After giving it some thought, I'm not sure the metering issue is such a big deal. Since I'm going to depend on the camera to suggest the shutter speed anyway, I may as well shoot in A and just let it pick it until I have a better understanding of how the meter works. Then, I imagine, it'll just take some subtle use of the exposure comp dial in specific situations to get the exposure right. I also think the exposure comp dial will be important to me because one of my favorite films for city-at-night shooting is Delta 3200. So with the ASA set to the max 1600 and the comp dial set to -1, I think I should be good to go without having to remember to compensate for it otherwise (please correct me if I'm wrong there).
I also like the looks of the MotorDrive-1, not because I have any interest in wasting 3.5-5 FPS, but for the grip that puts the shutter release in the right place. I think that'll be key for working with my teles.
The SRT series might be fine looked kinda boring but your basic manual SLR like I used for years in a different brand.
I don't really think it matters much on film obviously dont buy an all manual camera if you like Av, get any features you need, but it doesn't really matter. I even used Av only cameras like pentax MV if Minolta makes one of those. I guess some other brand bodies had shutter shock issues, not the x-700 though afaik
I never really use M or P much, can't really comment on how well it worked. Probably good enough. Any older camera has exposure compensation i just adjusted the film speed dial of course it only went to 25 so I had to do something else on pan F
bjhurley wrote:
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. ...Show more →
My mistake. For some reason, I thought you were using the X-700.
I hear you about filters. The F100 under or overexposed depending on the filter (under with red, over with yellow-green). With those two, I just metered filterless then adjusted my shutter speed per the filter manufactures' stated transmission loss.
freaklikeme wrote:
After giving it some thought, I'm not sure the metering issue is such a big deal. ..
I never found the manual metering mode a big deal, just something to point out. It still provides more information than my F2 w plain finder, M3 or M-A!
From the X700 manual page 39:
Viewfinder shows:
Red " M " = Manual mode in use Aperture you selected (equals taking aperture)
Shutter speed recommended by camera for that aperture
NOT ACTUAL SPEED SET
The key phrase is NOT ACTUAL SPEED SET which is what I have been saying. In manual mode it gives the recommended shutter speed for the ISO and aperture set, but is not what you may have actually set.
And that's the weird thing, the X500 meters 'properly' in all modes so would be my pick over the 700. It will also be cheaper.
The Minolta X-570 was released in April 1983, two years after the X-700 and was sold as a less expensive alternative to that award winning and very popular camera. Sold as the X-500 in Europe and Asia, and the X-570 in the US market, it never gained the popularity of the X-700 and is still under-rated by many.
What is not recognised by many photographers is that the X-570 is actually in many respects a better camera for the advanced amateur than its more expensive elder sibling. The key to the success of the X-700 with the general public is generally recognised as the camera's Program Mode, which enabled even people with no photographic knowledge to take good photographs. It basically turned the camera into the SLR version of a point and shoot - similar to many of the SLRs today. This feature is only infrequently used by more advanced photographers, who prefer the control over depth of field and exposure provided by the Aperture Priority or Metered Manual modes.
The reason that the X-570 is recognised as more superior by advanced users is that in the period between the release of the X-700 and the X-570, Minolta looked at ways to enhance the performance of the camera through changes to the electronics. While the actual changes were small, they made a huge difference to the camera's value to advanced amateurs.
The first of these changes was the introduction of a display of the selected shutter speed in the viewfinder when shooting in manual mode. Unlike previous bodies such as the XD series, the X-700 did not have a display of the actual manually set shutter speed in the viewfinder, meaning that photographers had to move their eye from the viewfinder to confirm the set speed. The X-570 addressed this problem, not with a mechanical shutter speed display like earlier bodies, but instead through simply displaying the selected shutter speed as a blinking LED in the viewfinder, whereas the metered speed was a constant LED. This simple change makes the X-570 an absolute pleasure to use in manual mode, and means that a photographer need never take his eye from the viewfinder.
The Minolta X-570 was released in April 1983, two years after the X-700 and was sold as a less expensive alternative to that award winning and very popular camera. Sold as the X-500 in Europe and Asia, and the X-570 in the US market, it never gained the popularity of the X-700 and is still under-rated by many.
What is not recognised by many photographers is that the X-570 is actually in many respects a better camera for the advanced amateur than its more expensive elder sibling. The key to the success of the X-700 with the general public is generally recognised as the camera's Program Mode, which enabled even people with no photographic knowledge to take good photographs. It basically turned the camera into the SLR version of a point and shoot - similar to many of the SLRs today. This feature is only infrequently used by more advanced photographers, who prefer the control over depth of field and exposure provided by the Aperture Priority or Metered Manual modes.
The reason that the X-570 is recognised as more superior by advanced users is that in the period between the release of the X-700 and the X-570, Minolta looked at ways to enhance the performance of the camera through changes to the electronics. While the actual changes were small, they made a huge difference to the camera's value to advanced amateurs.
The first of these changes was the introduction of a display of the selected shutter speed in the viewfinder when shooting in manual mode. Unlike previous bodies such as the XD series, the X-700 did not have a display of the actual manually set shutter speed in the viewfinder, meaning that photographers had to move their eye from the viewfinder to confirm the set speed. The X-570 addressed this problem, not with a mechanical shutter speed display like earlier bodies, but instead through simply displaying the selected shutter speed as a blinking LED in the viewfinder, whereas the metered speed was a constant LED. This simple change makes the X-570 an absolute pleasure to use in manual mode, and means that a photographer need never take his eye from the viewfinder....Show more →
Yep, and the 500/570 natively support 3200, making the exposure comp dial unnecessary. I think I've made my choice. Now to find one.
If anyone is looking for a good deal on an X-700, though, this is what I was looking at.
Betacamman wrote:
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.
I hit the local shops today, and while there were no 500/570s, I did get to try three different X-700s and an X-370 and didn't find the shutters to be particularly loud. At the shop where I got to try one of the 700s and the 370, we put them up against the Nikon F3, Canon AE-1 Oly OM-2, Leica R8, and M3. The M3 was the quietest and the R8 has a decently quiet shutter but a very loud mirror slap. The rest both the clerk and I had a hard time differentiating. It may have been that there was too much background noise in the store for a subtle differentiation, but I don't think I'll have a problem with the noise.
There's one X-570 for sale locally on FB Marketplace, but, when I messaged the seller to check if it had recently been film tested, she answered back with "It looks like it'll work fine!" and gave me her address. So I'll pass on that.
KEH has an EX copy for $176, which seems high, but at least I'm reasonably confident the VF will be clean and everything will work. If not, they have a return policy. What do you all think? Go for it or keep looking?
freaklikeme wrote:
There's one X-570 for sale locally on FB Marketplace, but, when I messaged the seller to check if it had recently been film tested, she answered back with "It looks like it'll work fine!" and gave me her address. So I'll pass on that.
KEH has an EX copy for $176, which seems high, but at least I'm reasonably confident the VF will be clean and everything will work. If not, they have a return policy. What do you all think? Go for it or keep looking?
W the FB marketplace one - did she say you can return it if it was not fine? And how much?
These cameras IMO should be under $100…
If you look up John Titterington's shop on eBay (just search for John Titterington eBay); I'd recommend going with him: he completely overhauls the cameras that he sells and modifies them if necessary to accept modern batteries. I know he had an X700 in his shop a few days ago because I looked, but not sure if it has since been sold. But if you keep an eye on his store it would be a good way to get an X700 that is in ready-to-use condition with new light seals, accurate shutter, new capacitors, etc.
freaklikeme wrote:
$100 with what looked to be not such a great copy of the MD Rokkor-X 50/1.7, and no returns. It's a moving sale, so they won't be around long.
No returns no sale. That’s how people pass on their broken junk.
A hiking buddy hooked me up with the gentleman in Fort Collins yesterday, and I traded him my AF-D 24/2.8 and 35-70/2.8 for his black X-570 and nMD 35-70/3.5 macro. The camera was CLA'd a couple months ago and is very clean with new seals and shutter. The lens isn't as externally pretty, but the glass is clean and clear and all mechanical functions for both camera and lens appear to be perfect. He also threw in a roll of Gold 200 and fresh batteries, so I feel like I got a good deal. I had around $167 invested in the Nikon lenses.
I really like the camera. I know it's a step back in tech over the F100, but I never used all the features on that camera. This just feels stripped down to the essentials. Having handled the 700s and 370, I knew I was going to need a diopter, so I've got a +2 coming ($35). And I found a short cable release for it ($8) while I was out looking at cameras, so I had already picked that up. The only lenses I have that are at all uncomfortable on the form factor are the 200/2.8 and 300/4.5, and those I may restrict to cameras with IBIS. Otherwise, everything 24/2.8-200/4 is nicely comfortable in use, so I'm skipping the MD-1 for now. I'm pretty sure it'll live most of its life with me with the nMD 35/1.8 attached anyway. Looking at the scans from test shots yesterday, I see my right-side tilt is back, so I may look for a grid screen. Or maybe just attach a small bubble level over the lens aperture ring so I can see it through the Judas window?
Nice score! I wouldn’t worry about a step back in tech. I’ve been using a meterless F2 (with the waist level finder) even though I have an F6.
It’s film - there’s no logic to it anymore!
freaklikeme wrote:
A hiking buddy hooked me up with the gentleman in Fort Collins yesterday, and I traded him my AF-D 24/2.8 and 35-70/2.8 for his black X-570 and nMD 35-70/3.5 macro. The camera was CLA'd a couple months ago and is very clean with new seals and shutter. The lens isn't as externally pretty, but the glass is clean and clear and all mechanical functions for both camera and lens appear to be perfect. He also threw in a roll of Gold 200 and fresh batteries, so I feel like I got a good deal. I had around $167 invested in the Nikon lenses.
I really like the camera. I know it's a step back in tech over the F100, but I never used all the features on that camera. This just feels stripped down to the essentials. Having handled the 700s and 370, I knew I was going to need a diopter, so I've got a +2 coming ($35). And I found a short cable release for it ($8) while I was out looking at cameras, so I had already picked that up. The only lenses I have that are at all uncomfortable on the form factor are the 200/2.8 and 300/4.5, and those I may restrict to cameras with IBIS. Otherwise, everything 24/2.8-200/4 is nicely comfortable in use, so I'm skipping the MD-1 for now. I'm pretty sure it'll live most of its life with me with the nMD 35/1.8 attached anyway. Looking at the scans from test shots yesterday, I see my right-side tilt is back, so I may look for a grid screen. Or maybe just attach a small bubble level over the lens aperture ring so I can see it through the Judas window?
Thanks, all, for the advice. I do appreciate it....Show more →
Congrats on the new camera! My vote is on the grid screen - I've tried bubbles before and they get rather inconvenient to use.
Desmolicious wrote:
Nice score! I wouldn’t worry about a step back in tech. I’ve been using a meterless F2 (with the waist level finder) even though I have an F6.
It’s film - there’s no logic to it anymore!
How easy is the focusing on the waist level finder? I've thought about getting one for my F, but don't want to kill my eyes straining to look at the ground glass.
tile_86 wrote:
Congrats on the new camera! My vote is on the grid screen - I've tried bubbles before and they get rather inconvenient to use.
A digression - that is why I prefer my $30 N80s over my F6. W the N80 there is a custom setting where you can have it show grid lines on the focus screen! I have that permanently set.
Desmolicious wrote:
A digression - that is why I prefer my $30 N80s over my F6. W the N80 there is a custom setting where you can have it show grid lines on the focus screen! I have that permanently set.
One of my favorite features about that camera, I think you actually were the one who told me about it. I use mine more than my F6, it is my road tripping/vacation camera and takes everything I throw at it, especially paired with a VR lens.
