Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2Konica Minolta updates their top-end electronic SLR with a higher resolution sensor, much-improved electronic viewfinder, a faster 3D autofocusing system, and high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, among other improvements.<<Camera Modes & Menus :(Previous) | (Next): Video, Power, Software>> Page 10:Image Storage & InterfaceReview First Posted: 07/13/2004 |
Image Storage and Interface
The
DiMAGE A2 uses CompactFlash Type I or Type II memory cards for image storage.
The camera ships without a memory card, saving the cost of the essentially useless
cards bundled by most manufacturers with their cameras, which often can only
hold a couple of images at the cameras' maximum resolutions. (Just remember
to have your own CF card on hand when your new camera arrives, to save frustration.)
Third-party CF cards are available separately in memory capacities as high as
six gigabytes, either in the form of conventional Flash Memory, or as a rotating
disc, as in the MicroDrives available from several manufacturers. Thanks to
its support of the FAT32 file system, the camera will be able to fully utilize
these higher-capacity cards. The CompactFlash slot is on the right side of the
camera, covered by a hinged plastic door that opens easily and snaps shut crisply.
The card inserts with the connector edge going in first, and the rear of the
card facing the back of the camera. A small button beside the slot ejects the
card by popping it up slightly, letting you pull the card the rest of the way
out (put the eject button into a vertical position first by pulling up on its
bottom edge).
Although individual CompactFlash cards cannot be write-protected or locked against erasure or manipulation, the DiMAGE A2 lets you lock individual images or groups of images through the Playback menu. Once protected, images cannot be erased or manipulated in any way, except through card formatting. The Playback menu also lets you delete images shown in the LCD display, change the number of images in the Index display, create a custom slide show, set images up for printing on DPOF compliant printers, and copy images via camera memory to a new CF card.
Six image resolution settings are available: 3,264 x 2,448; 3,264 x 2,176
3:2; 2,560 x 1,920; 2,080 x 1,560; 1,600 x 1,200; and 640 x 480 pixels. Files
may be saved in any one of three JPEG compression levels, as well as uncompressed
TIFF (indicated on the camera LCD as "SuperFine"), and a compact RAW
format. (By its nature, the RAW format only saves the full-resolution image
size.) The DiMAGE A2 also allows you to simultaneously save images in both RAW
and JPEG formats, allowing you to have the convenience of JPEG files but the
security of a RAW copy of your images should you desire the maximum quality
later. The number of remaining images that can be stored on the memory card
appears in the lower right corner of the status display panel, in addition to
the selected Resolution and Compression settings. (A minor quibble: With very
large memory cards and the smallest image size/compression settings, the counter
tops-out at 999, a minor annoyance.)
The table below summarizes the compression ratios and number of images that
can be stored on a 128MB memory card (a common size that might typically be
used with the camera), with each Resolution / Quality (JPEG Compression) combination.
(Note the large size of the 640x480 files: If you're planning on shooting small
images for the web or email, you'll definitely need to re-save these at a higher
JPEG compression ratio.)
| Resolution/Quality 32 MB Memory Card |
Fine | Normal | |
RAW | |
|
| 3,264 x 2,448 | Images (Avg size) |
15 8.2 MB |
31 4.1 MB |
53 2.4 MB |
10 12.2 MB |
5 25.6 MB |
| Approx. Compression |
3:1 | 6:1 | 10:1 | 2:1 | 1:1 | |
| 2,560 x 1,920 | Images (Avg size) |
25 5.1 MB |
49 2.6 MB |
84 1.5 MB |
- | - |
| Approx. Compression |
3:1 | 6:1 | 10:1 | - | - | |
| 2,080 x 1,560 | Images (Avg size) |
37 3.4 MB |
73 1.7 MB |
122 1.0 MB |
- | - |
| Approx. Compression |
3:1 | 6:1 | 9:1 | - | - | |
| 1,600x 1,200 | Images (Avg size) |
62 2.0 MB |
1.0 MB | 191 670 KB |
- | - |
| Approx. Compression |
3:1 | 5:1 | 9:1 | - | - | |
| |
Images (Avg size) |
298 429 KB |
392 327 KB |
256 KB |
- |
- |
| Approx. Compression |
2:1 | 3:1 | |
- |
- |
|
A USB 2.0 High Speed cable and interface software accompany the DiMAGE A2 for quick connection and image downloading to a PC or Macintosh computer. It appears as a "storage class" USB device, meaning that no driver software is needed for Mac OS versions 8.6 or later or for Windows Me, 2000, and XP. Downloading files to my Sony desktop running Windows XP (Pentium IV, 2.4 GHz), I clocked it at 1265 KBytes/second, quite a bit faster than any camera with a v1.1 USB interface, and probably about in the middle of the pack among other cameras supporting the "full speed" variant of the USB 2.0 protocol. (Cameras with slow USB v1.1 interfaces run as low as 300 KB/s, cameras with fast v1.1 interfaces run as high as 600 KB/s. Cameras with USB v2.0 interfaces run as fast as several megabytes/second.)
Lost Images? - Download this image-recovery program so you'll have it when
you need it...
Since we're talking about memory and image storage, this would be a good time
to mention the following: I get a ton of email from readers who've lost photos
due to a corrupted memory card. It's tragic when it happens, there are few things
more precious than photo memories. Corrupted memory cards can happen with any
card type and any camera manufacturer, nobodies immune. "Stuff happens,"
as they say. A surprising number of "lost" images can be recovered
with an inexpensive, easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount
of email I've gotten on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digicam
reviews. The program you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read
our review
of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it.
It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with
a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue
for Windows or PhotoRescue
for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the
PDF manual and quickstart guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and
it'll be there when you need it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if,
but when... PhotoRescue is about the best and easiest tool for recovering
digital photos I've seen. (Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales
of the product, but I'd highly recommend the program even if we didn't.)
OK, now back to our regularly scheduled review...
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