The Minolta ALS is a rangefinder camera manufactured by Minolta Camera Co LTD. The model was introduced in 1966 and built in a factory in Japan. It is the successor of the Minolta Minoltina AL-S.
The camera comes with a fixed focal length. The lens bears the name “Rokkor”. The largest aperture of the lens is f/1.8 and the focal length is 45 mm. The 35mm camera does not have an autofocus. Focusing is manual. The correct distance is indicated by the coupled rangefinder. The closest focusing distance is 80 cm.
The Minolta ALS has a built-in light meter. In this case, it is a CdS light meter and not a Selenium light meter, like earlier models. It is designed for films from ISO 25 to ISO 800, and the film speed can be set manually. Aperture and exposure time can be selected by the photographer as desired.
The Seiko SLV shutter allows times from 1/500 second to one second. For long exposures, there is a Bulb mode. In this mode, the shutter remains open as desired. An external flash can be used via the hot shoe or PC flash port. The photo camera has a cable release and a tripod thread.
The dimensions of the Minolta ALS are 12.8 x 7.4 x 6 cm. It weighs 530 grams. The camera requires a 1.35 V PX625 battery (eBay / Amazon*). As an alternative, you can reach for the Weincell (eBay / Amazon*).
Films for the Minolta ALS
The Minolta ALS is a film camera and is loaded with 35mm film. 35mm film is still made today and is fairly easy to get. The film has to be rewound after each frame. For this, you will find a quick release lever on the back. On the top side you find the frame counter. If the roll is full after 36 frames, you have to wind the film back into the cartridge with a crank.
Great films for the Minolta ALS that are still around today are the Fujifilm Superia 400* for color shots and the Ilford FP4 Plus* for B&W images. Both films produce decent images and are well suited for everyday use, according to reviews. On the market, online and offline, there are of course other manufacturers of various types of 35mm film.
Technical datasheet
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type of Camera | Rangefinder camera |
| Film format | 35mm |
| Film transport | Manual |
| Picture format | 24 mm x 36 mm |
| Lens name | Rokkor |
| Focal length | 45 mm |
| Biggest aperture | f/1.8 |
| Minimum focus distance | 80 cm / 2.624 ft |
| Focus | Manual |
| Rangefinder | Yes |
| Lens design | 6 elements in 5 groups |
| Exposure times | 1/500 second to 1 second, Bulb |
| Bulb mode | Yes |
| Light meter | CdS light meter |
| Supported film speeds | ISO 25 to 800 |
| Exposure modes | Manual mode |
| Built-in flash | No |
| Flash Connection | Hot Shoe, PC-Flash |
| Tripod mount | Yes |
| Cable release thread | Yes |
| Self-timer | No |
| Power supply | 1x PX625 battery |
| Size | 12,8 x 7,4 x 6 cm |
| Dimensions in inches | 5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36 inches |
| Weight | 530 Grams |
| Country of production | Japan |
| Estimated value / Used price | 69,67 Euro Estimate based on used prices of 3 offers (possibly with different scope of delivery and/or condition). As of 22.1.2024 |
| Average used price in the year 2023 | 68,94 Euro (73.60 US-Dollar) |