Minox BL 171-010 User manual

MINOlf [ID[1-
Price 50 cents Owner's Manual

Meter button -------; _--1Ifi: ;;;;;: -------- Flash post
Meter field with black
indicator needle and -- +- - -t: d
.... --- CdS meter cell window
red matching pointer
Shutter speed dial
---
Exposure counter ---
Distance scale ----
Sliding lever for gray
~ --- filter and battery test
Viewfinder (front window)
. -N I-I- - --- Shutter release button
.:-..----- Lens window

Contents
The Minox BL Camera Battery replacement
23
Flash pictures
24
Opening the camera 2 Eveready case
26
The "three eyes" 3 Care of the
Minox BL
27
Hold it steady 4
Taking the picture
5 Minox Accessories
Telescopic rapid wind
6
Set the film speed 9 Films 28
Coupled CdS exposure meterand shutter
10
Flash Units
28
Gray (neutral density) filter
13
Slip-on Filters
28
Battery test
14
Tripod
30
Distance setting
15
Finder Attachment
30
Extreme close-ups -Measuring chain
16
Tele-Photography
31
No F-stop setting
17
Copying
31
Viewfinder
18
Projection
32
Exposure counter
19
Home Darkroom
32
Loading with film
20
Un-loading
22
Technical Information
33

Congratulations
With your new Minox BL you are embarking on
a wonderful, un-burdened kind
of picture-taking.
Your exceptionally small and precise camera can
go with you wherev
er you go, to give you lots
of pleasure.
It's easy
to get good pictures with the Minox BL
and this lillie book will show you the way. The
most
important pointers are given, briefly, in '
bold
print . If you want to know more, simply
read on. And, before making any important
pictures -of a tr ip or some special event - it's
always a good idea to shoot a cartridge of film
outdoors , and with flash indoors . This will give
you
practice in camera operation and provide a
check on your outfit.
But NOW -why not get acquainted with the ease
and"pleasure of picture-taking with your Minox -
the camera that never stays at home.

Opening the camera
For picture-taking pull the Minox BL open as far
as it will go.
While the camera is closed, the viewfinder and
lens windows are protected within the housing,
and the shutter release is locked. If, after open-
ing the camera and looking through the view-
finder, you decide not to take a picture, simply
close the camera again. This "pre-view" feature
saves film: the film advance can operate only
after you have pressed the shutter release
button.
2

The "three eyes"
The front of the Minox BL contains (top to bottom
In the illustration) the CdS cell window of the
exposure meter, the viewfinder and lens windows.
These three windows
must not be obstructed
(watch your fingers!). Sharpness and brilliance
of your pictures depends to an important degree
on a spotlessly clean lens window.
If the CdS cell is covered during measuring,
you'll get a wrong exposure indication.
You can spot smudges on the lens window easily
if you slide the gray
filter (see page 13) into
place
as a dark background. If necessary, clean
the
window gently with a soft (dry!) handkerchief
or cotton swab on a stick. Silicon-treated eye-
glass tissues are not suited
for this purpose.
By the way: The lens
window is a UV filter which
prevents unsharpness causep by strong ultra-
violet rays in the mountains or at the ocean.
3

Hold it s-t-e-a-d-y
Hold your Minox firmly, yet relaxed, with both
hands. Keep
your thumbs on the underside of
the camera, other fingers on top, so that the
three windows are unobstructed.
These illustrations show the most practical way
of holding your Minox for horizontal and vertical
shots.
If you cover the lens window during exposure,
your picture will show a partial or complete
shadow. If you cover the window of the CdS cell
during measuring, the measurement will be
wrong.
You have the best hold when both hands are
steadied against
your face and you let your
fingers press the camera ends down against the
thumbs -as if to bend the camera.
Your Minox BL can, of course, remain in its
eveready case
for picture-taking. Simply fold the
hinged section of 'the case all the way up against
the underside. (See page
26 .)
4

Taking the picture
When you have framed your picture in the
luminous rectangle of the viewfinder, hold the
camera steady and squeeze the shutter release
button gently.
The shutter release requires only very light
pressure and. to avoid jarring the camera, place
your index finger close to the release button
even before taking the
picture and "roll" it onto
the button when you are ready to shoot,
while
holding your breath. Take the camera from your
eye only after you've heard the soft clicking of
the shutter.
5

Circle in lens window indicates that the
Minox is ready for the next
picture
Telescopic rapid wind
After you have taken a picture, 'close' the ca-
mera. Then, for the next picture, you pull it open
again. With this "push-pull",
the film is advanced
for the next picture,
the shutter re-cocked and
the exposure counter moved
to the next number
-all automatically! However,
this occurs only if,
before closing your Minox,
you actually took a
picture or otherwise released the shutter. Just
be sure to close and open the camera all the way
every time.
The small circle in the lens window tells you that
the shutter is wound ready for the next picture .
The
circle disappears after you have released
the shutter: Your signal that you must ' push-pull'
before taking the next picture .
If you don't want to take a picture after opening
the camera, simply close it until the next picture
opportunity comes along.
But, if you're in a hurry to take pictures in quick
succession: 'One-two, One-two, One-two! Go
ahead -
your Minox can take it.
6