Film cameras
Minolta AL-S User manual
User manual for Minolta AL-S. 38 pages in English. Read the original PDF, download or print a copy without registration.
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Document details
- Brand
- Minolta
- Model / document
- Minolta AL-S
- Document type
- User manual
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 38
- File size
- 3.1 MB
- Category
- Film cameras
- Document date
- Not specified in catalog
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Page 3 · Read text
We thank you tor your purchaslngMinoltina AL S
Of many cameras, the Minoltina AL-S is a
genuine 35 mm. camera-the most compact preci-
sion 35 mm. camerain the world equippedwith an
exposuremeter and a range-finder. It enableseven
beginners to take good pictures with the very
6rst role of film. It also enables experts who are
not satisfied with EE cameras to create excellent
photographs,using their own inventiveness.
For proper operation of this camera we stlggest
that you carefully read this manual prior to use
www.orphancameras.com
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Contents
Specification..........
Camera parts
How to take pictures .......:.......
How to load film
Shutter speed and diaphragm
How to decide exposure
Depth of field
Table of depth of field....
How to focus
Viewfinder
How to hold camera.....
Unloading film
Taking flash pictures
Self-timer
Accessories...........
'1.*r&l&ai&c, *"*.i- . * .-",""View original page 4Page 5 · Read text
Specif ication
T y p e : Picture size 24X36 mm (standard size) on 35 mm film.
Cross-coupledbuilt-in exposure meter.
L e n s : Rokkor QF f 1.8-40 mm, 6 elements in 4 groups.
Shutter : Seiko SLV, B, L-1/500 and built-in self-timer.
Flash
Syncaronization: M and X contact point.
Exposure Meter'. Zero method, cross-coupled with shutter speed and diaphragm.
Meter working range is EV 6.7-17 (on ASA 100).
Range of
Usable Films: ASA 25 - 800, DIN 15 - 30.
Viewfiner : Lumi-framed viewfinder with coupled range-finder and parallax
correction marks'
Minimum
Focus Distance : 0.8 m (2.6 feet)
Winding of Film: Lever-type winding, automatic shutter cocking, and rotary angle-
140'. Double exposure prevention. Crank type film rewinding.
Counter: Automatic zero return.
Accessories: Lens shade G2 /).
Screwed-in filter (40.5 8).
Size and Weight : 128 (height) X74 (depth) x60 (width) mm.
540 g.
www.orphancameras.com 4J
$o i.:r;Jt*;.sno.Jii,:{;i.i..f,,r. i.',r ^ .i\:.? -.,;r,fgl&{-',.View original page 5Page 9 · Read text
1 . Load the film. 3. Decide shutter speed according to the
(Detailed explanation for loading film amount of light on the object photo-
is given on page 10.) graphed. Set the needle of the ex-
2. Set film speed. posure i ndicator to the fixed po inter
(Set the film speed using the film speed of the black line by turing the dia-
set lever. See page 16.) phragm ring. (This can also be done
by turn ing the shutter speed ring,
af ter the diaphragm is set.)
www.orphancameras.comView original page 9Page 10 · Read text
4. Focus.
When the object is seen through the
viewer as a single image (rather than
a double image), it is in f ocus.
5. Compose picture frame, and press the
shutter release button.
The picture f rame is the area within
the bright f rame inside the viewfinder.
Before taking pictures, make it sure
if M or X is seen in the MXV window.
For general purpose photography, use
the X mark. If V appears, the self
timer is in operation.View original page 10Page 11 · Read text
How to load film
1. Pull up the back locking 3. Hold the groove of the groc,ve ot the film take-
tab in the direction of take-up spool up, turning up spool.
the arrow, and the back the gear at its end with
cover opens automatica. your finger tip until the NOTE: Load and unload in
llv. white groove is showing. subdued light area.
2. Put in film by fitting the 4. Pull the tip of the film
axis of the magazine to out of the magazine and
the rewinding shaft. then insert it into the
www.orphancameras.comView original page 11Page 12 · Read text
Wind the film until its 6. Shut the back cover after
perforations are engaged confirming proper advan- cing of the film. When
with the gears of the pressed slightly, the back
sprocket. If the winding cover shuts automatical-
lv.lever stops on the way,
press the shutter release
button in order to conti- ->
nuing winding.View original page 12Page 13 · Read text
7. Raise up the rewinding 8. When the back cover is closed, a red dot (start mark)
crank and turn it in the appears in the film counter window. Keep turning
direction of the arrow lever until "1" appears. (To do this you must press
to take off the slack left the shutter release after each advance of the winding
in the film. Return the lever.) It is advisable to keep the lens cap on during
crank to its normal this operation.
position. (Since the film counter is automatic, it returns to the
start mark when the back cover is opened.)
9. Now, as you photograph,
the number of pictures
exposed will be shown in
the film counter window.
Notice that the rewind-
ing crank rotates as the
film is advanced. This
indicates proper advance-
ment of the film.
www.orphancameras.com T2View original page 13Page 14 · Read text
Shutter speed and diaphragm
Shutter
The shutter speeddetermines the amount
of light that will strike to the film.
When the shutter speed is raised one
step at the same diaphragm, light
volume is halved. The shutter speed of
this camera ranges from 1 second to
1/500 second. Use B (bulb) for giving
exposuresmore than I second.
The B position, or bulb, enables you to
keep the shutter open as long as the
shutter release button is pressed down.w .m. At speedsslower than )6,s second or B
position, it is advisable to use a tripod
and cable release.
Fast-moving object requires fast shutter
speeds so there will be no blur-\\25
second is recommended for general
photography.View original page 14Page 16 · Read text
When taking pictures outdoors, the aperture opening should be small
(large in F value), while on cloudy day or in a dark place it should
be large (small in F value).
^/-\LJ *F
l 5View original page 16Page 17 · Read text
Horr to decide exposure
1. To set the ASA speed, rnove the film
speed set lever to the speed of the
film being used.
For DIN emulsion. convert into ASA
according to the ASA-DIN conversion
table attached to the back of the
camera.
The dot on the ASA dial represents
ASA 32, 64,125 respectively.
www.orphancameras.comView original page 17Page 18 · Read text
2. When the camera is pointed at the
ob ject to be photographed, you will
see the green needle moves in the
exposure indicator window on top of
the camera.
Turn the shutter speed ring or dia
phragm ring so that the needle lines
up on the golden index.
Then for further shutter speed adjust-
ments, use the diaphragm setting con-
trol. It is suggested that you do this
because the diaphragm ring has inter-
mediate stops while the shutter speed
has not.
ffiffiView original page 18Page 19 · Read text
3. Hints on measuring
A. When taking pictures of fast moving objects, first set the shutter to the fastest
position, turning the diaphragm control.
B.If you want to focus on large group people or on things of deep depth, small
the aperture opening (refer to Depth of Field on P. 19) and adjust the exposure
meter, turning the shutter speed ring. When the shutter speed ring comes to
the center, set it to the stop on either side, then adjust the needle turning the
diaphragm ring. Be careful to hold the camera steady when the shutter speed
is slower than 1/30 second.
C. While taking pictures of people, stand as close as possible.
When shooting a landscape,be careful that no reflection of the sky light enters.
D. The adjustable range of the film speed is ASA 25-800 (DIN 15-30).
E. When using ASA 100 film, the working range of exposuremeter is EV 6.7 (F 1.8,
1/30)-EV 17 (F 22, r/500).
F. The exposure meter will not function if the light is less than EV 6.7
G. If the green needle cannot be made to move by turning the diaphragm ring,
adjust it by turning the shutter speed ring.
H. When using a filter, exposuremust be increasedby the same extent as the light
multiple of the filter. In this case, all you have to do is apply onto the camera
the value obtained through division of ASA speed value by the light multiple
of the filter used
(For instance, when using a filter of "2 times" light multiple for ASA 100 film,
50 (ASA 100-: 2: 50) is set to the camera.)
www.orphancameras.comView original page 19Page 24 · Read text
When out of focus When the subject ls seen double in the diamond, the camera is not properly focused. When in focus As shown in the picture, the object has overlapped in the diamond and is already in focus. The distance of the camera to the sub- ject is indicated on the focusing dial.View original page 24
Page 25 · Read text
As you look through the viewfinder you
Viewf inder will note a white bright frame near the
outer edge. The actual picture you take
will be inside this frame. Make sure your
picture is composed inside the bright frame.
When taking a close-up picture, because
of parallax (the difference between what 'sees' the viewflnder and what the lens
'sees,') you have to compose your picture
inside of the lumi-mark, using as the edges
the hook mark seen on the upper left, the
short line on the upper right and the
vertical line on the lower left.
www.orphancameras.com 24View original page 25Page 27 · Read text
How to hold the camera
There are two basic ways to hold your
camera while taking pictures ; vertical
and hori zontal. Press the shutter
release button gently, supporting the
camera rigidly against your face so it
does not move.
Note : If the number 36 or 20 aPPears
in the film counter window and
the film winding lever f eels
stiff, it means you have come
to the end of the film. For-
cible winding may cut the film
or cause it to be Pulled off
the ma gazine, making rewinding
impossible.
www.orphancameras.com 26View original page 27Page 30 · Read text
Unloading film Before removing the magazine the exposed f ilm must be rewound into the magazine. To do this, simply depress Lift the rewinding crank When all resistance is the rewinding button on and turn it to the direc- gone, open the camera the bottom of the camera. tion of the arrow. As back and take out the It is not necessary to keep the film comes off the magazrne. the button depressed spool, a slight resistance while rewinding - it will is felt. When you feel re- return to its regular posi- sistance, the rewinding is tion when winding the nearly done. lever.View original page 30
Page 33 · Read text
When setting the MXV changing lever to
the "X".
. When setting the MXV changing lever to
the "M".
Setting exposure
1. When using flash bulb or speed-light,
read the corresponding guide number accord-
ing to the film used and the shutter speed.
(The guide numbers are given in the ex-
planation for flash bulbs or speed-lights.)
2. When the guide number is found, diaphragm
or distance to the object is obtained by the
f ollow ing f ormula :
Diaphrasm: o,sif,ia'Su,Jits"if ,o.,
Guide humber
Distance to the object- Diaphragm
www.orphancameras.com 32View original page 33Page 35 · Read text
1. Move the MXV changing lever toward
the direction of the arrow, and you will
see the "V" appear. This sets the self-
timer.
2. After deciding the diaphragm and the
shutter speed, push the shutter release
button.
J . The shutter will be released approximate-
ly 10 seconds later.
(9 When the MXV changing lever is set to
"V", the synchro contact point becomes
"X". When you use a flash-bulb, set the
shutter speed at I/30 second.
www.orphancameras.com 34View original page 35Page 37 · Read text
For enjoying color pictures, we recommend
the Minolta Mini 35 Slide Projector.
It projects slides on a large screen even in
a small room and will give you many hours
of enjoyment.
www.orphancameras.com 36View original page 37From the M. Butkus archive. Original publisher and archive notices are retained.
Check the model and edition against your equipment.
PDF verified 2026-10-10.