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Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko K.K. 1937-62 (1962- Minolta Camera Co. Ltd.)

Minolta AL

Minolta AL

Minolta AL was manufactured in 1961 and it has a sister-model Minolta A5 , which has a similar specification, exept it has not a light meter. The lens is Rokkor PF, 1:2 f/45mm and a shutter is Optiper Citicen MLT with speeds B, 1 - 1/1000sec. Also a simplified model with 2,8 lens and 1 - 1/500sec. shutter was available.
Minolta AL is a remarkably well finished, sturdily built rangefinder. First with a built in exposure meter and the last of rhe big heavy weighters. The successors, like Minolta AL-F or Minolta Hi-Matic are considerably smaller, thus built by the high Minolta standards as well.Minolta logo

A hard competition and hugely increased developing costs are forcing camera makers to integrate.As a consequence of this a new Corporate Group has been created through the merger of two companies, Konica and Minolta

Specifications  
  • Type: 35mm (135) fixed lens rangefinder
  • Lens: Minolta Rokkor PF 1,2 f/45mm
  • Shutter: Optiper Citizen MLT , 1 to 1/1000 sec.
  • Finder: Optical viewfinder with superimposed rangefinder and parallax correction
  • Exposure meter: Coupled selenium meter /manual aperture/speed-choice / 10 to 800 ASA
  • Film advance: Lever on the camera top, exposure counter in the camera bottom, fold-out rewind crank on the left side of the camera top, rewind release button on the bottom
Minolta Hi-Matic 9

Minolta Hi-Matic 9

The eulogy in the Minolta brochure is, thus it is an advertise, also a good description about the features of the Minolta's top-of the line fixed lens rangefinder in 1966. You may notice the rather low emphasis on the fully manual feature. In 1966 it was not an asset.


"Since its introduction, the Minolta Hi-Matic 9 has been hailed as the world's most versatile automatic camera.
With its wide range of automatic features, your new Minolta Hi-matic 9 can make picture taking easier, more foolproof than ever before possible. For example, the automatic electric eye in the Minolta Hi-Matic 9 is based on the patented "CLC" system to provide unsurpassed exposure accuracy, even in high contrast situations.
in addition, your new Minolta Hi-matic 9 has many other outstanding features not found on any other 35mm camera — ready to make photography truly "as easy as pressing a button". These include Minolta's "SLS" system for rapid, fumble-free loading and "Easy Flash" for automatic flash photography.
For special photographic techniques, such as deliberate under or over exposure, your new Minolta Hi-Matic 9 may also be used semi-automatically or manually. No other camera in the world offers this versatility."

Specifications

Lens: Rokkor PF 45mm F/1.7 6 elements in 5 groups
Diaphragm : Click  stops  at  each  engraved  aperture scale:      f/1.7, f/2.8,  f/4,  f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16
Filter  Mount : 55mm,   screw-in
Lens Shade Mount : 57mm, slip-on
Shutter * SEIKO-FLA fully automatic programmed shutter with manual control   and  "eosy   flash"system.
Automatic Operation ; EV 5.5  (f/1.7 at  1/15 sec.)  to EV   17  (f/22 at   1/250 sec.)
Manual  Operation : B,   1,1/2,   1/4,   1/8,   1/15,   1/30,   1/60,  1/125,   1/250 and 1/500 sec.    in engraved click stops.
Synchro Contact: X contact (M class bulb synchronizes at   1/30 sec,  electronic flash at all speeds)
Self-Timer: About  10 seconds delay on manual control.
Film Counter : Automatic  resetting counter   shows   number of  frames exposed
Film Rewinding ; Rapid rewind crank
Frame  Size : 36x24mm
Finder: Tinted bright frame viewfinder with automatic  parallax correction.
Viewfinder information: Needle in  the viewfinder  shows the   proper EV number. Over and under exposure warning, correct flash exposure signal and battery condition.
Focusing : Direct helicoid  focusing coupled to super-imposed rangefinder Minimum Focusing Distance: 3 ft.(0.9m)
"Easy Flash System": Aperture is automaticalIly controlled  by  setting  number on  lens.
Guide Number Setting : Underside of  the lens  barrel, (ft)  32-260,  (m)   10-80
Exposure Meter: Built  in  CLC   (Contrast Light Compensator)   exposure  meter  in   the  Iens   barrel   coupled to programmed shutter. automatically compensates for filters or  lens attachments.
Film Speed Range : ASA 25-800,  DIN 
Working Range : 15-30EV 5.5  (f/1.7 at   1/15 sec,)  to EV  17(f/22 at  1/250)  with any film.
Battery : Mallory RM-625 or equivalent.
Other Features: SLS (Safety Loading S ignal)  shows proper film load and transport.
  Easy loading with specially designed multiple-slot take-up spool.
  Cordless and cord flash contact.
Size/ Weight: H: 82mm x W:140mm x D: 74mm / 760g (27.4 oz.)

 

Three bits of Minolta´s History

# The Minolta Co. Ltd., was established by Kazuo Tashima in November, 1928 under the name "Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shoten". Minoltas first camera was Nifcalette , 40 x 65mm on 127 film. It was a folding camera with scale-estimation focusing.

# In 1931 came Arcadia a Folding dry-plate camera using the first ever Japanese shutter. In 1958 was introduced Minolta SR-2 , Minoltas first 35mm SLR system camera.

# Announcement and completion of the Konica and Minolta merger in 2003.

Rokkor PF
   

Hi, I´m Bingo and I´m Re-usable
I wonder, who ate the candies?

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Pingo
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