Minolta XG-1

pvdhaar

pvdhaar

Peter
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Yesterday, I saw an XG-1 with 50/2 for a price so low that I just 'had to have it'..

So first I need to know: 'is it any good?' :p

Just kidding, of course. For what I paid for it, it's better than good. In fact it's in immaculate shape, as if it's never been out of the box.. same goes for the lens :)

Now on to my real question.. Most of the camera is self-explanatory, except for one thing. There's a slider on the lens that I first thought was a step down lever of some sort. After a while I figured out that it's a minimum aperture lock. But what I can't for the life of me figure out is whether I'm supposed to set the lens to f22 and lock it if I put the camera in 'A' mode.. Anyone know? :confused:

Well, all in all, this looks like a nice camera to do a one-camera/one-lens thing as per Keith's suggestion ( http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=66991 )
 
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There's an XG-1 manual on the [incredibly useful] Butkus site:

http://www.cameramanuals.org/minolta_pdf/minolta_xg-1.pdf

Looking at the manual, the A setting is aperture priority. So you set it to A and then set the lens to whatever aperture you want. It's not a program mode [i.e. not like when, for example, you set a Pentax lens to 'A' and let the camera choose the aperture].

No idea how you manually meter with it.
 
Congratulations on your XG-1! It's a great camera, I bought one (first version) in 1979 when I was twelve.

I've noticed that slider on newer lenses, and frankly I don't know the purpose of it.

However, since the XG-1 is aperture priority, you set the aperture you wish and don't worry about the slider!
 
Thanks mcgrattan and Antti ! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.. and what's more, it tells me two things..

1st. It appears I don't have an XG1 (even though it says so on the camera), but a XG1n.. :cool: Not sure whether that matters a lot.

2nd. The XG1n manual explicitly tells not to use the aperture lock... :)

Guess I'm ready to shoot now!
 
It's only for the X-700, that also had "Program" mode (auto shutter time and auto aperture). I's the same thing as the lock you find on Nikkor lenses to use them with a camera with a "P" mode...
 
Weird.. manual metering is done Rube Goldberg style.. :confused:

You've got to set the shutter dial to A, look at the shutter readout, make a mental note, then transfer what you think you've remembered to the shutter dial again...

A bit oddball, but I think I'll manage.. Heck, come to think of it, it's a good exercise to measure the light just once and don't ride the exposure..
 
I already had one... nice little camera, and the pancake 45mm f2 is pretty sharp..
A pitty it shares the same problem with Minolta CLE... no metered manual mode...

Happy photos with it!
 
I saw an XG-series (it may have been the XG-1) on the shelf at a local thrift store recently inside the Minolta never-ready case. The case had a flat top (looked more like a RF case than SLR at first glance) and even though it was far too large I was hoping it would be cheap CLE.

I don't need another SLR system so I left it for someone else to enjoy.
 
The "slider on the lens" (which is only on the newer/later MD lenses) is for Minolta cameras with either Program mode or shutter-priority mode (e.g. the XD-series cameras and the much-later X-700). For those you needed to set the lens to the smallest aperture for it to work properly -- hence the lock, so you don't accidentally change it...

Congrats on the camera -- all of the old Minolta bodies were great (I just wish all of their lenses matched that level of quality. They are hit-and-miss, although your f2/45 pancake is quite good)...
 
That's a nice light and bright combo. The VF on X series Minolta's were very good.

As already mentioned, this works best in A mode, just set the aperture (visible thru the VF btw) and shoot away.
 
It wasn't before the X300 that you can see the selected shutter speed in the VF. The reason why is that the technology is derivated from the XD-7, on which the selected speed was shown through a periscope. I have to say it's pretty unconvenient, especially when the A Mode isn't working properly...
Have fun with your Minolta! The lenses are fantastic!
 
Had one of those with the 40mm pancake. Great little camera. I gave it to my daughter along with a kit of lenses a couple of weeks ago in the hopes it would get her back into photography. She hasn't used the ST 801 in some while. Keeps visiting with her boyfriend; they go places together, but don't photo. And he was a photo major in college. Go figure.

And she keeps talking about wanting a digital P&S. Anybody know what that is? :D
 
Light meter is not working in manual mode in this camera. Mine has broken after 6 months of (hard) using. Turn on/off switcher broke. But I have one more MD camera and lots of lenses. Rokkors are great lenses and you should be satisfied with it (though 50/2 was economy class lens, I have not any experience with it. But got 45/2 which was also economy class and it's quite nice. I'd recommend 50/1.4 though..).
 
Thank you all for all the responses!

blazejs said:
50/2 was economy class
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Correct.. it's built with quite some plastic in. Looks quite nice nonetheless. :cool:

oftheherd said:
Had one of those with the 40mm pancake. Great little camera. I gave it to my daughter along with a kit of lenses a couple of weeks ago in the hopes it would get her back into photography. She hasn't used the ST 801 in some while. Keeps visiting with her boyfriend; they go places together, but don't photo. And he was a photo major in college. Go figure.
And she keeps talking about wanting a digital P&S. Anybody know what that is
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The solution, as ever, is simple; tell her she'll get the digiPS if she drops her boyfriend.. That should make clear about which of the two she's really serious.. :D



Guess I'll have to post some pictures taken with it sometime.. Let's start with a picture of the XG1n itself..
 

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pvdhaar said:
Thanks mcgrattan and Antti ! That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for.. and what's more, it tells me two things..

1st. It appears I don't have an XG1 (even though it says so on the camera), but a XG1n.. :cool: Not sure whether that matters a lot.

2nd. The XG1n manual explicitly tells not to use the aperture lock... :)

Guess I'm ready to shoot now!
Click to expand...
the slider is for the minolta bodies that can set themselves the diaphragm, the XG1 is only aperture priority ;)
 
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