This instruction manual does not provide instructions for the basic operation of the personal computers, or the basic operation of Windows® or Mac OS operating systems. Please refer to the manual that came with your computer for information on the above mentioned topics. · This instruction manual may not be copied either in part or in its entirety without the prior permission of Minolta Co., Ltd. © 2001 Minolta Co., Ltd. · Every precaution has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this material Please contact Minolta if you have any questions, find any mistakes or notice missing information. · Minolta cannot accept responsibility for any loss, damage or other problems caused by use of this software. · With the exception of personal, home or equivalent use No part of book, magazine, music, or other copyrighted material may be used, copied or revised without the prior permission of the author or copyright holder. · Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks in the United States and other countries of Microsoft Corporation. · The official name of Windows® is Microsoft® Windows® Operating System. · Pentium® is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. · Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Power Macintosh, Mac OS and the Mac OS logo are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. · Other company and product names are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. -2- -3- TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................4 BEFORE YOU BEGIN ....................................................................................................6 TERMS USED IN THIS MANUAL .............................................................................6 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS (Windows®).......................................................................8 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS (Macintosh) ......................................................................9 INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE (Windows®)...............................................................10 INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE (Macintosh)..............................................................13 STARTING THE SOFTWARE ......................................................................................16 For Windows® ...........................................................................................................16 For Macintosh ..........................................................................................................17 USING THE SOFTWARE ­ THUMBNAILS .................................................................18 To Display Thumbnails of All Images in the Folder..................................................19 To Display a Thumbnail of a Certain Image in the Folder .......................................21 To Rotate, Flip and Sort Thumbnails .......................................................................24 To Change the Image Size ......................................................................................25 To Display the Image (Recording) Information ........................................................26 To Delete Thumbnails ..............................................................................................27 USING THE SOFTWARE ­ COLOR MATCHING........................................................28 USING THE SOFTWARE ­ SAVING IMAGES ............................................................36 To Save an Image File .............................................................................................32 To Save Multiple Images at One Time.....................................................................34 TABLE OF CONTENTS COLOR CORRECTION ................................................................................................36 Corrections using the tone curves ...........................................................................37 To Draw a Free Hand Tone Curve ...........................................................................38 To Correct Images Using the "Black Point" Button ..................................................39 To Correct Images Using the "White Point" Button..................................................40 To Correct Images Using the "Gray Point" Button ...................................................41 Histogram Correction ­ Auto Setting .......................................................................42 Histogram Correction ­ To Correct RGB Channels Separately...............................43 To Correct Brightness, Contrast and Color Balance................................................44 To Correct Hue, Saturation and Lightness...............................................................46 Variation Correction..................................................................................................48 Variation Correction ­ Color Balance.......................................................................49 Variation Correction ­ Brightness & Contrast ..........................................................50 Variation Correction ­ Saturation .............................................................................51 To Undo the Correction............................................................................................52 To Redo the Canceled Correction............................................................................52 To Undo All Color Corrections..................................................................................52 Snapshot ..................................................................................................................53 Color Correction Job ................................................................................................54 To Compare the Pre/Post Correction Images..........................................................56 To Display the Whole Post-Correction Image ..........................................................57 Thumbnail Number Display......................................................................................58 RGB Value Display ..................................................................................................59 SHARPNESS................................................................................................................60 QUITING THE SOFTWARE .........................................................................................62 AecSoft PhotoImpressionTM.......................................................................................64 -4- -5- BEFORE YOU BEGIN TERMS USED IN THIS MANUAL · This manual assumes that your computer's operating system (Windows®95/98/98 Second Edition/Me/2000/NT 4.0 or Mac OS) as well as other necessary software such as device drivers have been installed, and are operating properly. · In general, the descriptions in this manual are illustrated by the displays for the Windows version. There are no major differences between the displays for the Windows® and Macintosh versions except for some of the button layouts and other cosmetic features. ® BEFORE YOU BEGIN · If you are using Macintosh OS, the term `Command Key' refers to the key located next to the Space Bar. · Command names shown in this manual which are common both to the Windows® and Macintosh systems do not indicate any of the shortcut keys found in Windows® command names. Example No. 1: The File command appears as "File" on Windows® and "File" on Macintosh menus, but in this manual it is shown as merely as "File." Example No. 2: The Save command appears as "Save" on Windows® and "Save" on Macintosh menus, but in this manual it is shown merely as "Save." · This manual assumes the use of a two- button, right- handed mouse for Windows®. The terms `click' and `double-click' refer to a single or double click of the left mouse button. The term `drag' refers to the action of holding down the left mouse button while moving the mouse. -6- -7- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS (Windows®) The system requirements for the operation of this software are as shown below: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS (Macintosh) The system requirements for the operation of this software are as shown below: IBM PC/AT and their compatible computers CPU Intel Pentium Processor 133MHz or higher ® Apple Macintosh Series computers CPU OS RAM PowerPC 100MHz or higher (except a non-Macintosh Mac OS-compatible computer) Mac OS 8.6 / 9 / 9.0.2 / 9.0.4 / 9.1 64MB or more of free memory 100MB or more of free hard disk space for use as workspace after the software installation Resolution: 640 dots X 480 dots or higher 1024 dots X 768 dots or hjgher is recommrnded Color Depth: 24 bit Color or higher Required for software installation Standard built-in USB port* OS Windows®2000 Professional, Windows®Me, Windows®98 / 98 Second Edition, Windoes®95, Windows®NT4.0 (Service Pack 6 or later) A minimum of 64MB of RAM 100MB or more of free hard disk space for use as workspace after the software installation Resolution: VGA (640 X 480 dots) or higher XGA (1024 X 768 dots) or hjgher is recommrnded Color Depth: True Color (24 bit) or higher Required for software installation RAM Hard Disk Space Hard Disk Space Monitor Monitor CD-ROM Drive CD-ROM Drive Interface Interface USB port* that each PC maker guarantees to operate without problem * You need a USB port when you connect a USB mass storage class supported digital camera such as DiMAGE S304 to your PC with a USB cable and use a CF card in the digital camera as a removable disc with this software. If you use Windows®98/98 Second Edition, you must install the USB driver software in the attached CD-ROM to execute this operation. (See the digital camera's instruction manual for details.) If you use Windows®95/NT 4.0, you can not execute the above operation (because USB pots are not normally supported), however, you can still operate image files copied on PC hard disks since the software also runs on Windows®95/NT 4.0. * You need a USB port when you connect a USB mass storage class supported digital camera such as DiMAGE S304 to your Macintosh with a USB cable and use a CF card in the digital camera as a removable media with this software. If you use Mac OS 8.6, you must first download the dedicated driver software from Apple Computer's Web site, and then install the downloaded software on your Macintosh to execute this operation. (See the digital camera's instruction manual for details.) If you do not download/install the dedicated driver software, you can not execute the above operation, however, you can still operate image files copied on Macintosh hard disks since the software also runs on Mac OS 8.6. -8- -9- INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE (Windows®) Follow the procedure below to install the software on your Windows PC. RAM stationed programs such as anti-virus programs or installation monitoring programs may cause the installer to fail. Uninstall those programs from your system or temporarily disable them before starting the installation, and then put them back on your system after completing the installation. INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE (Windows®) 4. Click "Next >". The "License Agreement" (figure-left) appears. Read the entire "License Agreement" carefully before continuing the installation If you do not agree to the terms of the "License Agreement", click "No". The installation procedure will be terminated. For Windows®: * In the procedure below, the hard disk drive for system startup is assumed as "drive C", and the CD-ROM drive as "drive D". · You should install the software on the Windows®2000/NT4.0 PC with the Administrator privilege. 1. Turn on your PC to start Windows®. 2. Insert the attached "DiMAGE Software CD-ROM" into the CDROM drive. After a short time, the "DiMAGE Installer Menu" window (figure-left) appears. 5. Click "Yes". The window that lets you select a destination folder of the software (figure-left) appears. 3. Click the "Starting up the DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility installer" button. The "InstallShield Wizard" program starts automatically, and the "Welcome" window appears. See the digital camera's instruction manual for details of the "Starting up the USB device driver installer" (this button is active if you use Windows®98/98 Second Edition) or the "Starting up the QuickTime installer" button. 6. To install the software in the default folder (C:\Program Files\DiMAGE Image Viewer Utility), click "Next >". Subsequent parts of this document assume that the software has been installed in the default folder described above. To install the software in a different folder, click "Browse..."The "Choose Folder" window will appear. Select the folder where you wish to install the software, and then click "OK". (continued - 10 - 11 - ) INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE (Windows®) Click "Next >", and the "Select Program Folder" window (figure-left) will appear. INSTALLING ...