Minolta DS-100 Instruction Manual

DATA SAVER DS-100

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

E

Appendix

Data
Retrieval

Data
Memory

Set Up

Printed in Japan

9222-8793-10 P-A008

E3

Set Up

E2

For Proper And Safe Use

Read and understand all warnings before using this product.

WARNING

Use caution, accidents may occur when using this product near young children.

This mark on this product certifies that it meets the
requirements of the EU (European Union) concerning
interference causing equipment regulations. CE stands for
Conformité Européenne (European Conformity).

E5

Set Up

E4

Designed for the Maxxum/Dynax 7 Series, the Data Saver DS-100 makes it possible
to record photographic data for each exposure to a SmartMedia™ card. The data from
as many as 400 36-exposure rolls of film can be saved to a single 4MB card.

The data number, printed on the “0” frame, is used to match the stored photograhic
data to the corresponding roll of film

Data collected by the Data Saver DS-100 can be displayed on the camera’s display or
compiled to a list and displayed on your PC.

• SmartMedia™ is a trademark of the Toshiba Corporation.

• Windows

®

, Microsoft®, and Microsoft Excel®are registered trademarks of the Microsoft

Corporation.

• Other corporate and product names are the trademarks and registered trademarks of
their respective companies.

SmartMedia Caution

SmartMedia is a precision electrical storage device. If not carefully treat­ed, the recorded data may be damaged or destroyed. Please use cau­tion when using and handling this item.

Minolta is not responsible for any losses if:

• User or other persons mishandle the SmartMedia.

• Card is exposed to an electrical shock and/or static electricity.

• The card is removed from the DS-100 while data is being written or formated.

• The card has not used for a long time.

• Card exceeds its recommended product life.

Important data should be saved on a back-up disk.

E7

Set Up

E6

Table of Contents

Saving Photographic Data to SmartMedia ................16

Overwriting Photographic Data to SmartMedia.........18

Recalling Photographic Data to the CameraDisplay.20

Retrieving the Photographic Data to a PC ................24

System Requirements................................................26

Folder and File Structure ...........................................28

Opening the Data.......................................................30

Data display - Spreadsheet..................................30

Data display - Plain Text ......................................34

Photographic Data which can be saved....................36

Care and Storage.......................................................38

SmartMedia Note .......................................................40

Display Information.....................................................44

Specifications .............................................................46

For Proper and Safe Use.............................................2

Table of Contents .........................................................6

Names of Parts.............................................................8

Inserting the SmartMedia Card..................................10

Attaching to the Camera............................................12

Formatting a SmartMedia Card .................................14

Data Memory

Data Retrieval

Appendix

Set Up

E9

Set Up

E8

Names of Parts

• The Data Saver DS-100 uses only 3.3v SmartMedia. You can not use 5.5v
SmartMedia.

• 64Mb or larger SmartMedia can not be used with the DS-100.

Electrical contact area

Index label area

Write-protect area

Access lamp

The 4MB 3.3V SmartMedia card provided with the Data Saver DS-100 has already been
properly formatted for use with the DS-100. See page 14 to format cards not included with
this unit.

Data-full lamp

Rear cap

Card slot door
Mounting index

Card window

Write (Record)
Button

Format button

E11

Set Up

E10

Inserting the SmartMedia Card

2. Remove the card from its anti-static case.

• Don’t touch the card’s contacts.

• Save the anti-static case for future storage of the
SmartMedia card.

1. Open the card-slot door.

3. Insert the card into the card slot, contact­side down.

4. Close the card-slot door.

The 4MB 3.3V SmartMedia card provided has already been properly formatted for use
with the DS-100. See page 14 to format cards not included with this unit.

E13

Set Up

E12

Attaching to the Camera

1. Remove the body and rear caps.

2. Turn the camera switch to OFF and align the
red mounting dots on the Data Saver DS­100 and camera body.

3. Gently insert the Data Saver DS-100 into the
mount, then turn it clockwise until it clicks
into the locked position.

4. Slide the main switch to ON.

E15

Set Up

E14

Formatting a SmartMedia Card

The 4MB, 3.3V SmartMedia card provided with the Data Saver DS-100 has already
been properly formatted for use with the Data Saver DS-100. See below to format cards
not included with this unit.
Minolta’s Image Memory Card RM-2S/RM-4S is not usable with the DS-100 since it
requires 5.5v.
See page 42 for explanation of SmartMedia cards.

1. To format a SmartMedia card, insert the card
into the card slot.

2. Simultaneously push the FORMAT and the
WRITE buttons until the ACCESS lamp
(green) starts to blink.

• If the SmartMedia card is not formated, the ACCESS
lamp (red) and the DATA-FULL lamp (yellow)will blink
rapidly. Keep pressing the FORMAT and WRITE buttons
until the ACCESS lamp changes to green and blinks
slowly.

• When a card is formated, all the previous data stored on
the card will be lost.

• When the green ACCESS lamp stops blinking, formating
is complete.

E17

Data Memory

E16

Saving Photographic Data to SmartMedia

The Maxxum/Dynax 7 camera can store up to 7 rolls of
films’ photographic data.

1. Insert the card into the card slot and close
the door.

2. Press the WRITE buton until the green
ACCESS lamp starts to blink.

• The Data Saver DS-100 takes the data from the camera
and stores it onto the SmartMedia card.

• When the DATA FULL lamp blinks (yellow), the card
does not have enough capacity. To overwrite stored
data, refer to page 18.

Capacity

of card

Maximum recording

time for 7 rolls of film

(approximate)

2MB
4MB

8MB
16MB
32MB

27 seconds
41
42
73
74

When data is bering recorded, the ACCESS lamp
(green) will blink.

• The Data Saver DS-100 takes the data from the camera
and stores it onto the SmartMedia card. So even if the
same data is on the card, it will be overwritten.

• The data recording time depends on the capacity of the
card.

• Do not remove the card while data is being recorded.

E18

Overwritting Photographic Data to SmartMedia

E19

Data Memory

When the DATA-FULL lamp (yellow) blinks, the card
doesn’t have enough memory available to store the
data.

• The ACCESS lamp stops blinking when overwritting is
finished.

1. If you want to overwrite data stored on a
card, keep pressing the WRITE button (for
more than 3 seconds) until the green
ACCESS lamp starts to blink.

• If data is overwriten to a card which doesnt have enough
room, the oldest data will be overwritten first.

E21

Data Retrieval

E20

Recalling Photographic Data to the Camera Display

1. Attach the Data Saver DS-100 to the camera
and slide the main switch to ON.

• The ACCESS lamp (green) will come on in
approximately 8 seconds.

• When the DS-100 has a defective SmartMedia , the
ACCESS lamp will be red and the Data Full lamp
(yellow) will blink rapidly, When this happens, data
cannot be displayed.

2. Follow the camera’s instructions and recall
the data.

• For the Maxxum/Dynax 7, press the DATA button on the
control panel.

• The method of displaying the data may differ, depending
on the camera.

FILM DATA NUMBER

In order to identify the photographic data with the developed film, the data num­ber is exposed on the “0” frame when the film cartridge is loaded into the cam­era (providing data memory has been selected). Each time another roll of film is
loaded, the data number increases by 1.

• For more information on data numbers, refer to your camera’s manual.

Film leader

Data number

Data number

Photographic data stored in the SmartMedia cards, can be displayed on your
camera’s display.

E23

Data Retrieval

E22

Recalling Photographic Data to the Camera Display

A B C

3. Turn the front or rear control dial to select
the data number.

• The following procedure is for the Maxxum/Dynax 7
camera. For other cameras, refer to their cameras’
manuals.

A.By turning the front dial while pressing the AEL button,

you can select dn1-9.

B.Turn the rear dial to move the data numbers by 100.
C.Turn the front dial to change the data number by 1 each

time.

• Film speed will appear whenever a film area is selected
that contains photographic data.

4. Follow the camera’s instructions and recall
the data.

• For the Maxxum/Dynax 7, press the ADJ button on the
control panel.

• The first frame’s data will appear.

5. Select the desired frame whose data you
wish to view.

• For the Maxxum/Dynax 7, slowly turn the front or rear
control dial. For other cameras, refer to their camera’s
manual.

• If the front or rear control dials are moved too quickly,
incorrect data may be displayed.

AB

A,C

E25

Data Retrieval

E24

Retrieving the Photographic Data to a PC

Using a general adapter, the photographic data record­ed on the SmartMedia card can be retrieved and com­piled on a PC. With a spreadsheet application (such as
Microsoft Excel), the data can then be printed out in a
list.

Sample print out

E27

Data Retrieval

E26

System Requirements

SmartMedia card

FUJIFILM PC-AD3
FD-A1 (ver.2.0.1)
Minolta’s PC card adapter CA-15 cannot
be used due to its 5v specification.

USB CARD READER
OLYMPUS MAUSB-1

Minolta’s PC
card drive
CD-10 is
recommended.

Print out

Laptop PC with
pc card slot

OS: Windows 95/98

Desk-top PC w/o pc card slot.
Use SCSI port

to a floppy
disk drive

to PC
card
slot

to USB Terminal

2-32MB

SmartMedia (SSFDC)

In order to retrieve/print out the photographic data, any one of the
following sustems is required.

Flash bus
FUJIFILM FD-A1
(ver.2.0.1)

E29

Data Retrieval

E28

Folder and File Structure

SmartMedia File Structure

• 8MB and 16MB SmartMedia cards have a capacity for 9 folders (Fdata01-09). 32MB cards
can hold 19 folders (Fdata01-19). Each folder contains photographic data for 100 rolls of film.

• Do not delete the file named Nextarea. This file contains necessary operational instructions
for the SmartMedia.

• All files are written in DOS Txt format.

Use only the DS-100 to overwrite or delete data from the SmartMedia card.
It is not possible to do this using your PC without causing damage to the
data. If you want to delete data on the SmartMedia card, refer to page 14
on how to format.
However, once stored in your PC, the photographic data can be manipulate
using a spread sheet. See page 30.

Root Id1

Id2
Nextarea

Data01

Data00

dn1-0001.txt
dn1-0002.txt

dn 1-0000.txt

dn 1-0100.txt

dn 1-0199.txt

dn 2-0000.txt

Data00

Ist level (Camera’s ID #)

2nd level (data # by 100)

3rd level (File name - film roll #)

E31

Data Retrieval

E30

Opening the Data

Using Spreadsheet Software

This manual uses Microsoft Excel as an example of using a spread sheet.

• Other spreadsheet software may be different and requite different steps.

• If you don’t have any spreadsheet software, refer to page 34.

1. Connect the SmartMedia card to the PC using any of the methods
shown on page 26-27.

2. Start the Excel program.

Delimited

NextFile origin

3. From file, open and select the
SmartMedia file. The window at
the left will appear.

• Choose the Delimited setting shown in the
figure at the left and then click on

Next.

• Details of window may be different,
depending on the software version in use.

• If you cannot locate the exact file you want,
select

All files from the options in the File

Origin

drop-down menu.

E33

Data Retrieval

E32

Opening the Data

4. Select all the data, and click on
Text.

5. Click on Finish.

• The photographic data layout is
dependent on the spreadsheet software
used.

• You can underline data, print, or save as
desired.

• Refer to your spreadsheet’s instruction
manual for information on how to
manipulate the data.

3. Select Tab and then click on
Next.

Next

Scroll bar Finish

Tab

Text

E35

Data Retrieval

E34

Opening The Data

Viewing data without spreadsheet software

1. Connect the SmartMedia card to the PC using any of the methods
shown on page 26-27.

2. Select the drive containing the SmartMedia card file and choose the
desired file.

3. Double click on the file.

• If the file doesn’t automatically open, it may be necessary to first open the text software.

4. The photographic data will appear.

After Data is Displayed

Photographic data is shown on page 33.

• You can underline data, print, or save as desired.

E37

Appendix

E36

Photographic Data which can be Saved

Body ID number
Photographic Data Number
Film Speed
Frame Number
Shutter Speed

Aperture

dnx

Data output to

PC

-xxxx

ISO:xxx

Frame

Shutter

FNo.

Camera Display
(eg:Maxxum/Dynax7)

Lens focal length and max f-no.
Exposure Compensation

(including exposure bracketing)
Exposure mode

Flash exposure mode
Flash exposure compensation

(including flash bracketing)
Date of picture

Lens

+

/

_

PASM

Meter

FL+

/

_

yy/mm/dd

Time of picture (hour and minute) Time

Item

Output device

The photographic data shown below can be displayed on the camera or trans­fered to a PC .

Data output to

PC

Camera Display
(eg:Maxxum/Dynax7)

Item

Output device

• This product is

designed for use
from –20 to 50 °C
(4 to 122 °F).

• Never leave it

where it may be subjected to extreme
temperatures such as in the glove
compartment of a car.

• To prevent condensation from form-

ing, place the prooduct in a sealed
plastic bag when bringing it from cold
environment to a warm environment.
Allow it to come to room temperature
before removing it from the bag.

E39

Appendix

E38

Care and Storage

Operating Temperature and
Conditions

• Check the product’s function careful­ly, before saving important data.

• Minolta is not responsible for any
loss that may occur due to an equip­ment malfunction.

Saving Important Data

• This product is not waterproof or
splashproof. When using the product
in the rain, it should be protected.

• Do not drop or subject this product to
impact. Damage may result.

• If a SmartMedia card is stuck in the
Data Saver DS-100, do not use force
to remove it. Contact an authorized
Minolta Service Facitity.

• If the product is dirty, wipe it gently
with a soft, clean, dry cloth. If it
comes in contact with sand, gently
blow away loose particles - wiping
may scratch the surface.

• Store in a cool, dry, and well-ventilat­ed area away from dust and chemi­cals such as moth balls. For long
periods, place the product in an air­tight container with a silica gel drying
agent.

StorageOthers

E41

Appendix

E40

SmartMedia Notes

• When necessary, gently wipe the card clean with a soft, clean, dry cloth.

• Use only the index labels provided with the SmartMedia. .

• To write protect the card, place the write-protection seal over the card’s write-protect
area.

- Be sure to affix the seal within the write-protect area so the seal lays flat (no
bubbles or raised edges).

- The DS-100 cannot write or delete data when the write protection seal is placed
over the write protect area.

- Data can be read by your PC when the write protection seal is placed over the
write protect area.

- Remove the seal to cancel write-protect.

- Write-protect may not work if the seal is dirty. Clean the seal with a soft, clean,
dry cloth.

Proper Handling

• Never use organic solvents to clean
the product.

• When carrying or storing SmartMedia,
keep it inside an anti-static case. The
DS-100 case has a pocket which holds
a SmartMedia card with an anti-static
case.

Questions and Service

• If you have questions about this product,
contact your local camera dealer or write
to the Minolta distributor in your area.

• Before shipping your product for repair,
please contact an authorized Minolta
Service Facility for details.

E43

Appendix

E42

The Data Saver DS-100 uses only 3.3v SmartMedia. You can not use

5.5v SmartMedia.

SmartMedia (SSFDC)

Smart media size Memory Capacity

2MB 400 Rolls (36 exposures)
4MB 400 Rolls (36 exposures)

8MB 900 Rolls (36 exposures)
16MB 900 Rolls (36 exposures)
32MB 1900 Rolls (36 exposures)

• The larger the capacity of the card, the longer the time required for recording and
formatting.

• Due to the cluster layout of the SmartMedia cards, 2MB and 4MB cards have the
same capacity. This is also true for the 8MB and 16MB cards.

Care in Handling the SmartMedia

• The SmartMedia is a precision electrical storage device. Handle accordingly.

• The card should not be exposed to an electrical shock and/or static electricity.

• Do not bend, drop, or subject the card to impact.

The following SmartMedia cards are usuable:

E45

Appendix

E44

Display Information

Display Explanation Action

Page

Display Explanation

Action

Page

When camera main
switch is turned on, the
ACCESS lamp (green)
is on for 5 seconds.

The DS-100 is suc­cessfully connected
to the camera.

13

ACCESS lamp (green)
blinks.

Writing data

Do not remove the
SmartMedia card from the
DS-100 while saving data.

DATA FULL lamp
(yellow) - blinks

Card does not have
enough capacity to
hold the data.

• Replace card

• Overwrite by pressing
WRITE button until
ACCESS lamp turns green.

16

18

When using the WRITE and FORMAT buttons, they must be pressed for a mini­mum of 3 seconds for the signals to be processed properly.

ACCESS (red) and
DATA FULL (yellow)
lamps blink slowly.

Lamps do not
illuminate.

• No card in DS-100

• The write protect seal is
on the card.

• The SmartMedia card
does not meet the
required specifications.

SmartMedia card is not
properly formatted.

Simultaneously press
the FORMAT and
WRITE buttons.

• Insert card into DS-100

• Remove the write pro­tect seal

• Insert a correct (3.3v)
card ino the DS-100.

Remove the DS-100 from the camera and re­attach. If problem persist, contact an authorized
Minolta Service Facility.

14

12

11

ACCESS (red) and
DATA FULL (yellow)
lamps blink rapidly.

Appendix

E46

Specifications

Type: Photographic Data Saver
Data Memory: SmartMedia (3.3V type)
File Format: Minolta Data Saver DS-100 optimized file format
File Type: Plain text
Data Memory Items: Data number (one number per exposure, including the

camera ID number),
Year/ month/ day, hour/ minute,
Shutter speed,
Aperture,
Focal length,
Smallest f- number,
Exposure mode,
Exposure compensation (exposure bracket included),
Metering mode,
Flash compensation (including flash bracketing increment),
Film speed (one per roll of film)

Operating Temperatures: 0 to 50 °C (32 to 122° F)
Size: 65.5 x 35 x 65 mm (WxHxD)
Weight: 55g (w/o cap and case)

E47

Specifications are based on the latest information available at the time of printing and are
subject to change without notice.

© 2000 Minolta Co., Ltd. under the Berne

Convention and Universal Copyright Convention

Minolta Co., Ltd. 3-13, 2-Chome, Azuchi-Machi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-8556, Japan
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