Pentax A3000 User manual

PENTAX
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Thank you very much for choosingoneof theworld's most popular
Pentax35mm SLR's.
As you may already know, this programmed camera offers you
three auto exposure modes, auto film-speed setting, auto film
winding,
etc.,which arethemostdesiredfeaturesbythe
photogra-
pher. Beforeyou start to operatethe camera,
besure
to readthis
operating manualvery carefully and familiarize
yourselfwith every
detail
of thiscamera'sfeatures
andfunctions
sothat you can
fully
enjoythe long-lasting,
reliableserviceit ought to offer.
When using this booklet, it is a good ideato read the inside pages
with the front and back flaps unfolded for easyreference to the
camera's
working parts.
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WORKING
PARTS
NOMENCLATUBE
Mode Selector-
Film
Advance/
Battery Check Lamp-1
Gripl
- Hot Shoe
Cable
ReleaseSocketr i / /
Self-timer
LED / /
Self-timer
Lever- / /
LensRelease
Lever / /
ISO Dial LockRelease
ISODial
Rewind
Crank
Rewind Knob
Exposure
Compensation
Button
Aperture Auto-lock Button
Aperture "A" lndex
Distance
Scale
Depth-of-field
scale
ApertureScale
LensAlignmentNode-
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
Features
PREPARATIONS
Loadingbatteries;
batterycheck
Attachingand detaching
lens
Mode selector, shutter button, shutter
Loadingfilm .......-...
Rewinding
film ..--------------------------.
BASICOPERATIONS
Viewfinderdisplays
Focusing
Holding
camera
"A" lens; mode selector
Warning indicationsin viewfinder .....-------------
Using
ProgrammedAE mode
Using
Aperture-priorityAE mode
Using
Pentaxdedicatedautoflashunits
---.-.--
Using
Programmed
Auto Flashmode
ADVANCED
OPERATIONS
Exposurecompensation ----..------
Usingself-timer
Using
60 t (1,260
sec.)
Using
B
(bulb)
Depth
of field
Infraredindexmark --------
Programmed
AE diagram,meteringrange
and shutter
/ aperlure coupling range
Attaching strap;soft case
Dioptercorrection
Mount adapter K .--.......------
Precautions
on accessories
---------
Precautions
on batteries
---.----.-.-.
Specifications
--..---------
Taking
careof
your camera -------------.
Warranty policy
5
6
30
31
32
33
34
37
38
40
41
41
42
43
44
46
48
7
9
10
13
16
18
18
20
21
22
24
26
27
1.
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FEATURES
fti'
When an SMC Pentax-A lens is usedwith this
camera,
you can use
allthe three exposure
modes: Programmed AE, Aperture-priority AE
and ProgrammedAuto Flash.
When the
conventional
K- or Kf-mount lensis used,
you
can usethis camera in the Aperture-priorityand
conventional
Auto Flash
modes.
Programmed AE Mode
Thecameraautomatically
selectsthe most
appropriatecombination
of shutterspeedand
apertureto obtain
correctexposure,
simultaneously
changingthem accordingtothe
brightness
of the subject.
This modeis most
suitablefor thosewho do not
want to be
bothered by setting exposure controls or those
wanting to take
"action" pictures
(Refer
to pp.
22/23 for details.)
Aperture-priority AE Mode
When you set the aperturemanually,
the shutter
speed
is
automaticallyadjustedaccordingto the
brightness of the subject to provide correct
exposure.Usethis modefor ordinary
picture-
takingor portraiture, or when depth
of f
ield
is
important for your picture (Refer
to pp.24/251.
Programmed Auto Flash Mode
When you usea PentaxdedicatedAuto Flash
Unit
with thiscamerainthe ProgrammedAE
mode,
the cameraautomatically
selects
the
proper
apertureand shutter
speedto control
ffashoutput
(Refer
to p.271.
o2
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The questions and answers on what you should know first about this camera
O..: I havedepressed the shutterbuttonbut
why has
the shutter not been released?
O..: What kind of batteriesshould
I use?
O.: How many rolls of film can I
shoot
with
this camera?
O.: Can I usean electronicflashwith this
camera?
O.: How can I take better pictures?
Thiscameradoesn't
operate
if
the
batteries
are not loaded
properly.
Check
how they are loaded
beforeoperating.
(For
details,
refer
to P.
5.)
Usetwo AA-sizeAlkaline
batteries.
No
other kinds can be used.
(Refer
to p. 5.)
About 50 rolls
of 36-exposurefilm with a
set of fresh batteries.
Youcan use
allthe Pentax dedicatedflash
units.But,with the flash unitfeaturing
TTLAuto Flash
operation,
you cannot
use
theTTLAuto Flash mode.
(Refer
to pp.
26/27 /28.1
Focusingis very important. Focus
as
accuratelyas possible,
usingthe split-
image
or microprism in the viewfinder.
Also,
usea shutterspeedfaster
than
1,/60
sec.to prevent camera
shakethat
causesblurred
pictures,
andalwaystake
the picture
with the camera hteld
firmly.
(Refer
to pp.18/19.1
A.:
A.:
A.:
A.:
A.:
3o
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LOADING BATTERIES
This
camera
needstwo penlight
(AA-size,
1.5-V)Alkaline
batteries
of the same brandto function
properly.
Manganese
batteriesare not recommendedastheir lifeis
shorter.
Do not
use
Ni-Cd
batteries.
Becausethe battery
discharges
a small
amount of energyeven
when not in use,thosesupplied
with your camera
may be
slightly
below
f
ull cqpacityas it hastakensome
time to reach
you.
o Open
the battery-chamber
coverbysliding
it in the directionof
the arrow;
usea finger-nail
inthe groove to push and raisethe
cover.
o Insert
two batteries
into
the chambersothat their
(+)
and
(-)
marksfacethose indicated on the back
ofthe cover.Close
the
cover
by
pushing
it back.
Battery check
As illustrated,turn the mode selectorto BATT.C. so
thatthe
white dot isaligned with the red-lineindex.
lf
the batterycheck
lamp
glows,
the batteriesareproperly
loaded;if not,they are
incorrectlyloaded
or the battery
power isinsuff
icient.When the
film advancing time gets apparently
slower,
it indicatesthatthe
batteriesare
getting
weaker.Replacethe batteries
with fresh
ones.
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ATTACHING AND DETACHING LENS
To mount or interchangePentax
K,Kn and Kf mount lenses
follow the steps
below.
. Remove
the body
mount capandthe rearlens
cap.
lf
the f
inder
cap is still
on the eyepiece,
removeit.
o Align the red
doton the camerabody
with the reddoton the
lens
(SeeA, {9).Seat
the lensin the
bodymountand
turn it
clockwiseuntilthe lenslocks
with a click.When mounting
the
lensin dim light,method
(O) isrecommended.
This method
allows lensmountingbytouch.
Align the raisednode on lens barrel
with the lens
releaseby
touch.
Then turn and lock asabove.
o To removethe lenscap,
press
in on the notchesat both
sides.
o To removethe lens,
press
the lensrelease
levertoward
the
camerabody
while turning the lenscounter-clockwise.
o After removinga lens
from the carnera body,
replacethe front
and rearlenscapsto protect
the lens
from dustand stains.
Note: Don'tdamageor stain the electrical
contact
points
on the
mount face.
When they becomestained,
wipe them with a clean,
drycloth.
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MODE
SELECTOR,
SHUTTERBUTTON,SHUTTER
BUTTONLOCK
Mode Selector
Turn
the mode selector
byusingthe lever
and
setthedialto
your
desiredmode
B: Bulb
(Long-time
exposure)
60: 1
/60 sec.
(Flash-sync
speed)
PROGRAM: Programmed
AE mode
(Lens
locked
at
"A")
Aperture-priority
AE mode:
(Lens
setat anyf-stop)
LOCK: Shutter buttonis locked
BATT. C.: Battery
Check
Shutter Button
As you
setthe mode
selectorto
"PROGRAM"
and
partially
depress
the shutterbutton.the exoosuremeterwill be switched
on anddepressing
the buttonfurtherwill release
theshutter.
lf
you take your finger
from the shutterbutton,
the meterwill be
automatically
switched
off
.
Shutter Button Lock
lf
you turn the mode
selector
to "LOCK," the shutterbutton is
locked
sothat the shuttercannot
be released. Usethis device
when thecameraisnotin usefor
sometrme
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SETTINGISO FILM SPEED
NON-DX FILM
It is very
importantto setthe ISOdialto the film
speed
indicated
on the film package to obtain
correct
exposure.
While depressingthe ISO dial
lock
release.turnthe
ISO
dialuntilthe ISO
number
of
your
film isalignedwith the red-line
index.Makesure that the dial is locked
in
position,
byreleasing the lockrelease and
slightly
rotating
the dial
from side to side.
The
usable
ISOrange
ofthe ordinary
filmwith
this
camera
isfrom 25 - 1600.
DX FILM
When this camera
isloadedwith DXfilm, itsISO
film speed is
automaticallysetbythe camera,
no
matterwhat settingappears on the ISOdial.
When using DXfilm,make
sure
thatthe
film
does have a DX mark or the cassette
has a DX
information
panel,
since
there arealso
non-DX
filmsavailable,ofthe sametype.
The usable film
speed
of
the DX film with this camera
ranges
from ISO25 - 1600.
25 40 s0 80 125
160 2s0320 500 640
800 1250
rtOrlr.alrlra
32 M 100 200 400 10001600
cdilF!
Color
Film
oooooooooolii
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LOADINGFILM
2
Always load
or unloadfilm in the camera
in a
shady
spot,
or shielditfrom direct
sunlightwith
your body.
1. As illustrated,
unfold
the rewind crank
by
pushing
itwith your
finger-nail.
2. Pull
the rewind knobupwards until
the back
cover
snapsopen.
3. Slidethe film
cartridgeinto
the
f
ilm
chamber
with the flatsideup.Lock
the cartridgein place
by
pushing
the rewind knob
down, rotating
it
slightlymaking
surethat
it
grips
the
spool.
o10
Keep the DX-information pins free from
scratches, dirt, dust, etc.
{} f itm
chamber
{} Guide
rails
@ Sprocket teeth
@ Spoolteeth
€}f itmleader
end mark
@ DX-informationpins
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4. As illustrated,
pullthe
film leader
outsothat
its
endalignswith the O fitm
leader
end
mark
(red
bar);in otherwords,
bring
the film leader
end
within the length
of the bar.
o Makesure
thatthe perforations
on the bottom
sideof the film haveengaged
the €) sprocket
teethaswell asthe O spoolteeth.
o Also make
surethat the film is
properlyplaced
betweenthe two €) guide rails.
o Take
up any
slack
leftin the film sothat the
f
ilm isflat asshown, by rewinding it
slightly
into
the cartridge.
o When a
filmwith a higher
ISOnumber
is
loaded,
do not leave
the cameraout of the case
for
a long time.
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5. Closethe backcover,
makingsurethat it snaps
firmly into
place.
As you depressthe shutter button, the camera will
automatically
continue
releasingthe shutter andadvancing
the
filmuntil
"1" appearson
the
framecounter.
Whilstthis
istaking
place,
the film advance
lamp is
on.
(ln
whatever
position
the
mode selector is, the shutter in this casewill be releasedat
1/1OOO
sec.,
makingblankexposuresuntil "1" appears
on the
frame counter.)
6. lfthe rewind knobturns in the direction
of
the arrow while
the film isbeingtransported.
it indicates
thatthe film is
advancing properly.
7. When the frame counter is set to "1," You
are now readyto
start
shooting.
Thefilm-loadedindicator
on the back
cover
helps
you check
if
the film is loadedor not.
o12
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REWINDINGFILM
When the lastframe of the rollis
exposed,
the motor
will
automatically
stop.
Now,do notopenthe backcover,
but
rewindthe film intothe cartridge
immediately
in the following
ways:
o Depress
the film rewind button.
lf
the button
does
notstay
depressed,
keep
it
depressed
until
the next step
isfinished.
o Unfold
the rewind crank,and
turn it inthe direction
of the
arrow,until
the exposure
counter
returnsto "1" or you
simultaneously
feel no pressure
on the rewind crank.
o When the rewind crank
feels
loose,it indicatesthat the film
leaderhasbeen
released
from the take-up
spool.
Pullthe rewind
knobupwardsto makethe back
coversnap
open.
Remove
the
cartridge
from the chamber.
130
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BASIC
OPERATIONS
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VIEWFINDER DISPLAYS
Visibleon the left-hand side of the viewfinder
are shutter-speed
LED's,exposure information
in the Programmed
AE and Aperture-priorityAE
modes,
flash information, slow-shutter-speed
warning,out-of
-shutter,/aperture-coupl
ing-
range indication,
error in mode,/aperture
combination,etc.
. LED = Light Emitting Diode
P ProgrammedAEmode
lOOO-30 Shutterspeedinformation.
lOOOstands
for 1,/1OOO
sec.;
3Ostands
lor 1/3O sec. Shutter
speedsare
displayedinfull
stop
increments.
(1OOO-60
in
green;
30in
yellow)
Flickering
1
000 Overexposure
(Flickers
eight
times
per
second)
.#
Underexposure
(Flickers
eight
times per second);slow-shutter-
speedwarning (Flickers two
times per second)
.Over- and underexposure
displays
also indicateexposure
combinations bevond
the
shutter/aperturecoupling
range or beyondthe metering
range.
.The flickering
"100O" is
accompanied by a beeping
sound.
indicates
the completion of flash
chargingandthe autd-flash
exposureconf
irmationwith a
dedicatedflash.
indicates
the combination of
mode selectordial and aDerture
is not appropriate.
Flickering
3O
FlickeringI
Flickering
"P"
r16 .,,ire; "r$&its&*.,.
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r.nicropri*nr
split-image
matte fietd
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