Just picked up a Minolta X-570

[kshapero]

Got this at a garage sale (I hate these things but, alas, my wife loves them). Cost me $35 including a 50/1.7 lens. Everything works at it has a few things other film cameras don't have. Can anyone guess what that might be? Anyway a nice rig.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_X-570

 

[WJJ3]

Nice find. The X-570 (X-500) is a great camera. Things it has other cameras in its class don’t? Shutter button sensor for meter, auditory warning, film advance indicator. Did I miss any?

I use my X-500 a fair amount. The handling and feature set are great, and the finder is fantastic.


A recently developed roll of Provia shot with my X-500. The great metering and ease of exposure lock on this camera make shooting slide film easy.

Provia on my light panel

 

[farlymac]

I got mine just for that finder. Then a shutter curtain broke. It was about that time I started chasing after other camera brands, so I never got it fixed. Great handling camera though with full shutter readouts in the viewfinder.


PF

 

[CMur12]

The X-570 is my favorite electronic Minolta.

I'm not sure what was common technology at the time, but the following features stood out for me:

1. TTL flash
2. Low-speed flash synch (the X-700 never got this)
3. Acute-Matte focusing screen and multi-coated mirror
4. Lubricant-impregnated stainless steel lens mount
5. Touch-switch shutter release

It was also the first generation (starting with the x-700) of electronic Minolta SLRs to have AEL (auto-exposure lock), which I find a must. Aperture-priority or shutter-priority automation without AEL is useless to me.

Give me some time. I might think of some other wonderful features on this camera. 😉

- Murray

 

[SolaresLarrave]

My very first real camera was a Minolta X-370s, a bit less sophisticated than the X-570. I liked it a lot, and it got me ready to jump into the world of Nikon AF because I learned to shoot in aperture priority with it (although most of the time I used the auto or program mode). Still have a soft spot for those cameras...

 

[David Hughes]

I have always thought the Minolta SLR's were the sleepiest of the sleepers.


Regards, David

 

[retinax]

The X-700 is much better, it's more after all!
Let's let this one be a sleeper, I still want one or two.

 

[CMur12]

The X-700 is much better, it's more after all!
Let's let this one be a sleeper, I still want one or two.

I never liked the X-700 because I had no use for program auto-exposure. The X-570, with its improved manual metering readout, the increased flash function, and other little overlooked details in the X-700 corrected in the X-570, was a better camera in my eyes.

(X-700s are far more plentiful than X-570s, so if that is what you want, it will be easier to find.)

- Murray

 

[kshapero]

I never liked the X-700 because I had no use for program auto-exposure. The X-570, with its improved manual metering readout, the increased flash function, and other little overlooked details in the X-700 corrected in the X-570, was a better camera in my eyes.

(X-700s are far more plentiful than X-570s, so if that is what you want, it will be easier to find.)


- Murray

Reading up on this rig. The experts say this is the preferred model (X-570/500) for reasons that you said. But they give it a knock as a battery eater. Never the less, I plan on enjoying this kit especially that oh so nice viewfinder.

 

[jsrockit]

A recently developed roll of Provia shot with my X-500. The great metering and ease of exposure lock on this camera make shooting slide film easy.

Provia on my light panel

Enjoyed this...

 

[CMur12]

Reading up on this rig. The experts say this is the preferred model (X-570/500) for reasons that you said. But they give it a knock as a battery eater. Never the less, I plan on enjoying this kit especially that oh so nice viewfinder.

Akiva, my X-570 has always gone a long time on a set of batteries.

I bought mine new in 1984, and it has always given me exemplary service.

- Murray

 

[kshapero]

Akiva, my X-570 has always gone a long time on a set of batteries.

I bought mine new in 1984, and it has always given me exemplary service.

- Murray

Great to hear

 

[retinax]

I never liked the X-700 because I had no use for program auto-exposure. The X-570, with its improved manual metering readout, the increased flash function, and other little overlooked details in the X-700 corrected in the X-570, was a better camera in my eyes.

(X-700s are far more plentiful than X-570s, so if that is what you want, it will be easier to find.)

- Murray

I want an 570, that's why I'm trying to steer other people to the 700😉

 

[kshapero]

The rig

 

[Austintatious]

Now you just need to add some nice Rokkor glass 😀

 

[Muggins]

My mother-in-law's last film camera, for use with her 90mm Tamron macro, was a Centon - the licence-built Chinese version of your Minolta. The manuals are quite funny - the text is identical, but all the Japanese people in the Minolta version have been replaced by Chinese in the Centon one. And then sold in the UK...