I would really appreciate having other people contributing to this guide to help other from the community. If you have anything what you think could be valuable for others dont hesitate to contact me. The same holds if you discover some valuable discussion in Minolta group archives. I will be happy to add your contributions! P. H.

Chapter 2

Information on bodies and lenses

2.1 Minolta AF bodies

2.1.1 Overview of Minolta AF bodies
[Author(s): Unknown, taken from Minolta AF FAQ [4].]
Table 2.1: Minolta AF Bodies in Chronological Release Date Order Released Europe Dynax 7000 AF 9000 AF 5000 AF 3000i 7000i 5000i 8000i U.S. Maxxum 7000 AF 9000 AF 5000 AF 3000i 7000i 5000i 8000i SPxi 3xi 7xi 2xi 5xi 9xi 700si 400si 500si 600si (Classic) 800si HTsi XTsi 9 QTsi NYA Canada Maxxum Japan Alpha ( ) 7000 Alpha 9000 Alpha 5000 Alpha Alpha 7700i Alpha 5700i Alpha 8700i
1991 3xi 1991 7xi 1992 2xi 1992 5xi 1992 9xi 1993 700si 1994 500si 1995 300si 1995 500si Super 1995 600si (Classic) 1997 800si 1998 505si 1998 505si Super 1999 303si 1999 404si continued on next page.
807si Alpha Sweet 9 STsi 7 5

2.1. MINOLTA AF BODIES

. continued from previous page Released Europe U.S. Dynax Maxxum 3L 3L

Canada Maxxum

Japan Alpha ( )
2.1.2 Batteries for Minolta equipment
Table 2.2: Batteries for Minolta equipment Body or Meter Dynax/Maxxum AF Bodies All except below & XTsi Dynax 5, 505si, XTsi Dynax 7 and 9 body VC-700 and VC-800 grips VC-7 and VC-9 grips Original AF Bodies & 5000 with original battery holder 7000 & 5000 with optional BH-70L MF SLRs XM, XE-1, XE-5, XD-7, XD-5, XG-1, XG-2, XG-9, XGM, X-9 X-300, x-300s, X320s, X-500, X-700 SRT-101, 100, 202, 303, 100x, 101b, 303b, SR7, SR1 Meter Vectis APS Bodies S-1, S-300, 30, 25, 200, 20, 10, UC, Weathermatic, GX variants Himatic Compacts and Earlier Rangender Bodies Minolta AL-F, AL-E, Himatic 7, 7s, 9 and 11 Himatic 7S-II, 5, G, G2, C Himatic E, F Himatic S, S2, GF, AF, AF2, AF2M Minolta CLE (Leica M lensmount) AF and Focus-free Compacts (modern) 140EX, 135EX, 105EX, Panorama Zoom 28 90EX, 70C, Weathermatic DL 115EX, 75W, 70W, 70EX, RZ 70, Pcio, Mini, Panorama 105i, 90C, Twin 28, AF Zoom 65, AF Zoom 90, AF Tele Super AF5, 100AF, AF35EX, AF35, AF35C, Riva 35 AF-101R, AF-20R, F-10/BF, C-10, Memory Maker FS-E, FS-EII, FS-35, AF-E AF-C AF-T AF-Z, AF-EII, AF-DL, AF Tele 60, AF-SP continued on next page. Batteries Used 1 2CRCRCR123A 4 AA or 1 x 2CRAA or (1 2CR5 and/or 1 CR123A)

2 CRx CRCR2

PX625 PX675 PX640 AA 10L14 or EPX-76 CR123A DL223A CR123A 2CR5 AA AA AA 10L14 AA or DL223A AAA or DL223A

AA AAA AA EPX-76 or 2 10L14
2.2. MINOLTA DYNAX/MAXXUM 600SI (507SI, 650SI)
1 AA 1 AA and 1 PXPXMN10LPX1.35 V mercury cell: PX1 or RM1
Notes: PX625 and other PX- type button batteries, as used in many older manual focus SLRs, contain mercury and slowly being outlawed around the world for obvious environmental reasons. A possible solution is the air cell, made by Wein in the USA. Ask for WeinCell MRB625 (to replace a PX625), MRB675 (PX675) or MRB400 (PX400). Some discontinued AF bodies use a separate internal button battery to provide memory backup for settings, etc. Although they last a long time, they do eventually need replacing. The individual requirements of these particualr bodies are not listed in the table above, but I would be glad to add them. Avoid the cheap types of button cells made for virtual pets or market-stall watches. They are not the same as those intended for photographic use: their output voltage varies underload and this will lead to incorrect meter readings.
2.2 Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 600si (507si, 650si)
2.2.1 Beyond the Owners Manual: Tips and Tricks
[Author(s): Peter Blaise Monahon, taken from [12].]
LCD Displays Check: On the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera, to check the valid functioning of every LCD Liquid Crystal Display element: 1. Set the Drive Mode Selector to Multiple Exposure, 2. Press and hold the ISO Film Speed Button while opening and closing the battery door. All displays appear in the Body and Viewnder Data Panels. 3. Open and close the battery door to return the displays to normal. Auto Exposure Lock: Only the AEL Auto Exposure Lock button will lock exposure when the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera is set for Center-Weighted Average Metering Mode or Spot Metering Mode. Pressing the AEL Auto Exposure Lock Button locks the exposure settings and switches the meter to Spot Metering Mode. The AEL Auto Exposure Lock control has no function in M Manual Exposure Mode. You have three options for locking and holding the desired exposure value on the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera: 1. Using M Manual Exposure Mode, once set, the camera auto functions will not override your Aperture and Shutter Speed selections.
. continued from previous page Body or Meter TC-1 Digital Cameras Dimge V RD-175 Exposure Meters Flashmeter V, Autometer IV F, Spotmeter F Flashmeter IV Autometer IIIF, III and II, Spotmeter M Colormeter II, Flashmeter II Flashmeter III Booster II Viewmeter 9

Batteries Used CR123A AA 2CR5
2. Using 14 Segment Honeycomb Metering Mode and an attached automatic lens in AF Auto Focus mode, you can lock the exposure reading in P Program Exposure Mode, A Aperture priority Exposure Mode, or in S Shutter Speed Priority Exposure Mode by pressing the Shutter Release Button part way down. 3. Center-Weighted Metering Mode and Spot Metering Mode readings can be locked using only a third method pressing the AEL Auto Exposure Lock Button, marked AEL to the right of the eyepiece. You can use the AEL Auto Exposure Lock Button to lock the exposure setting in any of the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si cameras three metering systems. AEL Auto Exposure Lock is especially useful in the automatic exposure modes, Program, A Aperture priority, or S Shutter priority, when you want to take a meter reading from one part of your chosen photographic subject scene and then focus on another part. You can do this by focusing, and possibly zooming in, on the detail you want to meter and then pressing and holding the AEL button. [AEL] appears in the Viewnder Data Panel. You must maintain pressure on the AEL button until you release the shutter to the picture. Then aim the focusing target at your subject and press the shutter release part way down to lock focus. You can then reframe and adjust the lens zoom if necessary to get the image you want. Then press the shutter release all the way down and make your exposure. By Minolta factory default, the AEL Auto Exposure Lock feature is effective only while you hold it down. To reset the AEL Auto Exposure Lock feature to toggle AEL on at rst press, off at second press hold ISO Button switch and tap AEL Auto Exposure Lock Button. Front and Rear Control Dial Rules: Generally, both front and rear control dials increase the numeric value being controlled when rotated to the right, and decrease the numeric value being controlled when rotated to the left. The Front and Rear dials Control Dials on the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera can be used interchangeably to set camera body Shutter speed and an attached automatic lens Aperture in all Exposure Modes and operations except M Manual Exposure Mode. In M Manual Exposure Mode, the Front Control Dial sets the camera body Shutter Speed and the Rear Control Dial sets an attached automatic lens Aperture. For guidance from the Metering system, rotate the Control Dials in the direction of the arrows in the Viewnder Data Panel to obtain a Shutter Speed and attached automatic lens Aperture to correspond with the camera Metering systems assessment of your chosen photographic subject. Viewnder Long Eye Relief: The viewnder image and all displays can be seen in their entirety from a distance of 0.9 inch (22.7 mm), appropriate for photographers wearing glasses. Setting Viewnder Diopter: You can easily set the diopter correction without a lens on the camera. Point it toward a bright light source and turn the small diopter adjustment dial (next to the eyepiece) until the brackets etched on the viewing screen appear sharpest. The dial sets correction factors between and diopters. High Shutter Speed Flash: The Minolta 5400HS accessory ash unit emits a short pre-ash in HSS High Speed Synchronization Mode, which res when the cameras Shutter Release Button is depressed half way. This allows the camera metering system to measure the subjects illumination at this instant and select a ash intensity and Shutter Speed for balanced illumination of the subject and the background. If, while in P Program or Aperture priority Exposure Mode, a Flash to Shutter synchronization speed faster than second is called for, the system automatically shifts into High Speed Synchronization Mode. High Speed Synchronization Mode Flash differs from conventional ash by ring a series of highfrequency pulses at 50 k Hz that resemble a constant light source. Even illumination across the lm frame is assured during the entire time the cameras shutter curtains are open to record the image.

Flash Auto Program: The Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera selects a ash program when the retractable ash head or an accessory ash unit is activated. However, in Program Exposure Mode with sufcient available light, the camera will not use the ash unless you press and hold the Flash Control Button during exposure. Auto Focus Illuminator: The Minolta 507si, 600si and 650si camera Auto Focus Illuminator light feature of the built in ash or attached accessory ash will not function in C Continuous Auto Focus mode. Auto Metering Features: The metering system of the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera starts with a proven auto focus-integrated computer rst introduced by Minolta with the xi series cameras. This computer ensures that the light meters main emphasis is on the area in sharp focus. This optimizes exposure for the primary subject. The camera meter is calibrated for medium gray, which is equivalent to an 18 %, reectance. This value was arrived at with the assumption that average photographic subject scenes have a contrast range of 1:32. This is a valid assumption for common outdoor scenes that include grass, dirt, rocks, trees, and sky, for instance. The various reectance values average to a median value with a density of 0.75, or 18 % reectance. The camera meter measures light reected back from the subject through the lens, hence the term TTL Through The Lens metering. This is also the design of all other modern SLR Single Lens Reex cameras. When the camera metering system determines the subject scene to be a landscape, metering emphasis is on the lower section of the frame. In strong backlighting, such as when shooting toward a bright ocean, the camera metering and exposure computer automatically compensate for a bright rendition of the scene. However, with a small subject on bright sand or surf, such as a small boat on a large body of water, expect to need to dial in a 1 EV Exposure Value compensation factor because the camera metering system interprets such a scene as a landscape. When you set the camera to the evaluative 14 Segment Honeycomb Pattern Metering Mode, the camera computer sets its own Exposure Compensation in an attempt to render a bright scene or dark scene accurately on lm. For example, beyond a certain high brightness level, the camera system increases exposure by one EV Exposure Value stop to render the subject as bright. Use the Exposure Compensation feature to assist the cameras Metering system to accurately match your chosen photographic subject scene brightness dynamic range to your chosen lms sensitivity dynamic range: A white surface reects more light than a gray surface approximately two stops more. + Plus EV Exposure Value Compensation will increase the amount of light reaching the lm to render a light photographic subject accurately. A black surface reects less light approximately two stops less. Minus EV Exposure Value Compensation will reduce the amount of light reaching the lm, to render a dark photographic subject correctly. If the range of brightnesses within your chosen photographic subject scene are within the or range of the Viewnder Data Panel scale, then they can be recorded accurately within most lms reproducible dynamic range. Any index reading of 3 or greater will probably be reproduced as white on lm, and any reading of 3 or beyond will probably be reproduced as black on lm. To toggle on/off the viewnder LCD indicator for Exposure Compensation, hold the ISO Button and the Depth Of Field Preview Button. The center-weighted metering is not linked to the auto focus system, nor does it input exposure corrections of its own. Primary emphasis is placed on the subject area within the brackets etched on the viewnder, with much less emphasis on surrounding areas, and none on the top section where sky might be located. Auto Focus Features: In the Minolta 507si, 600si, and 650si camera, program modes are aware of an attached automatic lens focal length. A telephoto lens activates higher shutter speeds, and a wide-angle lens activates smaller apertures. For example, the camera sets a small aperture for a landscape to achieve an extensive range of apparent sharpness. If the AF Auto Focus system detects motion, it sets a high shutter speed such as second to stop action. For a portrait, a moderately wide aperture is set to

2.3. DYNAX/MAXXUM LENS CHART
blur a distracting background while keeping both the subjects nose and ears in focus. In selecting an aperture-shutter speed combination, the system considers such factors as focal length, subject reectance and contrast, subject distance and type, and the reproduction ratio, or degree of magnication. The system then selects an appropriate combination of aperture and shutter speed for the situation, however it will try to maintain a hand-holdable shutter speed, such as second shutter speed with a 50 mm lens, to reduce the risk of blur from hand held camera shake. To disable AF Auto Focus lens to Shutter interlock, hold the ISO Button and the Lens Mount Button while turning the camera ON. Automatic Exposure Bracketing: Automatic Exposure Bracketing drive mode exposed 3 consecutive images, one at normal EV Exposure Value, plus one at stop EV Exposure Value and then one at stop EV Exposure Value, which is a rather narrow exposure range best suited for the sensitivity and dynamic range of slide lm. For other lm, you can use manual Exposure Compensation control, perhaps taking two additional frames, one at +1 or greater and the other at the +2 or greater setting. Multiple Multiple Exposures: Although you can pre-set a maximum of nine exposures on one frame of lm, you can actually achieve any number. If you want to shoot 16, for example, merely reset the Multiple Exposure feature to 8 after shooting the rst 8. Body Depth: The depth of the Minolta lens mount to lm plane is 44.7mm. Setting DX Film For More Than 24 or 36 Frames: The Minolta 507si, 600si and 650si camera will rewind the lm immediately after the last frame of 24 or 36 exposures as sensed by the DX coding on the lm can. The selected Aperture and Shutter Speed values will disappear immediately after the last exposure when rewind begins preventing you from viewing and recording these values. To wind to the true end of your lm and expose additional available frames, scrape the paint off the lm can DX sections 8, 9 and 10. The camera will then rewind only when lm advance is not possible due to reaching the true end of the lm, or if you manually press the Rewind Button. This permits you to manually rewind after recording your Aperture and Shutter Settings after the nal frame, either 24 or 36, or to expose an additional frame. However, be aware that rewind will begin immediately after the nal exposure, so watch for and record you nal frame Aperture and Shutter Speed before or during the nal exposure.

25/8 23/16 213/16 37/8 213/16 37/8 37/8 72/3
*50mm f/2.8 50mm f/2.8 [RS] 50mm f/3.5 *100mm f/2.8 100mm f/2.8 [RS] 100mm f/2.8 (D) 200mm f/4 APO G Zoom f/1.7 2.8

211/16 25/16 23/4 23/8

Min. Focus [ft].65.65

Max. Magnication 1/1 1/1

31/8 57/8
100300mm f/4.55.6 APO (D) 100400mm f/4.56.7 APO
Dimensions (dia. length) [in] 27/8 4
105/16 117/185/16 185/403/16 3813/16
. continued from previous page Lens Elements / Dimensions (dia. Groups length) [in]
Compatibility 300 f/4 APO G 400 f/4.5 APO G 600 f/4 APO G 200 f/2.8 APO G 300 f/2.8 APO G 300 f/4 APO G 400 f/4.5 APO G 600 f/4 APO G 200 f/2.8 APO G 300 f/2.8 APO G 300 f/4 APO G 400 f/4.5 APO G 600 f/4 APO G
Manual focus only Table 2.7: xi zoom lenses Lens Elements / Groups Elements/ Groups 8/8 Angle Of View Min. Focus [ft] Min. Focus (ft) 1.6

Angle of View

Sold with xi cameras. Not true xi lens as zoom drive was camera AF motor. No motor in lens.

2.3.1 G Series

G-series lenses are Minoltas high-performance class optics. They have the best specications, feature special advanced technology, and offer the best image quality of all Minolta lenses. G-series lenses are designed to meet the high expectations of the most demanding professional. The quality of the image they produce is among the nest in the industry. Each G-series lens incorporates one or more of the following features: circular aperture, double oating and oating-focusing systems, Internal focus, Anomalous Dispersion (AD) glass, aspheric elements, and
215/16 311/16 27/8 33/16 215/16 315/16
1.6 (f/28) 1.6 (f/35) 4.9

213/16 25/8 27/8 3

*3580mm f/45.6 Power Zoom *2880mm f/45.6 *28105mm f/3.54.5 *35200mm f/4.55.6 *80200mm f/4.55.6 *100300mm f/4.55.6

II APO [HS]

111/16
Dimensions (dia. length) [in] Dimensions (in) (dia. length) 25/8 21/8

Weight (oz)

911/16 157/8 175/8 109/16 151/2
focus-hold buttons. Minolta will continue to expand its G-series as the needs and demands of professional photographers grow. Table 2.8: G lenses (I) AF 1735mm f/3.5 APO Circular Aperture Floating focus Internal Focus Anomalous Dispersion Glass Asperhic Elements Focus Hold Button Yes No No Yes Yes Yes AF 35mm f/1.4 Yes Yes No No Yes No AF 85mm f/1.4 (D) Yes Yes No No No Yes AF 2870mm f/2.8 Yes Yes No No Yes Yes AF 80200mm f/2.8 APO Yes No No Yes No Yes
Table 2.9: G lenses (II) AF 200mm f/2.8 APO No No Yes Yes No Yes AF Macro 200mm f/4 APO Yes No Yes Yes No Yes AF 300mm f/2.8 APO No No Yes Yes No Yes AF 300mm f/4 APO Yes No Yes Yes No Yes AF 400mm f/4.5 APO Yes No Yes Yes No Yes AF 600mm f/4 APO No No Yes Yes No Yes
Circular Aperture Floating focus Internal Focus Anomalous Dispersion Glass Asperhic Elements Focus Hold Button
Table 2.10: G lenses (III) Lens Elements / Groups Angle Of View Min. Focus [ft] 1 2.30 4.9 8.2 8.2 9.9

300mm f/2.8 APO 600mm f/4 APO 80200mm f/2.8 APO
These lenses were redesigned in 1988 for the Maxxum Series-i cameras. Internal changes include a faster focusing gear and a new IC ROM to enable faster focusing with Series-i, xi, and si cameras. External changes include AF lock/lens function button (one for 200mm, two for 300mm and 600mm lenses), and High Speed Focus decal on lens shade. Additionally, the 80200mm f/2.8 APO received a stronger focusing shaft which enabled better focus tracking, a rubber focusing grip for easier manual focus, and white paint nish.

APO Tele Converter

The converters were redesigned with new gear and IC ROMs. External changes include TYPE II designation. It is OK to use old-style converters on new lenses. Using a new converter on an old, nonupgraded lens will cause slower focusing Warning: THE APO CONVERTERS CANNOT BE USED WITH THE 80-200MM APO LENSES. If mounted together, the front element of the converter will contact back element of the lens and damage both.
2.3.4 Maxxum Lens Glossary
Circular Aperture Defocused background highlights take the shape of the diaphragm in wide-aperture portrait shots. The 9-blade apertures found in some of the G-lenses is specially designed to provide a circular opening at widest apertures (small f-numbers). A circular aperture produces softer, more natural-looking backgrounds at wider apertures than a lens having a standard 5-, 6-, 7-, or 9-bladed aperture. Floating Optical Design Rather than moving all lens groups as a single unit, designated optical groups in some of the G-lenses move independently as the lens focuses. This oating movement provides an extremely at image at the lm plane thus assuring corner-to-corner sharpness. It also provides a high degree of control over sagittal are, and eliminates coma, an aberration that causes off-axis object points to appear as short comet-like images on lm. Reducing sagittal are and coma provides an extremely sharp, high-contrast image which more effectively separates the subject from its background at large apertures. Internal Focusing The AF 200mm, 300mm, and 600mm APOs internal focusing system moves lighter internal lens elements to focus the image instead of the larger front elements used in conventional systems. This along with a high-ratio lens drive provides quick, accurate focusing of fast moving subjects. In addition, a focus limiter permits selecting a focusing range for even faster response. Anomalous Dispersion (AD) Glass Different wavelengths of light come into focus at different planes. This effect is know as Chromatic aberration and can cause a rainbow halo around points of light and reduced sharpness. Standard achromatic telephotos are corrected to bring the red and blue components into focus at the lm plane. The Anomalous Dispersion (AD) glass, used G-Series APO telephotos and zooms as well as the 100-300mm APO and 100-400mm APO virtually eliminates the effects of lateral and longitudinal chromatic aberration, providing increased sharpness and extremely accurate color rendition. Aspheric Design Different than the smooth continuous arc of a normal lens element surface, the curvature of an aspherical lens element changes shape across its surface. This irregular surface helps to correct spherical aberration and coma, an aberration that causes off-axis object points to appear as short comet-like images on lm. It also reduces sagittal are. The inclusion of aspheric elements in a lens design enables designers to reduce the amount of elements in the design. This in turn reduces the amount of are producing surfaces, two per element, which increases the contrast and snap to the nal image. The reduction in elements also makes the lens smaller and lighter. Focus-Hold Button When pressed, it locks focus or can be used to select spot focus or continuous AF (with Custom Function Card or Customize Function Card xi). Distance Encoding Distance encoding with new and revised D lenses provides rened multi-segment metering for manual focus operation and depth-of-eld display on Navigation Display with the Maxxum 7 as well as ADI ash functions when the new 5600(D) and 3600(D) ashes. Integral Filters Because a front-mounted lter would be expensive and would cause excessive are, the 300mm and 600mm Apo lenses have a built-in lter holder. Six lters are provided: NORMAL (clear), Y52 (yellow), O56 (orange), R60 (red), 1B (skylight) and ND4X (2-stop neutral density). Achromatic Coating Minoltas Achromatic, multi-layer coating provides remarkably accurate color rendition and excellent contrast by virtually eliminating reections between lens elements.

3.5. MINOLTA MOUNTS

9. Remove the lens hood and attach the lter. I will assume that you are using a Hoya lter with a standard-thickness mount. Repeat step (7). Now there is a difference as the area of darkness approaches the lower left corner, a second area of darkness emerges from the lower left corner and travels towards the upper right, eventually meeting the darkness approaching from the upper right. This second area of darkness was not present when there was no lter, and so is the result of adding the lter. 10. Leave the lter attached and change the focal length to 105 mm and repeat step (7). At this setting there is no second area of darkness that emerges from the lower left, i.e. adding the lter has not changed what you see at the 105 mm focal length. 11. Leave the lter attached, change the focal length to 24 mm, and reset the aperture to maximum (f3.5 at 24 mm). Repeat step (7). As the area of darkness from the upper right is about to envelope the lower left corner, you can see that the second area of darkness is just about to emerge from the lower left corner, i.e. adding the lter is on the threshhold of changing what you see at 24 mm focal length. 12. Check also the 50 mm and 70 mm settings; 50 mm is affected slightly (more than 24 mm; less than 35 mm), but 70 mm is not affected (same as 105 mm). 13. Repeat steps (7) to (11) for the lters that you want to use (e.g. standard-thickness UV; slim UV; standard-thickness polarising; slim polarising). If you are not using the standard lens hood, check that too. Notes from exemplar testing of 24104/3.54.5 lens with Hoya lter My conclusion is that a Hoya lter with a standard-thickness mount produces no vignetting at 70105 mm, is on the threshhold of producing vignetting at 24 mm, and does produce some vignetting in the range circa 3060 mm. This is a strange result, as one would expect vignetting to be worst at the shortest focal length, but is presumably a result of the optical design of the 24105 zoom.
3.4 Setting Minolta DiMAGE Scan Dual with VueScan
Settings les are listed in App. A.1 (page 31).
3.4.1 Scanning Fuji Provia
Table 3.1: VueScan parameters for scanning Fuji Provia using Minolta Scan Dual Parameter Lock Exposure Long Exposure Pass Color Balance Value 1.95 Yes None Notes Might be increased to 2.2 if needed. Reduces noise in dark parts of the image.

3.5 Minolta mounts

[Author(s): Chuck Cole.]
Question: How many types of minolta mounts are there? Answer: Four plus. (I dont know all the details but had the 9xi problem on a Sigma 400mm).
3.6. DISABLING THE LENS MOUNT CHECK
1a) Minolta made some Leica-compatible RF screw mount lenses for various rangenders (both screw and focus cams work on both brands) 1b) Minolta made some Leica-thread, incompatible RF screw mount lenses for various rangenders 2a) early SR/SRT mounts lacked the aperture tab found on all MD mounts and most (or all?) MC mounts: bayonet ts, but auto-metering doesnt work. 2b) regular MD/MC mounts with auto tab 2c) one rare 35mm guide number lens (aperture set per focus distance for old bulb ash) 2d) screw-adapter bellows types 3a) early Maxxum mounts (eg, 7000 & 9000) do AF with any version AF lens (early Sigma 400mm f5.6 doesnt work with 9xi, etc, but works with 7000,9000) 3b) mid Maxxum lenses work with all AF bodies, but lack DOF coupling 3c) newer Maxxum has DOF features 4) Vectis series lenses for R-3000 (digital), etc Note: some Maxxums (eg, 2xi, 3xi, Spxi) cannot defeat their shutter interlocks so they can use T-mount lenses or telescopes, etc, but most can (see sec. 3.6). I think there more RF versions and maybe a twin-lens type or two. Lets ignore the microscope and enlarger options that could be used on.

3.6 Disabling the lens mount check
Table 3.2: Disabling the lens mount check Camera 5000, 7000, 9000, 3000i, 5000i, 7000i, 8000i 2xi, 3xi, Spxi 5xi Procedure No preparation needed to use T-mount lenses.
Requires circuit modication by Minolta. Press and hold SPOT and FUNC. buttons and switch from LOCK to ON. 7xi/9xi Press and hold AEL and FUNC. buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. 300si Press and hold FLASH and DRIVE/SELFTIMER buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. (Off appears in LCD panel) 400si Press and hold Drive Mode and AV buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. 404si Press and hold the P and Self Timer switches with Function Dial at ME while sliding the Main Switch to ON. 500si Press and hold Drive Mode and SPOT buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. continued on next page.

3.7. REMOTE RELEASE CORD

. continued from previous page Camera Procedure 505si Super Press and hold Self Timer and SPOT buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. XTsi Press and hold the Selftimer-Drive Mode button and Spot/AE button while sliding the Main Switch to ON (OFF appears in LCD panel). 600si Press and hold the LENS RELEASE button and FILM SPEED button with the lens removed and move the power switch from LOCK to ON. (OFF appears in LCD panel) 700si Press and hold SPOT and CARD buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. 800si Press and hold SUBJECT PROGRAM and AEL buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON.(OFF appears in LCD panel) Vectis S-1 Press ON/OFF to turn camera ON. Open door that covers hidden buttons. Press the Drive Mode button (fathest on the left) and the MODE button together. ON will appear in the LCD panel. Press the SEL button (second from right in hidden buttons). OFF Will appear in the LCD panel. Vectis S-100 Subject Program and +/-, then press any other button to conrm; displays on in display even with adapted manual lens attached. RD-175 Press and hold DRIVE/SELFTIMER and AV buttons and move power switch from LOCK to ON. (ON appears in LCD panel)

3.7 Remote release cord

3.7.1 Building your own Remote Cord (v. 1)
[Author(s): Unknown, taken from Minolta AF FAQ [4]; Csaba JOZSA.]

Exposure control

4.1. FLASHAMBIENT CONTROL
Function number 5 Backlight ll-in EV 1 EV or less EV or less Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Frontlight ll-in EV 1 EV No adjust Low light ll-in 0 EV 1 EV or less No adjust Yes Main Flash light subject Ambient light Backgroud (ambient) P mode + Auto ash P mode + Forced ash A mode + Flash ON S mode + Flash ON P mode + SLOW SYNC A mode + SLOW SYNC S mode + SLOW SYNC Backlight ll-in Frontlight ll-in Lowlight ll-in Night ll-in Daylight situation when the main subject is much darker than background Daylight situation when there is no big difference between subject and background brightness Dark condition or a situation which may cause blur due to camera shake Lowlight situation when background exposure is desired as much as the main subject.
Night scene EV No adjust 0 EV
TABLE 4.1: Flashambient compensations performed by camera
Control Program ash Control

Mode and operation

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Setting 1 2

Action Auto Switchover Manual Switchover
TABLE 4.2: Changing Program Flash Control with the Custom xi card

4.1.2 A Mode Flash

In A Mode, the photographer sets the aperture and the camera automatically selects the fastest sync speed between 1/200 and 1/60 second that ambient light levels will allow. This provides the advantages of full depth-of-eld control while the Expert exposure system uses multi-pattern metering or center-weighted metering to automatically determine ambient exposure and the necessary ash output. Basically, the system is designed to reduce ambient light exposure by one stop (by increasing the shutter speed) and, if possible, maintain it at this level for backlight, frontlight, and lowlight ll-in. In backlight and frontlight conditions, the ash brightness is reduced from 1/4 to 3/4 stop to produce a pleasing subject exposure. The background will be up to 1-1/2 stops brighter than the subject exposure. For indoor photography, ash brightness is at its normal rating while the shutter speed is controlled to reduce and maintain ambient light brightness by one stop. The slowest shutter speed available in A mode is 1/60 sec. Ambient levels requiring longer speeds will be underexpose to a greater degree. When the SPOT button is pressed for slow-sync ash photography, ash brightness is reduced by 3/4 stop and shutter is set to a speed slow enough to allow normal background exposure.

4.1.3 S Mode Flash

In this mode, any shutter speed between 1/200 sec. and 30 seconds can be selected by the photographer. The 700si Expert Exposure system then automatically selects the appropriate aperture from within the lens working range. Basically, the system is designed to reduce ambient light exposure of the subject by one stop (by closing the aperture) and, if possible, maintain it at this level for backlight, and frontlight ll-in. In these conditions, the ash brightness is reduced from 1/4 to 3/4 stop to produce a pleasing subject exposure. The background will be up to 1-1/2 stops brighter than the subject exposure. Shutter-priority ash is best used when the ambient front or backlight is equal to or greater than the subject brightness. If used in normal indoor ash photography where the background is dark, the aperture will remain wide open until the ambient light level approaches a normal ambient light, exposure. This provides the least amount of depth of eld for the picture. If the indoor brightness is high enough or the shutter speed selected is low enough to produce an ambient exposure without ash, the metering system treats the situation like a front- or back-light ll-in situation by reducing both ambient and ash exposure as described above. When the SPOT button is pressed, ash brightness is reduced by 3/4 stop and the if the ambient light is bright enough to require an aperture smaller than the maxxum for the lens in use, the lens aperture will be opened toward achieving better background exposure. Once again, S mode is not recommended for this procedure.

4.1.4 M Mode Flash

In this mode, both aperture and shutter speed (within maximum x-sync) are set by the photographer. The ash output is determined by the 700sis metering system and regulated by its TTL ash control system. The photographer can manually adjust the ambient exposure by the shutter speed and aperture selected and control automatic ash brightness by using the cameras ash exposure override feature. The 5200i, 5400xi, and 5400HS ash units can also be switched to manual operation and the level adjusted for special applications.

4.1.5 Fill Flash

In P mode, whenever the 700sis 14-segment honeycomb-pattern metering system detects that conditions require additional light to balance the subject and background exposures, a dedicated, attached accessory ash will re automatically. When not normally called for in P mode, the ash can also be red manually by pressing and holding the ash-control button while taking the picture. In A, S, and M modes, ll-ash
4.2. SHORT SUMMARY ON USING FILL-IN FLASH
is calculated by the cameras AE system, but the ash must be activated manually before it will re. See the respective sections above for more information.

4.1.6 Slow-Shutter Sync.

In P and A modes, pressing and holding the SPOT button while taking the picture causes the 700si to use a shutter speed slightly higher than that required for normal ambient light exposure. The ash exposure is also controlled to provide proper exposure. This technique provides a natural appearance of the main subject with better ambient-lit background detail. Note: If the background is bright or a large aperture is set, the shutter speed may not be reduced.

4.1.7 Other comment

This seems to be excerpt from some mail by Phil Brandon. It is useful and clear enough to include it here. The ash-ambient programming is unchanged between the 700si and 800si. Back to the thought of the programming for ash: The camera has an Expert System which is the control for everything. It picks which focus sensor to favor, how to build the exposure pattern, how to set the shutter speed and aperture for effect, and how to balance ash with ambient. When ash is used, the most important consideration is NOT overexposing the subject by adding ash to an ablient light exposure that is already correct. (This is the key). Exposure is AF integrated. Once an AF sensor is locked in on the subject. An exposure pattern is built around it. The brightness of the subject is then compared against the background. If the subject is somewhat darker than the background (not a lot), the ambient light exposure might (probably will) be reduced up to 1 stop. However, the background in this case will still be greater and thus over exposed. The Flash duration is shortened a bit to reduce the ash exposure so the addition of ash will not produce a subject exposure that is overexposed. As the subject and background become closer in brightness the ash will power down even more. I would expect to see a slight shutter speed increase (1/60 to 1/90 or 1/125) when the ash is turned on and camera is in A mode. The key to the background either over or under is a product of the subject brightness. Sort of a by-product. It just happens. With that said: if you adjust the Ambient light exposure, you will affect the ash component as well. If you like what the ash is doing but want to increase the ambient by 1, you have to adjust the ash by 1 to make sure its exposure is the same as the unbiased setting (I know this will bring on more questions). There is no way to really know exactly what the camera is doing by looking at any controls or readouts. You can infer if you really know the system and really know the brightness levels of subject. When I am really creating, I use manual exposure mode and spot metering. I read the mid tone of the background. Compare it to the subject tones. Determine what shutter speed and aperture settings to use for affect and then dial in my own EV for ash control. Takes practice but I then Know exactly what to expect. If I am in a hurry and shooting print lm, I shoot Program with ash and it looks ne.

before exposure blinking alternately glowing glowing
after exposure blinking blinking blinking
blinking alternately blinking alternately blinking alternately
blinking blinking blinking

blinking alternately

blinking
blinking alternately blinking alternately glowing blinking alternately glowing glowing
blinking blinking alternately glowing blinking blinking blinking
test ash (AEL button) one starting ash (on-camera) and one ash (off-camera) one starting ash (on-camera) and one ash (off-camera) one starting ash (on-camera) and two simultaneous ashes (off- and on-camera) one starting ash (on-camera) and two ashes (off-camera) one starting ash (on-camera) and two ashes (off-camera) one starting ash (on-camera) and two ashes (off-camera); 5400HS ashes approx. 0.5 sec after 3600HS(D) one starting ash (on-camera) and two ashes (off-camera); 5400HS ashes approx. 0.5 sec after 3600HS(D) one starting ash (on-camera) and two ashes (off-camera) 5400HS ashes approx. 0.5 sec after 3600HS(D) undistinguishable from case 1 and 2 undistinguishable from case 1 and 2
F IGURE B.1: Wireless ash experiment setup Table B.3: Wireless ash experiment: results # picture # picture
. continued from previous page # picture

picture

B.2. FLASH TEST ADI/PRE-FLASH/BOUNCE/WIRELESS
To summarize what I got from this experiment: When placing wireless ashes around your subject be careful about distances you place your ashes from the subject and the powers of ashes since you can create different ratios unintentionaly 1.
You can have ratio wireless off-camera ashes even without dedicated wireless ash controller despite what Minolta says in 5400HS ash manual. All you have to do is to set 5400HS to 2:[1] ratio and re the ashes using built-in camera ash. If you have 5400HS on-camera and you have your camera swichted to wireless mode (so that you have WIRELESS word shown on 5400HS display but not WIRELESS CONTROL!) ash works just like ordinary on-camera ash and it is unable to re any wireless ash. You need to set it to WIRELESS CONTROL mode by pressing and holding OPT button to do so. If you have 5400HS on-camera ash set to WIRELESS CONTROL and you need to use it as ll light (2:1) then you need to switch it to WIRELESS CONTROL 2:[1] mode. The way usual for built-in ash (holding ash button on camera body while shooting) seems not to work 2.

Camera bodies

Dynax/Maxxum 600si [10] Minolta 600si Board FAQ, http://w3.one.net/georgek/minolta/MPG/600SI/ [11] Minolta Dynax 600si Brochure, http://www.geocities.com/minolta600sibrochure/minolta600si-brochure-01.html [12] Peter Blaise Monahon, Minolta Alpha 507si and Dynax Maxxum 600si 650si Classic and Panorama Date Photography, http://www.geocities.com/minolta507si600si650si/index.html

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[13] Photodo Minolta lens tests, http://www.photodo.com/prod/lens/minolta.shtml\#Minolta [14] Minolta 35mm F2.8 SHIFT CA Lens, http://members.aol.com/cldphoto/shift_ca.html
[15] Walts, G. Minolta Photographs by Gary Walts Minolta Photographer, http://home.imcnet.net/waltsman/flash.html [16] Brandon, P. Flash Exposure by Phil Brandon from Minolta USA, http://www.geocities.com/minoltacamera/tip/0004.html [17] Greely, J. Tech notes from Glamourcons, http://www.munitions.com/jgreely/ [18] Friedman, G. Friedman Archives Wireless Flash Examples, http://FriedmanArchives.com/flash.htm
Interesting books on photography
[19] Burian P. K., Caputo R. National Geographic photography eld guide: secrets to making great pictures, National Geography Society (U.S.), 1999, ISBN 0-7922-7498-9 (reg.) or 0-7922-7496-2 (dlx.)