Acquired a mint Minister 700!!

[Compaq]

Found one on the bay. It's mint. Works perfectly. As yashica-guy says, "what's not to love about this camera??" 🙂

Just finished a roll of kodak 400 colour film, and will send in for development soon. It's a joy to use, and it's so beautiful. I will post pics once I've built a new light tent.

Anders 🙂

 

[defconfunk]

Congratulations! I've had mine for a month or so now and absolutely love it. As you say, a joy to use.

 

[RBruceCR]

Bravo! Show us the camera!

 

[Compaq]

Sketch and overview of needed material to the light tent is done. Just needs to buy, build and get some inexpensive flashes 🙂

 

[btgc]

I think Yashica made a limited batch of 700's so they aren't as common as Lynx 5000 which replaced Minister 700.

 

[defconfunk]

I think Yashica made a limited batch of 700's so they aren't as common as Lynx 5000 which replaced Minister 700.

That's my understanding. The minister line was the 'consumer' line, and the Lynx was the 'pro' line. They put the marvelous 45mm F1.7 lens on the Minister D (normally a F2.8 lens) and called it the 700. It was too close to the existing Lynx-1000, so they stopped the 700 in short order.

They also made a Lynx 14 (And 14e) using a F1.4 lens. One was on The Bay a few days ago for a reasonable starting price. I was really tempted. But the lens looks really big, and the 700 isn't exactly subtle to being with (it is slightly larger than my AE-1 with 50mm prime attached). I don't know what I'd do with a bigger camera and an even more limited DOF. But boy was I tempted. I can't think of any other F1.4 lens you can get for under a hundred bucks, let alone one with a good camera fixed to it.

I think the Minister/Lynx family are really under appreciated RFs. A similar Oly goes for several times what a Yashica does. Get one now before the hipster hoards find out about them and prices sky rocket. 😎