Most reliable manual focus Minolta bodies

[Les Sarile]

I've had good success with the Minoltas.

Oddly enough, what Minolta designated as SR-1 isn't even their first SLR which was the SR-2! I'm still looking for one of those . . .

 

[George Mann]

I would like to have an XE7 if it would prove to be reliable.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

XE 7 is reliable. The film advance lever is not as bad as having electronics issues with XD line. Of 4 XE bodies I have, 2 have film advance problem. Both can still be used "reliably" but fiddly. I have not worked on it yet, but my understanding is it is not a major fix. Outside of that bit, camera is absolutely prime tool to work with.

 

[macfred]

Never had one ... But since I got two beautiful MC Rokkor lenses almost for free I'm lusting for this one http://rokkorfiles.com/XK.html

 

[BAC1967]

Between my father, my two brother's and my nephew we've been using the same srTsc-II since the early 1980's and it still works great. It's never been serviced and still has the plastic on the wind lever which is probably the most common problem with the srT models. The srTsc-II is basically the srT201 without the self timer and memo holder on the back. It was made for sale at Sears stores (SC). Besides the great lenses and reliability I think what I like most about them is the familiarity since I've been using them for so long.

I also have two srT201's and an SR-7 that all work great. The SR-7 is a really well built camera but it was pre TTL metering. It has a meter built in but you have to take a reading from it's readout on the top of the camera and make sure your finger doesn't cover the meter eye. I think I probably changed the light seals in most of my Minoltas, that's about all I have done with them as far as repairs. I use hearing aid batteries with an O-ring which are cheap and work great.

Minolta srTsc-II by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Minolta srT201 by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Minolta SR-7 by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

 

[Les Sarile]

I would like to have an XE7 if it would prove to be reliable.

XE 7 is reliable. The film advance lever is not as bad as having electronics issues with XD line. Of 4 XE bodies I have, 2 have film advance problem. Both can still be used "reliably" but fiddly. I have not worked on it yet, but my understanding is it is not a major fix. Outside of that bit, camera is absolutely prime tool to work with.

The XE-7 is the smoothest camera I own. They extoll the smoothness of the F3 (http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/nikonf3ver2/htmls/index3.htm) but my XE-7 is far smoother throughtout the full stroke then any of my F3's or any other camera I have. The problem with getting an XE-7 is that it is so smooth that you might wonder if all your other cameras might need service . . .

Here's a copy of the brochure of the XE-7 -> http://www.fototime.com/38118E0FE75958B/orig.pdf

 

[Les Sarile]

Never had one ... But since I got two beautiful MC Rokkor lenses almost for free I'm lusting for this one http://rokkorfiles.com/XK.html

I stumbled on the XK through the Photography in Malaysia site. Great resource if you haven't seen it -> http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltaxk/index.htm

I had the good fortune of acquiring one and even better fortune of acquiring the various viewfinders from a local CL ad.

 

[Pentode]

XE-7s are, indeed, very smooth. They also have a tendency to have problems with oxidation on the resistive strip that couples the meter to the lens - usually an easy fix requiring only a good cleaning. A more annoying problem they're prone to is desilvering of the prism due to old, foam light seals breaking down. There is no way to fix this other than to find a prism from another camera and replace it or to replace the light seals proactively before they go bad.

Minolta made many, wonderful manual focus bodies and good, clean, working examples of each can be found if one is lucky or persistent but the OP asked which were the most reliable and that would be the SRT series. When asked which our favorites are I could easily see many different answers for many different reasons but that's not what the OP asked. Most reliable? SRT. I honestly don't know how anyone with extensive Minolta experience could answer differently. I really love many of the other Minolta bodies that have been mentioned here, but not for their reliability. I'm not looking to pick a fight here, I'm just trying to be realistic.

 

[Les Sarile]

Minolta made many, wonderful manual focus bodies and good, clean, working examples of each can be found if one is lucky or persistent but the OP asked which were the most reliable and that would be the SRT series. When asked which our favorites are I could easily see many different answers for many different reasons but that's not what the OP asked.

I've been working on electro mechanical devices for decades - some that are even older then me, and I know for a fact that unless you actually break it all down to the nuts and bolts that nobody can fully attest to the reliability of anything. So it is with some luck that these gear we enjoy so much continue to work well and reliably!

You'll notice the OP also said he's not against auto Minoltas.

I would like to have an XE7 if it would prove to be reliable.

I've now owned and used my Minoltas for more than 15 years and all are still good to go.
And to your point both my SR-1 and SRT-101 are also good to go.

 

[NB23]

I love minolta glass. If the 25$ rokkor-PF mc 58mm f1.4 was a Leica brand glass, we’d be reading about the legendarity of this collector 15,000$ piece of glass, right now.

A lot of minolta lenses are exceptional.

 

[Les Sarile]

I love minolta glass. If the 25$ rokkor-PF mc 58mm f1.4 was a Leica brand glass, we’d be reading about the legendarity of this collector 15,000$ piece of glass, right now.

A lot of minolta lenses are exceptional.

Maybe have something to do with the fact that back then Minolta was only one of two companies in Japan and one of only a few in the world that make their own optical glass and lenses . . .

 

[NB23]

Yes!

And another advantage for Leica shooters wanting a slr system, or for Minolta shooters wanting to try a Leica M, is the fact that lenses Focus and Aperture go in the same direction.

Switching from Leica to Nikon S or F has been a hassle many times, trying to rewire my brain...

Maybe have something to do with the fact that back then Minolta was only one of two companies in Japan and one of only a few in the world that make their own optical glass and lenses . . .

 

[Huss]

I love minolta glass. If the 25$ rokkor-PF mc 58mm f1.4 was a Leica brand glass, we’d be reading about the legendarity of this collector 15,000$ piece of glass, right now.

A lot of minolta lenses are exceptional.

Leica prices really distort the cost/performance dynamic. I'll see a Summicron 50 v5 for $1600 and think "great price!". And yet spend hours on ebay looking for the best deal on a $40 Pentax SMC-A 50mm f2..

 

[NB23]

Leica prices really distort the cost/performance dynamic. I'll see a Summicron 50 v5 for $1600 and think "great price!". And yet spend hours on ebay looking for the best deal on a $40 Pentax SMC-A 50mm f2..

Me too! gosh I’m pathetic sometimes

 

[Paul Howell]

Konica Minolta sold it's camera factory and patents to Sony but kept it's lens factory. I don't know if KM sill makes it's own glass, but it does make lens for Sony and others, the last round of patents for lens in Sony E mount were filed by KM. In the day, 60s and 70s many commercial and industrial photographers used Minolta in order to use Minolta lens. My personal take was that Konica was as good or better than Minolta, both were as good as Pentax, and a bit better than Nikon. Nikon made some really good glass, but also made some oh hum to dogs, while Konica made really solid lens. I do have a Minolta 28mm 2.8 MC mount that is only so so.

 

[George Mann]

I love minolta glass. If the 25$ rokkor-PF mc 58mm f1.4 was a Leica brand glass, we’d be reading about the legendarity of this collector 15,000$ piece of glass, right now.

My Nikkor 50mm F2's have virtually identical rendering to a Leitz version of this lense.

Leica prices really distort the cost/performance dynamic. I'll see a Summicron 50 v5 for $1600 and think "great price!".

If this is an F2, then I believe this is the one I am referring to.

 

[BSP]

Yes!

And another advantage for Leica shooters wanting a slr system, or for Minolta shooters wanting to try a Leica M, is the fact that lenses Focus and Aperture go in the same direction.

Switching from Leica to Nikon S or F has been a hassle many times, trying to rewire my brain...

+1

 

[Helge]

Konica Minolta sold it's camera factory and patents to Sony but kept it's lens factory. I don't know if KM sill makes it's own glass, but it does make lens for Sony and others, the last round of patents for lens in Sony E mount were filed by KM. In the day, 60s and 70s many commercial and industrial photographers used Minolta in order to use Minolta lens. My personal take was that Konica was as good or better than Minolta, both were as good as Pentax, and a bit better than Nikon. Nikon made some really good glass, but also made some oh hum to dogs, while Konica made really solid lens. I do have a Minolta 28mm 2.8 MC mount that is only so so.

So Konica, Minolta and Pentax is about equal?
I’d say that’s untrue and a cop out.

Konica is generally contrasty and sharp.

Pentax is generally pretty neutral to ho hum, with some stand out lenses in between.

Minolta “just” has a very nice weighting of all aspects of the optics, with only a few dogs. Minolta for instance nailed zooms early in the game. Colour, sharpness, resolution, out of focus areas, apparition control etc. All carefully weighed to get a particular and consistent aesthetic, instead of passing a test in Popular Photography.

 

[CMoore]

I have a SRT 202. I only shot one roll of film in it a few years ago.....same with an XD-11.
I probably need to sell both of them.
I just have way too many 35mm SLR.
I plan on keeping my X-570

 

[BMbikerider]

Any of the mechanical Minoltas will prove to be reliable even if some are 60 yrs of age. Like most mechanical things they can be repaired. Of the others I have owned several but keep coming back to the XE1. Considered by Leica to be sufficiently reliable to badge engineer into their first auto SLR, the R3. The only difference was to include a spot-meter and to beef up the prism. I have also found my XM, (XK in the states) to be very reliable and the shutter is so quiet and smooth it almost equals that of a Leica rangefinder.. That said with electronic cameras, like any other electronic equipment will be useless if the components are not available to repair them should they fail.

 

[pbromaghin]

Between my father, my two brother's and my nephew we've been using the same srTsc-II since the early 1980's and it still works great. It's never been serviced and still has the plastic on the wind lever which is probably the most common problem with the srT models. The srTsc-II is basically the srT201 without the self timer and memo holder on the back. It was made for sale at Sears stores (SC). Besides the great lenses and reliability I think what I like most about them is the familiarity since I've been using them for so long.

I also have two srT201's and an SR-7 that all work great. The SR-7 is a really well built camera but it was pre TTL metering. It has a meter built in but you have to take a reading from it's readout on the top of the camera and make sure your finger doesn't cover the meter eye. I think I probably changed the light seals in most of my Minoltas, that's about all I have done with them as far as repairs. I use hearing aid batteries with an O-ring which are cheap and work great.

Minolta srTsc-II by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Minolta srT201 by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Minolta SR-7 by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

 

[pbromaghin]

Bac1967 - what battery do you use?

 

[George Mann]

Yet the R3 (XE) is considered to be Leicas least reliable model, followed by the R4 (XD).

 

[BAC1967]

Bac1967 - what battery do you use?

I use the 675 hearing aid battery with a #9 O-ring to hold it in place. You can get a 6 pack at the drug store for under $10 and the O-ring at the hardware store for less than $1. It may be a bit too thin to make proper contact. You can bend the spring post in the camera up a little or wad up a little tin foil to put between the battery and threaded cap. The voltage may be off slightly, 1.4 instead of 1.35, but I’ve never had a problem with exposure.

 

[Les Sarile]

Yet the R3 (XE) is considered to be Leicas least reliable model, followed by the R4 (XD).

Fortunately, if Leica has problems with their models - which I have no knowledge about, it hasn't found its way into the Minolta counterparts.