Minolta Weathermatic-A User manual
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
When using your camera, the specific cautionary notices in the owner's manual should
always be observed and complied with, as well as basic precautions, including the
following:
1. Read and understand all instructions.
2. Close supervision is necessary when the camera is
used by or near children. Do not leave the camera
unattended while in use.
3. Do not operate the camera if it has been dropped or damaged - until it has been
examined by an authorized Minolta service facility.
4. To protect against electrical shock hazards, do not immerse the camera in water or
other liquids while the camera's back cover is open. Also do not open the back cover
while in or under the water, or while the camera is wet.
5. To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not disassemble this camera, but take it to an
authorized Minolta service facility when some service or repair work is required.
Incorrect reassembly can cause electric shock when the camera is subsequently used.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
2 Your new Minolta Weathermatic-A is the ideal do-anything, go-anywhere
photographic traveling companion. It is just as at home in a backpack on top of a
mountain or skiing down one as it is at the beach or around the pool.
Its rugged watertight construction and 110 format conveniences, such as drop-in
cartridge film loading, built-in electronic flash, and compact size makes taking quality
photos simple and easy in even the most adverse conditions.
Please read this manual carefully all the way through and follow the simple instructions
for the best results and longest service with your camera. Then keep it for later
reference as needed.
4 CONTENTS
NAMES OF PARTS
8
SUMMARY OF OPERATION
12
PREPARATION AND BASICS
16
Opening and closing
the back cover
16
Installing the battery
25
Checking the battery
28
Loading and advancing film
30
Viewfinder
36
Focusing
38
TAKING PICTURES (WITH
EXISTING
LIGHT)
45
FLASH PICTURES
50
UNLOADING THE FILM
55
USING YOUR
WEATHERMATIC-A
IN VARIOUS WEATHER
CON
DITIONS AND PICTURE
TAKING
SITUATIONS
On or near the water
At the beach
In rain, mist or fog
In snow and cold weather
TAKING PICTURES
UNDERWATER .
Focusing
Tips for taking pictures
underwater...
ACCESSORIES
Sportsfinder
MAINTENANCE OF O-
RING
TECHNICAL DETAILS
TROUBLE-SHOOTING
GUIDE
CARE AND STORAGE
57
57
58
59
59
60
60
61
75
75
78
82
90
100
This manual created and
owned by www.butkus.org/
chinon and should only be
located there.
8 NAMES OF PARTS
12 SUMMARY OF OPERATION
1. Make sure camera is completely clean and dry.
2. Lift back-cover release tabs, twist backcover release knobs and open back cover (p.
181.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
3. After installing and checking battery (p. 25), insert film cartridge (p. 30), and press
back cover securely into place and lock it (P. 22).
4. Operate film advance lever repeatedly until first exposure locks in place and the lever
will not move (p. 32).
5. Check and/or clean lens cover glass and set focus for your subject (p. 38).
6. Look through eyepiece and compose subject in viewfinder (p. 36). Depress shutter
release slightly; if red lamp in finder lights at * sun symbol, turn control to (cloud
image) cloud symbol. If it lights at cloud symbol, turn to r' flash symbol and take
picture within flash range when lamp begins to pulsate (p. 50). Always squeeze shutter
release smoothly.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
PREPARATION AND BASICS
Opening and closing the back cover IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER
USE OF THIS CAMERA
The back cover of your Weathermatic-A is equipped with an O-ring that forms a
watertight seal when the cover is properly fitted to the camera body. This enables the
camera to be used under conditions (such as rain, snow, and in or underwater) where
use of conventional cameras is either not recommended or impossible.
IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO ALWAYS BE SURE YOUR WEATHER-
MATIC-A IS COMPLETELY CLEAN AND DRY BEFORE OPENING THE BACK
COVER. ALSO THAT THE BACK COVER'S O-RING IS CLEAN AND IN GOOD
CONDITION BEFORE THE BACK COVER IS CLOSED BY DOING THIS YOU
WILL OBTAIN THE FULL SERVICE LIFE INTENDED FOR THIS SEAL.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
Ouverture et fermeture du dos du boitier
Opening the back cover
1. Hold the camera with the back cover facing you and lift the back-cover release tabs
on both back-cover release knobs. Then turn both back-cover release knobs
counterclockwise in the direction of the arrows until the back cover opens.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
2. Lift the back cover away from the camera body. You can let the back cover hang
from the back-cover connector strap or remove it completely for cleaning by
disengaging the strap from the pin on the back cover.
Be sure never to crease or twist the connector strap.
ONCE THE BACK COVER IS OPEN THE CAMERA IS NO LONGER
WATERTIGHT AND MAY BE DAMAGED IF WATER OR SAND ENTERS THE
CAMERA.
Closing the back cover
1. Make sure that the inside lip of the camera body and back cover's O-ring are clean
and wiped by a soft clean cloth and that the back-cover release knobs are at "OPEN".
Then align the back cover with the camera body.
2. Press both ends of the back cover with your thumbs as shown. Then, with the palm
of your hand, press down on the center of the cover to assure a proper seal.
3. Turn the back-cover release knobs in the direction of the arrows all the way to "
CLOSE" and push the back-cover release tab's locking pins into the holes in the knobs.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
Be sure the back cover is attached to the connector strap before closing.
Installing the battery
Your camera's built-in flash and exposure warning system are powered by one 1.5v
AA-(penlight) size alkaline-manganese (Eveready E91 or equivalent), sealed car-
bonzinc or nickel-cadmium battery.
To install this:
1. With the back cover open, lift the battery-chamber cover as shown.
The battery can be installed or replaced at any time without damage to loaded film.
2. Insert a battery as specified with the plus end out as indicated inside the chamber,
then close and latch the cover.
28 Checking the battery
The battery should be checked immediately after installing and from time to time
thereafter, especially before starting on trips or taking especially important pictures. To
do this, turn on the built-in flash by moving the exposure/function control knob to the
flash symbol. If the finder/monitor lamp lights and begins to pulsate in approximately
10 seconds, the battery is serviceable. If these signals do not light within 30 seconds
make sure a fresh battery is properly inserted or replace an exhausted battery as soon
as it is convenient. To save battery power, be sure to turn the exposure/ function
control knob to either the sun or cloud symbol after checking the battery.
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
•
For taking pictures without battery, see the note on page 48.
Loading and advancing film
1. With the back cover open, lift the tab near the finder eyepiece as shown to open the
film-chamber cover.
3. Close the film-chamber cover and push in on it until it clicks shut.
2. Insert the film cartridge into the camera.
4. Close and latch the camera's water-tight back cover as described on page 22.
5. Use your right thumb to operate the film advance lever repeatedly until it locks (
about three full strokes). A series of 1's should be visible in the film data window to
indicate the first exposure.
•
The shutter release cannot be depressed unless the film advance has been operated
until it locks.
•
Film speed settings are automatically adjusted when a film cartridge is loaded.
However use of high speed films under extremely bright conditions such as beach or
snow scenes is not recommended.
•
Load and unload film in subdued light, never in direct sunlight.
•
When used in cold weather or if the camera is not used for a long period of time,
the winding lever may not return all the way when the film is advanced. If this happens,
push the lever back to its rest position with your thumb.
•
If the film advance lever should stop before winding is complete and there is still
unexposed film in the cartridge, push the lever with your thumb until it moves all the
way to its advance stop. This will free the mechanism and return to operation.
•
If a series of diagonal lines or the film's black paper backing appears in the film-
data window while advancing the film,
do not wind any farther as the film cartridge will be difficult to remove.
36 Viewfinder
Looking into the eyepiece of your Weathermatic-A you will see a bright frame with
focus-symbol settings above it. What you see inside this frame is the approximate
subject area at the three farther focus-knob settings. Pictures at the two closer settings
should be framed within the two short parallax-correction marks near the righthand
corners of the frame.
The red lamp at the right side of the finder lights for low-light warning (see p.48), and
pulsates to indicate recycling when the camera is used in flash operation (p. 50).
This manual created and owned by www.butkus.org/chinon and should only be located
there.
38 Focusing
A large focusing knob with focus symbols simplifies setting focus with your
Weathermatic-A. For sharpest pictures, simply turn this knob so that the index is
opposite the symbol for your subject.
A focus-symbol table is located on the bottom of the camera for easy reference.
Set the knob so that the index is opposite the mountain symbol for scenic pictures at
distances of about 5.3m (17-1/2 ft.) or more from the camera at the cloud symbol; 3.5m
(11 ft.) or more at the sun symbol.
At this distance, the part of a standing adult from about head to ankles can be seen in
the finder bright frame with the camera held horizontally. Subjects from about 3 to 5m
(10 to 16 ft.) will be acceptably sharp at the cloud symbol; from about 2 to 11 m (7 to
36 ft.) at the sun symbol.
The symbol within the yellow dot marks the setting at which most "people-picture"
snapshots are taken (about 3.5m or 11 ft.) and has a click stop to keep it in position.
Table of contents
Other Minolta Digital Camera manuals
Minolta
Minolta Maxxum 450si Panorama Date User manual
Minolta
Minolta X-700 User manual
Minolta
Minolta K-QM-3501E - PART 3 User manual
Minolta
Minolta Dimage Dimage XtBiz User manual
Minolta
Minolta X-700 User manual
Minolta
Minolta CLE - User manual
Minolta
Minolta DYNAX 7 User manual
Minolta
Minolta Dimage RD 3000 User manual
Minolta
Minolta SR-T 101 User manual
Minolta
Minolta DYNAX 7 User manual
Minolta
Minolta Freedom Tele Super User manual
Minolta
Minolta DiMAGE E201 User manual
Minolta
Minolta X-300s User manual
Minolta
Minolta DiMAGE F100 User manual
Minolta
Minolta RIVA ZOOM 105EX User manual
Minolta
Minolta 7000 MAXXUM User manual
Minolta
Minolta MN24Z User manual
Minolta
Minolta K-QM-3501E - PART 5 User manual
Minolta
Minolta DIMAGE G400 User manual
Minolta
Minolta ZOOM 80 User manual
