Aaton Cam AMinima v229 Users Guide

							Version 2.29 user’s guide
www.aaton.com/a-minima/ 
						

							1
presentation 
						

							Technical Specifications :
Technical specifications and User's guide are subject to change
without notice.
- Super16 only, 172,8° * spinning mirror reflex shutter, 
- Around 2 kg (4 Lbs) with on-board battery and film.
- Overhaul dimensions: L: 245mm, H: 140mm, W: 110 mm
(9.7" x 5.5" x 4.4")
- Time recording by XTRprod compatible AatonCode-II matrix-
es, accurate to a 1/4 of a frame. The camera can also be used as
a master-clock 
- Sound level: 28 db (1-/+2).
- Fiber-optic viewing screen, 1:1.78 (16/9) ratio viewing screen
shows markings for wide-screen HDTV and 4:3 aspect ratios.
- Frame Rate - 1 to 32 fps with internal Lithium and up to 50 fps
with an external 12V battery TBD and stop-frame with built-in
intervalometer.
- Nikon or Arri PL mount
- Incident lightmeter -dome- showing T-stop and diff. T-stop,
HMI frequency and monitor scan rates on the camera LCD dis-
play.
- DistantEye viewfinder “Aaton patent”; the only reflex camera
which doesn't fog the film if your eye is not held against the
camera rubber eyecup.
- Built-in Intervalometer
- Back light display
- 200' quick change magazines, 'B' wound rolls in Aaton's ~flexi-
ble~ daylight spools (standard metallic 200 spools and 400' reels
cannot be used with the A-Minima)
* Initial cameras (from # 006 to 025) have a 180° shutter. This shut-
ter will be retrofitted in 172,8° when external housing is exchanged.
Chapter 1 - Presentation
5 
						

							1 - Viewing screen collimation port               9 - Shutter trigger
2 - gate rear pressure plate                           10 - Magazine release lever
3 - Film pulldown claw
4 - Take-up sprocket door
5 - Feed sprocket door
6 - Feed sprocket
7 - Take-up sprocket
8 - Magazine locking mechanism
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9
10
8
1 - Magazine release lever
2 - Lightmeter dome
3 - Backlight LCD display
4 - Batteries compartment
5 - LED camera and timecode status indicator
6 - Control panel
7 - Camera run switch
8 - Video assist port
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
						

							1234567
8
1 - Camera rubber eyecup
2 - magazine feed side
3 - magazine take-up side
4-  Lightmeter dome
5 - Lemo 5 timecode socket
6 - Lemo 6 accessories socket
7 - Magazine release lever
8 - Magazine hinge.
6
345
7
1 - Diopter locking knob
2 - PL lens port locking ring
3 - A-minima fixed viewing screen
4 - camera 172.8°mirror/shutter
5 - Arri PL lens port
6 - Video assist port
7 - Access hole for locking the video assist lens.
2
1 
						

							1 - 3/8-16 mounting hole
2 - Lemo 6 Aaton power base connection
3 - power base locating hole
4 - Magazine hinge
5 - Magazine release lever
6 - Hand strap holder
65
4123
6
1 - Diopter locking knob
2 - Magazine latch
3 - 3/8-16 insert
4 - camera run switch
5 - Video port cover
12
345 
						

							2
control panel 
						

							Chapter 2 - The A-Minima Control Panel
15
A-Minima control panel
The A-Minima control panel consist of an illuminated LCD display,
six buttons to access and adjust all operator functions, and a camera
status LED. Each buttons can have a different function, depending
on the mode you are in.
• Inches the camera by frame when you are in the camera
default display.
• Allows you to select or change the camera parameters within
a menu.
• Allows you to view, access and change the camera 
parameters.
• Allows you to enter a selected menu, to change or validate a
parameter within a particular menu.
• Allows you to cancel a parameter or move a step backward
while setting a parameter.
• Wakes up the camera ( if left alone, the camera display will
automatically shut off after 5 minutes. Needless to say all
settings are saved in the camera internal memory)
• Shows battery voltage.
• Powers down the camera electronics. 
• allows you to return to the camera default mode at any time
• exit the "TV SYNC" and INTERVALLOMETER" mode.
Press on it to view the theoretical lens aperture.
This LED conveys camera status information.
• Yellow flashing: timecode has been initialized.
• Slow red flashing: low battery.
• Fast red blinking: camera not running at the selected speed
• Solid red: end of film warning
YES NO 
						

							A-minima default display
When first powered or after pressing the blue button, the display
shows the camera selected speed / timecode status and remaining
footage.
- If the Aatoncode has not been initialized, the upper line of the dis-
play flashes between camera selected speed and “NO TIME”
Press on the "YES" button to remove the NO TIME message.
- If the Aatoncode has been initialized in the camera, either from the
A-Minima internal clock or from an external source, the upper line
of the display flashes between the selected speed and the timecode
information.
Camera running, the display shows the selected speed and the
remaining footage.
Note: If no magazine is installed, the camera will display 
"NO MAG" in place of the footage. 
If not in use for five minutes, the camera automatically powers itself
down, unless timecode has first been initialized. Press on any keys,
including the run switch, to wake up the camera.
Chapter 2 - The A-Minima Control Panel
17
Camera run :
The running function of the camera motor is accomplished electron-
ically and can be accessed in two ways.
From the body :
Starting with the camera software version 2.27, the red ON/OFF
switch located on the camera body, above the motor, must be trig-
gered twice (within one second) in order to start the camera motor. 
From the Aaton Power Base :
Simply use the Aaton wooden handgrip and connect it to the Lemo2
connector located between the two front rod inserts of the power
base. 
Camera inching :
From the body :
Use the UP arrow to inch the camera frame by frame.
From the Power Base :
Use the test position of the wooden handgrip.
Note: the test function of the wooden handgrip is not available for
cameras with a serial number below A100.
Camera software version :
Press YES and BLUE key simultaneously to see your camera’s
equipment number as well as EPROM version.
For camera software updates, please contact your Aaton 
representative.
Chapter 2 - The A-Minima Control Panel
16
24.000
200 ft
NO TIME
200 ft
and
24.000
200 ft
10:00:00200 ft
and24.000
200 ft24.000
NO MAG
Eq   71
PR V227 
						

							DOWN key, NEW SPEED blinks, press YES then use YES and NO
to select the digit you want to modify, UP or DOWN key to modify
it. After entering the last digit, you can add it to your preset speed
list, press YES to do so or NO if you do not wish to add this specif-
ic speed in the preset speed list.
Note: when a specific speed is not added to the preset list, a star
shows next to the displayed speed. Simply a warning. Not added or
part of the preset menu, this speed will be erased of the camera
internal memory as soon as you select another speed. 
(Nevertheless, when powered down, A-Minima keeps it into its
internal memory)
To modify a specific speed, added to the preset speed list:
A-minima allows you to modify or delete this speed. If you want to
modify it, access the speed menu, then choose "MODIFY" and
select a new speed from the PRESET or NEW SPEED menu.
Chapter 2 - The A-Minima Control Panel
19
Parameters setting :
In order to view or to change a camera parameter, use the DOWN
key to scroll through the different menus.
Each menu can be accessed in the following order.
Speed setting
A-minima has a selection of preset speed that you can choose from.
You can also make your selection of any 0,001 incremented crystal
speed between 1.000 and 50.000 fps.
When setting the camera to a specific speed, not being part of the
preset ones, A-minima allows you to add or not this particular speed
to the factory selected speed list. The added speed can be later
removed from the preset speed selection.
Afactory selected speed cannot be deleted.
The displayed messages can be different if you want to modify a
factory preset speed, or if you want to modify a specific speed,
added to the preset speed menu.
To modify and select a factory preset speed :
From the camera default display, press the DOWN key once to
access the speed menu, press YES, PRESET blinks, press YES, then
use the UP or DOWN key to go through the speed selection, press
YES to validate your choice.
To modify a factory preset speed, and choose a specifc speed :
From the camera default display, press the DOWN key once to
access the speed menu, press YES, PRESET blinks, press the
Chapter 2 - The A-Minima Control Panel
18
24.000
200 ft
33.333
200 ft
speed=
24.000
preset
new spd
24.000
33.333
add to
preset ?
added !
preset
new spd
add to
preset ?
33.260*
200ft
33.333
200 ft
25.000
200 ft
speed=
33.333
modify
delete
preset
new spd
33.333
25.000
24.000
200 ft
25.000
200 ft
speed=
24.000
preset
new spd
24.000
25.000