Minolta?

Sewin · Mar 5, 2019

I'm finding Nikon lens prices rising over here.

So I invested in a Minolta XG-1 with the f2 lens to start a new system, really bought it to get the pancake lens and ponder later on what body to get.

The price was good, less than the cost of the lens on its own on fleabay, (didn't buy it from fleabay though) the body was more or less a freebie.

I didn't expect too much from the XG-1, it's had some use, well it is getting on, but it seems to function well and the capacitors look and seem ok.

Build quality reminds me of the Fujica ST601, but slightly more robust. Viewfinder is brighter than I expected too.

Minolta is a new brand to me, I've carried out the usual google searches and most problems seem to be capacitor and advance wind lever related.

Any other Minolta fans out there and what bodies should I check out or dismiss.

Vaidotas · Mar 5, 2019

Main drawback of all manual 35 mm Minolta cameras is that shutter's curtains are textile. That means that you do not have faster shutter speeds than 1/2000. Please correct me if I wrong. If it's no problem to you, nice choice then. Google rokkor files, a lot of info.

Sewin · Mar 5, 2019

Vaidotas said:
Main drawback of all manual 35 mm Minolta cameras is that shutter's curtains are textile. That means that you do not have faster shutter speeds than 1/2000. Please correct me if I wrong. If it's no problem to you, nice choice then. Google rokkor files, a lot of info.

Yes, cloth shutter. I do like metal shutters, have metal on my Chinon CM-3 and Praktica.
As you say lot's of info on Rokkor files.
Thanks

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 5, 2019

Vaidotas said:
Main drawback of all manual 35 mm Minolta cameras is that shutter's curtains are textile. That means that you do not have faster shutter speeds than 1/2000. Please correct me if I wrong. If it's no problem to you, nice choice then. Google rokkor files, a lot of info.

Not all manual Minoltas have cloth shutters, XE and XD are metal vertical travel just the "rest" of them. This however should not stop one from enjoying one of the best bargains on the 35 mm camera market today.

Which XG-1 did you get, older with roundish corners or later with small grip (body similar to X-300/500/700)? either way it is a great camera and lenses are fantastic and hold up well. Full system can be had for substantially less than other majors from that era.

Sewin · Mar 5, 2019

Hi Witold,

I got the older rounded corner one without the grip and new logo. As you say a system can be built up for quite a bit less than the "top" marquees.

I also like the look of it, . It's the type of camera to just pick up and go.

guangong · Mar 5, 2019

Minolta was the first camera that went into space with US manned flight. I was given a Minolta camera about that time in 1960 when US headquarters were on Union Sq. in Manhattan.
Leitz partnered with Minolta for several lenses made for Leicas and Leicaflexs.
Lenses were very good. Whether build quality of cameras equals Nikon...I don’t know. After a while I traded my gift in for a Nikon.

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 5, 2019

Sewin said:
Hi Witold,

I got the older rounded corner one without the grip and new logo. As you say a system can be built up for quite a bit less than the "top" marquees.

I also like the look of it, . It's the type of camera to just pick up and go.

Enjoy and build from that. New style may feel a little lesser built, bu it is same as all X's and take care of the leatherette as that covering on older XG's is prone to deterioration, unlike the newer style bodies.

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 5, 2019

guangong said:
Minolta was the first camera that went into space with US manned flight. I was given a Minolta camera about that time in 1960 when US headquarters were on Union Sq. in Manhattan.
Leitz partnered with Minolta for several lenses made for Leicas and Leicaflexs.
Lenses were very good. Whether build quality of cameras equals Nikon...I don’t know. After a while I traded my gift in for a Nikon.

Most Minolta Rokkors are in same league as Nkon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Fuji to name a few. I'd dare to say not different from Zeiss either, especially if one looks up the price to output ratio. i don't do lab shots, so I couldn't care less if a Zeiss "out resolves" film resolution as someone has (laughably) put it a short while back on another thread.

BradS · Mar 5, 2019

The vast majority of Minota glass is very good and the SRT line are very robust indeed.
The later X bodies (I'm only familiar with the X370, X570, X700) are also very good...for what they are.

joelbolden · Mar 5, 2019

I use both Pentax and Minolta SLR's and both companies made some great ones. My favorite camera out of the bunch is the XD-11(with winder). The engineering/build quality of this one is superb. It's my first choice when I shoot nature photography. I do have an X-370 that had the capacitor problem. The guy I bought if from told me to keep it and sent a refund(nice guy!) so I sent it to Garry's Camera repair to have the problem fixed and CLA'd. Works great and after testing it with film, I'll sell it. Not that it isn't an excellent camera but it's caught between my also excellent SRT201(all manual) and the XD as an example of Minolta's progress in developing film SLR's. My final SLR just recently purchased is my Maxxum 7xi Auto Focus which to me represents the end of the film eraMinolta slr's. I'm still getting used to it, but I really like it;I just feel kind of guilty about not having to manually focus a film camera. In non-SLR's I have the Minolta Hi-Matic 11 Circuit 3 which takes great pictures(plus I just love the "style" of it) and I just ordered a Minolta 7s so I can shoot in full manual. The Hi-Matics were more than a match for the Canonets, Konicas, Leica Rangefinders of the day in build/lens quality. The only problem I've had so far was with the X-370, the others have worked well "right out of the box". I've been lucky in that respect. Minolta made some great film cameras, and I'm enjoying them.

Cholentpot · Mar 5, 2019

I just got into Minolta this month with an X-700 and a 101. From what I've done with them they are solid cameras and the lenses are outstanding. My main photographic influence used Minolta for years (Hi Mom!) so they've got a special place for me.

AgX · Mar 5, 2019

Vaidotas said:
Main drawback of all manual 35 mm Minolta cameras is that shutter's curtains are textile. That means that you do not have faster shutter speeds than 1/2000.

Are there even cloth-curtain shutters that reach 1/2000?

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 5, 2019

AgX said:
Are there even cloth-curtain shutters that reach 1/2000?

I was wondering myself and apparently there was.

Konica F

Deleted member 88956 · Mar 5, 2019

Actually, not a cloth shutter at all, my bad on that Konica F

Canonflex R2000 had reportedly used cloth shutter and reached 1/2000. And you can have one HERE

1kgcoffee · Mar 5, 2019

I love the 807si. Different mount from x series but you can adapt m42 glass to it. Electronic shutter and all the goodies. Perfect exposures

Chan Tran · Mar 5, 2019

1kgcoffee said:
I love the 807si. Different mount from x series but you can adapt m42 glass to it. Electronic shutter and all the goodies. Perfect exposures

I have the Maxxum 800si I think it's the same as your Alpha 807si and I hate it although not as much as the 9xi.

1kgcoffee · Mar 5, 2019

Yes it's the same except for panoramic feature. What do you not like about this camera?.

mshchem · Mar 5, 2019

guangong said:
Minolta was the first camera that went into space with US manned flight. I was given a Minolta camera about that time in 1960 when US headquarters were on Union Sq. in Manhattan.
Leitz partnered with Minolta for several lenses made for Leicas and Leicaflexs.
Lenses were very good. Whether build quality of cameras equals Nikon...I don’t know. After a while I traded my gift in for a Nikon.

Wow, I knew it was a Ansco brand, but it was indeed manufactured by Minolta. John Glenn had a Leica with a quartz lens that took spectrographs as well. Wally Schirra bought a Hassleblad with a 70mm back with his own money. Stripped the leatherette off, painted it black. NASA thought that was a good idea.

dabsond · Mar 5, 2019

I kind of have a thing for Minolta SLRs. They have gone up in price recently, as well as all other brands.

mshchem · Mar 5, 2019

dabsond said:
I kind of have a thing for Minolta SLRs. They have gone up in price recently, as well as all other brands.

Holy cow . Nice collection, I have a thing for Minolta meters, never had a Minolta camera. Very well respected brand.

dabsond · Mar 5, 2019

mshchem said:
Holy cow . Nice collection, I have a thing for Minolta meters, never had a Minolta camera. Very well respected brand.

Thanks, I keep my 800si loaded with black and white and my Maxxum 7 loaded with color slide film.

Paul Howell · Mar 5, 2019

mshchem said:
Wow, I knew it was a Ansco brand, but it was indeed manufactured by Minolta. John Glenn had a Leica with a quartz lens that took spectrographs as well. Wally Schirra bought a Hassleblad with a 70mm back with his own money. Stripped the leatherette off, painted it black. NASA thought that was a good idea.

The story is that John Glen found the Ansco at a drug store near the cape, what caught his attention was the spring driven film advanced. NASA engineers rebuilt it so he could operate it with gloves on.

Paul Howell · Mar 5, 2019

I have a few manual focus Minoltas, I like the 202, my daily shooter are a trio of AF, the 800si, 600 classic and Minolta 9, along with the 9000 I have very happy with the results. I also have a 7000 and few odd ball AF but don't shoot with them much. I will say that the 7000 has a great viewfinder. The lens line up is great. Minolta has always made very good lens, and still does. Konica Minolta sold it's digital body works to Sony but kept the lens factory. Minolta has always gone it's own way. It made a motor drive MF bodies with the motor drive built in. Their first model did not have meter as Minolta did not think a meter could keep up the drive. Later the XK came as a manual advance or a model with a built in drive. When they changed lens mounts for the AF models their first pro level model had an option for motor drive or winder, just all the other makers added integrated motor drive to just about all of their models.

Best buy in MF is the 101 or 202, all machinal, rock solid built, the 101 is bare bones, the 202 has shutter speed and aperture read out in the viewfinder.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 5, 2019

Vaidotas said:
Main drawback of all manual 35 mm Minolta cameras is that shutter's curtains are textile. That means that you do not have faster shutter speeds than 1/2000. Please correct me if I wrong. If it's no problem to you, nice choice then. Google rokkor files, a lot of info.

Minolta XD-5 and XD-11 have metal shutter curtains. Cloth shutter curtains work well. Also, the old Minolta Celtic lenses are very sharp.

naaldvoerder · Mar 5, 2019

The new version XG-1 was my first camera. A fine camera. If you wanna upgrade the X-500 seems to be considered one of the finest manual focus bodies. As for lenses, the 85/2.0 is a thing of beauty. Very sharp and barely larger then the 50/1.4.

Minolta?

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