Submitted by Al…
Introduced in 1980, the Minolta Weathermatic A is a rugged watertight pocket camera using 110 cartridge film. It came in a bright yellow colour, with large controls for use by a diver wearing gloves. It floats, so it is easy to find if dropped.
Minolta Weathermatic A Specifications
• Type: watertight pocket camera
• Manufacturer: Minolta
• Year of release: 1980
• Film: Type 110 film cartridges
• Lens: Rokkor 1:3.5 / 26mm (4 coated glass elements in 3 groups)
• Zone focusing: five distances selectable by turning the knob with the five distance symbols
• Shutter: metal blade shutter with fixed speed 200 sec.
• Aperture: three apertures selectable with a knob, one for sun, one for clouds and one for flash
• viewfinder: bright frame finder with parallax correction marks, low light indicator and focusing symbols
• Flash: built-in, selectable with aperture switch
• Film advance: by lever
• Battery: 1 × AA 1.5V
• Accessories: sportsfinder, neckstrap, carry case and sports case with belt
• Max. diving depth: 5 metres
The Weathermatic features a built-in electronic flash unit capable of being used to depths of up to 5 metres (15 feet). It has an f3.5 / 26mm zone-focusing lens, which has four coated glass elements in three groups, with an angle of view of 45° (34° in water).
The camera will focus from 3 feet to infinity, by turning the focus knob to one of four distance symbols (mountain, full-length portrait, head & shoulders portrait, close-up) and a central click stop (dot). The shutter speed is fixed at 200 second.
Using either ASA 100 or 400 film, the Weathermatic features exposure control with click stops for sun, cloud and flash. The viewfinder has a low-light / use flash warning, it pulsates when the flash has recycled and it has a parallax correction for close up.
A single AA battery powers the light sensor, finder lamp and flash operation. Optional accessories include sportsfinder, neckstrap, carry case and sports case with belt.
Often described as the only waterproof 110 camera, the Minolta
Weathermatic is in fact merely the first.
Alfon and Hanimex, for example, also made waterproof 110 models.
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