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Best Minolta Camera Ever

Started 11 months ago | Discussions
kcdogger Veteran Member • Posts: 4,335
Best Minolta Camera Ever

Curious.  In your opinion, what is the best Minolta camera ever made?

Peace.

John

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neilt3
neilt3 Veteran Member • Posts: 3,008
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

I don't know if you can say best , but my favourite Minolta cameras are the manual focus XD7 and X700 , the Dynax 7 and Dynax 7d .

I own and use them all , depending on what I'm doing I'll pick which to use .

It's hard to say a "best" as it depends on your needs  at the time .

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joelbolden Regular Member • Posts: 195
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

I've a number of Minolta film slr's and one Minolta digital...the A2.  When it comes to film, I'll be torn between the Dynax 7 and Dynax 9; with a slight preference for the 9.  I like my Konica Minolta A2 so much I own 2 and rotate; plus xtra screw on lenses.

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Hike Pics
Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

Agree, "Best" is a subjective term. However, my favorites.....

Film (P&S) : Zoom 9T

Film (SLR) : X-700, Maxxum 70, Maxxum 650si

Digital : A2, Z5

3Percent
3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
I'll bite
3

I took your question as having to pick only one, if I were forced too... that takes courage LOL

The first camera that comes to mind is the Maxxum 9. It does everything so well and with so little power. It's a complete joy to use, and if your country gets invaded all you have to do is install a turret and tracks on it and you can go to battle to win back your freedom.

Then take pictures of your success.

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Gand-Alf Forum Member • Posts: 63
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

My favorite Konica Minolta cameras are the Maxxum 7D and Dimage A2.  These two models I have associated with the brand name over the years.  Beautiful works of art in design, function and results.

MikeInOr
MikeInOr Senior Member • Posts: 1,630
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

I know a couple people that would go to fists when arguing whether the Minolta CLE is the best camera Minolta ever made or not. It is not my preferred form factor though.

SRT101 - The only Minolta camera I have with mirror lockup which makes it perfect for mounting on a telescope or microscope. It is also fully mechanical and usable without a battery.

XD11 - A great stout camera that has always done an excellent job for me.

X700 - The latest greatest hi-tech manual focus camera and has always giving me excellent results. The XD11 has a more solid feel but the automation of the X700 is nice when you don't the camera frequently.

Maxxum 7000 - My father purchased one in 1985 and it is what I learned photography on. It did everything I needed for high school and college level photography classes. I still have it. It still works perfectly. I like the solid feel of the metal body. For the price they go for today it would be REALLY difficult to find a better bang per buck in the used film body market. This was my only camera for 20 years!

Maxxum 7 - The latest full featured pro level camera. I have only had mine for a few years now but really love using it! I prefer it to my Maxxum 9 which is a bit heavier and a bit more bulky although built like a tank!

Maxxum 70 - The last Minolta film camera (I believe) It is nice and sleek. Perfect for taking on a trip. I miss the intuitive controls of the Maxxum 7.

Minolta Z3 - Not a top of the line camera but my first digital camera in 2005. I have thousands of photos from this camera and I am very pleased with them. At the time I could not justify paying a premium for a top of the line digital camera when I knew it would be antiquated in a year or two so I went for the middle of the line. I didn't get a DSLR until the Sony A33 which I felt was finally superior to film and a worthwhile investment.

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PDX700
PDX700 Junior Member • Posts: 26
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

Add a vote for the X700. It was the first nice camera that I purchased when I enrolled in a college photography class. It has a soft spot in my heart and if I could only keep one, I would choose it over my Nikon F100 and D750.

Dennis Forum Pro • Posts: 21,318
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

joelbolden wrote:

I've a number of Minolta film slr's and one Minolta digital...the A2.

Probably a good choice. I shot with a guy who had one and it seemed like a fun camera, plus it deliver pretty good results. I remember someone in Minolta saying they had no interest in DSLRs (before they finally caved) because fixed sensor cameras like the A2 were ideal for digital.

When it comes to film, I'll be torn between the Dynax 7 and Dynax 9; with a slight preference for the 9.

Agreed. I think the 7 is probably the pinnacle of their technical achievement, but the 9 was just perfect. I preferred the 7 when shooting handheld and the 9 with a tripod (or with bigger lenses).

The 600si was a little gem of a camera, too, but kind of the baby brother to the 7 & 9.

- Dennis
--
Gallery at http://kingofthebeasts.smugmug.com

OP kcdogger Veteran Member • Posts: 4,335
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

how about the XD11?

John

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John KM/linhof Regular Member • Posts: 476
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever
1

The film XK and Maxxum 9 are both well made and almost indestructible. But my first Minolta, the SR7, is in the running too.

-- hide signature --

Linhofbiker

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Tjaika Regular Member • Posts: 280
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

Never had a real Minolta camera, so my vote go to a Minolta DNA camera, A850/A900 (have both).  In the film days most of the family had either Olympus or Minolta. (OM-1 and OM4ti myself).

If I got by a A9000 or a 7D I might collect them.

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SafariBob
SafariBob Veteran Member • Posts: 3,849
CL

n/t

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Douglas Boyd
Douglas Boyd Contributing Member • Posts: 690
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

kcdogger wrote:

Curious. In your opinion, what is the best Minolta camera ever made?

Peace.

John

At this point I would have to say Maxxum/Dynax 7 is the best film camera. The 9 is a bit too heavy, the 70 is lighter but lacks the data back. I am thinking about getting the 5 because it is a 1/4 pound lighter than the 70 and may be easier to carry when hiking.

What I am looking for is reasonably light f1.4 lenses in the A-mount. The biggest problem I have with these Minolta film cameras is the limited speed of color film, so I need some faster lenses.

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DeanHolt New Member • Posts: 8
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

Mmmm and mmmmm again ! Pick one ? Difficult ! I'm going to go with the X-700. I've shot stuff on that that genuinely has blown me away. Good lens ? Yes but the metering system has got to be as important and the X-700 (for me) can't be beaten. There, done it

However, I bought an XG-1 in 2000, payed £110.00 2nd hand for it (Collage Cameras, Walthamstow...anyone here remember them) and that was incredible. I shot a lot of slides on it and its ability to nail the exposure was amazing...really. So with that, i'm nominating the XG-1 as the second best camera Minolta ever made

Best All

Dean

By-the-way, my X-700 is currently wearing a Auto Rokkor PF 1.4 58mm leans from a 1965 SR-7 (not the best camera Minolta ever made;-)

minoltak
minoltak Regular Member • Posts: 259
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

If I should vote for a best Minolta camera I would say Dynax/Maxxum 7 or Dynax/Maxxum 800si. If I had an oportunity to buy one of these or a X700 or Dynax/Maxxum 9 I would do so.

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NikonMan09
NikonMan09 Contributing Member • Posts: 750
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

Maxxum 7.

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Fred
Shot Minolta SLR/DSLR and Sony DSLR 1978-2008. Switched to Nikon in 2009.

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BackPacker1532 Regular Member • Posts: 249
Re: Best Minolta Camera Ever

I don't know about "the best", but I have owned XD7, lovelly camera, 7000AF, 800si and the D7 (digital),  this was without doubt the worst and I suppose the 800si would have to be the best.  All my Minolta gear will be for sale shortly.

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Asla
Asla Senior Member • Posts: 1,100
Minolta

kcdogger wrote:

Curious. In your opinion, what is the best Minolta camera ever made?

Peace.

John

Hi!

Best that I have used is Minolta AL. Robust and reliable even when bit by bit dying (first light meter, then rangefinder system, after that sticky shutter). But it actually died only after it dived in to river... Before that, it served me well from 1981 to 2003. Also broken light meter teached me alot about exposure...

Some lovely photos made with it I have later scanned and printed.

A s l a

Rest in peace AL... Died but not forgotten.

Hike Pics
Hike Pics Senior Member • Posts: 2,917
Re: Minolta

It looks a lot like my old Yashica EE from the 60s. It's still working, including the selenium cell. Maybe I'll get it out for the fall colors.

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