Hello, all. My Nikon F100 is now more an incomplete puzzle than a camera after a fall. I considered replacing it, but I've been shooting more Minolta SR lenses on my modded Sonys lately, and it makes sense to make an SR mount camera my next film camera. The X-700 seems to be ever the popular choice. Is that still the prevailing wisdom here? Is there anything specific that I need to look for in SR mount cameras that are more likely to become issues than on other cameras?
Minolta made the brightest - and easiest to focus - screens from about this period onwards. They were so good that the best Hasselblad screens later on were Minolta Acute Matte screens.
The Minolta X-700 was the first new camera I ever owned (in the 80's). It's a fine camera but it would be a downgrade in build quality and ruggedness compared to a Nikon F100 I would think - if that matters as the X-700 is somewhat plasticky. The Minolta XD-7 (or XD-11, depending on market) has a metal build and would be more rugged. It also has an Acute Matte focusing screen.
I had an x700 but gifted it to a kid. Nice camera but the weird thing is the cheaper x500 has a better manual mode. IIRC the x500 meters in manual but the X700 does not? Someone I’m sure will clarify.
I currently sometimes use an XK which was their full pro 35mm SLR, and was the first pro SLR to introduce AE. It took Nikon years before they introduced the F3. But the XK is clunky to use, whereas the F3 to this day feels very modern.
I had an XE which was their version of the Leica R3, and that camera was super sweet. Real solid, best film advance action ever but unfortunately age caught up to the electronics.
I have the X700, super lightweight and it is one of the brightest viewfinders of all my cameras.
I will pick X700 over AE-1 , OM-1. Never had FM2 on hands so I can't say anything.
Contax 139Q also has bright viewfinder but heavier than x700 , but feels more solid for sure.
Desmolicious wrote:
I had an x700 but gifted it to a kid. Nice camera but the weird thing is the cheaper x500 has a better manual mode. IIRC the x500 meters in manual but the X700 does not? Someone I’m sure will clarify.
I currently sometimes use an XK which was their full pro 35mm SLR, and was the first pro SLR to introduce AE. It took Nikon years before they introduced the F3. But the XK is clunky to use, whereas the F3 to this day feels very modern.
I had an XE which was their version of the Leica R3, and that camera was super sweet. Real solid, best film advance action ever but unfortunately age caught up to the electronics....Show more →
******IIRC the x500 meters in manual but the X700 does not********
X700 also has meter but not sure if that you mean meters in manual.
Mel Parker Jones, who ran a Minolta repair and sales shop called high5cameras in the UK (she just closed the shop for a while) said that if she was going to keep a late-model Minolta it would be the X700 as the XD series is too hard to repair and the X700's focusing screen is a bit better.
I have an XD and mostly love it although the higher shutter speeds are unreliable and one weird thing about this camera is that it really cannot handle a red filter; it's not just that the meter underexposes (which is normal) but the meter goes totally haywire. The only way I've found to shoot that camera with a red filter is to use an external meter and put it into manual mode.
Mel prefers to shoot with the SRT series, but I think it's because she repairs them and finds them easy to maintain.
zi464 wrote:
******IIRC the x500 meters in manual but the X700 does not********
X700 also has meter but not sure if that you mean meters in manual.
Yes. It has a meter (!), has Program and AE exposure modes - metered, but in manual I think the meter turns off? It’s been a while. The X500 does not have the P mode, but the meter is active in AE and manual.
Desmolicious wrote:
Yes. It has a meter (!), has Program and AE exposure modes - metered, but in manual I think the meter turns off? It’s been a while. The X500 does not have the P mode, but the meter is active in AE and manual.
I don't think the meter turns off while in manual because I only shoot with manual and as I remember the meter needle was doing the job.
I will take a look once I get home from work.
Manual mode in the X700 only indicates the suggested shutter speed in the finder; you have to take your eye away from the finder to see what you've actually set.
Manual mode in the X500 shows in the VF both the suggested shutter speed, and the set shutter speed.
freaklikeme wrote:
Hello, all. My Nikon F100 is now more an incomplete puzzle than a camera after a fall. I considered replacing it, but I've been shooting more Minolta SR lenses on my modded Sonys lately, and it makes sense to make an SR mount camera my next film camera. The X-700 seems to be ever the popular choice. Is that still the prevailing wisdom here? Is there anything specific that I need to look for in SR mount cameras that are more likely to become issues than on other cameras?
Thanks in advance.
Brad
I liked the X-700, had one as a primary camera at one point years ago. It developed a crack in the body though, even though I didn't think I'd used it too hard. So its not a hard use type of camera, I remember the X-370 being the one below.
The MD lenses seemed excellent, Minolta made several for Leica. I dont think ive heard of the mount called SR, though?
ottokbre wrote:
I remember the X-700 having a really excellent focusing screen.
Also really like the rendering of the 45mm pancake lens.
Thanks! Agreed on the 45. It has such a lovely draw wide open. It hasn't made its way back in my kit because I'm really enamored with the MD 50/2 right now, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time.
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Tariq Gibran wrote:
Minolta made the brightest - and easiest to focus - screens from about this period onwards. They were so good that the best Hasselblad screens later on were Minolta Acute Matte screens.
The Minolta X-700 was the first new camera I ever owned (in the 80's). It's a fine camera but it would be a downgrade in build quality and ruggedness compared to a Nikon F100 I would think - if that matters as the X-700 is somewhat plasticky. The Minolta XD-7 (or XD-11, depending on market) has a metal build and would be more rugged. It also has an Acute Matte focusing screen....Show more →
Thanks! That's cool about Hassy using Minolta's focus screens. I did not know that.
I like the looks of the XDs, but the lack of a grip means I'd have to plastic it up myself with a printed grip (or get much better at woodworking). Though, I have to say, going for the XD-S with its adjustable diopter is tempting.
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zi464 wrote:
I have the X700, super lightweight and it is one of the brightest viewfinders of all my cameras.
I will pick X700 over AE-1 , OM-1. Never had FM2 on hands so I can't say anything.
Contax 139Q also has bright viewfinder but heavier than x700 , but feels more solid for sure.
Thanks! Do you shoot in M mode or aperture priority?
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bjhurley wrote:
Mel Parker Jones, who ran a Minolta repair and sales shop called high5cameras in the UK (she just closed the shop for a while) said that if she was going to keep a late-model Minolta it would be the X700 as the XD series is too hard to repair and the X700's focusing screen is a bit better.
I have an XD and mostly love it although the higher shutter speeds are unreliable and one weird thing about this camera is that it really cannot handle a red filter; it's not just that the meter underexposes (which is normal) but the meter goes totally haywire. The only way I've found to shoot that camera with a red filter is to use an external meter and put it into manual mode.
Mel prefers to shoot with the SRT series, but I think it's because she repairs them and finds them easy to maintain....Show more →
Thanks, Brad. How do you work around the metering issue Huss mentioned?
Desmolicious wrote:
Manual mode in the X700 only indicates the suggested shutter speed in the finder; you have to take your eye away from the finder to see what you've actually set.
Manual mode in the X500 shows in the VF both the suggested shutter speed, and the set shutter speed.
Yep. Kamerastore has a video showing the X700's VF in action. I couldn't find the same for the 500/570, but I found a write up in which it says there are arrows indicating over or underexposure in that VF. Thanks for bringing this up, Huss. I hadn't considered it.
It looks like the 500/570 uses the same focusing screen as the X700. Am I missing a gotcha with the lower numbered camera?
freaklikeme wrote:
Yep. Kamerastore has a video showing the X700's VF in action. I couldn't find the same for the 500/570, but I found a write up in which it says there are arrows indicating over or underexposure in that VF. Thanks for bringing this up, Huss. I hadn't considered it.
It looks like the 500/570 uses the same focusing screen as the X700. Am I missing a gotcha with the lower numbered camera?
Desmolicious wrote:
Yes. It has a meter (!), has Program and AE exposure modes - metered, but in manual I think the meter turns off? It’s been a while. The X500 does not have the P mode, but the meter is active in AE and manual.
I just checked my X700.
Actually , it doesn't have meter needle. The shutter speed on the right hand side in the viewfinder has red highlight indicate under or over espouse in P, A and M mode.
freaklikeme wrote:
Is there anything specific that I need to look for in SR mount cameras that are more likely to become issues than on other cameras?
Thanks in advance.
Brad
The one issue I had with my X-700 back then was that the aperture follow ring on the camera mount itself became dislodged. If If I remember correctly, this is a plastic ring around the camera mount that relays the set lens aperture to the camera - and it's rather cheaply made. I think I was able to fix it myself as it just moved out of position in my case but I do seem to recall this being a common issue on the X-700.
X-700 was my first camera, and I remain a fan. However, it (and the X-series in general) has just about the loudest shutter I've heard, so when I went back to Minolta years later, I went with the XD-11, which doesn't have Program mode, but does have shutter priority, which most Minoltas never had until they went to autofocus.
Desmolicious wrote:
The main thing is they don’t have the P mode.
Not a downside in my opinion.
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zi464 wrote:
I just checked my X700.
Actually , it doesn't have meter needle. The shutter speed on the right hand side in the viewfinder has red highlight indicate under or over espouse in P, A and M mode.
The manual offers very little in the way of explanation on what to expect to see in M beyond getting a light next to the suggested shutter speed in the OVF, and that's what I saw in the Kamerastore video. Can you tell me where you're seeing the exposure warning light?
Tariq Gibran wrote:
The one issue I had with my X-700 back then was that the aperture follow ring on the camera mount itself became dislodged. If If I remember correctly, this is a plastic ring around the camera mount that relays the set lens aperture to the camera - and it's rather cheaply made. I think I was able to fix it myself as it just moved out of position in my case but I do seem to recall this being a common issue on the X-700.
Excellent safety tip, Tariq, and I have the feeling that's true for all the X-700/500/300 models.
freaklikeme wrote:
Thanks, Brad. How do you work around the metering issue Huss mentioned?
To be clear, I'm using the XD, not the X700. The metering works fine for me except when I want to use a red filter. Nearly all TTL meters underexpose when a red filter is attached, and most camera makers or film manufacturers advise you to add another 1 to 2 stops of exposure. When I tried that this winter on the XD I got unrealistic readings, although I just tried it again and they don't seem far off...I've changed batteries since then so maybe that was the problem.
Anyway, if I want to override I can always use manual mode; the meter does still operate but I can ignore it and use an external meter.
I was disappointed to see the comment that the X700 has a loud shutter. That was the reason I switched from the SRT (which can stop traffic with its shutter sound) to the XD (which is relatively quiet for an SLR). But the XD is reportedly not as reliable as the X700 or the SRT.
I really don't shoot my SLRs much anymore (I have a Nikon FM3a and a Minolta XD), as the experience is too similar to what I'm used to with my mirrorless digital camera. When I'm shooting film I like the whole experience to be different, so I gravitate to rangefinders, TLRs, pinhole cameras, Holga, etc. Plus I use filters a lot when shooting B&W film, and it's weird looking through filters when using an SLR.
