Steve'sDigicams

Searut · Dec 30, 2003, 4:05 PM

Hello, can you give me your opinion about de "Minolta DiMAGE S414".
I would like to see some pictures taken by this camera if someone knows a site where I can see it, I would appreciate.

Thanks

voxmagna · Dec 30, 2003, 5:37 PM

I've got one as a second camera to my S602. It CAN take great pics but has some downsides often mentioned. It's a camera you might consider for its lens, good CA, manual features and its weight allows surprising slow shutter exposures free of shake, even at full zoom. But then there are minuses. Steve reviewed the S414 with sample pics here:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_...4_samples.html

Overall I liked it for its image quality and clean JPEG compression. I would't regard it as a lightweight handbag point and shoot cam though, and its got that Dimage characteristic battery thirst - with lcd on, but it is a large display you can actually read. VOX

Searut · Jan 3, 2004, 3:00 PM

Thank you for your replie Vox, I have been looking other models and I whas trying to decide what is best for me the cameras are Fujifilm S3000, Olympus C720UZ and C4000Z, if you can tell me something about this cameras by your personal experience I would like it.

Thanks again

Railfire · Jan 6, 2004, 7:47 AM

I have the Minolta S404 which is the 2002 version of the S414. I have loved it - but it is NOT for fast action photography, so I bought the Canon Digital Rebel. The Minolta is on "loan" to my 2 sons.
It does the BEST job outdoors on a Clear, crisp day & I always kept it at the 2272 X 1704 setting in FINE Mode - Large Jpeg. If you really want it to do it's best, switch to Super Fine, which gives a TIFF File. - especially on what I would consider a Bright, Cloudy Day. But you will need a 256MB or 512MB CF card. I had a 128MB, 256MB & 512MB CF cards for it. I also had 4 sets of NiMh batteries & a 1 hour charger. It DOES drain batteries real fast! I also had 2 - 11 X 14's printed from images I downloaded to a CD - by a Professional Color Lab & they came out super! Would have been even better if I had used a tripod.
Downside: Hard to see the image in the LCD viewfinder in bright sunlight, And I don't know of any filters for it, sice it takes a 35.5mm filter - something Minolta needs to change. If it were me, I would buy the Canon A80 - at least you can get filters for those! But they are quite small in size. Heck, the DRebel has spoiled me!

commie · Jan 9, 2004, 7:49 AM

You can get 35.5mm stepping rings for use with 37mm and 49mm filters from SRB Film in the UK. http://www.srbfilm.co.uk/publish/page6.html

NikonAISNo1 · Feb 12, 2004, 9:49 PM

Searut, I have a S414. It's ok - but I paid 216 dollars for it at Ubid.com(with shipping). I could never see paying more for this thing. It has quite a few limitations. The main ones are bad landscape sharpness and taking pictures of anything with close "lines" in the subject. i'm not sure if it's because my NVidia 32 MB DDR GTS card isnt up to task or if its just a piece of junk in those areas. It can take some really good photos though, and it takes some work getting to know how to get the best performance out of it. I'd say- go to UBid and try for a Nikon Coolpix 5700 (factory refurbished). You could probably come away with one for around 450 including shipping. I'm not ready to spend that much on a camera yet. If you are you'll get a factory re
speced" 5700 for a steal.

NikonAISNo1 · Feb 12, 2004, 9:54 PM

Oh- I forgot - if you'd like to see some photos I've taken with it just e-mail me and I'll send some to you [email protected] They will have my copyright watermark on them though.(but not like corbis-if you know about them)

Dec 30, 2003, 4:05 PM	#1
Searut Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3	Opinion about Minolta Dimâge S414 Hello, can you give me your opinion about de "Minolta DiMAGE S414". I would like to see some pictures taken by this camera if someone knows a site where I can see it, I would appreciate. Thanks

Jan 3, 2004, 3:00 PM	#3
Searut Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3	Thanks Thank you for your replie Vox, I have been looking other models and I whas trying to decide what is best for me the cameras are Fujifilm S3000, Olympus C720UZ and C4000Z, if you can tell me something about this cameras by your personal experience I would like it. Thanks again

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Dec 30, 2003, 5:37 PM	#2
voxmagna Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,162	I've got one as a second camera to my S602. It CAN take great pics but has some downsides often mentioned. It's a camera you might consider for its lens, good CA, manual features and its weight allows surprising slow shutter exposures free of shake, even at full zoom. But then there are minuses. Steve reviewed the S414 with sample pics here: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_...4_samples.html Overall I liked it for its image quality and clean JPEG compression. I would't regard it as a lightweight handbag point and shoot cam though, and its got that Dimage characteristic battery thirst - with lcd on, but it is a large display you can actually read. VOX

Jan 6, 2004, 7:47 AM	#4
Railfire Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 239	I have the Minolta S404 which is the 2002 version of the S414. I have loved it - but it is NOT for fast action photography, so I bought the Canon Digital Rebel. The Minolta is on "loan" to my 2 sons. It does the BEST job outdoors on a Clear, crisp day & I always kept it at the 2272 X 1704 setting in FINE Mode - Large Jpeg. If you really want it to do it's best, switch to Super Fine, which gives a TIFF File. - especially on what I would consider a Bright, Cloudy Day. But you will need a 256MB or 512MB CF card. I had a 128MB, 256MB & 512MB CF cards for it. I also had 4 sets of NiMh batteries & a 1 hour charger. It DOES drain batteries real fast! I also had 2 - 11 X 14's printed from images I downloaded to a CD - by a Professional Color Lab & they came out super! Would have been even better if I had used a tripod. Downside: Hard to see the image in the LCD viewfinder in bright sunlight, And I don't know of any filters for it, sice it takes a 35.5mm filter - something Minolta needs to change. If it were me, I would buy the Canon A80 - at least you can get filters for those! But they are quite small in size. Heck, the DRebel has spoiled me!

Jan 9, 2004, 7:49 AM	#5
commie Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 29	You can get 35.5mm stepping rings for use with 37mm and 49mm filters from SRB Film in the UK. http://www.srbfilm.co.uk/publish/page6.html

Feb 12, 2004, 9:49 PM	#6
NikonAISNo1 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 27	Searut, I have a S414. It's ok - but I paid 216 dollars for it at Ubid.com(with shipping). I could never see paying more for this thing. It has quite a few limitations. The main ones are bad landscape sharpness and taking pictures of anything with close "lines" in the subject. i'm not sure if it's because my NVidia 32 MB DDR GTS card isnt up to task or if its just a piece of junk in those areas. It can take some really good photos though, and it takes some work getting to know how to get the best performance out of it. I'd say- go to UBid and try for a Nikon Coolpix 5700 (factory refurbished). You could probably come away with one for around 450 including shipping. I'm not ready to spend that much on a camera yet. If you are you'll get a factory re speced" 5700 for a steal.

Feb 12, 2004, 9:54 PM	#7
NikonAISNo1 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 27	Oh- I forgot - if you'd like to see some photos I've taken with it just e-mail me and I'll send some to you [email protected] They will have my copyright watermark on them though.(but not like corbis-if you know about them)