My Minolta Collection

Minolta XE-7 Body (Black)
Minolta SR-1b Body
Minolta XD-11 Body (Black)
Minolta Auto Winder D
Minolta Auto Winder D
21mm MC Rokkor-X F2.8
35mm Auto Rokkor F2.8
50mm Minolta MD F1.7
55mm MC Rokkor X Fl.7
55mm Auto Rokkor Fl.7
135mm MC Rokkor F2.8
200mm Rokkor X F3.5
300mm Rokkor X F5.6
70-210mm Vivitar Series 1
100-200mm Juplan F4.5
Gemini 2X Telextender
Minolta Rt Angle Finder
Minolta Focusing Magnifier
Minolta Accessory Shoe
Minolta Multi-lens hood
Minolta Auto-Bellows 1
Minolta extension tube set
Vivitar 283 Electronic Flash
Vivitar remote sensor cord
Vivitar Filter Holder
Vivitar 3 ft PC cord
Yashicamat TLR camera
10inch remote shutter release
20inch remote cable release
55mm UV filters
55mm red filter
55mm yellow filter
55mm Minolta Polorizing Flt.
Minolta body caps
Minolta rear lens caps
Minolta front lens caps
55mm screw on lens cap
changing bag
set miniature screw drivers
set miniature screw drivers
Rifle camera gun stocks
Goldcrest 993L Tripod
Seconic L98 Light Meter
Seconic L318b Light meter
Tamarac 612 camera bag (2)
pen light
Minolta Eveready case
leather lens cases
Ultima 40b Electronic Flash
Vivitar 3900 Electronic Flash
W/A and Tele Acc. Kit
Vivitar Remote sensor cord
Vivitar HVC 3 cord
Vivitar FK-1 filter Kit
Stroboframe 225 flash brkt.
Minolta Databack D
Minolta Anglefinder Vn
Vivitar SPF filter 58mm
Vivitar halo spot filter 58mm
Hoya UV filter 58mm
Yashicamat TLR camera
Set Red Green Yellow Fltrs.
W/A Aux. Lens
Tele. Aux. Lens
Leather Camera Bag
Leather Camera case
Tamarac Bag
Ricoh 519 35mm camera
W/A viewfinder
100mm f2.5 MD Rokkor X Lens
Minolta Rubber Eyecup Vn
Star D rubber eyecup
Minolta +3 Diopter for XD-11 and Xe-7
Minolta MD Rokkor X 50mm f3.5 macro lens with 1:1 adapter
Patterson System 4 35mm developing Tank
Patterson 22 oz. Graduate
Samigon Dial Thermometer
Funnel with strainer
Patterson Force Film Washer
Package of Bergger Photo Paper
Package of Bergger Photo Paper
Package Bergger Photo Paper
50 mm MD Rokkor X f1.4 Lens
Ilford HP Plus 135-36
Ilford HP Plus 120
Fuji Neopan 400 135-36
Fuji Acros Neopan 100 135-36
Ilford Delta 100 Pro 120
GB Large Changing Bag
Patterson Universal Tank W/Reel Super System 4/2nd reel included
Kodak Photo-Flo Solution
Print File Proof Preserver
Print File 120 Negative Preserver
Minolta Rokkor MC 300mm f4.5 lens
Minolta magnifier VN
Minolta X-700 SLR Body
Minolta Motor Drive 1

Minolta 360 PX Flash
72mm Omega Red #25 filter
Hoya 72mm Circular Polorizing Filter
62mm Hoya K-2 Yellow filter
62mm Tiffen Red #25 filter
Minolta Power Grip 1
Minolta Cable OC
Minolta Cable MD
Minolta Auto Bellows 1
Minolta Focusing Rail
Minolta auto extension tube set
Minolta Slide Copier
Minolta Roll Film copying attachment
Minolta Copy Stand
Minolta Auto Bellows MD F 4 100mm lens
Minolta RF Rokkor X f.8 500mm lens
Minolta MD Rokkor X f2.8 28mm lens
Minolta MD Rokkor X f1.4 50mm lens
Minolta MC Rokkor X f1.4 50mm Lens
Maxxum 9000 Body
Maxxum Af Zoom Lens 37-70 f.4 Macro
Program Back Super 90
MD 90 Motor Drive
Maxxum 9000 Body
70/210 Macro Zoom Minolta AF lens
50mm f1.7 Minolta AF lens
4000AF Minolta Flash
Tiffen 49mm Skylight 1A Filter
Rokunar 49mm Circular Polorizing Filter
500mm f.8 Minolta RF Lens
Pelican Hard Case #1600
Pelican Lid Organizer
Pelilock
Maxxum Autofocus f2.8 28mm lens
Minolta MD-90 Motor Drive
Minolta BP 90 Battery Pack
Minolta BP 90 Battery Pack
Minolta MD-90 Motor Drive
Omega 45E 4 X 5 View Camera
6 Lisco Regal 4 X 5 Film Holders
Slik U212 Deluxe Tripod
Polaroid 545 Film Holder
Minolta Flash Meter III
Minolta Control Grip CG-1000 Kit
Minolta Maxxum Af 28mm-105mm f3.5-4.5 zoom lens
Lowe Pro camera backpack
Tiffen Ultra Thin Circular 62mm UV polarizing filter
Minolta Meter Cable
Minolta 10 degree viewfinder
Minolta flat diffuser
Minolta Wide Angle diffuser
(2) Impact 43" Umbrella
(2) Impact shoe mount brackets
(2) GB 6' light stands
(2) Vivitar SB-4 AC adapter
Wein HS HotShoe Slave
Studio Systems SP 150 Monolight
F.64 Light Stand bag
Minolta multi-Flash cable
Vivitar 283 Electronic Flash
Minolta Motor Drive 1
Minolta X-700 SLR Body
Minolta MD Rokkor X 35mm f2.8 lens
Minolta MD 135mm Rokkor X 135mm f2.8 lens
Tamrac 612 Camera Bag
Minolta 100mm Macro Bellows Lens f4
Studio Systems SP 150 Monolight Barn Doors
Sekonic 5 degree viewfinder
Minolta 220 X Flash
Ilex f4.5 191mm lens
Dine mini macro flash
Canon foto backpack
Minolta Motor Grip 1
Sekonic Light meter L-98
Minolta Multi Function Back
Minolta Multi Function Back
Minolta Maxxum AF 4000 Flash
Minolta IR Illuminator for CG 1000 AI 1000
Minolta Triple Connector
Wide angle flash attachment for AF 4000
Maxxum 9000 Body
BP 90 Battery Pack for MD 90 Motor Drive
Minolta MD Zoom Lens 70-210mm F4.0
Minolta Lens Hood 70-210mm Zoom
Minolta circular Polarizer 55mm (thin)
Minolta 55mm A1 Skylight Filter

Pardon the non-minolta items. I do shoot 2 1/4 and 4 X 5 also. I picked up all of this stuff over the lasst 45 years. If you see some duplicates it means I have more than one. This list comes from a database I keep. I wonder if this gives me some expertise with Minolta. Lately, I've been toying with the idea of getting rid of the manual focus stuff and buying a Sony a850 body to use with the auto focus lenses but I cannot seem to part with the collection.

Good morning, SGLuck;

Well. That is impressive. And, it is almost as embarrassing as mine. I had no real idea of what I had amassed in a relatively short time until I also conducted a computer inventory. Not a good thing to do. It just shows what a truly addictive personality can do when not restrained. I have not yet printed out the current version, but I think that it is between 50 and 60 pages long.

For keeping track of mine a little easier, I have separated them into categories; Manufacturer or brand, Auto Focus or Manual Focus, camera body, lenses, accessories, et cetera. It seems to help in keeping track of them.

I do not know if I can match your courage in printing out a copy for everyone to read and know what I have done.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington.

Wow, you two both make me feel better about my modest collections (as well as providing cautionary tales for when my financial situation improves again!) (grin)

How do you find time to use all that stuff? I have some lenses I haven't taken out of the bag in two years (e.g. my Maxxum 20 f/2.8) and feel guilty for keeping them.

Being retired, taking photography courses at the local community college, travel and a willing 2 1/2 year old grandson who loves to say "cheese"

Good morning, Cork;

SGLuck has some quite logical reasons. Mine are a little less so; much more of an emotional reaction perhaps. I had many years of deprivation being denied access to photography equipment when mine "disappeared" in a divorce. While I earned a lot of money, I did not get to spend very much money. The child support payment schedule of this state must be experienced to be fully appreciated. All of the children are no longer my responsibility, and now my paycheck is my paycheck. I admit that I probably have over-reacted in the acquisition of replacement photographic equipment, but it does not seem to be a court prohibited activity. I no longer have the wife. I no longer have the kids. But I do still have my replacement cameras and things. I think that I am ahead.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Ralph,

We don't call it the Left Coast for nothing. Sorry about the loss, but very glad you have recovered so well.

My situation with a demanding job and three teenagers is a little different - no spare time at all. My hope in teaching the kids photography is that I'll be able to do some "real" photography with them, instead of the snaps and sports stuff I do now.

Best,
Cork

I have emotional attachments to some of my equipment. MY SR-1b was bought new in the PX of Tan San Nuet Air base, Republic of South Vietnam in 1964. Its been around the world with me several times. Now sadly, as a backup camera because it is fully manual. I have had instances where batteries and switches give out. The SR-1 never fails to save the day. It gets heavier as I get older though. Try getting S-44 batteroes in some countries.

Good morning, SGLuck;

Well, your Minolta SR-1b is in about the same time period mine was. I had purchased mine with an AUTO ROKKOR-PF 1:1.4 f=58mm lens from Brenner Photo in Washington, D. C. Yes, I know that was not the standard lens; there is a story there. I agree that it was an eminently reliable camera, and it was the one I used to take the photographs of my children. But even the photographs are gone now. I do not know how many rolls of film I ran through it. Most of the black and white was dunked in Microdol-X when it was developed. I did not do very much E-6 processing for the Ektachrome. The needed precision in temperature control for color processing convinced me to have others better equipped to do that for me.

You mentioned Tan San Nuet AFB. This has me wondering. Were you a test pilot in the US Air Force also, and do you know John Warner of the USCGAux Aviation Division?

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Sorry, just a grunt enlisted man although I got out an E-6 Staff Sgt. US Arm MACSOGV. 5th SFG.

Good morning, SGLuck;

Thank you for the response. There are not too many people with the name Luck, and the initials were also in the same place. I thought it was possible.

Again, your Minolta equipment list is impressive.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Holy crap it is impressive.

Beats the socks outta my sr-T101, 201, 28mm, 45mm, 50mm, 135mm, 100-300mm and the 2x converter. Oh, don't forget the camera straps.

I have a buch of stuff right now too, but I'm looking for the keepers, and will be weeding out the non-essentials. I opened up an ebay seller account for when the time comes to move what I don't want or need. Ideally, I'm wanting to keep it simple in my camera kit(s). I have the idea to have one kit for B&W, and the other Color, and a third which would be my DSLR. The B&W shot with my SRT101(Black) or XE7(Black); The Color shot with my X-700 w/MD1 Motor drive, and pick the lens set to use that will work best for both cameras and be portable. (The DSLR is a crop sensor model with 2.8 17-50 zoom for non-specialized/general shots). So far I'm thinking of these lenses:

28/2.0
35/2.8
50/1.4
58/1.2 and 58/1.4
Thinking of an 85mm?
135/2.8
1.4x teleconverter to give me more range if needed (sparingly)

Should be able to grab any 3 of theses lenses and use teleconverter for a light kit... what do you think?

Any thoughts on this setup?

Thanks

Craig

Haven't checked in for a while so I thought I'd update you with some new acquisitions. I added three more SLR's to my collection an SRT 101, SRT 201 and another XD-11 Black. I bought them as is from KEH in Atlanta, GA. Camera's needed foam and were untested. XD-11 $30, SRT 101 $11.00 and the SRT 201 $13. I popped in some Wein cell batteries in the Cameras and they sprang to life.Thanks to Jon Goodman of Tx. I bought his reseal kits and installed them. all 3 Cameras are as good as new. Test rolls of film were perfect. Wound up buying a Minolta 2X MD telextender, a 220X flash, an 85C filter and a couple of MC 50mm f1.7 lenses. These lenses are so cheap now that they can be used as body caps if for nothing else. Also bought a used Tamrac 612 to house the cameras. The bag came with the wrong dividers but a call to Tamrac and $27 fixed the problem. Can't beat getting a $280 bag for less than $80. Planning to set up my studio and macro table in the next few weeks.

Good morning;

Ah, so there are still others who are in competition with me. Regarding your recent acquisitions, there are many who say that the XD-11 is the best one that Minolta made. Then there are a few others who feel that the XK or the XK-M was the best. In any case, it is a nice camera.

The "body caps?" Well, I am not sure that I am going to say that a ROKKOR 1.7/50 is now cheap enough to just use them for body caps. The standard plastic body cap still does seem to be a little less expensive, and it is a lot lighter and smaller. I admit that I have gone through a collection of them in the last year or two, what with the number of teleconverters here. Yes, I put a body cap on the front and a lens back cap onto the back of the teleconverters. I used to have a lot of spare caps.

The weather here is changing. Now we have had two (2) days this year when the temperature has hit 70 degrees. April did wind up being the coolest on the official records, and I think also the wettest. Now we have some sunlight and the flowers and the trees are doing nice things. Time to go through a few rolls of color print film. The X-700 and a few others will get some more excercise.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Hi Ralph, I still am looking for 2 more cameras to complete my collection. I'd like an XK with an AES finder and a Maxxum 9 with a Vertical grip. However, both of these are big bucks items and I am reticent about sneaking them past fthe wife. Also, I am beginning to wonder about my decision to stay exclusively analog with film. I do have a strong inclination to acquire a Sony a850. My Maxxum lenses should make a nice system.

Just one last thing, the XD-11 is my favorite among all of my collection I own 2 of them. Second is the X-700 I own 2 of those. They were reconditioned by John Titterington and have been CLA's and have had new capacitors installed. The capacitors are the weak link in what otherwise is a fine camera.

Good morning, SG Luck;

This is embarrassing. I had not realized that it has been so long since I have looked at this line of discussion. Please accept my apologies (yes, plural) for my oversight.

Your quest for the Minolta Maxxum 9 or Dynax 9 with the VC-9 Vertical Control Grip is worthwhile. The VC-9 will give you the option to use several different battery types to keep the camera going for many years more. There are a few cameras here in the house now for which batteries are no longer available, so they are no longer workable. If you have any familiarity with the modern digital cameras, you will feel right at home using the Maxxum 9. If you fit the DM-9 Data Back to it also, it has so many of the features that are found on today's Digital SLR cameras. It is quite a formidable camera with an impressive presence. It is also somewhat heavy, but that does help with holding the camera still. The only single criticism I have of it is the location of the shutter release switch; it is just a little further back than my index finger expects it to be. I must make a deliberate effort with that finger to get it back to the shutter release switch to take a photograph. It reminds me of the original Nikon F shutter release location. I know that Minolta did know where to put the shutter release switch; they did it so beautifully with the MD-1 Motor Drive for the X-700.

In my own cameras here, I do not yet have either the Minolta XK or the XK-M or the XD-11. Yes, I know that I do have the X-700 System, but I went with it just for the total system aspect of a camera that could do just about anything. However, I might become convinced that the XK and the XD-11 should have a place here also. Perhaps some day.

But there are some advances in my own growing herd of camera bodies in the SR and SR-T Series of Minolta camera bodies: Just this last weekend, a fairly nice looking original SR-2 came out of the camera shop following a minor repair with the back film door latch and a full CLA. On that same visit to the camera shop, an SR-3 (actually it might be the SR-3a) went into the shop for a CLA also to make it ready to join the growing collection. With these two cameras, my own collection of the early Minolta Single Lens Reflex 35mm Cameras is complete.

Your thoughts about a Digital SLR onto which the Minolta Auto Focus Series of lenses can be fitted are similar to mine. For almost two years now, I have been considering the Sony A-900, and I did have here for a time one copy "for evaluation," but the fellow did decide to ask to have it returned, and he did admit that one of the factors influencing his decision was my own reaction to it and my praise for it. Now I am looking for one of my own to buy, without any "try it and see if you like it" sort of arrangements. Just a straight purchase. The only thing I did not expect was the sudden required rebuild of the Lycoming O-300B engine in the C-172. I admit that many of my camera equipment purchases have been delayed due to this unexpected financial bump in the road.

Enjoy; Ralph, Latte Land, Washington

Its been a while so I thought I would give you an update of my collection. I finally bought an XK from KEH but, with an AE finder, I aso bought an Electro Flash 450 and a Flash adapter that fits over film wheel on the left of the camera. My only complaint about the XK is the auto meter on switch on the right side of the camera body. While very handy to have while shooting, it makes impossible to put the camera in a camera bag because pressure on the switch will turn it on and drain the battery. You need to remove the battery in order to prevent this. I used the XK last week to shoot a major master bedroom remodel my wife and I did at home. I set up light stands, umbrellas, and a mono flash connected to the camera's PC sync. It felt great doing this again. MY MD 28mm worked well in this situation and the Wein mini flash syncs worked well with the Vivitar 283's used with the umbrellas. I am glad all of my children are out of the house because they would have said "What are you doing with all of this antique stuff."

" I am glad all of my children are out of the house because they would have said "What are you doing with all of this antique stuff.""

My reply would have been "Watch what you say about your mother!"

^^hahahaha^^

For some time now, my Minolta collecting/hoarding/addiction has taken a different turn. The current prices for Minolta lenses has certainly had an affect on this, but there's a bit more to it, also.

I have a modest collection of Minolta cameras and lenses - nothing like what's been noted in previous posts here (not that I am a bit envious about a few things!) - but nice stuff. I decided at some point to really concentrate on repairing, cleaning and sometimes replacing my existing equipment so that everything is in top-notch condition and functions the way the manufacturer intended, rather than acquiring more stuff. My three bodies (SRT-102, XE-7 and XD-11) are in excellent condition and all work flawlessly at the moment and I have been rotating lenses, one at a time, to the repair shop. Boy, just having the helical threads lubricated properly makes a world of difference to a 40-year-old lens! I just got my MD 100mm 2.5 back and it's a stunner. Having this work done, especially to lenses, is expensive (to me) but has become more satisfying than playing eBay roulette.

This is not to say that, once in a while, I don't get the bug. I recently acquired a Power Grip 1, complete and in nice shape, for my XD/320X combo. I probably won't use it much, but it sure looks cool! When using it with the power winder, the setup takes 14 AA batteries!

Mike