Centon/Seagull DF300

Hi

I have my eye on a Seagull (aka. Centon) DF300 SLR with Minolta MD mount and two lenses (Seagull 50 mm f/1.8 and Tokina 70-210 mm).

Any comments on this budget SLR? I consider it for the new in-my-back SLR. And the lenses for it (Minolta MD) are quite cheap and can be found used easily.

Greetings Morten

I wonder if this is the same Seagull that makes the TLR's from China? I know nothing of the SLR's and have not actually handled the TLR's, but the TLR's are reputed to be of decent quality, but no frills.

If you can find them, the Celtic lenses made by Minolta in the 60's/70's were supposedly the same glass as the Rokkors, but a less expensive housing. A few years ago, these Celtic lenses were VERY inexpensive; probably still are.

Why not just buy a used Minolta SRT and lenses. They are quite reasonable at the present time. Throw in a CLA and what you have is probably better than the Chinese version.

Although I am not a Minolta user I did see at Einstein Products (looking for paper and just came across 2 bodies) a Chinese SLR under the Phoenix Brand with a Minolta mount. From what I saw it seemed to be a reasonable entry level cameras, one with a shutter speed of 1/2000. I don't recall is the higher end had manual wind or power winder.