Minolta Autowide

The Minolta Autowide is a 35 mm camera. It belongs to the group of viewfinder cameras. Photographers could buy the camera built in Japan from the year 1958. The model was produced by Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko K.K., the name of the Minolta company at that time.

The lens of the 35mm camera is fixed. The name “Minolta Rokkor” adorns the lens. The focal length is 35mm and the maximum aperture is f/2.8. The photo camera does not have autofocus. It is focused manually. For this purpose, there are three zone focus steps, which should make focusing easier. The closest focusing distance for this lens is 80 cm. The lens is built up of six elements in four lens groups.

The Minolta Autowide has a light meter. This is designed for an ISO range of 10 to 1600. The camera was the first mass-produced model with a coupled light meter. The selenium exposure meter measures the available light and outputs the result via a needle display. Changing the aperture and shutter speed changes the position of the needle, to the point where the camera detects neither overexposure nor underexposure.

The aperture and shutter speed are freely adjustable. For the aperture, values from f/2.8 to f/22 are available. For the exposure time, you can choose between times of 1/500 second and 1 second. There is a bulb mode for long exposures. Here, the shutter remains open as desired.

The use of a flash is possible via the PC flash socket. The 35mm photo camera has a built-in self-timer and a connection option for a cable release. In addition, there is a thread for a tripod on the bottom.

The camera weighs 710 grams with its metal body according to the manual. For taking pictures, the Minolta Autowide does not need electricity.

Films for the Minolta Autowide

What kind of films are needed for the Minolta Autowide? The camera is designed for 35mm film. Films of this format are still readily available today and are still developed. Possible films for this model are the Kodak Ultramax 400* and the Ilford Delta 400*. According to various reviews, they are good for everyday shooting and produce solid results.

The color film is processed using the C-41 process. The C-41 process is standardized and offered by most developing labs. Most drugstore chains in Germany offer the development of color film. The B/W film must be processed in a suitable developer according to the instructions.

The exposure area of the photo camera is 24 mm x 36 mm. A normal 35 mm film holds about 36 frames at this size. The film in the camera must be rewound manually, as there is no automatic film transport.