Home > Consumer Reviews > Minolta F300 Digital Camera [5MP 3xOptical]

This is a very good camera, just like the F100. It uses the highest quality Minolta GT lens which deliever some of the best images on the market. The AF system which track the object you want to take worksquite well in most case (unless you are focusing fast moving objects). The only thing i have to complain is this camera drains more battery than i expected, and the start-up time is relatively long, but acceptable. Overrall a good camera worth 4 stars

A nicely built little camera which appears to be good value, with an impressive spec, lots of features and full manual control. Image quality is good on the whole, the lens being of great quality. Unfortunately, as on a number of compact digital cameras, barrrel distortion is obvious in fully wide agle zoom, moreso than on other cameras in this price range. Some noise is evident at higher ISO settings, and performance in low light is particularly bad.

The much-hyped tracking autofocus is actually more of a pain than help. In good light, the tracking doesn't actually track an object, it just jumps around locking on anything at random. In low light, the camera can't lock onto anything at all. Even across a dinner table in a restaurant poses the F300 problems. Unfortunately, manual focus is just as fiddly in low light due to the grain on the LCD panel. If Minolta added a AF-assist lamp, I think the camera would be far more successful.

Startup times are a bit lacking - the lens extension is painfully slow, so you'll find you want to keep the camera on if you want to shoot quickly and spontaneously. Unfortunately, this has a negative effect on the already poor battery life. Write times are average, and the camera locks you out completely while the flash recharges.

It's a pretty well spec'd camera, great value, but it could have been so much more. I'm told the F200 corrects some of the 'faults' of the F100 - which has the same operating system as the F300, so maybe this camera warrants a look. It's only 4MP, but then does anyone really need a 5MP compact? I'd spend my money elsewhere - perhaps something like the Canon A70 (3.2 MP)- better features, MUCH better battery life, cheaper media and a better price. The A80 is due shortly too (4 MP)

I've had a lot of nice cameras over the years - Nikon FM2, F801s, Rolleiflex TLRs and SL66, Ricoh GR1S - but this is one the very nicest. My needs were for a truly compact digital (one to take climbing and mountaineering) that was going to give me decent results both for online display and prints on traditional photographic paper. A previous digital I'd owned - the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC5 (the brother of the Leica digilux) - had suffered from huge noise in open areas of blue in the image, so it was terrible for the stock 'mountains and blue sky' pic. Whatever new digital I bought couldn't suffer from this, and it also had to be sturdy enough to handle long days getting banged around on the hill. I checked out all the contenders at a local camera shop, including the Canon S50 and Nikon Coolpixes costing far more, but the Minolta felt right from word go, and was smaller and lighter than the competition. Having used it a lot now I find very little to dislike, and wouldn't hesitate to get another if my present one was ever nicked or broken. It's responsive to use, has virtually no shutter lag, has a reliable program mode but decent manual features, good sharp lens, and noise-free results at 200ASA and below even at night. And I love putting it on 400ASA in black and white - feels like using Tri-X again, but without the developing and printing, and makes available light shooting indoors a reality. A super little camera, returning detailed and colour-rich shots.

Am pleased with overall functionality of the camera and it takes excellent shots in all conditions.For me the best thing about this camera is the macro mode. Apart from the manual slr type camera I don't think you would find a better macro system and it is far far better than any of the compact sony cameras which can't take a close up shot to save their lives. Just for that alone Ii would give the camera 5/5 but the battery life is poor but ok if you buy some high power rechargeables (i.e. >2000mah) and have a spare pair with you.