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Minolta XD Manual
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Minolta XD Manual

Minolta XD Manual

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Summary of Contents for Minolta XD

  • Page 2 Minolta XDXG...
  • Page 3 Canon SLR Book Contax RTS & Yashica SLR Book Fujica SLR Book Konica Autoreflex Book Mamiya Twin Lens Book Minolta XD XG Minolta XE-1 & SR-T Book Nikon Book Nikon FE FM EM Nikon F3 Nikkormat Book Olympus Book Praktica Book Zorl<i &...
  • Page 4 Minolta XDXG for models XD-5 XD-7 XG -1 XG -2 Clyde Reynolds Focal Press Limited London Focal Press Inc. New York...
  • Page 5 UK below the net price. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Reynolds, Clyde Minolta XD XG (Focal Camera books) 1 M inolta camera I Title I I Series 771.3'1 TR263. M 47 79-41442 ISBN 0 240 51035 6...
  • Page 6 Shutter speeds 48 The Minolta System 18 Exposure meters 50 Lenses 18 Aperture priority metering 50 Close-ups 18 Shutter priority on the XD 50 Viewing aids 18 Exposure compensation 52 Handling the Minolta Manual expos•Jre 52 Simple auto-exposure 20 Stop-down metering 55 Film 20 That's fine, but .
  • Page 7 Flash equipment 74 Using long lenses 1 02 Auto Electroflash 200X 74 Apo T ele-Rokkors 102 Flash action 76 RF Rokkor mirror 102 Flash in the Minolta 76 Very long lenses 103 Zoom lenses 103 People 78 Lighting 78 Teleconvertors 106...
  • Page 8 In fact, selecting the right combination is the major tech­ nological theme of this book (see especially pages 58-- 6 3). Through­ out, though, the practical operation of Minolta cameras and their comprehensive range of accessories is related to the needs of vision.
  • Page 9 For most pictures, the effect is little more than a blink in the viewfinder. Inside the Minolta, though, each action has to be carefully controlled so that the whole process is accurately coordinated, and does not produce any movement.
  • Page 11 (not acute-matte) focusing screen, and has no depth of field preview button. The XG-1 is a simplified version of the XG-2. For XG details, see pages 26 - 31. Like the XD cameras, the XG models use the simple Minolta bayonet lens mount and can be fitted with a power winder.
  • Page 12 The M ino lta Cameras The Mino lta Cameras minolta �" -...
  • Page 13 At the right side of each screen is the LED meter read-out array. Below the screen on the is the lens aperture and XD-7 (XD-11) shutter speed display; on the the aperture display is there. XG-9 To focus on the subject, look at it through the viewfinder.
  • Page 14 Instantly before the shutter opens the lens physically closes down to this aperture (or to the meter-chosen aperture on an XD in its shutter priority mode). Thus, with all normal lenses, you have a constantly bright focusing image.
  • Page 15 Composing The most important part of picture taking is the picture in the view­ finder as you press the button. That is why so much camera devel­ your pictures opment has been concentrated on the viewing system. Rules There was a time when magazines and books were full of rules of composition.
  • Page 16 then decide the lens that covers the right amount of your subject. If you go in close with a relatively wide-angle lens, you get character­ istic distortion. In a normal print, everything near the camera looks too big in relation to the rest of the picture. This effect comes out all too often in pictures of people.
  • Page 17 1 It is not always n ecessary to include all of a subject to convey its shape. 2 Choosing an extra long. or wide-angle. lens gives two very diffferent views of the same subject. 3 A less dramatic change of angle can give two similar portrait shots an effective change in emphasis.
  • Page 19 The Minolta Let us consider the range of equipment and accessories you can choose for your Minolta; it is this range that makes your camera such system a versatile photographic instrument. Minolta is one of the few camera companies to make its own lenses Lenses from start to finish.
  • Page 20 Flash Equipment [jiJ 1 electronic 2 bulb Eyepiece Equ i pment 3 focusing magnifier 4 angle finder 5 eyesight corrections 6 eyecup Lens M o u nt Equ i pment 7 macro lens and extension tube 8 reversing ring 9 interchangeable lens 10 extension tubes slide copier 12 bellows...
  • Page 21 The more you know, the better you can use it. There are two XD models. The full-specification XD-7, which is also sold as the XD-11 or XD; and the XD-5 with fewer features, but exactly the same electronic system. All the XD models are con­...
  • Page 22 Exposure compensation scale Compensation lever Rewind crank Fi lm speed scale Fdcusing ring and scale Depth-of-field scale Aperture ring Film speed dial release Shutter release button Shutter speed knob Frame counter Mode selector Film advance lever Hot shoe Viewfinder Viewfinder scale illuminator Strap l u g Lens Self timer...
  • Page 23 LEDs light, the battery is in good shape. In fact. the XD will go on working for a while after the LEDs have ceased to shine. Of course, you will not know what it is setting, but you will get correct exposures.
  • Page 24 Vertical Hold rest camera on palm of left hand priority setting lever Manual Exposure Viewfinder cameras LEDs over- and underexposure microprism fresnel screen split-image LED exposure light shutter speed set at S or M mode (not XD-5) aperture set (not XD-5)
  • Page 25 If you are without battery power, set your XD on 0 (1/100 sec) and calculate the aperture manually. If you have no meter (or second camera) with you, follow the film instructions or the following table: Dull Rain Film speed...
  • Page 26 Aperture Prio rity. 1 remove lens cap 2 set mode selector to 3 select aperture focus on subject 4, 4A check shutter speed 5, 5A (light touch) 6 release (slight pressure) S hutter Prio rity 2 set mode selector to set minimum 'green aperture 7 set shutter speed...
  • Page 27 XG-2, but displays shutter speeds from 1 to 1115 sec with a single LED. Like the XD cameras, the standard lenses are usually the 45mm f2, 50mm fl.2, fl.4 or fl . 7 MD Rokkors. The XG-1 is normally sup­...
  • Page 28 meter switch rewind crank main control switch focusing scale and ring depth-of-field scale aperture ring exposure compensation sh utter release button auto exposure release film load indicator frame counter shutter speed dial film advance lever hot shoe viewfinder self-timer and battery indicator light strap lug lens...
  • Page 29 The shutter release socket on the side of the lens is threaded to accept either a normal cable release or an electric remote release cord. The accessory shoe on the XG cameras, as on the XD models, has Accessories two contacts. The second contact connects with specially designed electronic flashes, such as the Minolta Auto Electroflash 200X, 26X or 34X.
  • Page 30 H orizontal H ol d release with forefinger slight pressure rest on palm of left hand focus with forefinger and thumb Hold Vertical release with forefinger cradle in left hand focus with forefinger and thumb for steadier hold, twist neck strap round hands Cameras Viewfinder XG LEDs over- and...
  • Page 31 use a cable release or the self-timer to release the shutter. This is, of course, impractical in many situations; but when hand-holding, you should try to find a firm support for yourself or the camera. For example, you may be able to lean against a wall or a lamp-post, or perhaps sit or lie on the ground.
  • Page 32 Shooting Procedure remove lens cap switch · on meter set to focus on subject set aperture check shutter speed (light touch) release (slight pressure) Control Points on Camera 4a 6 a...
  • Page 33 Films The camera forms an image of your vision-the size, angle, shape and colour. The film in the camera records that image; so, you must choose the film that suits your pictures best. First you have to decide on the final picture form-do you want prints, or would you rather have transparencies? Is your purpose best conveyed in colours-or do you favour the more severe tones of monochrome?
  • Page 34 100 ASA film requires twice the exposure needed by a 200 ASA film; and half that required by 50 ASA film The ASA figure is the one you set on the Minolta: meter to ensure correct exposure measurement.
  • Page 35 Choose the film that suits your pictures. 1 Children's fleeting expressions need a fast shutter speed. so a fast film is ideal. Percy Poynter 2 Plenty of light allows you to use a slow film to record the finest details needed on a wide-angle shot.
  • Page 36 Colour film can vary g reatly. It is always best to choose the slowest film that lets you photograph the subject. The small boy is pictured on ASA film. 2 Sometimes. as outdoors at night, you need a really fast film - here 400 ASA 'pushed' to 800.
  • Page 37 aperture or shutter speed step). So the latitude in exposing a colour transparency film is most easily expressed as from 1 stop under­ exposure to % stop over-exposure, or '1% stops'. Negative films are much more tolerant of exposure deviations because the density can be corrected at the print-making stage, and they are of much lower contrast.
  • Page 38 For most purposes, a medium-speed film (64- 125 ASA, 1 9 - 22 DIN) Film speeds and image should prove ideal. Carefully processed negatives should produce qualities acceptable 12 15 inch prints, and transparencies will appear sharp on a normal home screen. Slow films ( 1 2-50 ASA, 12- 1 8 DIN) are the natural choice when you want to make really big prints, or to show your slides on a large screen.
  • Page 39 XG or around the rewind knob on the XD. The dial is calibrated in ASA speeds; a DIN to ASA converter is fitted on the backplate. You can put the end of your film pack into the slot on the back of most of the models to remind you of the film type.
  • Page 40 Loa d i n g Camera lift knob and open back insert film cassette thread film onto take-up spool tighten and engage sprockets close camera back -+· ------.a.- make two blind exposures set film speed U n l oa d i n g press a n d hold rewind hold rewind film lift and open camera back...
  • Page 41 Colour and Lighting varies greatly in colour, from the almost red light of an open fire to the strong blue of a blue sky (without sunlight). Normal daylight filters is a mixture of blue skylight and yellow sunlight. Our eyes adapt to the colour of lighting, but colour films do not.
  • Page 42 E n d Results From Types of Colour Film ( Dotted l ines-possible a lternatives) colour slides colour prints colour negative black and white prints Colour Film Types N EGATIVE R E VERSA L . D a a D D o a o a a M i nolta Fi lters for Colour Work...
  • Page 44 Minolta polarizing filters are supplied in rotatable mounts. You can tungsten l ights see the effect on the viewing screen as you turn the filter. The easiest predominate.
  • Page 45 Colour and The correct colour balance is important to your photography; but it is only the beginning of taking the colour pictures you want. To Pictures convey the correct impression, you have to choose · · the right com­ bination of colours. Of course, this is a highly personal choice, but there are various points that are worth remembering.
  • Page 46 Fi lters for Bl ack-a nd­ W h ite F i l m green fi lter A without B with A light yellow B orange D polaroid Polarizing A without B with...
  • Page 47 Minolta filters Minolta produce solid glass filters for use with Rokkor lenses. They are your best choice for the filters that you use most often. You can be quite sure that they are of optical quality to match your lenses.
  • Page 49 When you choose a specific shutter speed, in the manual mode, or with the XD set to 'S' they are calibrated on the · u sual scale:...
  • Page 50 f8 or to 1/125 sec at f5.6. Any particular exposure can be produced in a number of ways. For example: 1/4, f22; 1/8, f l6; 1/15, f l l ; 1130, f8; 1/60, f5.6; 1/1 25, f4; 1/250, f2. 8; 1/500, f2; and 1/1000, f l . 4 expose the film the same amount.
  • Page 51 LED display indi­ cates that speed. Set the XD mode switch to 'A' (for aperture); or the XG shutter dial to 'A' (for automatic). Lightly press the XD shutter release, or touch the XG one, and an LED lights.
  • Page 52 Meter XD-7 � � O perati turn to set m speed 11 · 1 after pushing button _ _ _ _ _ Prio rity Selection manual aperture priority shutter priority selector lever select shutter speed light touch manual adjust aperture...
  • Page 53 If the bottom LED lights, remem­ ber that you may have a very long shutter speed. All reflected-light meters, including those built-in to Minolta cameras Exposure compensation are adjusted to measure the light from a normal scene; and most give excellent results with straightforward automatic exposure control.
  • Page 54 Expos u re Meter Operation lift outer ring and turn to set f i l m speed _ _ _ _ _ meter on/off switch Automatic Exposu re set aperture s h utter speed auto ( l ight touch) Exposu re C o m pensation press Turn A to required compensation...
  • Page 55 In high contrast situations you cannot expect detail in the whole picture. Following the high light 1 /30 reading sec. exposure is needed to give detail, with an aperture of f2. 2 Following the shadow reading, an exposure of sec. is necessary. Sidney Ray With a high contrast subject the meter may...
  • Page 56 To set the camera for manual exposure, turn the mode switch of an XD to 'M'; or press the automatic release button and turn the XG dial away from 'A'.
  • Page 57 That's Fine, With a little care, you can be sure that your exposures are accurate, the camera can do that for you. However, an important area of But . . . photographic control remains. you alter the exposure, you make the picture lighter or darker, and you alter the amount of detail in the highlights and shadows.
  • Page 58 Short shutter speed to 'freeze' people necessitates a wide aperture, so m i n i mizing depth of field. Clyde Reynolds 2 Long shutter speed b l u rs people but allows you to use a tiny aperture, so giving you considerable depth of field.
  • Page 59 Movement Whenever your subject moves, you risk blurred pictures; and the larger you picture it, the greater the effective movement. So, go close to the subject, or magnify it with a long-focal-length lens, the movement is magnified, too. Also, when something moves across the field of view, it appears to move much faster than it moves toward or away from you.
  • Page 60 The movement of the running child was captured by panning at 1 /60 sec. and using a 75-200 zoom lens. Clyde Reynolds amount of movement in your picture. Often, it is not possible at the Pann in g. time to decide exactly the right shutter speed, so the best thing to do is to take a number of shots at a range of shutter speeds.
  • Page 61 speeds to take effective panned pictures. Once again it is a subject for experiment, but a good starting point is to use a speed of four times the length of that which you would expect to produce a sharp picture. With a smooth pan, you can afford to use a speed much longer than that which would severely risk camera shake with a static camera.
  • Page 62 , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Measure from the right p l a ce Move the camera to avoid large brightly lit areas when metering _ _ _ Back lighting Back-lit s u bject may be + - -...
  • Page 63 In fact, the longer the focal length the less depth of field that you have at any given focused distance and !-number. On the XD and XG-9 you can see h o w far the depth of field extends by stopping-down the lens-press in the button on the left-hand side of the lens mount.
  • Page 64 (on XD or XG-9). At the opposite end of the scale you often want to have a large Zone focusing amount of the picture sharp. You get the greatest usable depth of field by focusing neither on the foreground nor on the background but somewhere in between.
  • Page 65 Lighting The word photography means 'writing with light' and it is light that makes your pictures. With modem films and cameras, there sel­ dom any need to worry about getting enough light on the subject, but the character of that light is as important as ever. The direction from which it falls on the subject and the harshness of the light itself, are all-important in determining the way you picture the subject.
  • Page 66 L i g h t i n g A n g les direct frontal-flat 2 edge light back lig ht-silhouette 4 edge light 5 front or top light 6 top light 7 ri m light 8 u nder light increased modelling 10 4 5°-standard light pos1t1on...
  • Page 67 either reflected from the edges of the subject or from the shiny parts of the surrounding. Backlighting like this is particularly effective with hairy subjects, such as animals or plants - each hair takes on a glow of its own, and the whole subject appears to be outlined in a halo of light.
  • Page 68 Manipulating the key light and the fill-in can convey an effective impression of form and shape of virtually any subject. Many subjects need additional lighting to emphasize a particular feature. In formal portraits, for example, it is common practice to add a light to bring sparkle to the hair.
  • Page 70 1 /2 These two pictures of childre n show the effect of portraits taken i n very different lighting conditions. 1 was taken looking into light coming from a window, 2 was taken outside on an overcast day. Percy Poynter Shadowless backlighting has been used here for glassware standing on...
  • Page 71 A Minolta camera's permanent accessory shoe is fitted on the pentaprism housing and has a centre flash contact. A cableless flashgun, such as the Electroflash 200X, fits directly into the shoe and makes contact with the flash switch linked to the shutter blind movement.
  • Page 72 Flash used indoors provides the lighting for the s u bject. but leaves a black background in large areas and freezes movement. Percy Poynter...
  • Page 73 1 1 . The flash contacts on the Minolta are designed to fire a single flash­ Connections gun. If you use two similar flashguns, you can connect them both to...
  • Page 74 This pict u re i l lustrates the way in which the light from flash falls off with distance. Alison Trap more F l a s h Expo sure I n tensity of the l i g ht falls off the f u rther away the s u bject To obtain correct exposure the aperture has to be...
  • Page 75 The Auto Electroflash 200X and a number of others, including the Auto Electroflash 1 28 and Auto Electroflash 1 32, have a second con­ tact on the foot. This connects with a second contact on the XD-7 or XG-2 accessory shoe. When the flash is fully charged up and ready...
  • Page 76 Auto 200X battery compartment film speed ind icator lo manual aperture scale aperture/range ind icator auto/hi manual aperture scale mode selector monitor lamp power switch test button bracket clamp and hot shoe socket flash tube and reflector sensor window Auto 1 28 a n d 1 32X angled flash head niCad battery charger battery compartment...
  • Page 77 The fastest speed at which it can be used on the XD cameras is 1/100 sec. With a normal unit you can set the shutter dial in the 'M' or 'S' mode at any speed between 1 sec and 1/60 sec, but it is much more convenient to use the X setting.
  • Page 78 F l a s h S y n c h ro n i za t i o n H o t shoe connection I n serting flash gun into hot shoe Sync terminal for flash guns with cords Possible speeds to use Recommended setting Also possible Range of speeds with...
  • Page 79 People More pictures are taken of people than of any other subject. At the same time, they are about the most difficult subjects that you can choose. When you take pictures of people, the light has to reveal just what Lighting they look like, without over-emphasizing their weak points.
  • Page 80 Pictures of people become more interesting if you can capture them in moments of activity or concentration. Clyde Reynolds Neville Newman...
  • Page 81 Power The Auto Winder D fits the XD cameras and the Auto Winder G the XG models. The winders are similar in appearance and operation Winders but cannot be interchanged between models. They are powered by four size pen cells. For preference, choose manganese alkaline cells or rechargeable nickel cadmium (NiCad) cells.
  • Page 82 M otor D r i ves Locating pin F i l m advance coupler Power switch Pilot light Batteries and holder Tripod socket Attaching screw Battery chamber lock O p e rati n g M ot o r D r i ve A Switch on B Release D o u b l e Ex po su re...
  • Page 83 The Minolta copy stand This is like an enlarger baseboard and column, fitted with an ad­ justable arm which carries a camera mount. To achieve this, mount the Minolta focusing rail on the copy stand and mount the camera on that.
  • Page 84 T r i p o d s a n d G r i ps A an essential part of every outfit is a good steady tripod. One with a pan-and-tilt head and provision for horizontal and vertical camera mounting i s easiest to use. B some photographers find a pistol grip helps hold the camera steady.
  • Page 85 XD- (XD- 1 1) or cover the eyepiece with the cap provided on the other models; set the delay and start the camera operating. Take up your position and wait for the camera to operate.
  • Page 86 You can tape the end to the back of any other camera for the same purpose. For highly critical close-up work the Minolta XD cameras carry a Film plane indicator focal plane indicator on the top plate below the film transport lever.
  • Page 87 Bl ack-and­ Present day colour materials make it easy to reproduce the coloured world in all its splendour. So, why do so many enthusiasts turn to White black-and-white materials? The first reason is that there is a special Photography art in translating a coloured subject into a monochrome abstraction; but, perhaps more telling, black-and-white materials offer you a wide range of control with simple technicalities.
  • Page 88 B lack-and-white film em phasises the stark contrast and repetitive pattern of the side of this b u i lding. Ed B uziak...
  • Page 89 The angles of view for Minolta 35mm camera lenses vary from 1 Y2° to 103° measured on the diagonal of the film. The longer the focal length, the narrower the angle of view.
  • Page 90 Depth of F i e l d Feet aperture set at f 1 6 foc u s i ng scale and ring infrared mark MD coupler lug depth-of-field scale M C coupler l u g setting mark aperture ring and scale bayonet mount red mounting index aperture set at f 1 4...
  • Page 91 MD Rokkors necessary to use the shutter speed priority automatic exposure sys­ tem of the Minolta XD cameras. When you select the lens' minimum aperture, the MD lug switches on the aperture display in the view­ finder and indicates to the meter the minimum aperture to define the range of lens apertures available for control.
  • Page 92 To avoid this, use a lens hood whenever it is likely to happen. The hoods provided for Minolta lenses are the longest that you can use with that focal length without some danger of vignetting-that is darkening the corners of the picture.
  • Page 93 Table of Minolta Lenses • Closest Filter Sizes Focal T y pe Max. Angle Smallest Focus Elmnts Grps Size Dia x Lgth Weight Length (mm) (mm) Aperture of View Aperture (m) Link (mm) • l . 2(fxd) Turret 68 x 63...
  • Page 94 1 7m m 7 . 5 m m 3 5 m m 8 5 m m From a fixed viewpoint, 800mm 1 600mm the focal length determines image size.
  • Page 95 The 35mm !2.8 Shift CA Rokkor, and the 24mm f2.8 VFC Rokkor Variable field curvature have a special Minolta feature: by turning a ring, you can alter the 'plane' of sharp focus to make it dish-shaped. This is especially useful in close-ups;...
  • Page 96 A 1 7 mm f4 Rokkor can provide this interesting view of a temple. The 75mm f4 fisheye Rokkor produces the characteristic c i rcular images. It al lows you to transform a normal scene into a rotund fantasy.
  • Page 97 Raising the shift lens a l lows you to hold the ca mera vertically and still include the top of the buildings in the picture. The vertical lines therefore remain upright, not converging as in the top picture. Clyde Reynolds Opposite, a 24mm Rokkor used for 'distortion' from a close viewpoint.
  • Page 98 M--G...
  • Page 99 'standard', so the almost universal choice of standard lenses between 45 and 50mm for SLR cameras is a good compromise. Minolta produce four such lenses. The 50mm f l . 2 MD Rokkor has the widest aperture, so producing the brightest viewfinder image, and the easiest focusing.
  • Page 100 MD Macro Rokkor (see page 1 1 2). By sacrificing two or three stops speed, which need not worry many photographers, you gain con­ siderable close-up ability, especially useful if you intend to use such equipment as a slide copier. Some photographers forego a 45--50mm lens altogether, preferring to use a 35mm and an 85mm alternately.
  • Page 101 With a m i rror lens, rings appear from out-of-focus highlig hts. In this picture, the photog rapher used red and yellow filters over parts of a 1 OOOmm f6.3 RF Rokkor. This has coloured the picture, and broken the rings into curves.
  • Page 103 Even then, you should regard 1/250 sec as the minimum shutter speed. To satisfy the most precise requirements of tele photography, Minolta Apo Tele-Rokkors offer two apochromatic lenses: a 400mrn f5.6 and a 600mm f6.3. Each...
  • Page 104 normally constructed units. discussed with the 250mm lens, it is not possible to fit a conventional diaphragm and you 'stop down' with a neutral density filter which screws or slots into the rear of the lens. Some photographers stop down by fitting an opaque cover which restricts light entry to one quarter of the front area of the lens.
  • Page 105 range of focal lengths with two MD Rokkor Zooms: the 24--50mm !4 lens and the 50-135mm f3.5. Both these lenses are small and com­ paratively light; they form the basis of a very small compact and versatile outfit. At the other end of the scale comes the enormous 1 00-SOOmm fB MD Zoom Rokkor with its 5: 1 zoom ratio.
  • Page 106 Moving the zoom control d u ring the exposure adds a new d i m e nsion to an otherwise q u ite o rdinary transparency. Left, the same effect can add m uch to action shots. Of course, that calls for a fairly long exposure of 1 /8 sec .
  • Page 107 2, but sometimes by 1 . 5, 2.5 or 3. Minolta supply a highly corrected tele-extender to double the focal lengths of the 400mm f5.6 and 600mm f6.3 Apo-Tele Rokkors. The two general-purpose convertors are designed for dif­...
  • Page 108 Teleconvertors Camera and standard lens Light rays with teleconvertor Light rays with standard lens - - - - - - Film plane Camera and teleconvertor ' \ i...
  • Page 109 1 to 3 or 4 dioptres. However, not all of these are as carefully made as the Minolta lenses and you may find that you have to close down to f8 or f 1 1 to obtain a really sharp image.
  • Page 110 This, of course, allows you to focus closer and thus produce a larger image on the film. Minolta supply two sets of tubes: the Extension Tube Set consists of three tubes of 7, 14 and 28mrn (1/a, % and l in), which screw into one another;...
  • Page 112 The Scope of C l ose-u ps 50mm lens closest focusing distance 55mm macro lens, alone C 55mm macro lens plus extension tube D Close-up lenses range with 50mm lens E Extension tubes range Range of bellows 1 1 1...
  • Page 113 (see page 1 20), but is compensated for fully by the normal through-the-lens metering system on the Minolta SLRs. In fact much the simplest way to use the camera with manual extension tubes is in the automatic-exposure mode. Both types of camera select the correct shutter speed automatically through the stopped-down lens aperture.
  • Page 114 Naturally, these MD-coupled lenses give you full automatic expo­ sure facilities on the Minolta SLRs, and full aperture priority automatic exposure with their MC-coupled extension tubes. But, as with any other extension device, you need to know the effects of the extra extension when you use flash.
  • Page 115 The tripod bush below the rail allows you to mount the bellows unit on a tripod or on the Minolta Focusing Rail. The front panel can be removed entirely from the rail, reversed, and remounted.
  • Page 116 M i nolta Autobe l l ows I l l camera mount a n d lock rear panel bel lows release lens release rear panel movement lens mount front panel can be sh ifted or swung swing lock front panel movement s h ift lock front panel lock track...
  • Page 117 Older bellows Two earlier Minolta bellows units are still in wide use-the Bellows III quite closely resembles the Bellows IV with the control knobs reversed. However, the rear standard is fixed and cannot be moved along the rail and the camera mount does not allow you to swivel the camera for vertical or horizontal shots.
  • Page 119 of the rail. The back of the rail carries a tripod type screw which engages with the bellows tripod bush fixing the two together. There is no focusing rail for the Bellows III. However, if you use that or extension tubes or even a macro lens, you can mount the camera or the bellows unit on either focusing rail just using the screw on the rail.
  • Page 121 The easiest way to make duplicates of transparencies is with a slide Copying slides copier mounted on the bellows. The latest Minolta slide copier fits directly to the Auto Bellows III or Bellows IV. A different copier mounts on the focusing rail of the Auto Bellows or the connector of the Bellows III.
  • Page 122 and pull the copier bellows back to engage with the filter mount of the lens. The lens connector fits directly on 55mm mount lenses. For 40 or 52mm mount lenses, use the adaptor provided with the bellows. The 49mm adaptor is the right size to grip reasonably snugly the mount on the back of a reversed lens.
  • Page 123 Films You can copy colour slides and colour negatives on colour trans­ parency film. You can make black-and-white transparencies from negatives on ordinary black-and-white negative film, or colour or black-and-white negatives from transparencies on the appropriate film. You can make transparencies from colour negatives if you load your camera with print film.
  • Page 124 Viewing While the normal viewing system is fine for most pictures, there are times when you may want to modify the view. The accessories slide accessories onto the eyepiece, their ridges registering in the grooves either side of the lens. For critical focusing, especially useful in close-up work, the Magnifier Focusing magnifier V can be fitted into the grooves surrounding the eyepiece.
  • Page 125 Caring for With just a little care, your Minolta equipment will last for many years. In fact, you are very unlikely to wear it out; lack of use is a and Travel­ much greater risk. ling with Ideally, no camera should be stored. The camera is designed to be used.
  • Page 126 handkerchief can cause considerable damage that is progressive and insidious. If dust or sand does get into the camera in significant quantities, you would be better advised to take it to a competent mechanic for a complete overhaul. The same applies if you drop the camera into water, particularly sea-water.
  • Page 127 For evening or indoor shots, maximum aperture is all important, so you want the widest apertures you can get, say, the 35mm f l . 8 and 85mm f l . 7 MD Rokkors. You may also want a flash or two. Analyze each individual photographic outing the same way, and take the minimum that you need.
  • Page 128 The vertical format used here emphasizes the narrowness of the canal and focuses attention on the gondolier. Beatrice Reynolds...
  • Page 129 has possibilities, take it. It is better to use a bit more film than to miss the best picture. That is not to say, of course, that success comes in any way in proportion to the amount of film you use-it comes from the amount of application you give to the images on the viewing screen.

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