User manual MINOLTA MAXXUM 800SI

[. . . ] BASIC OPERATION E INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOCUS BASICS FLASH BASICS SUBJECT PROGRAM MODES EXPOSURE BASICS ADVANCED AUTOFOCUS ADVANCED EXPOSURE ADVANCED FLASH ADDITIONAL FEATURES APPENDIX FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE Thank you for purchasing the Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 800si. The 800si features Minolta's highly acclaimed 14-Segment Honeycomb Pattern Metering, a built-in high-power zoom flash, and built-in Intelligent Card functions. The built-in flash covers focal lengths from 24 to 80mm and has a guide number of up to 20. A screw-type PC terminal and Rear-flash sync function give you maximum control over flash exposures. [. . . ] Continuous Autofocus should be used at sporting events or other occasions when the subject moves continuously. Continued on next page. 64 65 AUTOFOCUS MODES CHANGING THE AUTOFOCUS MODE Press the AF-mode button in the control panel. FOCUS FRAME Your camera has a wide focus area and four local focus areas. A wide focus area is ideal for catching subjects in motion and snapshots. A local focus area allows for precise control over the location of focus. Turn either control dial to set the AF mode to , , or . · Make sure the camera is in autofocus mode. FOCUS appears in the data panel, press the focus-mode button to select autofocus. · The selected AF mode will remain when a Subject Program Selection is made. · The AF Illuminator will not operate when mode is selected. Horizontal (Wide) Vertical Horizontal (Local) WIDE FOCUS AREA The camera uses all of the AF sensors to focus. It determines which sensor is focusing on the main subject. Wide Focus Area provides flexibility in framing and makes it easier for the camera to focus on moving subjects. The default setting of the camera is wide focus area. Continued on next page. 66 67 FOCUS FRAME LOCAL FOCUS AREA Select a specific local focus AF sensor for the camera to use. RELEASE PRIORITY The default setting of the 800si is autofocus-priority shutter release. When the camera is in autofocus, the shutter will not release if the subject is not in focus. You can set the camera to shutter-release priority so the shutter will release even if the subject is not sharply focused. While pressing the AF button, turn the front control dial to display each local focus area. Press and hold the adjust button and press the ISO button. · CUSt - 1 and a setting number of 1 will appear in the data panel. When the desired local focus area appears in the viewfinder, release the AF button. The selected local focus area indicator will remain in the viewfinder. · To return to wide focus area, press and hold the AF button and turn the front control dial one click. · When the RF 500mm lens or the AF Power Zoom 35-80mm lens is attached, only the center local focus area can be selected. · If Customized Function #6 is on setting 3 (Lens' focus hold button operates Continuous Autofocus), operation of continuous autofocus will be suspended while the dial is turned to select a local focus area. Turn the rear control dial so the setting number in the lower right corner is changed to 2. Press the shutter-release button partway down to enter the selection. · RP will appear in the data panel. · Pressing the program-reset button will return the camera to AF Priority. Customized Function #1 - Release/AF Priority This page describes the Release/AF Priority customize function. For additional information, see page 99 and page 102. MEMORY: The Release Priority setting can be stored in memory. See page 99 for information. 68 69 METERING Your camera takes meter readings of the light in the scene to determine the correct exposure. The 800si has three methods of taking meter readings. Use the method most appropriate for your subject. 14-SEGMENT HONEYCOMB-PATTERN METERING Fourteen-Segment Honeycomb-Pattern Metering is the camera's standard metering mode and will be set whenever the programreset button is pressed (p 120). This mode uses information from the autofocus system to set the metering pattern according to the position of the main subject in the frame. [. . . ] Metering Range (f/1. 4 lens): Multi-segment metering: EV 0 - 20, EV 3- 20 (spot metering) Film-speed Setting: Automatic setting for DX-coded film from ISO 25 to 6400. Manual setting from ISO 6 to 6400, 1/3 EV increments. With flash, ISO 25 - 1000. Continued on next page. Lens Mount: Focus: CAMERA HANDLING · Never touch the camera's shutter curtain, mirror, or lens contacts. · Never subject the camera to impact. [. . . ]