Minolta XK

[tripod]

Hi! Anyone have one of these cameras? I found one for sale on a local buy-sell list. In the picture provided, the camera is very dusty, and the owner said he hadn't used it in a few years, so there's no guarrantee it functions, but for $25 it's worth the gamble. It comes with a big AE finder but no lens. Which 50mm lens should I be looking for? (I'm a Nikon guy.)

 

[Pherdinand]

the XK was the most pro model of its times. It still goes for big bucks nowadays, if it is functional etc.

for $25 it's definitely a good deal.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Oh, yes a good gamble.

 

[Nikon Bob]

For $25 I would not think twice about picking it up whether it was working or not. It is , I think, a fairly hard model to come by being not that popular when introduced. Nothing wrong with it but I think Nikon and Canon had too big a head start with their pro camera models. Nice find.

Bob

 

[tripod]

Good, thanks for the feedback! Here's a copy of the picture provided: dust warning!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

you did buy it, didn't you?

For $25, you can pay $150-200 to repair it if it needs CLA, and still have it cheaper than they sell for normally

 

[tripod]

I agreed to buy it and made arrangements to pay for it and pick it up after Christmas.

 

[kuzano]

Very Nice one just sold $586 plus on eBay

Very Nice one just sold $586 plus on eBay

That camera was built to go head to head with the top Nikon and Canon offerings in about 1976. The one that just sold on eBay looked to be near mint. I've been watching those. They are becoming quite the collector item in collector condition. The MIR site speaks well of them and I'd love to have one, but I let the cat out of the bag, now, didn't I?

Here's the link to the one that just sold today for $586. Another sold yesterday for $202. They are often found on eBay. Hope yours is a nice one. Good investment, and likely the first camera you've made money on in some time:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MINOLTA-XK-XM-X...ryZ43486QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Here's a link to the MIR site and the manual:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltaxk/index.htm

Keep shopping... never know when something nice turns up.

 

[kuzano]

Good, thanks for the feedback! Here's a copy of the picture provided: dust warning!

Well under the dust, it looks to be all black with no brassing. After Christmas... Hell with that. PICK IT UP TODAY!!!!

 

[hans voralberg]

Grab it quick !!!!!!

 

[tripod]

So I picked up the camera today for $25, and it is in very nice shape with very little brassing, just a dent in the rear of the prism. The camera was jammed: the mirror locked up and the advance lever not moving. I had read about the jamming of the XK on the web, so I tried the battery compartment lid trick and the camera unjammed. It works now on X and on B. I need to buy and put some fresh batteries in to try the other speeds. I'm thinking that the seller figured that the camera was broken. It needs new mirror bump foam.



I need to find a lens for it. Does anyone have a spare 50mm lens?

Pictures soon, once I figure out how to.

 

[jmilkins]

you lucky , lucky .....!

have a look at this GAS inducing site. Rokkor files is an awesome site with a good run down of the various 50s you could choose....

you can even download a Rokkor font to use!!!