interesting turn of events...

back alley

back alley

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...been reading up on minolta lenses lately as i have bought a few to use on my fujis...
i started with a small 58/1.4 lens that is very nice and the last one that i bought was a 200/4.5...i'm waiting (for the mail) on a 35/2.8 and a 135/2.8...
anyway, back to reading today...one of the articles i read stated that if one was to find a nice xd11 and some good buys on minolta glass that it would be a very cheap way to get into film use with a great kit.

lo and behold, tonight someone listed a cheap xd11 and an even cheaper 28/3.5...so i had to buy them!

so when all is said and done and delivered...i will have an xd11 with...28/35/58/135/200 minolta film kit!!

what bag should i put them in?
 
nah, it just happened.
i have always had a healthy respect for minolta lenses and they can be found pretty cheap these days...i always wanted to try the x cameras too but i think i got into the canon a series instead...
 
back alley said:
...been reading up on minolta lenses lately as i have bought a few to use on my fujis...
i started with a small 58/1.4 lens that is very nice and the last one that i bought was a 200/4.5...i'm waiting (for the mail) on a 35/2.8 and a 135/2.8...
anyway, back to reading today...one of the articles i read stated that if one was to find a nice xd11 and some good buys on minolta glass that it would be a very cheap way to get into film use with a great kit.

lo and behold, tonight someone listed a cheap xd11 and an even cheaper 28/3.5...so i had to buy them!

so when all is said and done and delivered...i will have an xd11 with...28/35/58/135/200 minolta film kit!!

what bag should i put them in?
Click to expand...

U can't use an existing bag.. It's time to shop a new bag 😛 😀

Gary
 
i think you're missing an ultra-wide in your setup. and only with it will you be able estimate proper bag size ;-)

enjoy your new setup!
 
My daughter has been using Minolta lenses for around four years now ... I've been really impressed by them,

I have some of her course-work taken in Paris in the early spring on my desk now, perhaps a bit arty for my taste but the quality is undeniable
 
Joe, Minolta glass is very good, though like any line it has its stars and plebes. I'm curious what you'll think of the 28/3.5, for instance, which I've never seen raves about. The 35/2.8 is said to be a very nice lens, usually available at budget prices. I had one ages ago and liked it -- sharp, good contrast. The premier 35 is f/1.8 or 1.7 I can't remember which. Very pricey and hard to find. All the 50s are excellent: the 58/1.4 you have has a "look" in the way of the old Leica 50s and indeed it was said the Minolta designers were after Leica effects with their designs in the 60s and 70s. The very best Rokkors are the 21/2.8, the 24/2.8 (!! magical) the 28/2, the 35s and 50s are all good as said, with the MD Rokkor 50/1.4 and 50/1.2 being the two best; the 85/2 (with the 85/1.7's only a teeny step behind); both the 100/2 and the 100/2.5, the former 6x the cost of the latter; your 135/2.8 is great (even the super cheap and very small and light 135/3.5 is very good) and the 135/2 is super legendary and now sells for more than $900 most of the time. I have the 200/2.8 which is really superb. After that, use Nikons.... My experience is Minolta does wides and 50s, and Nikon does teles, better than the rest.
 
By the way the XD-11 provided the basic chassis and much engineering for the Leica R4-R7. They are thought by many the best SLR Minolta ever made (although the pro-level XK and SRT series have their passionate fans). They are notorious as are many electronic era Minolta's for failed capacitors leading to total death with mirror lock up. Quite fixable but a pain. The XD-11's in particular are also known for very noticeable shutter lag sometimes. This doesn't bother me so much.
 
Hi,

Leitz and Minolta worked together in the early 70's. The story is that Leitz helped with the Minolta lenses and Minolta helped with electronics for Leitz. Anyway, the CL was one of the results and other compact AF's...

I've several Minoltas including the XD-7 (your XD11) and they and the lenses are very impressive and (dare I say it here?) dirt cheap. If you like zooms on SLR's then I'll add that they do a nice 28-85mm zoom.

Definitely ones to keep and get repaired when necessary.

Regards, David
 
I found an X-700, two extra lenses, and a flash at the Goodwill store one day, and took them home for a total of $10. The camera didn't work, but I eventually fixed it. The extra lenses were an Albinar 28 Macro, and a Sigma 70-210 zoom, and are decent performers. The flash is a 280PX, and though it is dedicated, it has no bounce feature.

So, I started getting Minolta lenses, flashes, and other accessories to flesh out the kit. Much less expensive than the Nikon stuff I really wanted (especially the 500mm mirror tele), and lighter, too. I eventually wound up with six of the X-700 bodies because sometimes to get a particular lens, it was attached. And with the X-series, it pays to have back-up bodies.

Eventually, I completed the triad with the X-570, and an X-370.

The only lens I have been disappointed by is the 28/2.8 with the flange front hood mount. Don't know if I got a bad one, or if it's endemic. Might have to get another one to see. But it is a great system to have, Joe.

I keep some of mine in a smallish Tamrac bag, but big enough to hold the essentials.

PF
 
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