Cosina Hi-Lite CE
posted 5-22-'03

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Specifications

Type: Fully Automatic exposure control type 35mm SLR with TTL electronic system.

Film: 35mm roll film with 20 or 36 exposures.

Picture size: 24 x 36mm.

Standard Lens: Auto Cosinon MC 55mm f/1.4 or MC 50mm f/1.8 in straight helical action with fully automatic aperture.

Distance Scale: 00 - 0.5m.

Shutter: Copal EF-394 electrically controlled focal plane shutter

Auto electronic shutter: 2 - 1/2000 sec. (continuous with no stages)

Manual shutter: B. 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125(x) 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000 - 1/2000 sec.

Finder: Pentaprism finder with fresnel lens and cross microprism, magnification 0.9X, field of view approx. 95%, eyesight-0.8 diopter.

Focusing: Image on focusing plate blown up with distance scale for viewing.

Mirror: Quick return type.4.butkus.org

Film wind: With wind lever (in an arc of 180° with a play of 20°)

Film counter: Automatic re-setting exposure counter.

Film rewind: Crank type.

Lens Interchange: Screw mount (42¢mm P = 1mm.)

Synchro flash: FP and X (terminal of JIS B type), X-- 1/125 sec. with hot shoe (X).

Exposure: TTL meter of average light metering type (silicon blue cell), automatic exposure system giving priority to aperture determination (shutter speed indicated in finder), automatic exposure range EV 1 - 19 (with ASA 100 at F/1.4 - 16), film speed ASA 25 - 1600 with built-in light memory by IC circuit.

Power Source: 6V silver battery cell of 4G-13 type (eveready No. 544 or Mallory 4G13). 4www.butkus.org

Battery checker: Run-down indicated in finder.

Film Type Reminder: Reversal, panchromatic and color.

Others: Release lock, film loading indicator window, self-timer.

Dimensions: 145(W) x 98(H) x 92(D) mm with 55mm f/1.4 lens.

Weight: 1,0409. with 55mm f/1.4 lens, 945g. with 50mm f/1.7 (730g without lens).

Accessories: Finder cap, lens cap, battery, shoulder strap stop, shoulder strap ring.

Lens: F2.8/ 28mm · F2.8/ 35mm F1.8/ 50mm · F1.7/ 50mm F1.4/ 55mm · F2.8/ 55mm F2.8/ 135mm · F3.5/ 200mm F5.5/ 300mm · F6.3/ 400mm F8/ 500mm · F8/ 800mm F8/ 1,000mm · F4.5/ 90~230mm ZOOM


Appellation of Component Parts

1. Film Wind Lever

2. Exposure Counter

3. Shutter Release Button

4. Shutter Dial

5. Shutter Dial Index Mark

6. Shutter Lock

7. Film Speed Ring

8. Film Speed Indicator Window

9. Film Plane Mark

10. Hot Shoe Contact

11. Battery Check Button

12. Film Type Reminder
13. Film-in-Camera Indicator
14. Back Cover Lock/Film Rewind Knob
15. Self-timer

16. Aperture Release Button
17. Aperture Ring
18. Depth-of-Field Scale
19. Focusing/Aperture Index Mark
20. Focusing Ring

 

21. Automatic Aperture   
      Release Lever
22. Film Rewind Crank
23. Film Chamber
24. Accessory Set Window
25. Finder Eyepiece
26. Tripod Socket
27. Film Advance Sprocket
28. Film Rewind Button
29. Film Take-up Spool
30. Film Speed Conversion
      Table
31. Back Cover
32. Battery Compartment
33. Battery
34. Battery Compartment Cover
35. X Sync. Terminal
36. FP Sync. Terminal


Battery

The battery, compartment is situated on the left-hand side of the finder. Turn the cover with something like a coin counter-clockwise and take it off. Insert the battery which comes in as accessory, the minus side down, and put the cover back into the original position. Make sure that the plus and minus poles are in the right positions.4.butkus.org

When your camera will not be used for a long span of time, take the battery cell out of the chamber. Otherwise, there will be cases in which the contact points are damaged by the leakage.

 

Battery Check Button
While looking through the finder, depress the battery checker button. As long as the meter needle is found to be swinging in the dented part on the left-hand side of "30" or above this part, the battery cell is usable. If the needle is found to have come down below this part, the battery cell must be replaced with a new one.


Film Loading
1. Flip up the film rewind crank. Pull it out one step and then pull it out with stronger force, and the back cover will open. As the back cover has opened "S" will automatically appear in the exposure counter window.
2. Put a film cartridge into the film chamber. Make sure that the end of the film cartridge out of which its spindle juts out comes on the side of the bottom of the camera body.
3. Pull out the tip of the film leader a little bit as shown in the photo. Pass it over the sprocket and insert it into the spool slit.


4. It is advisable to take up the film until its perforations are in gear with the sprockets, by turning the film wind lever bit by bit.

5. After ascertaining that the film has been taken up evenly, snap the back cover shut.

6. Turn the film wind lever until it does not move further and then depress the shutter button. Repeat this action while taking a look through the window. If you can see "1" in the film wind window, you are ready to take the first shot.


Setting of Film Speed
After a roll of film has been loaded in the camera, turn the notched dial under the shutter speed dial so as to align the film speed with the index mark in the small window.

A film speed conversion table (ASA and DIN) is placed near the pressure plate of the back cover for your convenience.4.butkus.org

Film Type Reminder
When a roll of film has been loaded in your camera, set the film indicator, and this will make it easy for you to recall what type of film is in your camera.

Turn the notched ring under the film rewind knob, and bring the letters written on it in line with the " * " mark on the left-hand side.

REVERSAL - Color film for slides

COLOR * Negative color film

COLOR (bulb) - Color film of tungsten type

PANCHRO - Black-and-white film, infrared film


Film-in-Camera Indicator
  A red indicator mark appears when the camera has been loaded with film. It does not appear when the camera is not loaded with film. Before you start shooting pictures, make sure that you check the film-in-camera indicator.

 

Aperture Determination

The Cosina Hi-Lite EC incorporates an automatic exposure shutter in which preference is given to aperture determination. Set the aperture first, and the shutter speed will be accurately determined according to the selected aperture value, film speed and lighting condition of your subject.

For example: Set the shutter dial to "AUTO". if you set the aperture to f/2.8 for indoor shooting or f/11 for outdoor shooting, it will be possible for you to take a picture on the instant, as the range within which the electric eye system works is so broad that it reacts to the brightness of practically every subject.



Focusing

While looking through the finder, turn the focusing ring so that your subject is clearly visible. When the image of your subject does no longer "flicker" in the small round center of the finder, it means that your subject is focused. In the event that the lens is stopped down for metering purposes and the inside of the finder looks dim, press the aperture release button.


Shutter Release
As you look into the finder, you will see the figures of 1 to 2000 on the left-hand side. They are shutter speed readings.

As you keep depressing the shutter button slowly, you will hear the shutter click. At this moment, the light meter will be switched on to trigger the meter needle. The meter indicates the correct length of exposure time, depending on the amount of light in a given situation. In other words, a shutter speed fitted to the correct exposure will be instantly determined by the electronic circuitry of the silicon photocell, and the shutter speed reading is indicated in the finder.


As you further depress the shutter button, the shutter will be released at the speed indicated by the meter. Even if the meter needle points to an intermediate point between shutter speed readings, the shutter of the Cosina Hi-Lite EC is so designed that it will be released at a speed fitted to the determined aperture with a nonstage speed variation.

In taking a picture in a relatively dark place, note that it will take a little more time for the meter to start swinging in a stop-down metering system. Depress the shutter button after you have ascertained that the meter needle has stopped at a certain reading.


Aperture Release Button

The Cosina Hi-Lite EC is so designed that when the shutter button has been depressed one step, the lens is stopped down and a further depression of the shutter button will release the shutter. When your finger is detached as the shutter button has been depressed one step, the lens will be locked and remain stopped down. Depress the aperture release button near the self timer, and the lens aperture will be opened.



Film Rewind

1. Push down the film rewind button on the bottom of your camera.4.butkus.org

2. Flip up the film rewind crank and turn it m the direction indicated by the arrow mark, and the film will be rewound into the cartridge.

 

3. Fully pull out the film rewind knob to open the back cover and take out the film.

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