Minolta Owner's Thread

pinktrainers

pinktrainers

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John
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Since there seems to be a fair bit of love for Minolta film cameras around here, I thought I would start an official Minolta Owner's thread for Minolta-related questions (of which I have many), and Minolta-related news.

First of all though, here are a few links I find useful for all my Minolta web-loving:

The Dyxum.com A-mount Lens Database - an excellent resource for researching Minolta/Sony lenses, huge amount of reviews from owners, and it gives a great overview of the advantages/disadvantages of each lens.

Konica Minolta's Official Manual Database - in case your particular camera arrived sans manual.

The Minolta Flickr Group - for Flickr fans, also of more particular note is the Dynax 7 group I spend a lot of time on.

Hope these links are useful to some of you guys, feel free to suggest others and I can add them to the OP.


Personally, I own a Maxxum 7000 AF that sadly never gets used, a Hi-matic AF I use when I'm out with friends, a Hi-matic 7SII I use for candids and random wanders, and an all-purpose super-SLR Dynax 7 for specific photographic work (although I'm still getting used to it).

In terms of lenses, I use the Sigma 21-35 most of the time, and I've just received a Minolta 50 f1.7 which is going to need some testing. I'm looking to buy a 35-105, the Macro switch version (which I have heard are hidden gems) for candid/portrait stuff.

Let's see if we can drum up a bit of a response before I start filling up a dead thread with questions. Cheers!

RELATED THREADS:

Minolta bodies (AF)
 
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Well I've got a few, got lots of other cameras too though... no reason to be Minolta-specific - unless I am missing something?
 
I have a Minolta Hi Matic 7s, top of the range when i bought it in Aden in early 1967, cost me 25 Dinars after the usual haggle:D
 
Ambermile said:
Well I've got a few, got lots of other cameras too though... no reason to be Minolta-specific - unless I am missing something?
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Well, for me it would be convenient not to have to create a new thread every time I have a question. We can all learn something from each other, and a "Film Camera Owner's Thread" seemed to be shooting a bit wide for the sake of practicality!
 
Well ... I have an XG-9 with an MD Rokkor 50/1.7 and an MD ZOOM 70-210 F4

I got them off freebay a while ago, and am yet to use them.
 
Well I'm an odd Minolta user as I use the X700 a lot, and have the srt 101b yet only have the 58mm f1.4 between them...I use other makes of lenses.
 
excalibur2 said:
Well I'm an odd Minolta user as I use the X700 a lot, and have the srt 101b yet only have the 58mm f1.4 between them...I use other makes of lenses.
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You use a lot of adapter rings? 'Cause that's what my question's going to be about, really.
 
pinktrainers said:
Well, for me it would be convenient not to have to create a new thread every time I have a question. We can all learn something from each other, and a "Film Camera Owner's Thread" seemed to be shooting a bit wide for the sake of practicality!
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Seems a bit sectarian to me - but if you insist... I have:

A gripped Dynax 9
A gripped Dynax 7
A gripped Dynax 7D
A gripped Dynax 5D
A Dynax 5, a 4 and a 3, a 3L and an SPxi.
A Prod 20s
A Minoltina
A fully kitted-out X-700
A similar XG-1
Way too many lenses, both AF and MD, and some sexy white M42 ones too for showing off with :LOL:

Rather alot of Konica stuff too but let's keep it Minolta eh?
 
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excalibur2 said:
I have the usual m42 and Tamron adapters and use them now and again.
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Great, 'cause I'm very interested in using M42 lenses on my Minolta bodies, but I'm a little confused about AF confirm and aperture limitations. I'm really not bothered about AF confirm, although it's a nice bonus - but I keep reading that adapter rings limit your aperture to a maximum of f5.6? Is that true in all cases or just for AF confirm?

I was sort of thinking I could just buy an M42 adapter, stick a lens on and have full access to the aperture settings and manual focus without any drawbacks - is that not the case?
 
pinktrainers said:
Great, 'cause I'm very interested in using M42 lenses on my Minolta bodies, but I'm a little confused about AF confirm and aperture limitations. I'm really not bothered about AF confirm, although it's a nice bonus - but I keep reading that adapter rings limit your aperture to a maximum of f5.6? Is that true in all cases or just for AF confirm?

I was sort of thinking I could just buy an M42 adapter, stick a lens on and have full access to the aperture settings and manual focus without any drawbacks - is that not the case?
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Ah my knowledge stops at "manual focus" cameras :shrug:
 
Pretty much yes, you may have an issue without a chipped adapter with the camera telling you no lens is fitted (that's more likely on the digitals though). As a quick test, the SPxi will work just fine with a standard adapter and an M42 lens... but the 9 will not.
 
Cheers for that, I'm now looking at this on eBay, I'm thinking that'll do the trick with a 7. I'll be whipping out the ancient Zeiss in no time, hopefully!
 
Well it'll do it yes. Really you just need to tell the camera it's in manual mode, nothing more. It will then allow the focus confirm lights, the meter and the shutter to all work.
 
All I've got is a pair of broken Minolta xg1 and 2, they only cost £0.01 for the pair though. :LOL:

Where can I get batteries for them please?
 
Jared said:
All I've got is a pair of broken Minolta xg1 and 2, they only cost £0.01 for the pair though. :LOL:

Where can I get batteries for them please?
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I'm sure I had a battery for mine (XG-9) from one of those multi button cell packs you get in poundland or similar
 
not sure if this thread is needed, still nice. viva la Minolta.

if you have lens questions - calling all sony alpha users thread can help.
 
I have an old 5000i body, and have taken the Sigma 35 - 70mm lens for the Sony Alpha. I was looking for old, top quality Rokkor lenses, but are they all MD mount, or did they make M42 as well? Is it possible to buy MD adaptors to fit later Minolta/Sony cameras?
Would I be better off buying Pentax, SMC Takumar lenses, and buying the M42 adaptor mounts instead?
 
Yup - they are around but they have an optical element to allow infinity focus. Because of that you will find that fast glass will be vignetted to some extent by the reduced aperture of the adapter.
 
I have been looking for a 35-105 with the macro switch, missed a couple on eBay that went around the £80-100 mark, then happened to spot a listing for a 7000 AF, 2800 flash, and 35-105 - won the auction for just £56!

Will probably sell on the 7000 and 2800 since I already have both of them sitting on my shelf, not a lot of point in owning two SLRs I don't use...

In other news, the VC-7 I found on Flickr got mailed today from the US. Gripped goodness within a week, with any luck!
 
Got sucked in after becoming disillusioned with the prices Nikon FM's have been making lately, saw an SRT super bundled with a 50mm F1.4 and grabbed it for reasonable money.

It seems people on ebay are cluing up to the resurgence of film and eager college kids needing a decent basic camera for their course
 
Sorry for the poor photo, but here's my current (temporary) Minolta line-up:

MinoltaGear.jpg


Minolta Dynax 7 x 2
Minolta 24-105 D
Minolta 50 f1.7
Sigma 21-35
Minolta 3500xi flash
Minolta 5400HS flash
Hoya 62mm CPL
Minolta RC1000 cable release
Minolta shoulder bag

I got a second body, the flashes, the cable release, and the 24-105 today for a very, very low price. After a lot of cleaning and polishing, I'm going to be selling on one of the Dynax bodies, and possibly the 24-105. It's nice to have two bodies, but right now pretty pointless.
 
What the heck! I don't have a Minolta !?! .... yet.... *sneaks off to ebay*

Anyone suggest a good one? :) (All is not an acceptable answer :LOL:)
 
karmagarda said:
What the heck! I don't have a Minolta !?! .... yet.... *sneaks off to ebay*

Anyone suggest a good one? :) (All is not an acceptable answer :LOL:)
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Are you looking for AF or MF? Are you more concerned with convenience or pure functionality? Are you interested in wireless flash setups? Rangefinder, compact, or SLR?

Let's narrow it down!
 
Starastin said:
John, did you buy the 7 body only recently ? if so you probably outbid me ! :LOL:
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Wasn't me! I got mine in a job lot off of gumtree.co.uk (where you can occasionally find ridiculously good deals). Had to go to Reading to pick it up, but it was definitely worth it.
 
pinktrainers said:
Are you looking for AF or MF? Are you more concerned with convenience or pure functionality? Are you interested in wireless flash setups? Rangefinder, compact, or SLR?

Let's narrow it down!
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I don't really mind functionality wise. I have a FED-2, a Pentax Spotmatic, a Bronica ETRS, a lubitel 166b, and a couple of other rubbishy ones I can't remember. An AF one would be wicked though, I don't have an AF film yet. I presume that puts me in the SLR range...
 
I'm going to go ahead and suggest a Dynax 7 then. In my opinion the most amazing film SLR ever made by anyone, bar none (no, really).

Features include the honeycomb exposure display which tells you which areas of your shot are over or under-exposed, a wireless flash system which allows you to use multiple Minolta flashes off-body with no wires over a long range, creating a portable studio, D lens functionality for range and depth of field display, and a solidly built, knob-tastic body.

At the moment they seem to be selling around the £100-130 mark body only on eBay, ridiculously good value!

I can recommend some of the best value lenses for a-mount, if/when you're interested.
 
pinktrainers said:
I'm going to go ahead and suggest a Dynax 7 then. In my opinion the most amazing film SLR ever made by anyone, bar none (no, really).

Features include the honeycomb exposure display which tells you which areas of your shot are over or under-exposed, a wireless flash system which allows you to use multiple Minolta flashes off-body with no wires over a long range, creating a portable studio, D lens functionality for range and depth of field display, and a solidly built, knob-tastic body.

At the moment they seem to be selling around the £100-130 mark body only on eBay, ridiculously good value!

I can recommend some of the best value lenses for a-mount, if/when you're interested.
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With a recommendation like that I'm pretty much sold! Let me go read up and that baby and schedule bids in and around my next pay check :LOL:

Cheers for that mate (y)
 
@pinktrainers

can you list some of these value for money lenses?

i have an a390 and now a dynax40 and i'm looking to get add to the lenses i already have. i've been taking an interest in m42 lenses but not sure what's what. i'm open to any suggestions you or anyone else here comes up with.
 
With Minolta AF lenses there are not any 'value for money' lenses as such, most of the cheaper lenses you see on ebay are the kit zoom lenses that came with the cameras. Not that anythings wrong with them though, they are of very high quality but a little on the slow side. Other lenses, especially primes tend to be much more expensive. A 50mm f1.7 tends to go on ebay for £80 or so and the better f1.4 version for about £150, both of these are meant to be excellent and are on my list to get if I ever have the money for one of them.
 
There are still bargains to be had if you are willing to wait for them. I recently picked up the sharp 24-105 with D functionality for about £30, and the even sharper 35-105 for £40 (although to be fair these were extremely lucky events). Confusingly, there are multiple versions of these lenses so I will get you some dyxum.com links when I'm home after work.
 
pinktrainers said:
There are still bargains to be had if you are willing to wait for them. I recently picked up the sharp 24-105 with D functionality for about £30, and the even sharper 35-105 for £40 (although to be fair these were extremely lucky events). Confusingly, there are multiple versions of these lenses so I will get you some dyxum.com links when I'm home after work.
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are you sure the 35 is sharper ?
as they always go for high prices I haven't tested them, but at those prices I would love to ! :love:
 
I'm a big fan of Minolta MF cameras and lenses. Good quality kit and still bargains to be had as the lenses can't be easily used by the digital boys.

I currently have an XG-M , SRT-101 with Minolta Rokkor 28mm f2.8 , 45mm f2 and 50mm f1.7. I'll probably buy an X700 at some point.
 
Starastin said:
are you sure the 35 is sharper ?
as they always go for high prices I haven't tested them, but at those prices I would love to ! :love:
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Yep, as long as it's the older version which you can see HERE. NOT to be confused with the newer version which has wider depressions in its rubber grip. A lot of the people who have used the old 35-105 describe a sort of 3D effect produced by its outstanding sharpness.

As for the 24-105 D, make sure to get the Minolta version over the newer Sony, it's sharper. Linky HERE.

At the ultra-wide zoom end, I can personally recommend the Sigma 21-35 as seen HERE. Excellent sharpness, haven't seen one amazingly cheap, but I got mine for £80 with a 1.4x teleconverter so I wouldn't say it's breaking the bank for the range it gives you.

Unfortunately, as previously noted - it is hard to get fast zooms at a decent price. Head into the f2.8 range and prices shoot up as Sony users are desperate to cut costs however slightly on top-quality lenses. Whilst the lenses I've mentioned here can't compete on speed, they certainly sit in a similar league for sharpness.

Unlike Nikon/Canon/Sony lenses, there are still people with old Minolta kit who don't realise what it's worth. In order to get at this market you need to move away from eBay really, try sites like Gumtree and Preloved, also there is a for sale section on the Dyxum website (although I've not used this yet).

Hope this is helpful!
 
The complete beauty!

Sorry about the quality but I don't have my DSLR with me for a day or so.

64643e5cdbe24799a86820f6f7bfe6fa_7.jpg


This is such a pleasure to grasp, can't wait to get out and start shooting. Just waiting for a couple of HMC colour filters and an M42 adapter to arrive now and my setup is (for current purposes) complete!

Also picked up the X-700 kit this weekend but that's going straight on the bay, unfortunately. I have some serious costs to cover.
 
It's a 7! I thought you'd have a 9 by now!
 
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