Minolta or Pentax. One System has to go.

Helge said:

Thing is, pros need pro bodies.
We are not pros.
Long term reliability is not even necessarily a requirement for pros. Serviceability and reparability is.
One example is the F3 LCD where Nikon advised a replacement after a number of years.
Just go with the one you like and that works.

If I had to chose only two 135 SLR MF bodies from any brand it would be X-700 and XD-7.

For what little it’s worth I have avoided the LX because of rumors of flakiness and impossibility of repair.
I might be very wrong though.

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The Canon EOS 1V is still being serviced by Canon, (although someone posted on another site that cameras needed to be sent to Japan) and Nikon is servicing the F6 for the new few years. Otherwise Leica, Hasselblad have reliable techs, all others, it is a crap shoot. Unless someone is willing to pay for a machine shop to make a part, a K 1000 is no more repairble than a LX. I have 3 Minolta A9000, 2 800si, 2 9Xi and a 9, I will shoot them until the die, I will have them CLA, new seals if needed but if one breaks it breaks and I will more on. BTW, has anyone had a machine shop made a part?

Paul Howell said:

The Canon EOS 1V is still being serviced by Canon, (although someone posted on another site that cameras needed to be sent to Japan) and Nikon is servicing the F6 for the new few years. Otherwise Leica, Hasselblad have reliable techs, all others, it is a crap shoot. Unless someone is willing to pay for a machine shop to make a part, a K 1000 is no more repairble than a LX. I have 3 Minolta A9000, 2 800si, 2 9Xi and a 9, I will shoot them until the die, I will have them CLA, new seals if needed but if one breaks it breaks and I will more on. BTW, has anyone had a machine shop made a part?

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Paul,
If your only resource for repair is factory service you have been out of luck on lots of cameras for years.

I think your data on the EOS 1v may no longer be correct. I was in contact with Canon USA for mine and they said factory repair was no longer available. They gave me names and numbers for a couple of factory trained service representatives for CLAs in my area.

However my Zeiss Ikon ZI rangefinder was recently returned from factory service in Germany two months ago. It was only a focus adjustment requiring a parts replacement in the viewfinder but they are still doing those.

Pioneer said:

You do have a good point and that suggestion has been made before.

After reading through all of this I may try to pick some of the best from both systems. One Minolta and one Pentax with a small assortment of lenses for both may work.

Some of the equipment has already been stored away in boxes or camera bags.

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Don’t forget to donate any cameras and lenses you don’t want to KerrKid’s Home for Wayward Cameras.

Along the same lines, you might want to check the value of your items on EBAY (use SOLD ITEMS in EBAY's SEARCH). You might be so surprised that you unload more than you expect to.

KerrKid said:

Don’t forget to donate any cameras and lenses you don’t want to KerrKid’s Home for Wayward Cameras.

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xkaes said:

Along the same lines, you might want to check the value of your items on EBAY (use SOLD ITEMS in EBAY's SEARCH). You might be so surprised that you unload more than you expect to.

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Good advice. You’ll feel much better about donating cameras with great value.

If I'm going to fuss with more Minolta repairs, maybe it ought to be more special ones, like TC1 or CLE. And XD-S? Hmm.

With Pentax, perhaps pre-Spotmatic models, Takumar and Super Takumar lenses.

I figure that lots of "unrepairable" cameras can actually be repaired, depending on how much effort one wants to sink into a camera which may be sort of cheaply built to begin with. This includes some costly professional products.

xkaes said:

Along the same lines, you might want to check the value of your items on EBAY (use SOLD ITEMS in EBAY's SEARCH). You might be so surprised that you unload more than you expect to.

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I haven't done anything, either buying or selling, on fleabay for many years. Once in a while I'll pick up a small thing like a filter but that is getting less and less common. A lot of what I have accumulated has come to me over the years from family, friends or others who know I work with film.

I have an old No 2a Brownie that came to me many years ago from a wonderful old lady that saw me walking down Main Street one morning in Austin, Nevada with a Rolleiflex Automat around my neck. She stopped me, offered me coffee. My wife and I accepted and after having coffee and talking with her for over an hour she went into a back room and handed me that old Brownie. I don't even remember what film it takes and the only times I have used it is when I have cut a couple sheets of photo paper and tucked it into the back. But the shutter still works and for some reason I have never dared to give it away, partly I think because she was so happy to have found someone to give it to who would like it. I am pretty sure she had owned it all her life, at least I like to think so.

I do donate to others when there is something specific I can help them with. I just don't seem to have the patience it takes to work with auction sites anymore, though I am not sure I ever had it for the selling side. I much prefer to photograph and print than run a store.

My grandfather ran a large thrift store in a small, northern US town, and he could sit behind the cash register and gab with people all day long. I think that is probably the entire reason he ran that store. One hour of that and I think that I would run screaming into the street.

KerrKid said:

Don’t forget to donate any cameras and lenses you don’t want to KerrKid’s Home for Wayward Cameras.

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Haven't seen you posted in a while. How are you doing this day?

Chan Tran said:

Haven't seen you posted in a while. How are you doing this day?

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Doing great! Thanks for asking. Just been super busy. The cameras you sent have a good home. I actually pick up and hold that dead Maxxum 7 every day and marvel at it. What a nice camera. I keep meaning to send the FM, FE, and KX off to be repaired, but haven’t gotten around to it. I know where to send the KX, but not sure where to send the Nikons.

So….how is life going for you?

KerrKid said:

Doing great! Thanks for asking. Just been super busy. The cameras you sent have a good home. I actually pick up and hold that dead Maxxum 7 every day and marvel at it. What a nice camera. I keep meaning to send the FM, FE, and KX off to be repaired, but haven’t gotten around to it. I know where to send the KX, but not sure where to send the Nikons.

So….how is life going for you?

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I am OK. My health isn't too good. i have retired for a month then pick up another part time job. Meant to shoot some film but so far only shot a roll this year in the F5. I want to shoot a roll in the Yashica Lynx but didn't do it yet.

xkaes said:

It's the same as on the X-370, X-570, X-9, X-700, etc.. The XE-7, XG and XD are different.

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The XE-7 and XD-11 I had were definitely on a level of smoothness of their own. Definitely one to experience!
Too bad I didn't pay much attention to my XG-1, XG-7 & XG-M for the very short time that I owned those.

Pioneer said:

I am getting older so I am starting to clear out my camera and lens collections that have accumulated over the years. Nothing to do with the cameras; everything to do with having room.

I have pretty complete Minolta and Pentax 35 mm systems.

I like them both but one has to go. I have a long, long history with both systems and, no surprise, I am having problems making up my mind.

I am curious, which would you keep and why? Unfortunately, much as I would like, it cannot be both.

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I too have begun to part with my very lovely collection of cameras. For me, the decision is about which camera I will actually use more. I don't just collect 'em to look at 'em. Both the Minolta SRT family and Pentaxes are terrific, so which one "fits your soul" better?

That said, parting with these lovely friends is very hard ...