Using Flash with Minolta HI-MATIC 11 RF

[Mikey420]

Help! Can anybody give me tips on how to use a modern electronic flash with my Minolta Hi-Matic 11? There is no way to manually set the aperature on this camera, but there is a sliding scale on the lens barrel to set distance. I have the owner's manual, but it's completely useless...Please excuse my ignorance, but what are "guide numbers?"...

I thank you in advance! Regards...

Mikey

p.s. This Minolta takes excellent photos, but using flash with my "primitive" Kodak Retina IIIC is simple!

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Guide Number refers to the output of the flash and allows you to compute F-Stop with distance. You need to set the flash to manual/full power output and not use it's "auto" mode. The guide number is the F-Stop x Distance at a particular ISO speed. So if the calculator dial of the flash tells you to use F4 at 10 ft with ISO 100 film, the GN is 40. That is the number that you set into the HM-11, and it will set the F-Stop as you focus.

 

[Mikey420]

Thanks, Brian!

regards
Mikey