Konica Minolta MAXXUM 50 manual

I NSTRUCTION M ANUAL[...]

2 F OR PROPER AND SAFE USE FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE Read and understand all warnings and cautions before using this product. Using batteries improperly can cause them to leak harmful solutions, overheat, or explode which may damage property or cause personal injury . Do not ignore the following warnings: • Only use the batteries specified in this [...]

3 • Do not disassemble this product. Electric shock may cause injury if a high voltage circuit inside the product is touched. • Immediately remove the batteries and discontinue use if the camera is dropped or subjected to an impact in which the interior , especially the flash unit, is exposed. The flash has a high voltage circuit which may caus[...]

4 F OR PROPER AND SAFE USE • Do not point the product directly at the sun. If sunlight is focused on an inflammable surface, a fire may result. Replace the lens cap when the product is not in use. • Do not use or store the product in a hot or humid environment such as the glove compartment or trunk of a car . It may damage the product and batte[...]

5 Konica Minolta is a trademark of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. Dynax and Maxxum are trademarks of Konica Minolta Camera, Inc. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the follow- ing two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, inc[...]

6 T ABLE OF CONTENTS T ABLE OF CONTENTS Thank you for purchasing this camera. Please take time to read this manual so that you can enjoy all the features of your new camera. Names of parts ...............................................................................8 Data panel .....................................................................[...]

7 Exposure warning - Program .............................................37 Exposure modes ................................................................38 Aperture priority - A ...........................................................39 Shutter priority - S .............................................................40 About shutter speeds..[...]

8 N AMES OF P ARTS NAMES OF P AR TS *This camera is a sophisticated optical instrument. Care should be taken to keep these surfaces clean. Please read the care and storage instructions in the back of this manual (p. 60). Shutter-release button (p. 21) Function button Function dial / Main switch (p. 36) Lens release (p. 13) Remote-control receiver ([...]

9 T ripod socket Exposure-compensation button (p. 42) Accessory shoe Manual-rewind button (p. 29) Back-cover release (p. 16) Viewfinder* Data panel Film window Flash-mode button (p. 24) Drive-mode button (p. 32) Battery-chamber door (p. 14) Strap eyelet (p. 12)[...]

10 N AMES OF P ARTS DA T A P ANEL 2. Subject program icons (p. 26) 1 1. Manual-focus indicator (p. 47) 3. Exposure-compensation indicator (p. 42) 5. Aperture display 6. Battery-condition indicator (p. 15) 7. Remote-control indicator (p. 32, 34, 45) (Date model) 8. Frame counter 9. Film-transport signals 10. Cartridge mark 14. Flash-mode indicators [...]

11 VIEWFINDER Flash indicator (p. 25) Wide focus frame Spot focus area (p. 46) Focus signal (p. 22) Exposure indicators[...]

Pass the tip of the strap through the camera’s strap eyelet from below and then the holder ring (1). Attach the strap so the tip comes between the strap and the camera. Thread the tip of the strap through the inside of the buckle and pull to tighten (2). Leave some slack in the camera strap so the tip may be threaded through the buckle easily . P[...]

13 Align the red mounting index on the lens and camera body (1). Carefully insert the lens into the mount, then turn it clockwise until it clicks into the locked position. Do not insert the lens at an angle. If it does not fit, check its orientation with the index marks. Never force the lens. Press the lens release all the way in (1) and turn the l[...]

14 G ETTING ST ARTED Slide the battery-chamber release in the direction shown, and open the door . Setting the camera down with the battery-chamber door open may damage the camera. Insert the batteries as indicated on the diagram next to the battery chamber-door . Confirm the positive and negative battery terminals are oriented correctly . The came[...]

15 BA TTERY -CONDITION INDICA TOR Full-battery indicator - power is sufficient for all camera operations. Low-battery indicator - indicator blinks. All functions are operational, but the batteries need to be replaced soon. Flash recycling time may be slow . Low-battery warning - indicator blinks and no other indicators appear on the data panel. Pow[...]

Slide the back-cover release down to open the camera. Never touch the shutter curtain with your fingers or the film leader . The curtain’s precision design is extremely sensitive to pressure. Always load or remove the film under subdued light to reduce the chances of fogging. The camera automatically sets the correct film speed (ISO) with DX-code[...]

17 Close the back cover . The camera automatically advances the film to the first frame. T ake care not to catch the strap when closing the cover . If the film is loaded correctly , the frame counter indicates the first frame. The film speed (ISO) is displayed on the data panel for 5 seconds. If the film is loaded incorrectly , 0 blinks in the fram[...]

18 G ETTING ST ARTED SETTING DA TE AND TIME - DA TE MODEL T urn the function dial to the date select position (SEL); the calendar is displayed on the data panel. The date format is year , month, day . The camera’s clock and calendar need to be set for date imprinting. The date blinks on the data panel when the camera is turned on if the clock and[...]

19 T urn the camera on and off with the function dial. The camera stores the current date and time in a memory register each time the camera is turned off or on. Change the batteries as described on page 14. T urn the camera on. If normal data panel display appears, the clock and calendar did not reset. When the batteries have been removed, the cam[...]

20 B ASIC OPERA TION Grip the camera firmly with your right hand, while supporting the lens with your left. Keep your elbows at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart to hold the camera steady . Keep the camera strap around your neck or wrist in the event you accidentally drop the camera. HANDLING THE CAMERA The use of a tripod is recommended[...]

21 T AKING A PICTURE 1 2 Place the subject in the wide focus frame. If using a zoom lens, rotate the zooming ring to frame the subject. Press the shutter release button partway down to activate the autofocus and exposure systems (1). The viewfinder focus signal (p. 22) confirms focus. If the focus signal blinks, repeat the procedure. If the flash i[...]

22 B ASIC OPERA TION FOCUS SIGNALS SPECIAL FOCUSING SITUA TIONS Focus locked. The viewfinder focus signal indicates the status of the autofocus system. Focusing time can be longer with macro or telephoto lenses, or in low light conditions. When the camera cannot focus, the subject may be too close or a special focus situations may be preventing the[...]

23 FOCUS LOCK Center your subject in the wide focus frame, then press the shutter-release button partway down to lock focus (1). The focus is locked when focus signal appears in the viewfinder . If the signal blinks, the camera was unable to focus; repeat the procedure. The exposure is locked with focus. Releasing the shutter button cancels focus l[...]

24 B ASIC OPERA TION FLASH MODES The built-in flash is designed to be used with lenses with focal lengths from 28mm of longer . When using lenses shorter than 28mm, the corners of the image will not be fully illuminated. Remove the lens hood to prevent lens shadowing, see page 55. The shutter will not release while the flash is charging. Push down [...]

ISO400 25 The viewfinder flash signal indicates the status of the flash. If the flash signal does not blink after taking the picture, the subject was not within the flash range. FLASH SIGNALS ISO 100 f/4.0 f/5.6 1.0 ~ 3.0m / 3.3 ~ 9.8 ft. 1.0 ~ 2.1m / 3.3 ~ 6.9 ft. The range of the built-in flash depends on the speed of the film and the aperture us[...]

26 B ASIC OPERA TION SUBJECT PROGRAMS Subject programs optimize the camera system for specific conditions or subjects. Five subject programs are available. Portrait - optimized to create sharp images of the subject with a soft background. Most portraits look best at a telephoto setting; the long focal length does not exaggerate facial features and [...]

27 Close-up - the camera selects the optimum aperture and shutter speed combination to photograph at short object distances. For best results use a macro lens or a macro capable zoom lens. Focusing time can be longer with macro lenses. The use of a tripod is recommended. The built-in flash will overexpose subjects closer than 1.0m (3.3 ft.). Use fl[...]

28 B ASIC OPERA TION FILM REWIND Slide the back-cover release down to open the camera and remove the film. Close the back cover taking care not to catch the strap. T o load a new roll of film, see page 16. W ait until the film is completely rewound; zero (0) is displayed on the frame counter and the cartridge mark blinks on the data panel to indica[...]

29 The film can be rewound manually before the roll is finished. Gently press the manual-rewind button using a pen to begin rewinding the film. Only use blunt objects. Sharp objects may damage the camera. W ait until the film is completely rewound; zero (0) is displayed on the frame counter and the cartridge mark blinks on the data panel to indicat[...]

30 A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY Photography can be a rewarding pursuit. It is a broad and disciplined field that can take years to master . But the pleasure in making photographs and the joy of capturing a magical moment cannot be compared. The guide is an introduction to some basic photographic principles. A SHORT GUIDE TO PHOTOGRAPHY The lens ape[...]

31 The shutter controls not only exposure, but also the ability to stop motion. Fast shutter speeds are used in sport photography to stop action. Slow shutter speeds can be used to show the flow of motion such as water cascading over a waterfall. The use of a tripod is recommended with slow shutter speeds. The term “stop” comes from the name of[...]

32 A DV ANCED OPERA TION DRIVE MODES The drive modes control how pictures are captured. The remote-control drive mode is only available with the date model. T o change the drive mode, press the drive-mode button (1) until the appropriate mode is displayed on the data panel. Single-frame advance - to take a single image each time the shutter-release[...]

33 The maximum frame rate with continuous advance is 1.7 frames per second with a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster , no flash, single-shot AF or manual focus, fresh batteries and no date imprinting. AF Zoom xi and Power Zoom lenses cannot be zoomed when taking pictures with continuous advance. The frame rate is affected by the shutter speed and use[...]

Point the remote control toward the camera and press the release or the delay button. If the built-in flash pops up when the release button is pressed, wait a few seconds for the flash to charge and then press the release button again. The delay button (1) delays the release of the shutter for two seconds; the flash fires four times before the shut[...]

35 The supplied eyepiece cap prevents light from entering through the viewfinder and affecting the exposure meter or fogging the film when using the self-timer or remote control, or during long exposures. A TT ACHING THE EYEPIECE CAP Slide the eyepiece cap over the viewfinder from below . The cap should be attached to the camera strap to prevent lo[...]

36 A DV ANCED OPERA TION FUNCTION DIAL Manual ISO (p. 51) Exposure modes (p. 38) Focus modes (p. 47) Power off Exposure bracketing / Multiple exposure (p. 48) Date imprinting (p. 52) (Date model only) Date and time setup (p. 18) (Date model only) The function dial controls many of the cameras creative functions and camera operations. For descriptio[...]

37 ABOUT FULL-AUTO PROGRAM Full-auto program completely automates the picture- taking process. When the function dial is turned to or from this position, the following are reset: Exposure compensation (p. 42) Off Multiple exposure (p. 48) Autoflash Flash mode (p. 24) Wide focus frame Focus area (p. 46) AF Focus mode (p. 47) Single-frame advance Dri[...]

38 A DV ANCED OPERA TION EXPOSURE MODES The exposure modes control how the shutter speeds and aperture are changed. Four modes are available. T urn the function dial to the exposure-mode position (1). While pressing the function button (2), turn the control dial (3) until the appropriate exposure mode is displayed on the data panel. Release the fun[...]

39 APERTURE PRIORITY - A Aperture priority is selected with the function dial (p. 36). The aperture not only controls exposure, but also depth of field, the area in front of the camera that appears sharp, see page 30. If the required exposure is beyond the shutter speed range, the shutter-speed display blinks on the data panel. One of the viewfinde[...]

3 40 SHUTTER PRIORITY - S Shutter priority is selected with the function dial (p. 36). Shutter speeds not only control exposure, but also the apparent sharpness of moving objects, see page 30. If the required exposure is beyond the aperture range, the aperture display blinks on the data panel and in the viewfinder . One of the viewfinder exposure i[...]

41 ABOUT SHUTTER SPEEDS WHA T IS AN ƒ-NUMBER? The shutter speed used for each exposure is displayed on the data panel. The following notation is used: The reciprocal is used for shutter speeds from 1/2000 second to 1/3 second. 125 is 1/125 second. For shutter speeds of a half a second or longer , a quote mark is used to denote whole seconds. 1”5[...]

42 A DV ANCED OPERA TION EXPOSURE COMPENSA TION Camera exposure can be changed by as much as ± 3.0 Ev to make the final image lighter or darker . For information on Ev , see page 31. Exposure compensation can only be used with program, aperture- priority , and shutter-priority exposure modes. Press and hold the exposure- compensation button (1) an[...]

43 –2.0Ev –1.0Ev Metered exposure Exposure compensation is used when the camera’ s exposure meter is deceived by high-key or low-key subjects. For example, a very bright scene, such as a snowy landscape or a white sandy beach, can appear too dark in the final image. Before taking the picture, adjusting the exposure by +1 or +2 EV will result [...]

44 A DV ANCED OPERA TION MANUAL EXPOSURE - M Manual exposure is selected with the function dial (p. 36). For more on aperture and shutter control, see page 30. Bulb exposures can also be made, see next page. T o use fill flash, press the flash-mode (3) button to raise the flash. The flash exposure is controlled automatically by the camera. The shut[...]

The optional IR Remote Control RC-3 can be used to open and close the shutter for bulb exposures in the remote-control drive mode (p. 32). The delay button (1) delays the release of the shutter for two seconds; the flash fires four times before the shutter opens. The release button (2) fires the shutter without a delay; the flash fires once before [...]

46 A DV ANCED OPERA TION FOCUS AREA SELECTION The AF focus area can be specified. Four options are available. T urn the function dial to the focus area selection position (1). While pressing the function button (2), turn the control dial (3) until the appropriate focus area is displayed on the data panel. Release the function button. 1 2 3 Wide foc[...]

47 The metered exposure may be different between autofocus and manual focus. FOCUS MODES T o use manual focus, turn the focusing ring on the lens until the viewfinder image is sharp. The AF system can assist focusing. Place the subject in the focus frame. While pressing the shutter-release button partway down (4), turn the focusing ring until the f[...]

48 A DV ANCED OPERA TION T urn the function dial to the exposure bracketing / multiple exposure position (1). While pressing the function button (2), turn the control dial (3) until appropriate function is displayed on the data panel. Release the function button. 1 2 3 EXPOSURE BRACKETING / MUL TIPLE EXPOSURES Multiple exposure - to expose two or m[...]

49 1.0 Ev bracket The order of the bracketing series is normal exposure, underexposure, and overexposure. The built-in or accessory flash cannot be used with bracketing; the flash is automatically canceled. 0.5 Ev bracket Normal Under Over Changing the drive mode (p. 32) to single- frame advance, self-timer , or remote control allows each frame to [...]

50 A DV ANCED OPERA TION T o make more than two exposures, press the function button and turn the control dial counterclockwise to stop “ME” blinking after the initial exposure. An unlimited number of exposures can be made by repeating this procedure. The camera meter indicates the required exposure for a single picture. Depending on the scene,[...]

51 MANUAL ISO The film speed can be set manually from ISO 6 to ISO 6400 in 1/3 Ev steps. T urn the function dial to the ISO position (1). While pressing the function button (2), turn the control dial (3) until the appropriate ISO is displayed on the data panel. Release the function button to complete the operation. 1 2 3 The film speed of a loaded [...]

52 A DV ANCED OPERA TION DA TE IMPRINTING - DA TE MODEL T urn the function dial (1) to the date position. While pressing the function button (2), turn the control dial (3) to select date imprinting, time imprinting, or imprinting off. Three formats are available with date imprinting. The date indicator remains on the data panel to show imprinting i[...]

53 AF ILLUMINA TO R The built-in flash is used as an AF Illuminator . When the scene is too dark for the camera to focus, the built-in flash fires a few short bursts when the shutter-release button is pressed partway down to provide the light necessary for the camera to focus. The range of the AF Illuminator is approximately 1 to 5 m ( 3.3 to 16.4 [...]

54 A CCESSORY NOTES ACCESSOR Y NOTES This product is designed to work with accessories manufactured and distributed by Konica Minolta. Using accessories or equipment not endorsed by Konica Minolta may result in unsatisfactory performance or damage to the product and its accessories. Only Minolta A-mount lenses can be used with this camera. For the [...]

55 Lens shadowing occurs when the lens or lens hood blocks part of the output from the built-in flash. Lens shadowing appears as a semi-circular shadow at the bottom (horizontal pictures) or side (vertical pictures) of the image. Remove the lens hood before using the built-in flash. Lens shadowing may occur with the following lenses at the shorter [...]

56 A CCESSORY NOTES ACCESSORY FLASH NOTES When using an accessory flash, the viewfinder flash signals are the same for the built-in flash (p. 25). The following flash units are compatible with this camera: Program/Maxxum Flash 5600HS (D) Program/Maxxum Flash 3600HS (D) Program/Maxxum Flash 2500 (D) Contact your Konica Minolta dealer for information[...]

57 This manual contains information on products and accessories available at the time of printing. T o obtain compatibility information for products not contained in this manual, contact a Konica Minolta service facility . ABOUT FLASH METERING The metering mode switches automatically for both the built-in and accessory flash depending on the lens i[...]

58 T ROUBLESHOOTING Contact your nearest Konica Minolta Service Facility if the following information does not cover the problem or the condition continues. TROUBLESHOOTING Problem Cause Solution Autofocus does not work when the shutter-release button is pressed partway down. A special focusing situation is preventing the AF system from focusing (p[...]

59 Flash picture is too dark. Subject is beyond flash range. Make sure the subject is within the flash range. When using the built-in flash, the bottom of the picture is dark. Lens hood was attached or subject distance was less than 1m (3.3ft). Remove the lens hood. T o prevent lens shadowing, the subject must be at least 1m (3.3ft.) from the camer[...]

60 C ARE AND STORAGE When storing your camera for extended periods: • Always attach the protective caps. • Store in a cool, dry , and well-ventilated area away from dust and chemicals such as moth balls. For long periods, place the camera in an airtight container with a silica gel drying agent. • Periodically release the camera’s shutter to[...]

61 • If you have questions about your camera, contact your local camera dealer or write to the Konica Minolta distributor in your area. • Before shipping your camera for repair , please contact an authorized Konica Minolta service facility for instructions. QUESTIONS AND SERVICE • If the camera or lens barrel is dirty , wipe it gently with a [...]

62 A PPENDIX TECHNICAL SPECIFICA TIONS Camera type: 35mm SLR with built-in flash and autoexposure. Lens mount: Minolta A-type bayonet mount Viewfinder: SLR roof mirror type, 90% field of view . Magnification: 0.75X Shutter type: Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane type. Shutter speeds: 30 - 1/2000s, bulb Flash sync. speed: 1/9[...]

63 Film loading: Auto load Rewind: Auto and manual rewind. Frame counter: Shows number of exposures taken. Flash guide number: 12 (ISO 100 in meters) 39 (ISO 100 in feet) Flash coverage: 28mm focal length lens. Power source: T wo CR2 lithium batteries Battery performance: Flash use 0% 50% 100% Condition A Condition B 20°C/68°F -10°C/14°F 20°C/[...]

© 2003 Konica Minolta Camera, Inc. under the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention. 9222-2169-1 1 NI-A312 Printed in China[...]