Other Minolta Bodies

ongakublue · Aug 13, 2015

Hi guys,

So I am clearly becoming addicted to these old Minoltas. I didn't realise it would become like this. I wasn't prepared for it

The camera shop I usually go to has a Minolta x500 (x570) with a 50 1.7 lens at a good price I think. How is this camera? Is it as reliable as the SRTs in general? Of course I can test it out. Also I think that MD 50 1.7 lens is one of Minolta's better prime lenses?

There is also a Minolta x700 but it is considerably more money. I see it has program mode (which I don't need) and no dof preview(?)

I love the SRTs for portraits but I feel for street photography, aperture priority would be really useful. Does it take the little hearing aid batteries?

Thanks a lot!

silentworld · Aug 13, 2015

I would suggest going with X570 and save your money. I have both X570 and X700 and I don't see much difference in building quality. I personally never use the P model on X700 and prefer the full info viewfinder in Manual model on X570.

X570 is not as robust as SRT, but there isn't much to go wrong with X570 either if you take care of it. X570/X700 has their own virtue as well. A mode could be quite useful. Its electronic shutter is quite accurate. The build-in meter and bright viewfinder are other pros. Of course, it is much lighter than SRT, which is important for me since I carry them on long hikes.

Rhodes · Aug 13, 2015

The lastest camera my father had was a minolta x-300s. I used it many times, since was light, compared with the others SLR bodies I had. Recently I bought a X-700 just to try out, since it had program, AE, manual, etc.
I regret buying a olympus om4ti a month before. I loved how it was handle and how the camera "feels" in my hands.

Ricardo Miranda · Aug 13, 2015

I regret buying a olympus om4ti a month before.

I'll gladly take it of your hands if you don't like it!

benjiboy · Aug 13, 2015

ongakublue said:
Hi guys,

So I am clearly becoming addicted to these old Minoltas. I didn't realise it would become like this. I wasn't prepared for it

The camera shop I usually go to has a Minolta x500 (x570) with a 50 1.7 lens at a good price I think. How is this camera? Is it as reliable as the SRTs in general? Of course I can test it out. Also I think that MD 50 1.7 lens is one of Minolta's better prime lenses?

There is also a Minolta x700 but it is considerably more money. I see it has program mode (which I don't need) and no dof preview(?)

No that's wrong, on the Minolta X700 there is a square depth of field stop down button on the left of the lens mount. See the photograph and read the spec under Lens Mount.Dead Link Removed It's more than 25 years since I sold them for a living but I still remember them.

mklw1954 · Aug 14, 2015

The X570 and X700 take two SR44 1.5 volt batteries, not the older mercury or current hearing aid batteries.

Minolta cameras, lenses, light meters, and enlargers are great.

ongakublue · Aug 14, 2015

Thanks everyone for the polite and helpful answers I have ordered the X570

Marvin · Aug 15, 2015

I have two of the X700 cameras and hav never had any problems with them. The Chinese button batteries at Dollar Tree seem to work fine. I also have the MD-1 motor drives for them.

Les Sarile · Aug 15, 2015

And the X700 gets even more sophisticated with a full intervalometer back and IR remote.

Ron789 · Aug 17, 2015

"Also I think that MD 50 1.7 lens is one of Minolta's better prime lenses?"
I recently did some testing on 50mm lenses and found that the MD Rokkor 50mm F/1.7 is excellent. It outperformed my Nikkor 50mm F/2, my 2 Canon FD 50mm F/1.4 lenses (older and newer models), and several (older) Carl Zeiss Tessar lenses. Only my 2 Carl Zeiss Ultron 50mm F/1.8 lenses performed (marginally) better than the Rokkor.
Excellent lens that typically comes at a very fair price.

Other Minolta Bodies

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