MINOX GmbH, Postfach 6020, D-6300 Giessen 1 West Germany 482 e Modifications reserved · Printed in Germany VIII/83 Owner's manual
This detailed instruction manual will help you to make the most of your Minox 35 PL. The most important text sections are printed in bold type. References to parts, controls or camera signals are followed by a numeral in brackets; This is the number of that part in the annotated illustrations on pages 4 and 5. Most handling steps work without a film in the camera. So get familiar with your camera by trying it out before actually taking pictures.
1 Frame counter 2 Shutter release 3 Battery check button 4 Backlight switch 5 Hot shoe 6 Slow-speed warning LED 7 Battery check LED 8 Film rewind crank 9 Sefltimer LED 10 Viewfinder 14 Lens 15 CdS cell 17 Viewfinder eyepiece 18 Selftimer switch 19 Film transport lever 20 Take-up spool 21 Rewind release 22 Tripod bush 23 Film speed scale 24 Back cover lock 16 Front cover 25 Film chamber 11 Battery compartment 12 Aperture ring 13 Distance scale
Certain functions of the Minox 35 PL. such as the shutter and automatic exposure settings, are controlled electronically. The camera therefore only works with a battery. It requires a 5.6 volt mercury oxide battery, for instance: Duracell PX 27 Varta V 27 PX or equivalents. Open the front cover (16). Unscrew the battery compartment cover (11) anticlockwise, with a coin if necessary. Insert the battery so that the + end faces the inside of the compartment cover, also marked with a + sign.
Never keep spent or too old batteries in the camera. Also remove the battery if you do not expect to use the camera for some time. Note: The battery used here contains mercury compounds that could pose a health risk. So never throw used batteries on a fire; also keep them out of the reach of small children. Photo dealers usually accept spent batteries for disposal. To prepare the Minox 35 PL for shooting, fully pull down the front cover (16).
The picture at the left shows a convenient camera hold for horizontal shots, the illustration opposite a suitable hold for upright views. To minimise the risk of camera shake hold your 35 PL steady while you shoot Once you have framed the view you want in the bright-line finder frame, gently depress the green release button (2).That triggers the shutter to take the picture. On pressing the release, the selftimer LED (9) briefly lights up on the camera front.
The frame counter (1) - the white window at the far right of the camera top – tells you how many pictures you have taken on the film. The frame counter returns to its start position when you remove the camera back to change the film (see Pull the film transport lever (19) -at the top right of the camera back - page 24) or as soon as you then press the release (2). fully out to the right and forward. Repeat this. If you failed to pull the lever fully forward either time, pull once more.
the arrowheads Indicate intermediate speeds, for instance 64 and 80 ASA between 50 and 100 ASA. ASA speed figures are marked In red, DIN figures in green. If you have set too high a film speed, your pictures will be underexposed; too low a speed setting yields overexposed shots. Program automation For all shots without flash set the white arrowhead on the lens mount (12) to A (automatic control).
The slow-speed warning If the camera is ready to shoot (front cover open, film advanced) at an exposure time longer than about 1/30 second, a red flashing signal warns of likely camera shake with hand-held shots. The red signal flashes clearly on top of the camera (6) and also in the finder (at the bottom right). There it appears weaker to avoid glare in the finder image. The automatic control of the Minox 35 PL can also generate exposures much longer than 1/30 second.
The hot shoe of the Minox 35 PL takes any electronic flash unit with a centre contact in the foot - as well as the Minox TC 35 and FC 35 computer flash units which are specially matched to the Minox 35. Push the black blanking plate out of the hot shoe towards the rear. Fully push the foot of the flash unit into the shoe. This disengages the automatic exposure control of the Minox 35 PL and sets a fixed shutter speed of 1/90 second. Do not take flash shots with the aperture ring (12) set to A (automatic).
Estimate the approximate distance to the main subject and set this on the distance scale (13). In view of the considerable depth of field of the 35 mm lens a really accurate setting is only necessary at near distances of around 3 to 4 ft or 0.9 to 1 m. For a useful snapshot zone set the scale to the green dot between 10 and 20 ft or between 3 and 5 m; in good light this then covers everything from about 6 to 60 ft or 2 to 20m.
Replace the camera back by pushing it on and lock by turning the back lock in the camera base to cover the red dot again (illustration d). Advance the film, release the shutter, advance once more. Check that the rewind crank (8) at the left in the the take-up spool. Push the film leader underneath the metal sleeve as far as it will go (illustration b), then let go of the rewind release button. Open the camera's front cover so that you can operate the release button.
However the frame counter automatically resets itself during loading at the latest when you have pushed the film end into the take-up spool and advanced the film and released the shutter before closing the back (see page 22). After the last exposure (No.
The matched Minox FC 35 computer flash The Minox FC 35 electronic flash is the smaller of the two computer flashes designed for the Minox 35 cameras. It is 3 x 5.5 x 7.5 cm (1.2 x 2.2 x 3 in.) large and weighs 130 g (4.6 oz). The metric guide No. for 100 ASA is 18 (59 in feet). You have two aperture options with two working ranges of the computer control: At the "green" setting the flash covers subjects up to 4.5 m or 15 ft. At the red setting the limit is 3.
The matched Minox TC 35 computer flash The TC 35 is the more powerful of the two Minox 35 flash units and offers additional features. The guide No. (in accordance with DIN 19011) is 26 (m) or 95 (ft) at 100 ASA. Three aperture options with ranges up to 9, 6.5 and 3.25 m (30, 21 and 10 ½ ft). LEDs on a scale show available ranges and working apertures; in manual mode (range with 400 ASA up to about 18 m or 60 ft) this serves as an aperture calculator.
The ever-ready case The belt and wrist pouch This smart elegant case is a piece of luxury leather work in top-quality soft burgundy red Naskapi leather. It is totally unlike any ever-ready case: It ideally matches smart leisure wear and you can carry it either slung around your wrist or fixed to your belt (up to 4 cm or 1 ½ in. wide). When used as a belt case, remove the leather wrist strap with its brass snap hook.
The pocket tripod Push-on filters with collapsible lens hood and leather case The Minox pocket tripod is a very handy camera stand - not much larger than a pencil when closed but very rigid as a table and wall support – even on rough surfaces. It can also serve as a chestpod for horizontal shots with the Minox 35 PL. The Minox pocket The Minox 35 PL takes only Minox filters marked either "Minox 35 GT" or "Minox 35 GT/PL/PE".
Type: Minox 35 PL miniature camera. Minox code Nos.: 10.721 with distance scale in metres 10.722 with distance scale in feet Picture size: 24 x 36 mm. Film: Standard 35 mm cartridge (No. 135). Lens: 35 mm Minox Color-Minotar f/2.8, focusing range from infinity to 0.9 m or 3ft. The lens retracts automatically on closing the front cover. Automatic exposure control: Electronic program control (with aperture ring set to A) from 1/500 second at f/16 to 4 seconds at f/2.8 with 100 ASA.
