Minolta TC-1
image by micromoogman (Image rights) |
The TC-1 was a high-end, titanium-bodied compact autofocus 35mm camera produced by Minolta from 1996–2005.
It is primary an aperture priority camera. It has center-weighted and spot meter modes with a sensitivity of 1.5 to 17 EV in center and 2.5 to 17 in spot mode. The optics features a Minolta G-Rokkor branded 28mm f/3.5 lens constructed with 5 elements in 5 groups. The lens aperture can be adjusted on top of the lens in 16, 8, 5.6 and 3.5. Manual focus is possible with 22 preset distances. Exposure compensation is available in half stops of ±4. There is a built-in flash with a GN of 7 (ISO100). There are three modes, on, fill flash and off. The self timer can be delayed 2 or 10 seconds.
Half pressing the shutter button will display the shutter speed, focus distance, focus confirmation in the viewfinder. The viewfinder has a diopter correction of -2.5 to +1. Inside it displays the shutter speed 8, 30, 125 and 500. While that may seem limited, the LED's have multiple states. Focus distance is displayed on the bottom with 0.5, 0.7, 1, 2, 5 m and inf.
The film transport is motorized with auto advance and rewind. DX-coded film ISO can also be overridden. It is powered by a CR123A battery. The TC-1 has a battery saving function that will turn the camera off in 3 minutes of inactivity.
With lens retracted image by Dicken.L (Image rights) |
LED | Shutter speed |
---|---|
8 (blink) | 1/6 ~ 8 sec |
8 | 1/10 ~ 1/6 |
30 & 8 | 1/20 ~ 1/10 |
30 | 1/45 ~ 1/20 |
125 & 30 | 1/90 ~ 1/45 |
125 | 1/180 ~ 1/90 |
500 & 125 | 1/350 ~ 1/180 |
500 (blink) | 1/750 ~ 1/750 (aperture priority) |
Links
- Minolta TC-1 user manual at Manualslib
- Minolta TC-1 group on Flickr
- TC-1 profiled at Karen Nakamura's Classic Cameras at Photoethnography.com
Japan Camera Grand Prix | |
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Camera of the year
1984: Nikon FA | 1985: Minolta α-7000 | 1986: Canon T90 | 1987: Canon EOS 650 | 1988: Kyocera Samurai | 1989: Nikon F4 | 1990: Canon EOS 10 | 1991: Contax RTS III | 1992: Pentax Z-1 | 1993: Canon EOS 5 | 1994: Minolta α-707si | 1995: Contax G1 | 1996: Minolta TC-1 | 1997: Nikon F5 | 1998: Pentax 645N | 1999: Minolta α-9 | 2000: Canon EOS-1V | 2001: Minolta α-7 | 2002: Canon EOS-1D | 2003: Canon EOS-1Ds | 2004: Nikon D70 | 2005: Konica Minolta α-7 Digital | 2006: Nikon D200 | 2007: Pentax K10D | 2008: Nikon D3 | 2009: Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 2010: Olympus Pen E-P1 | 2011: Pentax 645D | 2012: Nikon D800 | 2013: Sony DSC-RX1 | 2014: Nikon Df | 2015: Canon EOS 7D Mark II | 2016: Sony α7R II | 2017: Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II | 2018: Sony α9 | 2019: Lumix S1R | 2020: Sony α7R IV | 2021: Sony α1 | 2022: Nikon Z9 | 2023: Sony α7R V Special Prize Editor |