Minolta Dimage S304

Minolta Dimage S304 ... SLR lenses this zoom lens provides high-resolution quality images. The DiMAGE S304 camera achieves high performance with an all-glass apochromatic Minolta GT lens featuring both an anomalous dispersion (AD) element and two double-sided aspheric elements. This element combination - rarely available in compact digital cameras - minimizes chromatic aberration and reduces curvilinear distortion. The DiMAGE S304 has the flexibility to capture pictures ranging from wide-angle landscapes to intimate portraits with a high-power 4x optical zoom lens. The one-touch 2x digital zoom gives the Minolta DiMAGE S304 a zoom ratio up to 8x, equivalent to a 280mm lens on a 35mm camera. The macro setting on the camera produces sharp close-up images of the subject as near as 4 inches (10 cm) from the lens.

The DiMAGE S304 features Minolta's proprietary CxProcess, an image processing technology that provides clear and natural images. In image processing, too much emphasis on natural color produces flat color pictures. Overemphasizing the color range creates an unnatural color scheme. CxProcess balances both extremes by controlling sharpness, color reproduction, tonal gradation and noise to produce pleasing photographs. The digital camera has a 12-bit A/D conversion that can provide a fine tonal gradation with deep shadows, brilliant highlights and millions of colors, up to 4, 096 levels in each RGB channel. Minolta's 12-bit A/D conversion provides exquisite details in portraiture: smooth complexion, rich shadows and luminous highlights, as opposed to the standard 10-bit A/D conversion with its limited 1, 024 levels per RGB channel. A photographer can easily control image quality before the image file is saved to the CompactFlash card with the camera's digital effects control. This feature controls exposure, contrast and color saturation automatically as the subject is being viewed on the LCD monitor before the picture is taken.