Talk:Semi Minolta (I) and II

Splitting this page in four?

I think that I will split this page into four separate articles: Semi Minolta I and II, Auto Semi Minolta, Semi Minolta III, Semi Minolta P because 1- it is becoming too long and 2- nearly all the resulting articles would be illustrated. Any opinion? --Rebollo fr 12:37, 12 November 2006 (EST)

U. Kulick, 13 November 2006: Hello Rebollo, I think you should let the article as long as it is. It was already in discussion whether articles should cover a whole camera series or just a single model. Germans would say: That's a dispute about the Kaiser's beard. Look into our To-Do-List, I've listed a camera which is worth to write about next because it is traded at high prices, people want to know about that treasure: The Voigtländer Bergheil. Isn't that a new topic for you? Best regards, Uwe

I will leave it as is for the moment until I have pictures for the Semi P. I have still much material to put in this article and I think I will have to split later. For example the number of footnotes is becoming unreasonable. Moreover in my opinion the Auto Semi and Semi P are completely different cameras.

About the Bergheil, sure it would be interesting but I have access to almost no document (except Afalter's book with a couple of pictures) and unfortunately I don't read German so I would be unable to understand the original sources even if I found some.

Regards, Rebollo fr 18:35, 13 November 2006 (EST)

Identification flowchart

I would like to add an identification flowchart, inspired from the work of GitzoCollector. I will surely need to spend some time to make it work, and I will make my first attempt below, to avoid ruining the page. I started with a copy of GitzoCollector's flowchart for the Mamiya Six.

Answer to the following questions to find your variant of the Semi Minolta

1. Is there a shutter release on the main body?

Yes -> Semi Minolta (I) 2. Is there an optical element inside the viewfinder? No -> "Type A" 3. Is the focus ring behind the shutter or at the front? Behind -> "Types A1/A2" 4. Is there a cylindrical post or an accessory shoe? Cylindrical post -> "Type A1" The Semi Minolta (I) "type A1" is extremely rare, only seen in advertisements. Lens numbers are known in the 28xx and 29xx range. Accessory shoe -> "Type A2" The Semi Minolta (I) "type A2" is very rare. Lens numbers are known in the 33xx and 34xx range. Front -> "Type A3" The Semi Minolta (I) "type A3" is extremely rare, only seen in advertisements. Yes -> "Types B/C/D/E/F" 3. Are the film flanges low or high? Low -> "Types B1/B2" 4. What is the shutter's top speed? 1/100 -> "Type B1" The Semi Minolta (I) "type B1" is hard to find, though it is the most common version of the model I. Body numbers are known in the 023xx to 025xx range, and lens numbers in the 94xx to 104xx range. 1/200 -> "Type B2" The Semi Minolta (I) "type B2" is rare. Lens numbers are known in the 94xx to 112xx range. High -> "Types C/D/E/F" 4. Is the handle attached to the body or to the back? Body -> "Type C" The Semi Minolta (I) "type C" is rare. Lens numbers are known in the 112xx to 150xx range. Back -> "Types D/E/F" 5. Is the shutter plate engraved by hand or machine-stamped? Engraved by hand -> "Type D1" The Semi Minolta (I) "type D1" is rare. Body numbers are known in the 050xx to 053xx range, and lens numbers in the 274xx to 277xx range. Machine-stamped -> "Types D2/E/F" 6. Is there a recessed oval on the folding bed? No -> "Type D2" The Semi Minolta (I) "type D2" is very rare. Lens numbers are known in the 287xx to 294xx range. Machine-stamped -> "Types E/F" 7. How many red windows are there in the back? No -> "Type E" The Semi Minolta (I) "type E" is extremely rare, with a single example confirmed. Body number is in the 059xx range, and lens number in the 302xx range. No -> "Type F" The Semi Minolta (I) "type F" is extremely rare, with a single example confirmed.

No -> Semi Minolta II Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet