Film Camera Review: A simple, fun, easy-to-use fixed lens point-and-shoot autofocus 35mm compact film camera.
The Yashica Minitec AF, a simple point-and-shoot autofocus 35mm compact camera, caught my attention as an elegant-looking compact and possibly as an interesting solution to my search for a compact that I can easily slip into my pocket or carry around on my outings. The Minitec AF is fitted with a Yashica 4-element Tessar-type 32mm F3.5 fixed-focus lens, comes with auto film loading, auto film forward and rewind with mid-roll rewind, built-in flash, and selection buttons for infinity focus, flash modes, self-timer, and a small LCD panel to indicate the setting the camera is set to.
Based on the Kyocera P. mini AF spec sheet, other features of the camera include AE metering with a shutter speed range from 1/60 to 1/200 second, paired with an aperture opening of f/3.5 to f/16, DX-coding for film ISO from 100 to 400, and autofocusing from 0.4 meters to infinity.
The camera was produced by Kyocera in 1992 and is also shipped as the Yashica Micro Elite AF and Kyocera P. mini AF. The all-plastic Minitec AF is lightweight at 185 grams without batteries.
Yashica Minitec AF camera
A beautiful little point and shoot camera from Yashica. Photos shot on location in wales and under the flyover on the Plymouth turnoff on the A38. Cheap out of date film used . Model-Rosie Flame Music by Kai -Engel http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/ more on the blog www.nineteen68.co.uk
The camera, however, is not fitted with any battery strength indicator, and as I have no access to information on how many rolls of film the batteries can support (your guess is as good as mine here), I am sticking to a couple of 36 exposure rolls when used with a fair amount of flash before the batteries are replaced.
Basic Camera Features
Though not truly obvious, the Yashica Microtec AF is a wee bit smaller than the Pentax Espio AF 35-70mm Zoom (240 grams without battery) and is almost the same size as the slightly heavier Nikon Zoom 310 AF QD (220 grams without batteries).The Minitec AF, however, comes with the most decent viewfinder among the three, and with its slightly bulkier contour, it might end up being the better choice if you are looking for a fixed wide-angle instead of a 35-70mm zoom.
The simple and elegant brick-bat shape incorporates a nice contoured camel-hump ridged finger grip on the front plane, besides which is a slide switch that opens the lens blind and powers up the camera. Lined on the top right of the front of the top plane are the flash unit, a pair of autofocus triangulation windows, and the viewfinder window.
On the top plane, from left to right, is a smallish mid-roll rewind button, flash-off Infinity Focus button, Flash Mode setting button, Self-timer, LCD display panel, and on the far right, the red Shutter Release button.
Contrary to what I have read on the Net regarding the flash cycle mode of the Yashica Minitec AF, my unit only offers three flash settings - Auto On, and auto-canceling Eye-Reduction and Backlighting functions, which means that you have to reset the modes again if you are going for another shot after the first one is taken.
Shooting in flash-off Infinity Focus calls for a two-hand operation, one with your left index finger holding down the Infinity Focus button while the other is used to release the shutter.
The camera back is a plain affair with only the film, film info window, and the viewfinder eyepiece. The battery chamber is located on the right shoulder, opened by a slide latch.
The bottom of the Minitec AF is again plain except for the tripod socket.
The film box is the nominal auto load type where you have to extend the film tab across the film frame window to the indicated point on the opposite side before closing the film back. The film will be forwarded automatically to Frame 1.
You might also notice that this is the camera that loads the film canister on the right of the film box. The film auto-rewinds at the end of the roll.
Viewfinder Readout
The viewfinder is a real-image type, with a bright frame and parallax correction lines, and a central autofocus circle.A green LED light is displayed at the bottom right corner of the viewfinder frame when autofocus is locked on, or when the flash-off Infinity Focus button is pressed, while a red LED blinks on the left corner of the screen when the flash is activated.
LCD Panel Display
The LCD panel is a simple frame counter display, flash mode setting, and timer countdown.Self-timer
The self-timer is autorun. It activates as soon as you press the button, and the shutter release at the end of the 10-second delay without the need to use the shutter release button, something you have to get used to.\
Battery
As mentioned, the Minitec AF is powered by a pair of AA batteries. I do not have, however, any info on the number of film rolls the batteries can support before it needs to be replaced, or what happens when the batteries are replaced mid-roll.Ease of Use
Except for the first image above, the others were from just outside of my front door showing the potential of the camera as a focus-free point-and-shoot, taken on a roll of Kodak ColorPlus 200.Scanned images were post-processed on Olympus Viewer 3 (OV3) and print sharpened on Google NIK Sharpener Pro3.
The best part of the camera is undoubtedly the need for only a pair of AA batteries to get it running. These cells are easy to get and keep in mind that you may have to change them often enough.
Again, shooting in Flash-off Infinity Focus is a two-hand operation, which might be a bit of a distraction, but not a dissatisfaction. The stylish built form and ease of function are definitely a style update.
Is the Yashica Minitec AF a keeper? Yes, I will definitely keep the unit I am reviewing until a new option comes around.
Again, shooting in Flash-off Infinity Focus is a two-hand operation, which might be a bit of a distraction, but not a dissatisfaction. The stylish built form and ease of function are definitely a style update.
Is the Yashica Minitec AF a keeper? Yes, I will definitely keep the unit I am reviewing until a new option comes around.
What is price of this camera
ReplyDeleteItem on the product review pages are not for sale and does not have a price attached to it. A 'near' or a 'similar' item, however, may be listed on one of the 'Shop ImagingPixel' pages, and if not already sold, will have the proper price and contact information as required. Thanks.
DeleteHello! I found this camera inside my grandma's closet and of course, I'm used to digital cameras so understanding how to use it took some good ten minutes. I just took my first photo and now I'm not sure how to turn it off so the batteries don't keep using their power while I'm not using the camera. Is switching the slide switch at the front the only thing I have to do to turn it off? Thanks a lot for this bc it helpepd me understand the camera functions better
ReplyDeleteYes, the slide switch on the front of the camera is the Power On/Off switch, the power is turned off when the lens blind is closed. All the best, thanks.
Deletecan this camera use any kind of roll film?
ReplyDeleteDX-coded 35mm film rolls with ISO/ASA film speed from 100 to 400, the camera does not have manual ISO/ASA speed control.
DeleteHey! Great piece of article, thanks.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience with the Minitec, what happens when you run out of batteries is that it auto-rewind the film. So you don’t want to run out of batteries. I’ve lost a couple of frames on a few films…
Honest to goodness Pierre, I wasn't aware of that either. Thanks for the heads-up, great!
DeleteHi I found a yashica AF-mini in my grandparents house and I more or less now understand how it works. Although the flash doesn’t seem to work and i wont power off when I close the lens so I manually have to take out the battery. Any advice on how to repair it or anywhere I can ship it to be repaired I would be most grateful. Thanks
ReplyDeleteHi, first of all: great article and super interesting! Many thanks! I think to buy this camera? Is there a lot difference between this one and the Clearlook AF?
ReplyDeleteIf I put a new roll in this camera, and I close the camera. I can directly use it and it goes automatically to the first frame to shoot?
If I shoot 36 pictures. The only thing I have to do is click one time on the rewind button on the left and then afterwards open the camera and keep it out? I want to make sure that I understand.
The Yashica Minitec AF is auto-loading, auto-winding and auto-rewinding, thanks.
DeleteCould you help me understand the difference between the AF and the Super? There's a big price difference and as I understand the general opinion is that the Microtec Super is a watered down, almost identical T4. Thanks a lot, new to analog and want a good starting point without breaking the bank.
ReplyDelete