Ranger Copy
One Stop Short
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who has difficultly with loading. Lost many shots and ruined film trying to load my SRT101 quickly.
mathomas
Well-known
I own two Minolta cameras:
Minolta 7sII with Rokkor 40mm 1.7 lens, and
Srt 101 with 58mm 1.4 and 35mm 2.8 lens.
Also, I've used, for several rolls, Minolta maxxum 600si with Sigma zoom 28-70mm lens.
I wouldn't make a review of the bodies and the lens, but on that how I feel shooting with the cameras:
- with SRT 101, I really feel the camera, the sound, the weight, it feel very solid. Also, 58mm 1.4 lens are very attractive and soft:
- with 7sII, I don't feel the same level of shooting like I have with SRT 101, maybe it is the very quite shutter, maybe because it's smaller and lighter, and also it's RF against SLR, which might be a good fact.
40mm 1.7 lens is not as soft as MC rokkors, but really nice and sharp:
- with 600si - it's big, is very automatic, it's not light, It's a good solid but very plastic camera which I didn't like it much. However, I made my very first wall print with it, and 25sec exposure, with 3times pull proces
In the end, every camera has its own job to do:
SRT 101 with 58mm 1.4 it's very nice for portraits and people;
7SII is brilliant for street shooting.
600si, is good for sport/wedding photos I guess, etc..
Great photos, especially the last one!
Riverman
Well-known
I have noticed that the spool on my SRT is a bit of a fiddle. I never experienced this problem with my X700 though. I wonder if the spool is different in the newer Minoltas?
IgalSc
Established
A week ago in Toronto with x-700 and Rokkor 50mm/1.7 MD (being a Canon man on DSLR, I just love this Minolta on Film)
Phoenix Phil
Established
I love my 50 mm f1.7 lens so much so that I chose it over the f1.4. My dilemna is to decide which digital camera to use it. Does anyone have experience with Canon, Olympus 4/3rds or Olympus micro 4/3rds and Minolta lenses? Can the Sony also use the MD / MC lenses?
Thanks, Phil
Thanks, Phil
bigeye
Well-known
My first camera that I bought for myself was an XD-11 with MD 28/2.8 and 50/1.4. I never felt my Dad's FE was any more capable, though he probably had more good lenses to choose from (the F2 was the machine then, anyways). The Minolta just works and I think only Minolta owners realize how much (quietly) went into making their cameras and lenses.
There is something about their lens coatings and glass. Minolta lenses have a way with green that is distinctive, with very high hard-edged contrast - a very '70s/early '80s look to me. It's in most of the samples above. If certain cameras have a "best season", springtime would be a Minolta's.
Reminds me that the old XD needs a re-leathering...
There is something about their lens coatings and glass. Minolta lenses have a way with green that is distinctive, with very high hard-edged contrast - a very '70s/early '80s look to me. It's in most of the samples above. If certain cameras have a "best season", springtime would be a Minolta's.
Reminds me that the old XD needs a re-leathering...
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lilmsmaggie
Established
Just wish I could find an adapter , so I could use my Minolta glass on my Leica M5 and Bessa R3M
Bingley
Veteran
MD Rokkor 35/2.8 on a Minolta XD-11, with Kodak 400UC:
Riverman
Well-known
I'm afraid I have no experience shooting the Minolta on 4/3rds digitals. As far as I'm aware there is no D-SLR on which MC or MD lenses can be mounted directly. I think some users do modify the lenses to mount them on Canon DSLRs. I know exactly what you mean regarding the quality of the humble 50mm 1.7. The lens is an absolute gem and goes for peanuts these days. I picked up a mint one, boxed like new for 30 bucks. Here's a shot from my original 50mm f1.7 from 2007 before my bro got my original Minolta kit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sbk21/5049432957/in/set-72157624966029293/
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David Hughes
David Hughes
Did I miss it? 70 or so posts and not one mention of the XD's from Minolta and the R4's & 5's from Leica...
And they, Minolta, did some nice P&S's.
Regards, David
And they, Minolta, did some nice P&S's.
Regards, David
whitecat
Lone Range(find)er
I agree. I use a 24m with much success.
bgb
Well-known
Well now that you mention them I have my eye on A XD7 that isn't attracting too much attention on a local auction site. No lens included so that means i can get what I want and not have lots of silly 3rd party zooms to get rid of.
Until I read this thread I was a Canon and of late a Nikon guy with no intention of looking at anything else but your opinions and those of a whole bunch of folks on the net including Mr Rockwell have made me reconsider.
The camera I'm looking at is losing it covering so some goodies from Camera leather are in order, I like the Cobra skin but it's a little delicate so maybe griptec in black would be better as i intend to use this camera ... it's a black one
Anyone know anything about the X-1 / XK / XM by that I mean does anyone have one and is it yummy?
What's up with LeicaR models I have seem them for sale and i guess the glass is ok but surely not as good as the Rokkors?
Jack Conrad
Well-known
For the record, Olympus 4/3 adapts very well with Rokkor using an inexpensive Chinese adapter from eBay. I use a 58/1.4, 28/2.8 and 135/2.8 all the time on my e-520. They're all excellent. I really love the 58/1.4 the most, even though it's the most difficult to nail the focus with. But when I do nail it, it's sooo sweet. Although that 135 is no slouch either.
One thing I found, the pin on the lens needs to be filed down a fraction
or else it causes the aperture to freeze. No big deal though, a minute or two with sand paper and it's good to go.
Jack Conrad
Well-known
Here's a couple shots using the 58/1.on the e-520
gnuyork
Well-known
My first camera was my dad's minolta SRT 201 and the 50mm. He ended up giving it to me a year ago.
These were taken with that camera and lens - film was plus X:
These were taken with that camera and lens - film was plus X:
scottgee1
RF renegade
If memory serves, David Hamilton used Minolta SLRs for most of his work in the '70s, creating evocative, painterly images.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
If I didn't have too many cameras I'd be after the XD 5 or 7... But I'm happy with the ones I have.
As for Leica glass for the R series, it's OTT. The trouble is at a certain point all the best lenses are OTT and it's hard to pick between them. If every picture I took was at f/2 or so I'd be very fussy but most pictures are shot by me at around f/5·6 - give or take a stop. And at that aperture it's hard to tell them apart. At f/2·8 and wider the Leica stuff is superb (based on my old R5 with the 35mm wide angle on it).
But they also have something else that I can't describe that comes out especially in slides and with the Minolta stuff (and a several other makes I could mention to confuse the issue), it's yummy. FWIW, I think getting the exposure and focus spot on is more important than any glass subtlety. Also comparing the Minolta CLE's 40mm lens with the Leica CL's 40mm I can't see any difference.
Regards, David
Riverman
Well-known
I've recently added an XD7 to my Minolta arsenal. It's a cut above the X700 I used to have. Parodoxical though it may sound, I know exactly what you mean with the the 'je ne sais quoi' of Minolta glass - particularly with slide film.
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David Murphy
Veteran
I got into Minolta about 15 years ago when my K1000 broke and I picked an SR-1 for small money. A few years ago I developed a small kit around the SRT-101. Sometimes I think of selling all my expensive RF gear (Nikon, Canon, Leica, Contax, etc.) and just settling back with my trusty SRT-101 and a full set of MD lenses. It's not quite as powerful as say a Nikon F, F2 + Nikkor glass, but it's simple, easy, not too heavy, and reliable to use, and the lenses are real bargains.
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David Hughes
David Hughes
If you want to try Minolta glass cheaply, and I mean dirt cheap, then have a look for the Minolta Riva Zoom 90 (USA version: Freedom Action Zoom 90). It's only a 38 to 90mm zoom with just f/4·8 to f/10·8 at widest at each end but has an ASPH element in it.
I've had one or two and here's one of my test shots taken one autumn after a session of landscape shots;-
Nothing spectacular, just a pair of gloves and an old walking stick leaning against a gate but it does show what a charity shop P&S with "Minolta" on it can do.
Regards, David
I've had one or two and here's one of my test shots taken one autumn after a session of landscape shots;-
Nothing spectacular, just a pair of gloves and an old walking stick leaning against a gate but it does show what a charity shop P&S with "Minolta" on it can do.
Regards, David