Should I get these?

[Don_ih]

It would not be the same.

Minolta slrs are all precisely build, so they would all take the same photos. There is, in reality, no significant difference.

 

[ant!]

Because they're all the same, more or less.

Sure, more or less, like most manual-focus SLRs from Japan from the 70s/80s.
But:

• SRT are mechanical, the others electromechanical, some with a mechanical emergency shutter time.
• XD and X are compact, XE, XK/XM and SRT large.
• XD has shutter priority, the others don't. X700 has P-mode. SRT only manual exposure mode, all others have shutter priority.
• SRT uses mercury batteries (or hearing aid), all others modern batteries.
• XK / XM is a different beast anyways, with changeable finders etc.
• X700 and X570/X500 have TTL flash.
• X600 has a strange focus confirmation feature.

So yes, similar, but a few flavors...
Same photos? Sure, with the same lenses..

 

[Chan Tran]

Well when I got it neither power up but I got them both power up now. The spring inside the battery comparment was so depressed and it doesn't make contact. Bending the spring up a bit fixed the problem.
Still there are problem. One of them the one that is not as nice works but the aperture coupling is a bit erratic. I spary some deoxit and it works OK now.
The nice looking one works fine in manual. Meter is good but in auto rarely works. Sometimes it does work but most of the time it acts like it see no light and does a 30 seconds exposure time. Once a while it does work though. I know the voltage coming from the meter charges a capacitor. When the shutter is released and before the mirror goes up there is a switch to disconnect the meter from the capacitor. Then after the mirror goes up it is the voltage stored in this capacitor controls the exposure time. If the capacitor doesn't hold the charge the shutter would do long exposure. Or if the switch to disconnect the capacitor from the meter circuit does disconnect when the meter goes dark it would discharge the capacitor. Or if the switch does not connect back to the meter circuit after exposure then it won't be charged for the next exposure. I don't know how to get to this switch or capacitor.

 

[fstop]

Well when I got it neither power up but I got them both power up now. The spring inside the battery comparment was so depressed and it doesn't make contact. Bending the spring up a bit fixed the problem.
Still there are problem. One of them the one that is not as nice works but the aperture coupling is a bit erratic. I spary some deoxit and it works OK now.
The nice looking one works fine in manual. Meter is good but in auto rarely works. Sometimes it does work but most of the time it acts like it see no light and does a 30 seconds exposure time. Once a while it does work though. I know the voltage coming from the meter charges a capacitor. When the shutter is released and before the mirror goes up there is a switch to disconnect the meter from the capacitor. Then after the mirror goes up it is the voltage stored in this capacitor controls the exposure time. If the capacitor doesn't hold the charge the shutter would do long exposure. Or if the switch to disconnect the capacitor from the meter circuit does disconnect when the meter goes dark it would discharge the capacitor. Or if the switch does not connect back to the meter circuit after exposure then it won't be charged for the next exposure. I don't know how to get to this switch or capacitor.

Does the service manual show where they are? I posted a link to it. XEs are known for cap issues.

 

[fstop]

Sure, more or less, like most manual-focus SLRs from Japan from the 70s/80s.
But:

• SRT are mechanical, the others electromechanical, some with a mechanical emergency shutter time.
• XD and X are compact, XE, XK/XM and SRT large.
• XD has shutter priority, the others don't. X700 has P-mode. SRT only manual exposure mode, all others have shutter priority.
• SRT uses mercury batteries (or hearing aid), all others modern batteries.
• XK / XM is a different beast anyways, with changeable finders etc.
• X700 and X570/X500 have TTL flash.
• X600 has a strange focus confirmation feature.

So yes, similar, but a few flavors...
Same photos? Sure, with the same lenses..

To some its the journey not the destination. I have full lines of Minolta cameras for that reason.

 

[Chan Tran]

Sure, more or less, like most manual-focus SLRs from Japan from the 70s/80s.
But:

• SRT are mechanical, the others electromechanical, some with a mechanical emergency shutter time.
• XD and X are compact, XE, XK/XM and SRT large.
• XD has shutter priority, the others don't. X700 has P-mode. SRT only manual exposure mode, all others have shutter priority.
• SRT uses mercury batteries (or hearing aid), all others modern batteries.
• XK / XM is a different beast anyways, with changeable finders etc.
• X700 and X570/X500 have TTL flash.
• X600 has a strange focus confirmation feature.

So yes, similar, but a few flavors...
Same photos? Sure, with the same lenses..

I got to get the XE fixed as I really like it. It's different from the SrT series as well as from the XD-11 which I have. It's also different from the X-xxx series that I have used. It's closer to the XK I once had but simpler in a good way. I like the shutter blind. (I never need to use it but I feel cheated when I paid $2730 for the Nikon Df and it doesn't have a shutter blind).

 

[fstop]

I got to get the XE fixed as I really like it. It's different from the SrT series as well as from the XD-11 which I have. It's also different from the X-xxx series that I have used. It's closer to the XK I once had but simpler in a good way. I like the shutter blind. (I never need to use it but I feel cheated when I paid $2730 for the Nikon Df and it doesn't have a shutter blind).

The XE has a lot going for it, the ability to do multiple exposures from the top makes it a better choice than other Minoltas that you need to push the rewind button, you can mount the XE on a tripod and not have to remove it to make a multiple exposure. This is where the eye piece shutter comes in.
XEs are special to me because they are what drew me to the Minolta brand in the 70s.

 

[fstop]

I got to get the XE fixed as I really like it. It's different from the SrT series as well as from the XD-11 which I have. It's also different from the X-xxx series that I have used. It's closer to the XK I once had but simpler in a good way. I like the shutter blind. (I never need to use it but I feel cheated when I paid $2730 for the Nikon Df and it doesn't have a shutter blind).

off topic , outside of the shutter blind how do you like the Df?

 

[Sirius Glass]

One observation, informed by reading many threads here.
Photrio may not be the best choice if you want there to be a reasonable chance you will get the answer "no you should not get those".

We at Photrio are great at encouraging people to buy equipment.

 

[Chan Tran]

off topic , outside of the shutter blind how do you like the Df?

I am not sure I should repsond because it would be in the wrong forum. I think the admin is quite strict about talking about digital in the film section.

 

[fstop]

I am not sure I should repsond because it would be in the wrong forum. I think the admin is quite strict about talking about digital in the film section.

I'll pm you, is that ok?

 

[Chan Tran]

I'll pm you, is that ok?

Sure!

 

[fstop]

We at Photrio are great at encouraging people to buy equipment.

I have more cameras than Panavision thanks to you guys.Now I'm working on making my own...

 

[MattKing]

I am not sure I should repsond because it would be in the wrong forum. I think the admin is quite strict about talking about digital in the film section.

It would certainly be worth its own thread in the Digital camera sub-forum - go for it!

 

[Chan Tran]

It would certainly be worth its own thread in the Digital camera sub-forum - go for it!

Thanks Matt but I have PM fstop what I thought of the Df. I don't think others would be interested in what I have to say.

 

[fstop]

I thought it was interesting.
I'll start a thread on it.

 

[jsuthanah]

Like others say, I would go in person with a battery and maybe a roll of film that you don't care too much about to see if it loads?

 

[MattKing]

Thanks Matt but I have PM fstop what I thought of the Df. I don't think others would be interested in what I have to say.

I thought it was interesting.
I'll start a thread on it.