Page 2 - FOR PROPER AND SAFE USE; WARNING
1 Thank you for purchasing the Minolta Dynax/Maxxum 800si. The 800sifeatures Minolta's highly acclaimed 14-Segment Honeycomb PatternMetering, a built-in high-power zoom flash, and built-in Intelligent Cardfunctions. The built-in flash covers focal lengths from 24 to 80mm and hasa guide number of up ...
Page 3 - TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 BASIC OPERATION FOCUS BASICS FLASH BASICS SUBJECT PROGRAMMODES EXPOSURE BASICS ADVANCEDAUTOFOCUS ADVANCED EXPOSURE ADVANCED FLASH ADDITIONALFEATURES APPENDIX Names of Parts.............................4 Loading the Film ...........................16Handling the Camera ............
Page 4 - NAMES OF PARTS; BODY
NAMES OF PARTS 4 5 BODY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 33 34 35 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 ( 13 ) ( 9 ) 28 A B C D E F G H 1.Grip sensor (20)2. AF illuminator/Self-timer lamp (32, 117) 3. Front control dial4. Shutter-release button5. Data panel (6)6. Program-reset button (9...
Page 5 - DATA PANEL
NAMES OF PARTS 6 7 DATA PANEL VIEWFINDER 1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 1 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 2 3 3 4 3 5 1. Subject Program Selection icons2. Battery-condition indicator3. Film-speed mark 4. Flash-mode indicators5. Shutter-speed/Film- speed/Focus-area display 6. Ape...
Page 6 - QUICK OPERATION; Insert the batteries.
QUICK OPERATION 8 9 Insert the batteries. • The camera uses one 2CR5 cell. Attach a lens. • Align the red marks, then turn it gently clockwise until it clicks. Turn the camera on. • Set the main switch to ON. Load the film. • Line the film-tip with the red mark, then close the back cover. Set the ca...
Page 7 - STANDARD ACCESSORIES; NECKSTRAP; BASIC
10 STANDARD ACCESSORIES 11 NECKSTRAP Attach the neckstrap as shown. EYEPIECE CUP Attach the eyepiece cup asshown. EYEPIECE AND ACCESSORY SHOE CAPS An eyepiece cap is attached to thestrap. Before using the self-timer ormaking long exposures, removethe the eyepiece cup and attachthe cap to the viewfin...
Page 8 - INSTALLING THE BATTERIES; BATTERY CONDITION INDICATORS
INSTALLING THE BATTERIES 12 13 Your camera uses one 6-volt 2CR5 battery to supply power for allcamera operations. Please read all warnings in the For Proper andSafe Use section of this manual, as well as warnings supplied bythe battery manufacturer. Set the main switch to LOCK.Slide the battery-cove...
Page 9 - ATTACHING AND REMOVING THE LENS; ATTACHING THE LENS
ATTACHING AND REMOVING THE LENS 14 15 Remove the camera body capand the rear lens cap asshown. Align the red bead on the lenswith the red dot on the camera'slens mount. Gently insert the lens into themount and turn it clockwiseuntil it clicks into the lockedposition. • Do not press the lens-release ...
Page 10 - LOADING FILM; Remove and discard the protective cover in the
LOADING FILM 16 17 Remove and discard the protective cover in the film gate before loading film for the first time. Check the film window before loading film. If afilm cartridge is loaded, do not open the back cover. See page 24for instructions on rewinding a partially exposed roll of film. Slide th...
Page 11 - Slide the main switch to on.; HOLDING THE CAMERA
DIOPTER ADJUSTMENT HANDLING THE CAMERA 18 19 Hold the camera grip firmly with your right hand while supportingthe lens with your left hand. Keep your elbows at your side andyour feet shoulder-width apart to hold the camera steady. Alwayskeep the camera strap around your neck or wrist in the event yo...
Page 12 - Grip sensor; mode, so an accidental turn of the control dials does not
EYE-START 20 21 The eye-start system automatically activates the 800si’s mainsystems as soon as you bring the camera to your eye. When youset the main switch to ON, the data panel and grip sensor activate.Touching the grip sensor activates the infrared emitter detectorlocated beneath the eyepiece. W...
Page 13 - SHOOTING IN FULL-AUTO MODE
SHOOTING IN FULL-AUTO MODE 22 23 Turn the camera on. Press the program-resetbutton. • The camera will return to the default settings. Turn eye-start on. Raise the flash if flash isdesired. Put the flash down ifno flash is to be used. • The flash always fires when up. Rotate the zooming ring, ifusing...
Page 14 - REWINDING THE FILM; will blink in the data panel, indicating it is safe; Wait until rewind is complete.; MANUAL REWIND; Use manual rewind to rewind the film before the roll is finished.; FOCUS
REWINDING THE FILM 24 25 After you have exposed the last frame, the camera will automaticallyrewind the film silently. When the film is completely rewound, themotor will stop and will blink in the data panel, indicating it is safe to open the back cover. Wait until rewind is complete. Slide the back...
Page 15 - Focus is confirmed and locked.; LOCKING FOCUS WITH THE SHUTTER-RELEASE BUTTON
FOCUS LOCK FOCUS SIGNALS 26 27 The following indicators appear in the viewfinder to report focusstatus. Continuous focusing - focusconfirmed. Focus is confirmed and locked. Focusing in autofocus mode -shutter locked. Focus cannot be confirmed;shutter locked; the subject is tooclose or in one of the ...
Page 16 - FOCUS LOCK; Press and hold the AF button.; LOCKING FOCUS WITH THE AF BUTTON
FOCUS LOCK 28 29 Center your subject in thefocus area . Press and hold the AF button. • The camera will focus on the subject, then lock focus. Whenfocus is locked, will appear in the viewfinder. • A local focus area indicator appears in the viewfinder to show where thecamera is focusing on the subje...
Page 18 - AF ILLUMINATOR; FLASH
AF ILLUMINATOR 32 33 In low light situations or when thecontrast of your main subject istoo low to be read by the AFsensors, the autofocus illuminatorwill activate automatically. The AFilluminator projects a pattern oflines onto your subject which theAF sensors detect and use tofocus. • Be careful n...
Page 19 - Flash is charged and ready.
FLASH SIGNALS USING THE BUILT-IN FLASH 34 35 Grip both sides of the flashand gently lift it. The flash willfire every time when it is up. Push the flash down to turn itoff. The built-in flash provides coverage for lens focal lengths from24mm to 80mm. The flash output is automatically controlled byth...
Page 20 - FLASH RANGE; LENS SHADOWING AND THE BUILT-IN FLASH
FLASH RANGE 36 37 The range of the built-in flash depends on the speed of the filmand the selected aperture. Make sure your subject is within theworking range of the flash, specified in the tables below. With ISO 100 Film Coverage of the Zoom Flash Aperture 24mm Focal Length 80mm Focal Length f/2.8 ...
Page 21 - FILL FLASH; Wait until
FILL FLASH 39 RED-EYE REDUCTION 38 When photographing people or animals at night or other low-lightsituations, the effect called red-eye may occur due to the flashreflecting off the inside of the subject's eyes. To reduce this effect,use the built-in flash's red-eye reduction mode. When selected,the...
Page 22 - SUBJECT PROGRAM SELECTION; Portrait Mode - for portrait photography; SUBJECT PROGRAM
SUBJECT PROGRAM SELECTION 41 40 Subject program selection lets you choose one of the five subjectprogram modes listed below. These program modes customizethe exposure settings for the type of picture you will be taking. Portrait Mode - for portrait photography Landscape Mode - for scenic and travel ...
Page 24 - SPORTS MODE
SPORTS MODE 45 CLOSE-UP MODE 44 Select Sports mode when fastershutter speeds are needed to stopaction. In Sports mode, the camerasets the fastest possible shutterspeed and continually adjusts thefocus to track fast-moving subjects. Press and hold the subject-program button. Turn either control dial ...
Page 25 - NIGHT PORTRAIT MODE; PHOTOGRAPHING NIGHT SCENES
47 NIGHT PORTRAIT MODE 46 When photographing scenery atnight, set the camera to NightPortrait mode and do not use theflash. Longer shutter speeds areset in this mode, so you can easilycapture beautiful photographs oftwilight scenery and night skylines. Press and hold the subject-program button. Turn...
Page 26 - EXPOSURE MODES; The 800si has four exposure modes.; EXPOSURE
EXPOSURE MODES 49 48 P - (PROGRAM) -Programmed Autoexposure ModeP mode (PROGRAM) is ideal when you want to give your fullattention to the subject and give the camera control over exposure. A - Aperture Priority ModeIn A mode, you select the aperture and the camera automaticallysets the shutter speed...
Page 27 - P - PROGRAM EXPOSURE MODE; - Turn the rear control dial until
P - PROGRAM EXPOSURE MODE 51 EXPOSURE MODES 50 P mode (PROGRAM) is ideal when you want to give your fullattention to the subject and give the camera control over exposure.When focused on your main subject, Expert Program Selectionautomatically analyzes subject size, motion, and magnification aswell ...
Page 28 - A - APERTURE PRIORITY MODE; CANCELLING P
A - APERTURE PRIORITY MODE 53 P - PROGRAM EXPOSURE MODE 52 In A mode, you select the apertureand the camera automatically setsthe shutter speed required forproper exposure. Use A mode whenyou want to control the depth-of-field in an image (p 55, p 114). While pressing the exposure-mode button, turn ...
Page 29 - Large Aperture; APERTURE CONTROL
55 A - APERTURE PRIORITY MODE 54 Large Aperture (small f-number) Small Aperture (large f-number) The size of the aperture (lens opening) determines the depth-of-field in the final image as well as the intensity of the light falling onthe film. Depth of field is the area in front of and behind the po...
Page 30 - S - SHUTTER PRIORITY MODE; S-MODE FLASH
57 S - SHUTTER PRIORITY MODE 56 S-MODE FLASH • When the flash is ready, will appear in the viewfinder. • Choose a shutter speed of 1/200 or slower, as this is the sync speed. The aperture is set automatically. • A larger f-number will result in a smaller flash range.• Push the flash down if it is no...
Page 31 - Fast Shutter Speed; SHUTTER CONTROL
M - MANUAL MODE 59 S - SHUTTER PRIORITY MODE 58 In M mode, you have full control of exposure and the camera'smeter index will show you how your settings relate to the TTLmeter. While pressing the exposure-mode button, turn eithercontrol dial until M appears inthe data panel. Release the exposure-mod...
Page 32 - MANUAL MODE; M-MODE FLASH
61 MANUAL MODE 60 M-MODE FLASH When the built in flash is up oran attached accessory flash ison, it will fire each time a pictureis taken. The camera's TTLcontrol ensures a properexposure. METER INDEX In manual mode, the metering index will show you how theexposure you have set compares with the cam...
Page 33 - BULB; Mount the camera on a tripod.; ADVANCED
63 BULB 62 When bulb is selected, the shutter will remain open as long as theshutter-release button is pressed. Use the bulb function to makelong exposures. While in M mode, turn thefront control dial to the leftuntil "bulb" appears in theviewfinder and the data panel. Turn the rear control ...
Page 34 - AUTOFOCUS MODES; SINGLE-SHOT AUTOFOCUS; when photographing; AUTOMATIC AUTOFOCUS MODE
65 AUTOFOCUS MODES 64 SINGLE-SHOT AUTOFOCUS When the shutter-release button ispressed partway down, the camerafocuses until sharp focus isconfirmed and then focus is locked.Focus will remain locked while theshutter-release button is pressedpartway down or until after theshutter-release button is pre...
Page 35 - FOCUS FRAME; WIDE FOCUS AREA; Vertical
FOCUS FRAME 67 AUTOFOCUS MODES 66 Your camera has a wide focus area and four local focus areas. Awide focus area is ideal for catching subjects in motion andsnapshots. A local focus area allows for precise control over thelocation of focus. WIDE FOCUS AREA The camera uses all of the AFsensors to foc...
Page 36 - RELEASE PRIORITY; LOCAL FOCUS AREA; Select a specific local focus AF sensor for the camera to use.
RELEASE PRIORITY 69 FOCUS FRAME 68 The default setting of the 800si is autofocus-priority shutter release.When the camera is in autofocus, the shutter will not release if thesubject is not in focus. You can set the camera to shutter-releasepriority so the shutter will release even if the subject is ...
Page 37 - METERING
METERING 71 70 Your camera takes meter readings of the light in the scene todetermine the correct exposure. The 800si has three methods oftaking meter readings. Use the method most appropriate for yoursubject. 14-SEGMENT HONEYCOMB-PATTERN METERING Fourteen-Segment Honeycomb-Pattern Metering is the c...
Page 38 - SELECTING A METERING METHOD
73 METERING 72 SELECTING A METERING METHOD Press the metering-modebutton in the control panel. Turn either control dial untilthe icon of the desired methodappears in the data panel. Press the shutter-releasebutton partway down to enterthe setting. MEMORY: The Metering Mode setting can be stored in m...
Page 40 - EXPOSURE BRACKETING; AE LOCK; appears in the
EXPOSURE BRACKETING 77 AE LOCK 76 Exposure bracketing lets you expose a series of frames withexposures below and above the normal metered exposure. Thisfunction is especially useful when shooting with reversal film,because of the film's low tolerance for exposure error. With the 800si, you can choos...
Page 41 - FLASH BRACKETING; Wait for the flash-ready signal
FLASH BRACKETING 79 EXPOSURE BRACKETING 78 Flash bracketing lets you expose a series of frames with exposuresbelow and above the normal metered exposure while using flash.With the 800si, you can choose a series of 3, 5, or 7 frames.Exposures can be made in 0.3, 0.5, or 1.0 EV increments. Theexposure...
Page 42 - MULTIPLE EXPOSURE
MULTIPLE EXPOSURE 81 FLASH BRACKETING 80 Press the drive-mode buttonin the control panel. Turn either control dial untilthe multiple exposureindicator appears in the data panel. Press the adjust button in thecontrol panel. • will start blinking. The multiple-exposure mode lets you overlap up to 9 im...
Page 43 - CANCELLING MULTIPLE EXPOSURE; Cancel multiple-exposure mode by setting another drive mode.; Repeat step 6 until all the exposures have been made.
83 MULTIPLE EXPOSURE 82 CANCELLING MULTIPLE EXPOSURE Cancel multiple-exposure mode by setting another drive mode. ✎ It is also possible to change the number of exposures remaining in themultiple-exposure series after starting the series. Follow theinstructions for Setting Multiple Exposure. The numb...
Page 44 - METERING INDEX; The table below summarizes the meaning of the metering index.; M Mode
85 METERING INDEX 84 DISPLAY POINTER The 0 position represents theexposure calculated by thecamera. The pointer is on theexposure-compensation value. The 0 position represents theexposure locked-in by the AEbutton.The pointer represents thevalue of the spot-meter areawhen compared to the lockedexpos...
Page 45 - HIGH-SPEED FLASH SYNC; Conventional Fill Flash; Attach the 5400HS flash and set it to standard mode.
HIGH-SPEED FLASH SYNC 87 Conventional Fill Flash High-speed Sync The maximum sync speed of the 800si is 1/200. However, withthe 5400HS accessory flash (sold separately) shutter speeds upto 1/8000 can be used. High-speed sync (HSS) is particularlyuseful when photographing portraits outdoors. With it,...
Page 46 - Without Rear-flash Sync; With Slow-shutter Sync
REAR-FLASH SYNC 89 SLOW-SHUTTER SYNC 88 With Rear-flash Sync Without Rear-flash Sync The rear-flash sync function is designed to create action shotsthat leave a blur of motion behind the subject. Rear-flash syncrequires a slow shutter speed to make the 'blur' exposure with theambient light, then the...
Page 47 - FLASH COMPENSATION; Turn either dial to display
91 REAR-FLASH SYNC 90 This function enables you to bias the output of the built-in flash oran accessory flash as much as + or – 3 EVs in .5 increments. While pressing the flash-compensation button, turneither control dial. When the desiredcompensation factor appearsin the viewfinder and datapanel, r...
Page 48 - Normal Flash
93 WIRELESS/REMOTE OFF-CAMERA FLASH 92 SETTING WIRELESS/REMOTE FLASH MODE Attach the flash to thecamera, then turn it on. Press the flash mode buttonin the control panel. Turn either control dialuntil appears in the data panel. Press the shutter-release button partway downto enter the selection. Det...
Page 49 - TAKING PICTURES IN WIRELESS/REMOTE FLASH MODE
ISO 100 2 2.8 4 5.6 8 ISO 400 ISO 100 ISO 400 Camera-Subject Distance 3500xi Flash-Subject Distance 95 WIRELESS/REMOTE OFF-CAMERA FLASH 94 Wait for both flash units tobecome fully-charged. • When the off-camera flash is charged, its AF illuminator will blink and will glow in the flash’s data panel. ...
Page 50 - PC TERMINAL; CANCELLING THE WIRELESS/REMOTE FLASH
97 WIRELESS/REMOTE OFF-CAMERA FLASH 96 This camera is equipped with a PC connector which enables youto connect PC-capable flash units with a flash sync cord. Set the exposure mode to M,then set the shutter to 1/200or slower. • Turn the flash unit off before connecting the sync cord to the PCterminal...
Page 51 - MEMORY
99 98 The memory function allows you to store a variety of camerasettings as a group and recall them at anytime. The 800si iscapable of storing three different sets of camera function settings.This feature is convenient when you will be repeating the sameshooting conditions and want to use the same ...
Page 52 - STORING SETTINGS IN MEMORY
101 MEMORY 100 ✎ Clear all three sets of memory settings by pressing and holding theenter button while turning the camera off, then on again. STORING SETTINGS IN MEMORY Set the camera with all the function setting you want tosave (see chart on the previous page). Assign the group a number byturning ...
Page 53 - CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS; Setting; according to your personal preferences.; Custom Function
103 CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS 102 1 AF Priority 2 Release Priority 1 Auto 2 Manual 1 Rewind into cartridge 2 Out of rewound cartridge 1 On 2 Off 1 Manual switchover 2 Autoswitchover 1 Focus hold 2 Center-area select 3 Continuous AF 1 Grip switch 2 Main switch 1 Normal 2 Counts down 1 Wide or Local 2 Cente...
Page 54 - RESETTING ALL THE CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS TO 1; CHANGING THE CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS
105 CUSTOMIZED SETTINGS 104 Press the shutter-release button partway down to enterthe selections. • Turning the camera off or removing the batteries will not affect the Customized Function Settings. Note: When Customized Function #15 - Eye-start Switch is onsetting 2 or 3, the dials are completely d...
Page 55 - DATA MEMORY; FILM AREAS; When all 9 film areas are full,; OVERWRITING THE FILM AREAS
107 DATA MEMORY 106 When data memory is selected, the following information about eachphotograph is stored at the time of exposure: FILM AREAS The data from each of the 9 rolls of film is stored separately in ninedifferent areas called "film areas". The first roll of film is stored in filmar...
Page 57 - DELETING ALL OF THE STORED DATA
111 DATA MEMORY 110 DELETING ALL OF THE STORED DATA Press and hold the data-memory button in the controlpanel. Press the adjust button. • will appear and will blink in the data panel. • Release both buttons. Press the data-memory buttonagain. • will blink while the data is being deleted. • The store...
Page 58 - FOR OWNERS OF THE QUARTZ DATE MODEL; REPLACING THE QUARTZ DATA BACK BATTERY; Replace the battery cover, then reset the date and time.; SETTING THE DATE AND TIME
113 FOR OWNERS OF THE QUARTZ DATE MODEL 112 Press the ADJUST button to change thedata to the correct value. Data continueschanging as long as the button is held down. • In time mode, pressing the ADJUST button while : is blinking resets the second counter to 00. When all data is correct, press the S...
Page 59 - SETTING FILM SPEED MANUALLY
SETTING FILM SPEED MANUALLY 115 DEPTH-OF-FIELD PREVIEW 114 The film speed can be set manually when you want to override theDX-coded film speed or you are using non-DX-coded film. Filmspeeds can be set from ISO 6 to ISO 6400 in 1/3EV increments. Load the film, then press theISO button in the controlp...
Page 61 - FILM DRIVE MODES; APPENDIX; The 800si has two film-drive modes: Continuous Advance; Turn either control dial until
119 FILM DRIVE MODES 118 APPENDIX The 800si has two film-drive modes: Continuous Advance and Single Frame Advance . In Single Frame Advance, the camera makes one exposure and advances the film one frame each timethe shutter-release button is pressed. In Continuous Advance, thecamera will release the...
Page 62 - COMPATIBILITY OF LENSES AND ACCESSORIES; Lenses; Function
ACCESSORY INFORMATION 121 PROGRAM RESET BUTTON 120 The Minolta 800si was designed to work specifically with lenses,flash units and other accessories manufactured and distributed byMinolta. Using incompatible products with this camera may resultin unsatisfactory performance or damage to the camera or...
Page 63 - TROUBLESHOOTING; Indicator; BLINKING INDICATORS; Mode; VERTICAL CONTROL GRIP VC-700; Others; • The following accessories are not compatible with the 800si:; PANORAMA ADAPTER
TROUBLESHOOTING 123 Indicators blink in the viewfinder and data panel when there is aproblem with exposure. Indicator Cause Solution Scene or subjectbrightness isbeyond thecamera’s meteringrange. Light level isbeyond the rangeof available shutterspeeds andapertures. The requiredshutter speed isbeyon...
Page 64 - Solution
125 TROUBLESHOOTING 124 Solution Page Press the Focus-mode button to select autofocus. 31 Use focus lock or focus the lens manually. 27, 31 Make sure you are not closer than the minimum focusdistance listed in the lens' instruction manual. – Use a compatible lens and attach it properly. 14,121 In AF...
Page 65 - CARE AND STORAGE; BEFORE IMPORTANT EVENTS
127 CARE AND STORAGE 126 BEFORE IMPORTANT EVENTS • Check the camera's operation carefully or take test photographs. • Minolta is not responsible for damages incurred by equipment malfunction. OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND CONDITIONS • This camera is designed for use from –20° to 50°C (–4° to 122°F). • ...
Page 66 - TECHNICAL DETAILS; BATTERIES
TECHNICAL DETAILS 129 CARE AND STORAGE 128 Camera Type: 35mm single lens reflex (SLR) with built-in flash, autoexposure (AE), and action-predictive autofocus (AF) Lens Mount: Minolta A-type bayonet mount (Maxxum/Dynax lenses) Focus: Type: Through-the-lens (TTL) phase detection, multi metering with C...
Page 67 - Backlit on-body LCD (automatically illuminated
131 TECHNICAL DETAILS 130 Film Transport: Loading: Auto loading (automatically advances to the first frame when back cover is closed)Drive Modes: Single frame, continuous (3 frames/sec.), self-timer, exposure or flash bracketing, multiple exposure (2 - 9 exposures)Rewind: Auto rewind, manual start (...
