Minolta X-700

I think A700 replaced X700 ;-). I was cleaning our library when I found a stack of National Geographic magazines dated as old as September 1983. When I opened one of the magazines, I found this Minolta ad...









I enjoyed very much reading the description. It seems the body is made of metal!

From Wiki...

"The Minolta X-700 is a 35 mm single-lens reflex camera introduced by Minolta in 1981. It was the top model of their final manual-focus SLR series before the introduction of the auto-focus Minolta Maxxum 7000. It used the basic body of the XG-M with electronically controlled stepless speeds, but added full program autoexposure in addition to the XG-M's aperture priority and metered manual modes. It also introduced through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering, and added exposure lock and interchangeable focusing screens to the XG-M's features. Based on the X-700 chassis, Minolta later launched the cheaper models X-300 and X-500. The X-500 lacked the X-700's program exposure mode, but featured a fill-in flash mode. The X-300 was the basic model of the late X-series. It lacked TTL flash metering and program exposure mode, it did not show the f-stop-setting of the lens in the viewfinder and it did not have a depth-of-field control button. Basic parts of all three cameras, i.e. shutter, viewfinder, mirror system, and light metering system were identical."

The camera was discontinued in 1999 - lasted 18 years! Nowadays, digital camera models would last at least 2-3 years!

And lastly, the X-700 was awarded the European "Camera of the Year" award in 1981

I liked my X570 a little better but the X700 became my main camera after the 570 was stolen. The whole system was great. very itegrated.
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http://www.daisyseyecancerfund.org/Files/Awareness/photographing_rb_poster.pdf

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1247912/Mother-spots-cancer-babys-eye-taking-photo.html

The first new camera I bought was a Minolta X-500. A great camera and a great lens system. At that time Minolta had various exotic lenses like Soft Focus, VFC, Shift/VFC, etc. Also, it is so funny to see what the features were that at that time we thought we were essential. Anyway, my route after the X-500 was XD-7, AF-C, 9xi (twice), Sony DSC-717, Konica Minolta XD7, Sony a700 and now a77.

Lucas

Did you see the old Ad I posted of the first Maxxum? http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=40207724

I actually prefer the X-570 (or X-500) because it shows both the recommended and actual shutter speed in manual mode. The X-700 does not show the set shutter speed in the VF, you have to look at the shutter speed dial.

The manual Minolta cameras were truly system cameras with a much more complete range of accessories and lenses.

From the X-700 on - all Minolta 7 series cameras (including all AF) won the "camera of year" award. Unfortunately, that award has little to do with the success of the company.

In the AF film era, Minolta "7 series" were the 7000 (first AF camera), 7000i, 7xi, 700si and 7. As they went from the 7000 to 7xi, they added short lived 'gadgets' - e.g. auto zoom that selected the correct FL for the user - along with longer lived innovations like integrated wireless flash and the honeycomb metering. The UI (including the 700si) also became worse (small push buttons inside the "card door" to control commonly used features.)

The 7 was a major departure where UI was improved significantly by adding direct easily accessible controls (the 9 had similar UI, but the 7 improved on the 9 in my opinion.) All of Sony's 7, 8, 9 series cameras were based on the 7, although Sony has removed (and continues to remove) some of the direct controls.

tom

wow, look at the price of the beercan. I paid $180 when I got it in ebay 2 years ago.

Skip_ said:

Did you see the old Ad I posted of the first Maxxum? http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1037&message=40207724

Click to expand...

I owned an loved that little camera for about 10 years. Took it to Yellowstone one winter. It didn't like -25 degree temperatures. Froze up and never worked right again.

Yep, in the digital age, seems like we have to replace the camera every year or two. That's got to be great for the profit margin of the camera companies.

I still have this camera along with 35-70mm, 75-300mm and flash. Still works fine!

It was my first SLR as a teenager. I took a job between my education and saved up all summer to get it. Cost me around £500 I think.

Still have most of my film bodies. X700 with MD1,, X570, X370, sold my fav the XGM, 7000, 600si, 700si, and then came digital. Got all those too... Olympus 20-20, 40-40, 50-50 (still an outstanding camera) then 7D, A100, A700, and Canon S95. Next? perhaps A77.
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http://gnichols.zenfolio.com/

The X-700 was my first camera. I still have that body. It is a great camera to work with, well laid out, light and sturdy. The MD-1 fit great in my hand.

When I picked it up, I promised myself that I would not take "snapshots" and started pushing myself to try all kinds of different things with the camera.

I also had the XE-7 and XD-11, the SLRs that Minolta developed with Leica. The XE-7 had the best sounding shutter I have ever heard.

Let's not forget about the AMAZING prime lenses that Minolta had The 35mm f1.8 Rokkor was great, as was the 85mm f2.0 MD Rokkor (sharper than the 85mm f1.7 MD Rokkor)

By far my two favorites of the 30+ lenses I had before going AF were the 58mm 1.2 MC Rokkor (just had a GREAT feel to the images) and the 50-135mm f3.5 MD Rokkor, a purpose built portrait lens with beautiful color and bokeh, sharp in the middle and a nice softness as you get to the edges.

chad

First Minolta camera I had. Worked great for the outdoor photography I used
it mostly for, and loved the flash metering. Sold it to get my
Maxxum 9000, Which I still have.

....

I had an X-700 untill the 7000 ( AF ) came up! An excellent camera, it was my second SLR ( first was Minolta SRT 101 ).

... Lucas
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Always having fun with photography ...

http://www.lucaspix.smugmug.com/

SRB151 said:

First Minolta camera I had. Worked great for the outdoor photography I used
it mostly for,

Click to expand...

Focus was too slow and too much noise for indoor photography!

I still have the old X-700. Great camera with nice ergonimics. It's got a cloth shutter. And a unique shutter button which was touch sensitive - like it senses the moisture on your finger and activates the metering. I think there were complaints that you can't shoot with gloved fingers. The cable release was located on the left side of the lens mount. It had all the bells and whistles at its time including TTL flash metering. Hard to believe Minolta Camera division is no longer.
Thanks for starting this interesting thread.

Another relic from bygone era.





Cheers
Rick

The Minolta X-700 was my second camera. My first film camera was the Minolta X-300.

It's funny that right now I started to buy the SRTs for my collection. I just bought these two SRT 101s at eBay. It's just fun to have these fully mechanical SLRs.





Emmanuel

Hello Emmanuel

A rare black body SRT 101 ? Gorgeous!

Snap,

I bought this from eBay only for $50.00 and I just got it yesterday. It comes with leather case.

snap said:

Hello Emmanuel

A rare black body SRT 101 ? Gorgeous!

Click to expand...

Wow! Unbelievable! "My jaw dropped" - from your picture - it looks like its in "Like New" condition - I don't see any brassing! Black body in mint condition is extremely hard to come by. Nice!

I don't have SRT 101 but I have vintage cameras using PX625 mercury button cell battery - which is banned for environmental reason. You may already know - but I use Zinc Air 675 Hearing Aid battery you can purchase readily at any drug store or Radio Shack. It's diameter is smaller but the voltage is equivalent for camera meters. I use a rubber O-ring from hardware store to fit around it. Just a tip if you haven't already been using it.

Anyway, Golly you've got yourself a wonderful collectible. And mechanical shutter camera like SRT101 you don't need battery - electricity is only for metering so you can keep on shooting via Sunny f/16 rule.

Cheers

Rick

Rick,

Thanks for the tip. I just got "lucky" that I won the bid for the black SRT 101 at eBay. That's right, the battery is for the metering only. Rick, These two SRTs are on my bedroom desk. I don't know but I just like pressing the shutter with the mechanical sound. Once in a while, go and visit eBay for SRTs

Emmanuel.

snap said:

Wow! Unbelievable! "My jaw dropped" - from your picture - it looks like its in "Like New" condition - I don't see any brassing! Black body in mint condition is extremely hard to come by. Nice!

I don't have SRT 101 but I have vintage cameras using PX625 mercury button cell battery - which is banned for environmental reason. You may already know - but I use Zinc Air 675 Hearing Aid battery you can purchase readily at any drug store or Radio Shack. It's diameter is smaller but the voltage is equivalent for camera meters. I use a rubber O-ring from hardware store to fit around it. Just a tip if you haven't already been using it.

Anyway, Golly you've got yourself a wonderful collectible. And mechanical shutter camera like SRT101 you don't need battery - electricity is only for metering so you can keep on shooting via Sunny f/16 rule.

Cheers

Rick

Click to expand...

Wow! Wonderfully mint SRT-101s! That makes me dream of my silver one bought in 1974. It replaced a stolen Leica M2.
Congrats and thanks for showing.

... Lucas
--
Always having fun with photography ...

http://www.lucaspix.smugmug.com/