Minolta Vectis S-1 camera body.
Minolta Camera Co Ltd
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1996 - 1998
Materials
Plastic, Glass, Metal
Measurements
80 x 125 x 63 mm
Place of origin
Malaysia
Collection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1525543.1
Summary
Minolta Vectis S-1. This is a camera body without a lens. The Vectis S-1 had all the functionality of an SLR, with full manual controls, but being almost entirely electronic, it had buttons rather than dials. It did have one large dial on the rear of the camera, It is an Advanced Photo System camera which enabled the user to select the picture format between ‘C’ (classic) which was a traditional 3:2 ratio for a 6x4” print, ‘H’ (High Definition) which was a wider 16:9 ratio for a 4x7” print, or the super wide ‘P’ (Panoramic) which gave a 3:1 ratio and yielded a 4x11” print. It also allowed for a mid roll rewind feature. APS film was digitally encoded so that you could rewind film when you were half way through, switch to another for a bit, then put the first roll back in, and it would go back to where you left off. The camera is of plastic construction. The top of the camera has the view finder top left with a diopter adjustment dial, a built in flash in the centre and an accessory shoe top right. The left side is the door for the film chamber, the right side has the control to change picture format. The back of the camera has a data pael alogside the viewfinder and a programme reset button top right. Below is a row of buttons, left to right Film chamber release, main switch, command - mode button, exposure compensation, Flash mode, Spot/AEL button. Beneath is a flap covering more buttons, left- right, Self timer/drive mode, date, title, print quantity, select, red-eye reduction. To the right is the Control dial and below the manual film rewind button. The base of the camera has a tripod socket and the battery chamber. there is a plate which reads "01605485 Minolta Co Ltd, Osaka, Japan, Made in Malaysia". The front of the body has in black “Minolta”, “Vectis”, “S-1” above the lens release button. There is a body cap in place covering the lens mount, lens contacts and mirror.
Provenance
Donated on 23.02.2016 to the Fox Talbot Museum by B. Chapman.
Makers and roles
Minolta Camera Co Ltd , manufacturer