Special Focusing Situations; Basic Recording Operation - Minolta Dimage F200 Instruction Manual

Basic recording operation

With the mode dial set to auto recording, the camera will be on and the
LCD monitor will activate. Auto recording mode uses two advanced AF
systems, Area AF and Subject Tracking AF, to locate and track the subject
in the the extra-wide focus frames.
Place the subject anywhere within the focus frame.
• Make sure the subject is within the focus range of the lens:
0.5m - ∞ (1.6ft - ∞). For subjects closer than 0.5m, use the
macro function (p. 29).
• If the subject is closer than 1m at the wide-angle lens
position or 3m at the telephoto position, use the monitor to
frame the subject.
Press the shutter-release button partway down (1) to lock
onto the subject and fix the exposure.
• The focus signals on the monitor will confirm subject lock. If
the focus signal is red, the camera was unable to locate the
subject. Repeat the previous steps until the signal is white.
• When the subject lock engages, an AF sensor will appear
on the live image to indicate the subject. If the subject
moves within the focus frames, the AF sensor will change to
1
track the subject.
2
• The shutter speed and aperture will appear indicating the
exposure is locked.
• See page 28 for information on Automatic Digital Subject
Selection.
Press the shutter-release button all the way down (2) to
take the picture.
• The access lamp will turn red and blink indicating image
data is being written to the memory card. Never remove a
memory card while data is being transferred.
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A - -
UTO RECORDING MODE BASIC OPERATION
Focus signals
This digital camera has a quick, accurate autofocusing system. The focus icon in the
lower right corner of the LCD monitor and the green focus lamp next to the viewfinder
indicate the focus status. The shutter can be released even if the camera cannot focus
on the subject.
Focus icon: white
Focus lamp: steady
Focus icon: red
Focus lamp: blinking
If the subject lock is lost, the monitor icon will change from white to red, but the focus
lamp will continue to glow steadily. For more about Subject Tracking AF, see page 65.
When the AF system cannot focus, focus lock with Focus Area Selection can be used (p.
53, 52).

Special focusing situations

The camera may not be able to focus in certain situations. If the autofocus system cannot
focus on a subject, the focus icon will turn red. In this situation, focus-lock with Focus
Area Selection can be used to focus on an object at the same distance as the main
subject and then the image can be recomposed on the monitor (p. 52, 53).
The subject is too dark. The subject in the
focus frame is low in
contrast.
Subject locked. The camera will continue the track
the subject within the focus frames.
Cannot focus. The subject is too close or a special
situation is preventing the AF system from focusing.
Two subjects at differ- The subject is near a
ent distances overlap very bright object or
in the focus frame. area.
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