The Minolta Pocket Autopak 470 was first released 1977, a high end camera for Kodak 110 pocket film*(see below).
The company made quite a range of pocket cameras, including SLR models,
the 470 is said to be in production only until 1979, but I am not sure
about it. There is little information about this model.
*
110 film was introduced by Kodak in 1972. The film sits in a cartridge,
like Kodak's earlier 126 film, but is much smaller. A frame is 13mm ×
17mm, has one perforation per image to control film advance and 24
frames per cartridge (12 were also available). The film is protected by
a backing paper like 120 film. The frame number is visible through a
window at the back of the cartridge. The basic film is ordinary 16mm
film which was already on the market, so it could be processed in
existing machines. The small picture size made very small, pocketable
cameras possible.
Kodak introduced with its 110 film a line of
Kodak Pocket Instamatic cameras which were followed by
cameras from other manufacturers. Most cameras were cheap
point-and-shoot, but very sophisticated models were also made. Small
digital cameras made 110 film obsolete. Bit by bit manufacturers stopped making 110 format film (Fujifilm in 2009), but in 2012 (and 2019) Lomography made a large batch of 110 film, followed by other firms.
The
Minolta Pocket Autopak 470 has zone focussig and advanced features, a
built-in close-up lens, a good lens and an automatic
shutter/aperture setting. Its main features are:
26mm F3.5 Rokkor lens, 4 elements, F2.8-F16, min. focus 0.9m, 0.5m with close-up Electronic shutter, 2s - 1/1000 Size 116x54x27, Weight 187 gr. 100 and 400
ISO, automatic setting, rangefinder, parallax indication, electronic flash available
Camera and flash. Camera closed, lens well protected and shutter release blocked. Seen from above. Cable release socket. Distance setting slider and scale. Back view. The
window will show the film type and the frame number, when a cartrigde
is inserted. Flash takes one AA battery. Seen
from below. Tripod socket. Film advance slider. Distance indications in
meters and feet for the symbols. Distance table for the flash.
Camera front open. Big and bright viewfinder with bright framelines, only parallax indication. Close-up
lens slid in front of the lens. There is a warning indicator in the
viewer when the close-up is in front. Slides back if the camera is
closed.
Camera film compartment open.
Battery
compartment. Takes 2 LR/SR44 batteries. There is a battery check button
which lights the low light warning when pressed if batteries are fine.
Leather(ette) pouch and strap.
A whole lot of different Minolta 110 cameras, all with electronic shutter except the 430Ex.
This
camera is very easy to use, silde it open and it's ready.
It has no
manual settings, everything is perfectly automatic. You have only to
focus and frame, which is easy via the bright finder and an easy
focussing scale in the upper part of it. If by half pressing the shutter no
light appears, exposure is fine, if there is a red light to the right, the
camera will use slow shutter speeds. There is an electronic flash
available, but the camera deals well with available light. After taking
a picture, you have to advance film and cock shutter via the slider under the camera. Putting
a film is easy as well,
you drop the film into the compartment, advance to the first frame and
that's it. Although advertized as "good condition", my first camera
didn't work.
So I bought a second one in a whole lot of Minolta 110 cameras. Seen
its size and weight it's probably the best 110 camera choice if you
don't need special features.
It's
a very good luxury point and shoot camera
with good picture quality, good quality
finish in very small and light pocketable body.
