Konica Minolta DiMAGE S414 Digital Camera - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Hi John. Copy this URL into your browser (ignore parenthesis) http://download2.minoltaeurope.com/openmind/technic/document/manlibph.nsf/622833998DA14BE0C1256D3C0031D623/$file/D_S414_E.PDF This will download the Instruction Manual in pdf format. Link still works, but when Minolta/Konica Europe realise it's still there - they will probably delete it! Suggest anyone wanting this manual gets it quickly!

Go to this website and try the fixes listed....one of them may "kickstart" your camera.

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html

Try NOT connecting your camera to your computer.

The best way to download pictures from your camera to your computer involves removing the memory card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader (either built-in to the computer or connected via USB or FireWire). This is likely to be faster than connecting the camera to the computer, and won't run down your camera's batteries.

Once the card is plugged in, it will appear to your computer as a removable drive. You can use the operating system's drag&drop facility to copy pictures from the card to the computer's hard drive, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use any photo cataloging program, such as Picasa ( http://picasa.google.com ).

Check your manual to see if your camera accepts a card that large.

Be sure you have real fresh Alkaline batteries or fresh recharched NiMh batteries.
The best rechargeable batteries are the ENELOOP (from Sanyo), these have a very, very low discharge, so after a week the camera still works without the problem of turning off after a few seconds.

The best batteries are rechargeable NiMh batteries of the ENELOOP (Sanyo) type.
These batteries have a very, very low discharge. Some other brands have such types too.

This camera is NOT suitable for SDHC type cards, only SD cards with memory size till 2GB.

Any brand will do, but use only old type 2GB SD cards, no SDHC types.
I would recommend Transcend, Kingston or Sandisk, etc.

Try NOT connecting your camera to your computer.

The best way to download pictures from your camera to your computer involves removing the memory card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader (either built-in to the computer or connected via USB or FireWire). This is likely to be faster than connecting the camera to the computer, and won't run down your camera's batteries.

Once the card is plugged in, it will appear to your computer as a removable drive. You can use the operating system's drag&drop facility to copy pictures from the card to the computer's hard drive, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use any photo cataloging program.

Lens shutter FPC maybe broken.

When you bought the camera you must have got a cord or a wire which connect the camera to the computer. And also a software CD to install the cameras software on your computer. You need to first install the software on to your computer and then connect the camera to your computer with the cord or the cable. once you have done that you will have an option available to transfer the photos on to your computer. I suggest you to go through the manual which is available with the camera or on the CD which has a guide that helps you to do the same.

It's impossible. The KM Dimage S414 takes compact flash cards, but it was never designed to handle that high a capacity. The user manual does not state an upper limit, but from my own memory of your model the maximum capacity it could reliably handle was 512MB and with some brands of memory (Kingston for definite) it worked with 1GB.

There is no way around this: the limit is purely down to hardware limitations which existed when your camera was designed seven years ago. Your only fix is to obtain a compact flash card of preferably no greater than 512MB capacity, don't pay extra for cards which claim to offer speed advantages as your camera cannot take advantage of those benefits. You may be able to get one free if you look on your local FreeCycle/Freegle groups as many people will have these lying around unused after upgrading and they have no resale value.

I hope that my answer has been of assistance even though it's not quite the answer you hoped for. Please take a moment to rate the free answer which I have provided you with.

Try to format the card first. Sometimes, if there is data on the card, the camera will not be able to read it. You should always format memory cards on the camera that they will be used on.

I had the same thing happen... broken pins. I purchased a card reader at Wal-Mart.
Take your pics, pop the card out of the camera, pop it into the card reader and plug into your pc to upload.

Take it to the nearest Sony service center. They should be able to fix it since Minolta is now part of Sony.

Short in the camera so you do not get proper switch off even when you switch the camera off ( so it stays on all the time ). Or your charger is not fully charging your batteries which then go into your camera say half charged and dont last very long.

Possibility one : lens unit faulty and proper focus is not being achieved camera goes into error mode because of this and then it switches off to prevent further damage.( replace /repair lens unit ) Possibility two: shutter faulty . Lens delivers proper focus but when you try to take picture goes into error mode because shutter not coming on line or malfanctions. ( replace shutter only ).

CCD problem is the likely cause here and once you have another one put in camera should work fine.

This is from Konicas site. don't know if this will be any help for you since you had posted a long time ago. you most like have a new camera by now. anyway. Question: When a CompactFlash is loaded, a message of "Card Error. OK" appears and remains on the monitor display. Answer: Please follow the procedure below. While the message is displayed, press the center of the controller. The monitor display and data panel will turn off. Turn the Main Switch dial to OFF position and remove the CompactFlash from the camera. - When "No Card" message appears next time when the camera is activated in the recording mode, the camera and CompactFlash are OK. - When "Card Error. OK" appears again, the CompactFlash may be faulty. Use other card.

What you are seeing is the difference between "pixel count resolution" and "embedded resolution". So in your example 2272*1704 is the actual pixel count resolution as recorded by the camera & 72 is the embedded resolution that tells the software (in this case photoshop) what the intended use of the picture will be. 72 ppi is the default for web pictures. You can change this in photoshop by going to the "Image" tab & select image size. The window that opens will show you the pixel dimensions i.e. pixel count resolution and the document size & resolution 72. You just change it to 300 for printing. You can change the default to 300 by going "edit", "preferences", "units & rulers" and setting the values for "new document preset resolutions". This is a complex subject, I recommend looking at the following web page: http://www.fotofinish.com/resources/centers/photo/resolution.htm