Minolta X-700: 18 Years of Continuous Production One of the Greatest Cameras Ever Made?

[xkaes]

The X-570 is newer, but it has the same capacitor risk. It lacks the PROGRAMMED exposure mode of the X-700, but adds the manually set shutter speed in the viewfinder.

 

[isaac7]

Not really. The OM cameras themselves are quite robust.
The quality compromises in the marketplace weren't because of changes in size, they were motivated by the need to minimize price and maximize convenience features to ensure marketability.
Prior to all the market changes that roughly coincided with the OM introduction, SLRs were relatively rare and generally found only in the kits of a very small percentage of committed amateur and professional photographers - most amateurs used box cameras or inexpensive fixed lens cameras.
It was the democratization of the market that the Canon AE-1 brought in that saw the huge switch over to SLRs as the camera of choice for many hobbyist and casual shooters.
The move to a smaller form was the Olympus approach to meet a perceived need in the burgeoning marketplace, while still providing a robust entry designed to service a particular niche - the photomicrography field.
I was selling cameras around that time. People liked the smaller size, but the two factors that most determined what kind of camera they wanted were the price/convenience feature balance vs. the availability of professional support/exotic special purpose lenses. With amateurs generally preferring the former, and professionals emphasizing the latter. And there were far, far, far more customers in the former category.

The Spotmatic had something to do with it too! I will not stand for Pentax erasure! LOL.

It’s not as though larger cameras stopped being made after OM came onto the scene it’s just that consumers were less likely to tolerate the size and weight unless there were features that compensated for them. I too dislike the feel of the 80s generation of cameras like the x700, AE-1, A-1, Super Program, etc etc etc. There’s no denying their utility though. As long as they keep working

These days I have mechanical only film cameras. If I want convenience I’ll shoot digital. Nothing wrong with an x700 or liking them. Everyone has cameras they prefer over others. I’m just glad I enjoy unpopular ones. That keeps the price down!

 

[xkaes]

Let's not forget price in this mix. The OM-1 was a masterpiece, but cost 1/3rd more than comparable, larger cameras at that time. Minolta, Pentax, Nikon, etc. eventually shrunk their cameras too -- not quite as much -- but Olympus was the leader of the pack.

 

[Paul Howell]

The U.S Air Force, AP, and LA Times field tested the OM1, along with the F2. I worked with the Om1 and a set of primes for a week, before I transferred to another unit. I liked the feel, not having the rabbit ear was a pulse, the lens were very, very good. But I was told that the OM 1 did not hold to heavy use and the Air Force kept with Nikon. I think another reason was that the Air Force had a lot of Nikon lens and did want to buy a complete new system. As far as I know none of the wires, larger daily papers or government agencies used Minolta Xk when it came out. Having to have 2 bodies, motor and standard did not make sense. There were times when I did want the extra weight or noise of the motor drive.