MINOLTA Weathermatic-a Owners 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.



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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

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chinon and should only be
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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• 
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).

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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.