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Minolta AF Tele Super: manual and user guide

The Minolta compact with two lenses, 38 and 80 mm. Its official PDF manual, then the essentials for using it.

Minolta’s official PDF, which it no longer publishes: the link opens the copy kept by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

Getting started

Battery It runs on a 6 V 2CR5 lithium battery. Slide the door tab, lift the edge of the cover, put the battery in following the marks in the compartment and snap the cover shut. Close the lens cover before removing the old battery.
Loading Open the lens cover, check that the counter shows “0”, then open the back, out of direct sunlight. Put the cartridge in, lay the film flat between the rails and pull the leader to the orange mark. Close the back: the film advances by itself to “1”. If “0” blinks, start again.
Sensitivity Nothing to set: it reads the film’s DX code, from ISO 50 to 3200. A film without a DX code is set to ISO 100. 72-exposure cartridges and Polaroid 35 mm instant films won’t work.
Your first photo Open the cover: the camera switches on at 38 mm, and the selector button switches to 80 mm then back to 38 mm. Put the subject in the viewfinder’s autofocus area and press halfway. When a green lamp lights up, press all the way: the flash fires by itself if needed.
Rewinding At the end of the roll, it rewinds by itself and the counter counts down. When the motor stops and the “film loaded” mark blinks, open the back and take the film out. To rewind before the end, press the rewind button under the camera with the tip of a ballpoint pen.

Two lenses: a 38 mm f/2.8 for groups and landscapes, an 80 mm f/5.6 for portraits. The viewfinder frame and the flash coverage follow the chosen lens automatically.
Focusing works from 0.7 m to infinity, with no special setting.
Focus lock, for a subject outside the autofocus area: aim at it, press halfway, reframe without letting go, then press all the way. Exposure is locked at the same time.
It also helps with subjects that fool the autofocus (bright light, water, mirror, flame, hair, dark object, glass): focus on another object at the same distance.
A 10 s self-timer: press its button, the symbol appears, then press all the way. The front lamp blinks until the picture is taken. Closing the cover cancels it.

It fires by itself in low light and against the light. It recharges in about 1.8 s. While the red lamp is on, the shutter button is locked.
Range at ISO 100: 0.7 to 4.5 m at 38 mm, 0.7 to 4 m at 80 mm. At ISO 400: 0.7 to 9 m at 38 mm, 0.7 to 8 m at 80 mm. If the green flash lamp blinks, the subject is too close or too far.
Fill-flash button (ON): hold it down as you fire to force the flash in broad daylight. Under fluorescent tubes, without flash, the subject may turn green.
Flash-cancel button (OFF): hold it down as you fire to switch the flash off, in a museum or for fireworks. Set the camera on a tripod or against a wall: the red lamp blinks when the shutter speed is very slow.

The green “OK” lamp lit steadily: sharp and well exposed without flash. If it blinks, the subject is closer than 0.7 m: the picture is taken, but it may not be sharp.
From 0.7 to 1 m at 38 mm, or from 0.7 to 2 m at 80 mm, frame inside the viewfinder’s close-up marks.
The battery symbol blinking along with the other displays: change the battery soon. Blinking on its own, or a blank display: change it. After several flashes in a row, let it rest for a minute before drawing conclusions.
If the film stops and the shutter button locks before the end of the roll, or if rewinding stops partway, don’t open the back: put in a new battery, then press the rewind button if needed.
If the electronics cut out while the battery is good, take it out and put it back in.

Lens: use a brush, then if needed lens tissue with a drop of cleaning fluid. Never touch the glass with your fingers.
Body: a soft, clean, dry cloth, never alcohol or solvent. Keep it away from water, knocks, heat and the glovebox.
In very cold weather, it works less well: carry it under your coat, and avoid going straight from cold to warm, as condensation would jam it.
For long-term storage: a cool, dry place, away from dust, in an airtight box with silica gel.

Format: 35 mm film
Lenses: 38 mm f/2.8 and 80 mm f/5.6, motorised switching
Focusing: multi-beam active infrared autofocus, from 0.7 m to infinity, focus lock available
Exposure: automatic program, multi-zone metering, at ISO 100, EV 6 to 17 at 38 mm (1/8 s at f/2.8 to 1/400 s at f/18), EV 8 to 19 at 80 mm (1/8 s at f/5.6 to 1/400 s at f/36)
Sensitivity: ISO 50 to 3200, read from the DX code, ISO 100 for uncoded film
Viewfinder: real-image, autofocus area, close-up marks, three lamps, 85% coverage at 3 m
Flash: built-in, automatic in low light and against the light, coverage that follows the lens, recycles in about 1.8 s
Film transport: motorised: automatic loading, advance and rewind, early rewind possible
Power: one 6 V 2CR5 lithium battery, about 35 rolls of 24 exposures (flash on every other shot)
Dimensions and weight: 135.5 × 75.5 × 55 mm, 345 g without battery