Minolta 7s

[FrankS]

My journey with RF cameras has taken a route familiar to many of you: fixed lens RF cameras, -> Bessa R -> Leica (+ Contax, Nikon RF). Of the many, many fixed lens RF cameras I've owned, I've never had a Minolta 7s. Well, there is one available at a local second hand shop. It looks to be in great shape, it comes in its black leather case, it's priced reasonably, and while I was looking at it the shopkeeper told me the price was negotiable. I didn't have any $ in my pocket today, so I'll return tomorrow. It seems to be on par with the Konica S2 which is a camera that I have owned. Does anyone here have one?

 

[flashover]

Frank you didn't find this on Bloor at a pawnshop? I saw one there on Sat but thought they wanted to much for it.

 

[FrankS]

No, it is much closer to home. How much are they asking there?

 

[back alley]

i had a couple of them frank.
very nice, good lens. uses the ev system so i never got really comfortable with them.
my math skills are non existant.

joe

 

[flashover]

price was 85 but when I set it down to walk away it became make me an offer.

 

[FrankS]

This is less. Details tomorrow once it's mine. 🙂

 

[flashover]

hey have you noticed the classified gallery at the bottom of the page looks like my personal add.

 

[FrankS]

Yep, very impressive sale! 🙂

 

[flashover]

Got to pay for the spending spree last Fri.

 

[colyn]

I have 2 of them. Very good cameras that use the ev system.
Glass is the usual very high quality Minolta Rokkor line.

 

[FrankS]

They also have a little Konica C35. Fully auto cameras aren't my thing, but in my Googling, these cameras seem to be very good little auto cameras. I like that shutter speed/aperture settings are indicated in the viewfinder.

 

[Frank K]

I bought a 7s new in 1974 and used it for many years - A sturdy camera that took excellent slides and photos - wish I still had it.

 

[flipflop]

I have one with the case that im looking to sell...45bucks

 

[reagan]

Here's a few shots taken with my 7s last Christmas.

 

[matt fury]

I picked one up on eBay for a remarkably small sum...and I gotta tell you, I'm absolutely in love with it. Even though it's not as tiny as my QL17, in useage I prefer the Minolta by far. I think my favorite part is the exposure system. You can use it in either apeture or shutter priority modes, and the meter works in full manual mode, which is especially handy when using 1600 speed film.

 

[FrankS]

Hey, I jsut added a new bookmark. Thanks for this link, Reagan! I've got some blog-reading to do!

 

[Kat]

I have the himatic 9 and I'm impressed by the lenses.

 

[rovnguy]

I've picked up a couple of them in the last two years. They are heavy and solid. The lens is just great. One is loaded with Kodachrome and the other with Plus-X. I'm thinking that I'll probably change to Tri-X when the next roll is exposed. Given that I paid $35.00 for each of them, I could not ask for a better deal. It does take a bit to get used to the EV lightmetering system, but then my Gossen Digi-six does the same thing and makes the whole process a lot easier.

 

[FrankS]

Well I went back to the shop with dollars in my pocket and my bi-focal glasses, as opposed to my "seeing far away" glasses. On closer inspection, both the Minolta and Konica had small issues that convinced me not to bother with them. The Minolta viewfinder was very hazy with a fuzzy RF patch, and the Konica's asa dial, concentric with the lens, was stuck. In addition, the camera had a small dent and was a bit dirty/grimy. Asking price for the Minolta was $35, ,and $20 for the Konica. There was also a Pentax ME II with Pentax 50mm f2 lens for $55. The seller told me several times that the prices were negotiable. In the past, I could not have resisted buying these cameras, but as I get older I'm becoming more discriminating, I guess.

 

[Crasis]

Well I went back to the shop with dollars in my pocket and my bi-focal glasses, as opposed to my "seeing far away" glasses. On closer inspection, both the Minolta and Konica had small issues that convinced me not to bother with them. The Minolta viewfinder was very hazy with a fuzzy RF patch, and the Konica's asa dial, concentric with the lens, was stuck. In addition, the camera had a small dent and was a bit dirty/grimy. Asking price for the Minolta was $35, ,and $20 for the Konica. There was also a Pentax ME II with Pentax 50mm f2 lens for $55. The seller told me several times that the prices were negotiable. In the past, I could not have resisted buying these cameras, but as I get older I'm becoming more discriminating, I guess.

Damn, that's too bad for you. The Konica C35 is a surprisingly good little auto'er and I bought one and gave it away for purposes of a welcome to rangefinder territory. Check out thrift shops, not pawn shops. A surprising number of these little Konicas are given away to thrift shops that are in good condition (with the exception of the light seals which is to be expected).

Heck, at the same thrift store (A Goodwill store), I found a Canonet QL17 G-III. I bought both the C35 and the Canonet for 10$. The Canonet had gunky light seals as did the Konica, but they were both in perfect condition otherwise. Clean viewfinder and clean optics on both!

Sadly, you've got to be in a decently large city to find deals like these. I'm itching to get into going to some estate sales, but I have a slight qualm about bidding over items of the recently deceased. Ah well.