the hang of how to play with the button. The autofocus is a little slow if the camera is set to focus only when the shutter button is pushed down. If you are needing to keep up with a lot of action, set the autofocus on full time or turn it off and prefocus manually. I know that the above paragraph sounds a little negative, but all Im trying to say that if you are expecting a near professional quality camera, its not going to come at this price. In all this is a good quality point-and-shoot camera with a lot of options that you can get creative with, and even with the restricted aperature settings, I think that Im going to get a lot of good use out of it.
On: 2002-04-16
The S404 performs even better than I expected, with sharp, clear pictures. And, as expected, the batteries drain quickly. The first thing I did was visit [local store] and get a couple sets of 1800 maH batteries and a 2-hr charger (very good price on these). I also suggest getting as much Compact Flash as you can afford - I got the 256 MB in addition to what came with the camera. You wont find a 4.1 mp camera anywhere for the price, and very few 3.0 mp cameras can beat the price. Nothing is perfect, and every camera has its drawbacks - I just havent found any yet with this one. You cant go wrong with the S404 unless you have a sack full of money and can get something really expensive :)UPDATE: Ive found the solution to the battery problem. Mine become "dead" sometimes after only 3 or 4 shots, sometimes I get as many as 10-12 shots. Recently I purchased a "slow" battery charger - it takes up to 12 hours to recharge my batteries, but WOW! Its well worth the wait. First time I used the "slow" charged batteries, I got over 50 pictures made WITH THE VIEWFINDER TURNED ON!!! And the indicator still showed plenty of charge. So, if you want your digital camera experience to be really nice, get a "slow" battery recharger, not a fast 1- or 2-hour one.
On: 2002-04-12
This camera is an upgrade for me and Im embarrassed by how much I paid for so little camera last time around. So, I chose carefully and have not been disappointed. Best shooting so far has been at the Tidal Basin last Friday just past the peak of the cherry blossoms. The camera took some amazing shots of the Washington and Jefferson monuments surrounded by the pink splendor. I displayed the shots on my big screen TV to the whole family without any problems. Color was perfect and the automation in this camera really frames the shots well. Im a so, so photographer so this is a big plus. Next I tried it out at the Dolphin show up at the National Acquarium in Baltimore. The results were excellent, especially the zoom. I caught the dolphins in the midst of almost every trick including the huge leap to the top of the auditorium to touch the ball. I also took some incredible photos through the glass of the seahorses. The exposure took some tweaking but I was able to figure it out with less than 10 shots. The family oohed and ahhed when they saw them. For those of you who own Minolta and have grown used to the interface and quality of features, this is a no-brainer. For the price, I expected a bit less and have been consistently amazed by the quality of pictures it takes, especially in automatic mode. My SLR has been sent to the cabinet until I really need it for more complicated shots. Be sure to have at least 2 sets of batteries and keep them in your bag. Each trip I exhausted the batteries and had to change them. Also, for the $$$, I recommend a 256MB card so you can take 100+ high quality images. Thats what 4.0MP is all about.
On: 2002-04-09
The Minolta D404 takes great didgital pictures from 4" to infinity. Just point and shoot with the AF/AE. The resolution is superb. Downloading using the USB with XP is easy and takes only a few minutes. The camera is lightweight, holds nice and uses standard 4AA bateries. Use rechargeables. The controls are easy to learn and use and are well laid out. Delete old pictures using Windows explorer or imaging software. The camera also has audio and motion features.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-03-30
This is my second digital camera. For about 3 years I have been using a Canon A5 (0.8 Mpix, fixed lens) with Adobe PhotoDeluxe. So the S404 was a big step up for me.I just got the camera 3 days ago. Most of my playing has been test pictures to get used to the camera and see how it reacts under various conditions. (Ive had it 7 months now and I find that it is an excellent camera). I am using Powerx 1800 batteries and they seem to work fine. With probably 30 min of "on" time the battery indicator bar is still solid. (Battery life is indeed excellent - I take about 30 - 70 pictures a week and recharge the batteries about every 3 weeks whether they need it or not) The camera recognized the 256 Mb Viking CompactFlash card as soon as I inserted it. It shows a capacity of 123 images at highest resolution. Uploads to Windows XP are very easy - Just plug the camera into a USB port, turn it on, wait about 5 sec for the computer to recognize it as an external drive, then drag and drop. Transfer rate is good. 14 hi res images took less than 2 min. The Image Viewer Utility to convert color space is an extra step, but it is pretty easy, can be done in the batch mode, and doesnt take very long. I havent tried it yet, but I suspect that in a pinch you could probably get the same color results with any good image editor. (Indeed, you can) The camera is easy to use. My only two complaints are things I knew about up front. The camera is a little bulkier than I wanted (but still less than most of its competition). Second, I have had a couple of pictures where the autofocus missed the mark, but I think this just means I have to be a little more careful to get a good green light before shooting. (The auto focus works fine as long as you are sure you have a solid green light). All in all, this is a great camera, made even greater by the copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements which I bought at the same time. I doubt if you can truly appreciate the value of a hi res digital camera without a first class image editor to go with it. Photoshop Elements sure fits the bill. (I continue to be an enthuiastic fan of Photoshop Elements but I like version 1.1 better than the new version 2.0).
On: 2002-03-29
I have owned this camera now for about two weeks and have taken about two hundred photos with it. The pictures are sharp and the color vibrant. I have used it in both day and night settings and the results have always pleased me. I stongly recommend the use of high quality Ni-MH batteries though, as the camera will devour normal batteries. Two sets of batteries is a wise purchase.
On: 2002-03-23
After owning a Canon SLR film camera I finally broke down and bought the S404. I had been looking for at least a 4 megapixel digital because of the high resolution in printing 8x10s. Well Ive seen 2 megapixels that print 8x10s nice. Camera is small like a 35mm point and shoot. However it is on the heavy side (not a bulky feel). Camera is well balanced. I particually like the glass lense and the photoelectronics it has taken from the more expensive Minolta Dimage digital line. This camera works in automatic mode and manual mode. I like to ability to use the manual mode to control both the shutter speed and aperture. I think you can change the ISO from 100, 200 and 400 but have not gotten that far with the camera other than automatic mode. After taking a picture you are able to look the histogram which displays plenty of info- shutter speed, aperture, ISO, luminance and so on. The camera can also take 60 seconds of movie mode. I guess this is some sort of MPEG movie or something (again I have not got there yet). With all these features and the price...I had to buy it. Where can you fnd a 4 megapixel for under $[money] with all these features and from a camera maker. I would not buy any camera from a company who does not make cameras. What you get: camera, strap, USB connection, RCA cables to plug into your TV, 4AA batteries (buy NiMH) and a 16meg CF card. I think a 16meg card is pretty cheesy but it is made by Luxar and is a 8x card. I guess this is ok but I went to Frys and bought a 128meg card for under $40 and it works fine (some no name card made in China). You also get a couple of CDs for your computer and a manual. I got tired of reading the manual and started messing with the camera. Now I take pics like Ansel Adams. The good: all of the above. You get an excellent camera for a very good price. I still see 3 megapixels for over $500. Plus the camera is made by a camera maker. The bad: camera is small and a bit heavy. Zoom is in a funky position that can interfer if you like to look put the viewfinder rather than the LCD screen. In a nutshell, I would buy this camera again. I took to work to show coworkers and I could have sold 3 of them in 15 minutes. Dont go cheap and buy a plastic digital camera. You might regret it. This digital camera operates like a film camera. Go look around first before you buy. Look in a professional camera store, not a retail store. Camera stores know more. I give 4 out of 5 stars.
On: 2002-03-19
I just got the Minolta Dimage s404 today and decided to do a quick comparison against my 2 other digital cameras, the Nikon Coolpix 990 and the Canon Sureshot s300. I took the cameras to Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco and shot a few images of the flowers, buildings and waterfalls. The Minolta handled itself well giving just slightly more detail than the Nikon (3.34 megs) and noticeably more than the Canon (2.1 megs). But thats what I expected for a 4 meg camera. In terms of speed, it really shined, with a boot up speed about half again faster than the Nikon and about equal to the Canon. It processed 2 meg images slightly faster than the Canons typical <1 meg files and nearly twice as fast as the Nikons 1.2 meg files. Its color were good comparted to the Nikon except it couldnt reproduce the blues of periwinkles or the reds of geraniums very well. The Nikon held the blue of the periwinkles but also rendered the geraniums orange-red. The Canon handled both colors much better, but had some problems with purples. As for the Minoltas flash, it seemed to be a little bright, giving better renditions at 1/3 stop under. I found the Minolta quite easy to use, since I havent even opened the manual at the time of this writing. I only have a couple of complaints, one is the macro, which is more close up than macro. It also doesnt allow focus past a certain range, so if you forget to take it off, your images of landscapes etc will be blurred. The other minor issue is that the lens didnt retract when I the camera off while it was processing an image. That said, it didnt have any difficulty turning back on after re-powering up, so it is more of a curiosity than a serious problem....
On: 2002-03-18
This camera takes wonderful pictures! I took it to the zoo on an overcast day. The auto controls did a great job of bringing out the color. I was able to shoot through glass, with the flash on, with no glare showing up in the photo. I got some great aquarium shots this way. The macro mode is amazing! The 4 megapixels allow for a lot of cropping to get terrific close-ups, especially when combined with the 4X optical zoom. I am still learning how to use the manual focus controls, but can see that this camera has a lot to offer for both the experienced and novice photographer. I will warn you to use NiMh batteries and take a couple of extra sets with you if you plan to do a lot of shooting. This is true of any digital camera though.
|
|
