My Minolta cameras breaking down: recommend replacement?

[Chan Tran]

9xi was my dream camera when I was a teenager. I wanted one soooo bad.

Still want one now? I have one and it's the camera I hate the most.

 

[Paul Howell]

What do you hate about it? I don't care for the cards for special features, other than that I find a pretty good shooter.

 

[Chan Tran]

What do you hate about it? I don't care for the cards for special features, other than that I find a pretty good shooter.

it's so ugly looking.

 

[radiant]

it's so ugly looking.

Get Samsung ECX-1S and suddenly all other cameras start looking "ok" (I have one).

 

[Paul Howell]

Huh? I rather like the sleek lines.

 

[Chan Tran]

Huh? I rather like the sleek lines.

That's why I wouldn't suggest the OP to replace his 9 for the 9xi. I do like the 9 but really hate the 9xi. If the OP or someone wants the 9xi I would sell it cheap.

 

[Paul Howell]

The 9 has best overall build quality of any 35mm camera, other than the fading LEDs. I missed that he is using a cropped sensor lens for his full frame 9, wonder if his issues with metering is due to not having full coverage when in matrix mode?

 

[mgb74]

The 9 has best overall build quality of any 35mm camera, other than the fading LEDs. I missed that he is using a cropped sensor lens for his full frame 9, wonder if his issues with metering is due to not having full coverage when in matrix mode?

Good point regarding the aps-c lens. My biggest objection to the Maxxum 9 (I had 2), was the weight. And my 800si will do all I need to do and I won't cry if it falls in the lake. But the 600si remains my favorite since it's so like a "traditional" slr.

 

[Huss]

I would 100% recommend the mighty Minolta XK. Because I am selling mine.

Real photographers don't need AF. If a photo is out of focus, it is art.

 

[Paul Howell]

Good point regarding the aps-c lens. My biggest objection to the Maxxum 9 (I had 2), was the weight. And my 800si will do all I need to do and I won't cry if it falls in the lake. But the 600si remains my favorite since it's so like a "traditional" slr.

My 600 died, had not used during the pandemic, it was one of my go to travel cameras, light, worked at a companion to my Sony A mounts. My 800s are going strong, the AF predictive is really good for the day, very competitive with late model Sony A mount AF.

 

[joelbolden]

I think the Alpha 9 is the best Minolta AF camera. So unless you are going for another brand the logical is to get another Alpha 9 (or Maxxum 9).

I bought 2 Alpha 9's...just in case. So far both are working fine, so I rotate. I had one out shooting in a freezing blizzard the other day, and It handled the weather without a hitch.

 

[neilt3]

The 9 has best overall build quality of any 35mm camera, other than the fading LEDs. I missed that he is using a cropped sensor lens for his full frame 9, wonder if his issues with metering is due to not having full coverage when in matrix mode?

It depends on what focal lengths he's using it at .
From around 28mm upwards it will illuminate the full frame , though image quality will be poor around the outer proportions .
A useable image circle and the illuminated coverage circle are different .
Less than 28mm and you get heavy vignetting .
IIRC at 18mm you just have a circular image with black outer , like with a circular ( not rectilinear ) fisheye lens .
That might cause overexposure due to the blackness , but at that point , that would be the least of the pictures problems !

 

[trondsi]

The 18-70mm lens is designed for APS-C digital cameras , not full frame DSLR's or film camera's.
It doesn't have the coverage .

Interesting! I thought that this was a sort of standard lens coming with the 9? I have seen it on two of them.

 

[Paul Howell]

Here is a link to a list of Minolta A mount lens, Minolta made a 17 to 35 and for 35mm, then down the page the 17 to 70 for C cropped sensors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Minolta_A-mount_lenses
I have a 17 to 70, or had the zoom locked up, I just missed it. On a full frame 35mm camera the lens should cover over at 70 or so, will not cover at 28 to maybe 50s. With a matrix meter, in matrix mode it meters all of the frame to pick a pattern in memory. When at 28 some of the light will be cut off and give the chip a false reading?

 

[jwd722]

I was actually referring to the plastic/rubber developing cracks and breaking off over time, not the stickiness. Had to put black adhesive vinyl over the grip to prevent it from falling apart. In the end I just ditched the Alpha Mount altogether and switched to Nikon, but it's not very economical if OP is seriously invested in A-Mount lenses.

I purchased a 650si with the grip falling apart and stripped it off and replaced it with a product called Sugru. It's a moldable playdoh(ish) substance that stays moldable for about 30 minutes. It took about 3 packs to do the grip using plastic tools to mold with such as a Sharpie and ballpoint pen and whatever else I could find. It has a somewhat matt finish and is slightly soft feeling to hold when cured. Much better than the standard grip.
It was not hard to do and the results, while not factory quality, still look relatively decent for a first ever attempt.

 

[neilt3]

Interesting! I thought that this was a sort of standard lens coming with the 9? I have seen it on two of them.

The 18-70mm was released in 2005 with the digital Dynax 5d .
A year after that and Minolta sold the camera and imaging side of the business to Sony and that was the end of A mount SLRs ...
The earlier (2004) Dynax 7d was typically supplied with the much better 24-105mm d .
The Dynax 9 was released in 1998 and would have come with either the 28-105mm or 24-85mm lenses .

The 18-70mm lens and film 28-80mm lenses tend to get shoved on any camera because there essentially worthless but make the camera look complete to anyone that doesn't know the difference .
Thus getting a better price than body alone .

If you wanted a wider zoom lens to go with the d9 you would have had to stump up for Minolta's pro grade 17-35mm G lens , as the Minolta/Tamron 17-35mm D lens didn't exist then .
That came out later with the Dynax 7 .

 

[Paul Howell]

The last A mount Sony DSLR was the 850, followed by translucent mirror SLRs, last fall Sony killed the A mount bodies and lens. I was surprised stopped production lens considering that there are a number of A mount bodies, the Minolta 7 and 5 along with factory modified 9 work with Sony A mount lens.

 

[neilt3]

The last A mount Sony DSLR was the 850, followed by translucent mirror SLRs, last fall Sony killed the A mount bodies and lens. I was surprised stopped production lens considering that there are a number of A mount bodies, the Minolta 7 and 5 along with factory modified 9 work with Sony A mount lens.

My reference to the Minolta sale to Sony ending A mount SLRs is due to the fact Sony have never made SLR cameras .
They started off with DSLR's in A mount ( digital ) with the a100 , the last being the a580 , not the a850 .
I bought the a100 as my first DSLR to continue using my A mount lenses from my Minolta SLRs , I started with the 7000AF I bought used in the early 90's .
The SLT cameras are not SLR / DSLR's as they don't have the Reflex action mirror .

A mount is still my main system with the a99ii , a77ii and a900 as my main digital cameras with the Dynax 7 , 9 and Maxxum 70 being my main 135 cameras .
With my Canon EOS film gear sneaking in when I want stabilised lenses with film . ( Don't tell the Minolta's ! )

In hindsight , I regret not getting my Dynax 9 upgraded to work with SSM lenses when Runtime in Germany still offered the service .

 

[Paul Howell]

Good point about the a580, forgot about it, I have a 700 and 900, never bought 580, although it was likely more advanced than my 700.