[Foto] Minoltian

[Szabo Endre]

Es konyorgom, hasznaljatok a MUG-ot (sokat beideztem most, 
tan nem kell), egy volt Minoltian:-):

http://www.sds.com/mug/

TIPS & TRICKS

6.1     How Do I leave the Film Leader out on my 
Dynax/Maxxum??

This is one of the most frequently questions in the MML.  
With cameras
that accept the Creative Card System you will need the 
Custom (xi)
Card.  Other models not accepting these card require you to 
use a film
leader retreiver to fish the leader back out.  See Section 
6.8 for
Custom card setings.


6.1.1   How do I leave the film leader out on my 9000?

The 9000 and/or the MD-90 always leave the film leader out 
(again, the
9000 is the Maxxum series' only manual advance camera).


6.2     Can I use non AF lenses on my Dynax/Maxxum body.

The Maxxum/Dynax range use a form of checking that ensures 
that a lens
is mounted correctly.  This is primarily to stop any damage 
to the lens
or camera.  To achieve this, if the signals are not read 
correctly
between camera and lens then the shutter is locked.

This is all well and good except if you want to connect to 
a telescope
or a lens not available in AF mount such as a perspective 
control
lens.


6.2.1   How to disable the lens mount check.

It requires pushing two buttons while turning the camera 
off and on
again,

        2/3xi can only be modified by Minolta service
        5xi Function & Spot
        7/9xi function & AEL
        500si AV & selftimer
        600si ISO  lens dismount button
        700si Card & Spot

There is also information about this on the PhotoFax system 
(see 1.2.1).


6.2.2   How do I mount a non AF lens.

You need to purchase a special adapter that will fit your 
Maxxum
mount.  If you have a standard screw mount lens e.g. a 
500mm mirror
lens, you will need a T2 adapter for Minolta AF fit.  These 
are very
common and relatively inexpensive.


6.2.3   ADAPTERS TO USE MD & ADAPTALL ON Minolta AF cameras.

With the high prices of good AF lenses and the wealth of 
manual focus
lenses to suit the Tamron adaptall mount and Minolta MD 
mount this
question keeps cropping up.  Adapters like this provide 
similar
benefits to the Nikon/Pentax FA ranges in transferring over 
lenses from
your previous manual body.

This probably isn't as valid since Minolta have had high 
quality AF
SLR's for 10 + years.


Subject: RE: 700si-MD adapter-Popular Photography June'94
>From Jarvis:

   In this issue on page 52, it is stated that
     "You can use non-Maxxum mount lenses.....     you can 
use many Minolta  MD lenses and other makes with proper non-
Minolta adapters...."

    If you have tried to use a MD lens on your 700si or 
7000, what was your
    experience?  What adapter did you use?  Is the image 
quality degrade
    sufficiently by the adapter?  Why does the article say 
many Minolta
    MD lenses instead ofall?

ANSWER

I have used the adapter on my 7xi with MC W-Rokkor 35mm 
f/1.8, MD 24-35
zoom, and Tamron 90mm f/2.5 Macro, with the MD adapter.  I 
am very
pleased with the results.  It is well worth the money, if 
you some old
MC and MD lenses you want to keep and yet take advantage of 
the new
metering systems, auto bracketing, etc, etc.  I highly 
recommend it.

I don't know why the author wrote "many MD lenses."  I 
don't know what
the restrictions are. I would have assumed all MD lenses 
would work.
Someone else will have to answer that question.  Regards.


The adapter is a Soligor 7000/9000 + MD.  There is no other 
marking.
Yes, there is a minute optic but I see no differences in 
focal length
so it is not a teleconverter.  The Tamron adapter is simply 
the Maxxum
adapter for Tamron lenses.


6.3     EXTENSION TUBES

>>Phil Bradon at Minolta USA uses a Kenko, which has been 
indicated is
>>available from B&H, as I recall.  It is a 25mm tube.  
There also is a
>>set for the original Maxxum and "i" series cameras, and I 
believe one
>>was 8mm and another was 13mm.  They don't, however, AF.
>
>I don't expect any extension tube to AF, especially when 
dealing with
>macrophotography.  I'll talk to B&H and see what I can 
come up with.
>Thanks.

On the bright side, extension tubes are available.  They 
are made in
Japan by "Kenko".  Apparently there are two made, one (non-
AF) set for
the original and "i" series Maxxums, that will give 1x 
capability to a
standard 50mm lens.  The other supports AF, for the "xi" 
and "si"
series.  This tube is 25mm long.  Mr.  Bradon notes that he 
uses one of
the 25mm tubes, and that they are stackable.  It is NOT 
recommended
that the "i" series tube be used on the "xi" or "si" 
bodies, as the
bodies could be damaged.

- Dennis

> I look in the Adorama's catalog, I don't see any 
extention tube for
> Minolta AF camera.
>     So what what type of extention tube do you use ? Can 
you still do
> AF and the metering still work ?
>

B&H I was told by the folks at Minolta carry the "Kenko" AF 
extension
tube for the Maxxum. It is labeled for the "xi", but should 
be useable
on the earlier Maxxums as well. It is 25mm long.

Kenko also makes a set of non-AF extension tubes. The folks 
at Minolta
expressly said NOT to use it on the "xi" and later series 
cameras, as
it could damage the camera. This set is shorter than the AF 
version.

        Both sets are stackable.
  Bruce Burden            bruceb at mpd.tandem.com         
Tandem Computers Inc.


6.4     A SOURCE OF SPECIAL ADAPTERS

From: Bob Easton 
Subject: SRB address (was Re: adaptors)

| > If all else fails there is a company in the UK (called 
SRB) who will make
| > custom adaptors to fit anything to anything.  The only 
caveat is that some
| > conversions lose infinity focus.  I haven't taken them 
up on it yet, but I
| > did get a quote from them to make a Minolta/Contax 
adaptor so I can fit my
| > 7xi to a Contax bellows.
|
|       I would definitely be interested in the address for 
SRB. Please
|     post the address to this list,

The address is :

       SRB Film Service
       286 Leagrave Road
       Luton
       Bedfordshire
       LU3 1RB
       UK

and the phone number is (+44) 582 572471
                    fax (+44) 582 572535



6.5     MAKING YOUR OWN REMOTE RELEASE CORD.


The meaning of each pin is :

 Back of the camera               Front of the camera

                      o   o   o
                      C   F   S

        C for Common
        F for Focus
        S for Shutter release.

The way to activate focus is to connect C and F, and for 
the release, C
and S.

But there is still a problem : The question of the switch 
is not so
trivial :  The Minolta remote cord allow, on the same 
switch, to focus,
and if pushed a bit more, to release the shutter. And to 
lock the
switch with shutter released for long pause. It's possible 
to implement
this with 2 switches, but what appens if the focus switch 
is held when
the release switch is pushed ? Or if the focus switch is 
held while the
shutter is released in pause mode ? I don't want to try 
this sort of
experimentation on my camera.

Scott, did you find a switch with all these functions ? or 
do you have
2 switches ?

Anyway, for the connector, I had another solution from the 
news : It's
to buy the cord which connect the camera to the IC R1 
infrared remote
device. The only problem is that this device only deal with 
the shutter
release and I'm afraid that this cord only have two pins 
connected.


From: SCOTTK at MAINE.maine.edu (Scott Kimball)
Date:    Wed, 20 Jul 94 16:55:56 EDT

The question was asked, Did I find a switch like Minolta 
uses, or did I
use 2 switches.

The answer: I used 2 switches in the following way:

A push-on, push-off single pole, single throw switch 
enables focus.  A
momentary single pole, double throw switch de- activates 
focus and
activates the shutter with one push.

 (Pins are drawn in          F    C    S
  incorrect order            |    |    |
  for ease of          |--/--|    |    |
  drawing --     (foc) |SPST      | ___|
  C F S is the         |--------|_|_|
  correct order)                SPDT
                                (shutter)

Please forgive the crude drawing. Wired this way, using 
autofocus mode,
you can first press the focus button to enable the 
autofocus.  Then,
when the camera has focused, press the shutter release 
button (the SPDT
button) to switch instantly from "focus" to "fire" (and 
back again if
you use the momentary switch).  If you are manually 
focusing, you need
not first press the focus button, and the shutter will 
still trip when
you press the shutter release.  If you do first press the 
focus button
and the camera is in manual focus mode, nothing happens 
because
autofocus is not on.

In a way, I like a 2 button setup better than a 1 button 
setup, because
there is less chance of accidently firing off a shot. The 
only thing
this doesn't have is a locking feature to lock the shutter 
open, but it
shouldn't be hard to come up with a mechanical method of 
locking the
button down.

As far as experimenting with this and the possibility of 
damaging the
camera, as long as you don't introduce any current into the 
circuit
there won't be a problem.  The only other damage you could 
do is
bending or breaking a pin in the camera socket if you make 
a connector
that doesn't fit well and try to force it.


6.6     MINOLTA WINDERS WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCES??

Bruce T. Ritchie, JOAT writes:
>
>      Also, can anyone tell me the difference between 
Minolta winders
> `D' and `G'?  Thanks!
>

The answer is really very simple: the Minolta Winder D fits 
under the
XD-series (XD11, etc.) whereas the Winder G can be used 
with both the
XG-M and the X-series (X-700, etc.). Due to differences 
in 'layout',
both winder types are not compatible. Apart from the Winder 
G (2 fps)
there's also the Motor Drive I (4.5 fps) for the XG-M and 
the X-series.
There is no motordrive for the XD-series

:-( Paul F. van Soest                              E-Mail: 
pfvsoest at bio.vu.nl


6.7     REPLACEMENT MANUALS

Don't forget to check the Minolta web site!

On Mon, 22 Aug 1994, Kent Anderson wrote:

>       Welcome to the list!  Minolta manuals are available 
for $5-8 each
> directly from Minolta.  Call Minolta and tell the 
operator/receptionist

I recieved a free photocopy of the manual for my XG7 after 
writing a
letter to the parts dept. I had just asked for the 
availability of a
manual, and they sent me the copy. Though it might be 
because that's
all they had.

The address is:

Minolta Corporation
c/o Parts Department
101 Williams Drive
Ramsey, NJ 07446


6.8     CUSTOM CARD FUNCTIONS

From: "James B. Laird" 
Subject: Custom function card settings

1. Selectable exposure modes
        You can decide whether aperture-priority, shutter 
priority,
        and/or metered manual exposure modes should be 
selectable
        or not.
2. Focus-hold button on 70-210mm and 100-300mm zoom lenses
        You can decide whether the function of the focus-
hold
        button should be to hold focus, to select center-
area focus-
        ing, or to select continuous autofocus.
3. Shutter speed (M and S exposure modes)
        You can decide whether shutter speeds should be 
selectable
        in 1-EV steps or 1/2-EV steps.
4. Slow shutter speed warning (P and A exposure modes)
        You can cancel the slow shutter speed alarm so that 
it will
        not sound even if the camera's main switch is set 
to do so.
5. Film counter
        You can decide whether film counter should count 
normal-
        ly or should count down frames remaining.
6. Film rewind start
        You can decide whether film rewinding should be 
started
        automatically or manually.
7. Film leader
        You can decide whether or not the leader of the 
film should
        be completely rewound into the film cartridge.

The 700si and *xi* work with the same card - in fact the 
non-xi card
will not work at all with the 700si.

On Friday, Oct 7 I inadvertently listed the functions of 
the plain
vanilla Custom Function card instead of the Custom Function 
Card xi.

Here are the xi card function settings:

1.  Film counter:
        Setting 1: Displays number of frames shot.
        Setting 2: Displays frames remaining.

2.  Start of film rewind:
        Setting 1: Automatic.
        Setting 2: Manual.

3.  Film tip:
        Setting 1: Rewound into cartridge.
        Setting 2: Left out of cartridge.

4.  DX memory:
        Setting 1: Off.
        Setting 2: On.

5.  Program flash control:
        Setting 1: Autoswitchover.
        Setting 2: Manual switchover.

6.  Focus-hold button:
        Setting 1: Focus hold.
        Setting 2: Center-area select.
        Setting 3: Continuous AF.

7.  Eyepiece sensor activation:
        Setting 1: By grip switch.
        Setting 2: By main switch.


6.9     PORTRAIT CARD SETTINGS

(For use with Dynax/Maxxum 5000i/7000i/8000i)
This Creative Expansion Card uses a special exposure 
program to provide
the appropriate depth of field for portraits. The program 
automatically
adjusts the aperture and shutter speed so that the subject 
stands out
from the background.

[ info on loading card in to camera and turning it on 
deleted ]

TAKING PICTURES
To take pictures, aim the camera at the subject and press 
the
shutter-release button. Exposure will be adjusted 
automatically to
provide the appropriate depth of field for the subject 
distance and the
focal length of the lens in use.

o Exposure mode will automatically set to program mode and 
cannot
  be changed. Program shift is not possible.

o Focus mode will be set to autofocus mode and focus will 
be set
  to infinity. For best results do not use manual focus.

o When the card is inserted after a Program/Maxxum Flash 
2000i/3200i
  has been attached to the camera, the flash will 
automatically
  switch on and start charging. The flash can be turned off 
if not
  desired.

o Many photographers find that a medium telephoto lens 
(more than
  75 mm) offer the most pleasing results for taking 
portraits.

------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
 Kelly Jarman           kjarman at sedona.intel.com        
(602) 554-2963
 Intel, Corp.