I worked for Minolta Camera Co from 1973 to 2005. Your wonderful video brought back a lot of fond memories. I sold all those cameras at one time or another during my history with Minolta. Thanks for putting this together.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Great to meet you, and thanks for helping to produce these wonderful instruments!
@1stab11 жыл бұрын
Collecting is a sickness my friend. Thanks for "being there." I was able to point to this and tell my wife, "See, I'm not so bad." Be strong brother.
@metocvideo4 жыл бұрын
1stab so many of us......
@MyBelgianAzzy4 жыл бұрын
Lol! 🤣
@fantasyfan93203 жыл бұрын
lmao
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Have you noticed how many "Likes" this comment got compared to most of the others? I think your comment resonated with many other old users. 🙂
@skylane8073 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the great tour! I started with a new SR-T 101 with the 58mm ƒ/1.4 Rokkor. Life was so simple back then.
@FriedmanArchives3 жыл бұрын
Tell me about it! Have you picked up the Sony A7S III lately? :-)
@robertrosselit82417 жыл бұрын
The SRT series are an amazing thing. They are a Rube Goldberg machine all crammed into a little metal package. But they worked well. If you ever take the top off of one, they are a thing of insane beauty inside. The metering was a complicated system of strings and pulleys, that moved the "lollipop" to match the needle, which involved multiple auxiliary prisms glued to the pentaprism. The gearing for the shutter is brass and steel, the slow-speed escapement is right there in plain sight. Ahh, and if you fire it at 1/30 or below, you can not only hear the slow speed escapement reset, but you can hear the multiple rebounds as it comes to rest. The thing is a madman's work of art. And it's heavy enough to drive a sixteen penny nail into oak.
@morrisgentry8624 Жыл бұрын
The SRT 102 was my first good camera (purchased in 1975) and still my all time favorite.
@juanmcmahon776511 жыл бұрын
Even if I'm not a "Minolta Fan", I have to recognize that, when is time to choose a 35mm camera for a "photography trip", my x700 is usually my first choice (and believe me, I have a lot of 35mm to choose!). It have almost all the things I need in a small format film camera. So, considering the x700 phenomenal success and the awards it get (“European Camera of the Year” for instance) I'm wandering why didn't choose it for the top ten. Anyway, great video Gary. Keep on! :-)
@miniondave63144 жыл бұрын
I love my Minolta X-700. It's my "go-to" manual camera.
@maxp21004 жыл бұрын
Have the same. Love it :)
@robertcudlipp38324 жыл бұрын
I only viewed this quickly. To my mind, the X700 was a game changer when released. Fabulous camera which took thousands of photos when I was holidaying in Europe and the United Kingdom in 1983-84. Still have the body and several lens.
@miniondave63144 жыл бұрын
I like the fact that it takes modern batteries. Most of my older SLRs take the mercury batteries and I don't like the WeinCell replacements (I never had luck with those). There are lots of good lenses are out there and at a very reasonable price. The Pentax K1000 is most people's recommendation for a starter SLR, I point people towards the Minolta X-700.
@TheComputec9 жыл бұрын
Excellent roundup! I am always in awe of people who are at the top of their game and can simply and enthusiastically pinpoint both the real benefits and real issues around any products, rather than just parroting the blurb from the manufacturer like a TV Shopping channel. Well done sir!
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@michaelgrino7089 ай бұрын
Just found this video, and I am glad that he still uploads! Pretty much enjoyed the whole video
@cool2rule23 жыл бұрын
Proud owner of an SRT-201, X-700 and I have a Maxxum 7 on the way. They’re all amazing, but it’s great to see the evolution of the brand over the decades. Too bad they’re not around anymore.
@KenzieKuu4 жыл бұрын
I just found a Minolta Maxxum 5000, with the flash for $30! So excited to get my pics developed!
@jagerbolt906 ай бұрын
Hi Gary, film photographer born in the 90's, here! I gotta say, learning film has been so much fun and very fulfilling! There's just a certain feeling you get when you get film right that you just don't get with digital, and that's to say nothing of the feel and look of the film itself in the right hands! Thanks for sharing this video because I'm thinking of getting a Minolta of some kind! This will help inform my decision! Thank you for sharing!
@FriedmanArchives6 ай бұрын
There is definitely a resurgence in using film (I know because I wrote an article about it for Cameracraft magazine :-) . If you're interested in a classic Minolta, check out my other youtube video showing how to use the SR-T series of manual bodies: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kK9dh7h03K_Upp8.htmlsi=-GFx2ncL7cFIucg5
@TheAdiFans7 жыл бұрын
Massive respect for the old-school photographer like you sir! This video gave me - a millennial a lot of useful things about cameras.
@rizkiyoist2 жыл бұрын
I just got SRT-101 in 2021 despite owning several mirrorless cameras, loved it so far!
@nastyashman10 жыл бұрын
I recently purchased from a local charity shop a Minolta Maxxum 8000i. It came with some programme cards, a Sigma 35-70mm lens and a Sigma 70-210mm lens; all in good condition for £15. Damn good bargain and a lucky find.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Those cards were an interesting experiment. They tried to turn the camera into a Apple Macintosh - that is, allow people to make interesting pictures without knowing anything about photography. I remember another camera at the time had you scan a barcode to take a certain kind of picture.
@helisoma10 жыл бұрын
Great overview and very informative. But any reason why the X-700 was not included? I used an X-700 for over 10 years and the camera still works fine today with no problems.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
It wasn't included because (in my opinion) it wasn't in their 10 best, despite its immense popularity. (I still own one). There was only room for 10 though.
@paulfrakes41497 жыл бұрын
Ok, I've watched your video several times over the last year. But, just yesterday I watched it again, and realized that my Dynax 9 is the finest camera I have ever owned--and I have owned a Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, Nikon F4, Nikon F5 among others. I also still have a Minolta XK which I like better than my Nikon F3hp or Canon F1. My point--my Dynax 9 is my camera of choice. (I also have a Dynax 7 which is really good but not a 9.) Thank you for reminding me what a fine camera it is. And, digital is going to take a back seat to my 9. Thanks again. Paul, from 85 miles north of the frozen tundra of Green Bay, WI.
@BondStphotostudiorental10 жыл бұрын
How informative was that?! Thank you Gary!! As a professional, I recently switched to Sony A900 digital and Minolta A9 (Dynax 9) film bodies with legacy Minolta glass from my Canon EOS 7D with L series lenses for still photography. The difference is unmistakeable from both a sharpness and more convincingly, Minolta color aspect. I absolutely love the A9! I recently purchased a 35 to 70mm f4 Minolta zoom for 70 bucks and compared the images with the 24-70mm 2.8 (Sony) Zeiss ($2,000 lens) that I rented. The Zeiss images were amazing and so were the images from this little 70 dollar Minolta zoom. Since then I have purchased 3 more Minolta legacy lenses. No, they don't focus as fast as the canon lenses, but the image quality is well worth the wait, After all, that's what's really important isn't it?
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Minolta lenses had a reputation of great color consistency from lens to lens - important when shooting transparencies - and for some reason never got enough respect. Glad you could appreciate these old classics!
@metocvideo4 жыл бұрын
Great video. Finally a decent review of cameras from one of the very best Japanese camera makers. Top notch cameras, not so great marketing. You can see why Leica snuggled up to them, I use a Leica CL, which was a Minolta design mostly, and it sold so well it scared Leica and they discontinued it because it was hurting sales of the big cameras. Some of the Leica R zooms were designed and made by Minolta.
@yarivdrory13138 жыл бұрын
Great article. One small thing is that the 7D did have an anti-shake mechanism.
@n1k1george8 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I have a certain affinity for the oldies but goodies like XD11 with its uniquely smooth shutter release. It's been nearly 4 decades since my first SLR and it has been an exciting time to watch the fantastic evolution of cameras and photography during that time. Thanks again for a great personal perspective on the history of a great brand name.
@stmbaah9 жыл бұрын
still waiting for the "10 worst" video
@FriedmanArchives7 жыл бұрын
Read the entire description of the video - it points to a blog post where you can find it.
@FriedmanArchives7 жыл бұрын
friedmanarchives.blogspot.com/2012/04/are-kit-lenses-worthless.html And scroll halfway down.
@comounrayo5 жыл бұрын
@Jao Pim You're an idiot
@shashinkan996 жыл бұрын
Man I can see the Passion on your eyes You really Love these Cameras I love them too although I have not that many
@hansa35806 жыл бұрын
Mr. Friedman, I have enjoy buying/selling/trading cameras and accessories for years. In the late 1990s, I worked in the photo retail industry in Chicago. It was a fun time for me; I miss the tactile experience of loading film, and, as you have described, the process and the gear; sometimes, that was more enjoyable than the actual images! Thanks for this post!
@MartysWhiteSuit4 жыл бұрын
My First SLR was a Minolta SRT100X, bought in 1981. Pretty happy with it. Towed it around with me for 25 years, including when I lived in London. Served me well. I still have it.
@st3vieuk8 жыл бұрын
I watched this short film a few years a go and I loved it then. I've watched it today and after my photography skills have progressed I really appreciate your words of wisdom and take on how Minolta have progressed through it's life. Thats some collection you have there ... keep up the good work and hope you are well. Well wishes from the UK - Stevie
@icecru29 жыл бұрын
This was quite informational! I was just given a Minolta SR-T 100 with a 50mm, 55mm, telephoto, and macro lenses with 3 filters by a cow worker. i do graphic design work but like photography on the side. I'm am just 22 years old so the camera's were around when my dad was 10 hahaha. But i'd like to get to know it better, my other camera is a fujifilm finepix s8200 bought it in a bind for a class. so i've enver had an SLR camera until now, and I was planning on buying one. Anyways, i'm looking around to getcomfortable with this camera for fun, i'm still gushing with excitement over it though!!
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
I made a youtube video showing how to use the Minolta SRT series cameras. You can see it here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kK9dh7h03K_Upp8.htmlsi=FC4EKGVTsB64TWCM
@zimmee Жыл бұрын
Great review Gary. My first SLR was a Minolta 5000. I shot 5 weddings and a funeral with it as an amateur. Loved it. I bought a Minolta 7000 body second hand and by the time I got around to using it, found it didn't work. I still have them in a drawer and hope maybe some day my old lenses could be used on DSLR's. Thanks again Gary. You're not harming anyone by holding on to your beloved cameras which you have so much knowledge for, to give us. 🤗👍
@FriedmanArchives Жыл бұрын
So glad you enjoyed it!!
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
There are plenty of Minolta and Sony A-mount cameras that can use those lenses...
@clintjohnson24606 жыл бұрын
Gary,, just watched this video and can't tell you how much I enjoyed it. I worked in camera stores from 1977 until about 1996,,and have been a pro/amateur the whole time as well. Although in my earlier days I will have to admit to being a " Nikon snob" , I always was surprised by Minolta's innovation and , in some cases, superb quality. The old fixed prime lenses were very good. By '93 I had even sold off the Nikon F4 and a great set of glass to go Mamiya645 Super,, BUT,,when I started missing the size and convenience of a good 35mm after a couple of years I went to a Minolta release party for the 700 si and saw the miraculous innovations of the fastest follow focus--(NOBODY had anything like it) as well the twin metering modes and what made me write a check that night was the remote ,,,off camera TTL multi flash system,, That just blew my doors off!! That another camera that deserves at least an honorable mention in your Hall of Fame. BTW,, The reason that pro camera with the pop-up flash was so reviled was that the photo press NEVER understood the value and capabilities of that remote flash system,, it was phenomenal,, And I totally agree with your comments about the XD-11,, It just crushed the A-1 Canon ..build quality was the best,,, and the old 9000?? I bought a used one as a back up body to my 700si just because it was so versatile. Anyway--great trip down memory lane---thanks.
@clintjohnson24606 жыл бұрын
@@garyfriedman2005 oh I wholeheartedly agree that Minolta never really got what was due from the photo press... I was at photokina several times and was just amazed that they spent so much time slamming things like the xg7 and the xg1...(which admittedly were bottom feeder consumer cameras anyway..).. but they never got credit for wonderful things in their booth.. especially stuff like the light meters.
@TonyLopezArts8 жыл бұрын
Crazy. I found a Minolta Maxxum 7000 in working condition for $30!
@DanielMelzerPhotography7 жыл бұрын
nice find!
@Wingsaberrules7 жыл бұрын
I ordered one a few days ago for the same price aswell- was cheaper to buy the kit than the lense on its own!
@akatheshort16 жыл бұрын
I found one for $8 at a thrift store with a case
@yassinerizzani46005 жыл бұрын
Just so you know, i also stumbled upon a minolta sr-t 303 selling for 7$, And got another xd-7 and four excellent lenses for 100$, But even though they were acceptable they both had some working issues, like the light-meter being sometimes tricky due to the fungus in the ovf, etc Those who sell slr's with mint condition for about 150$ especially from japan tend to service those cameras entirely before buying them.
@Keith1955734 жыл бұрын
Bought one a couple of years back for $25 at a flea market and it works fine
@buddah61010 жыл бұрын
I am new to photography but at the age of 48,I remember seeing my father and step father using some of these cameras so it brought back memories. Also, I have been using DSLR'S but about a month ago, I stumbled across a video about a Canon AE-1 and I loved the IQ So, I decided to go on ebay and price these cameras. I was shocked at how cheap they are! I did not buy one because I started reading, rather devouring everything I could on rivals of that model and a Minolta was one of them. I don't have my list in front of me so I don't remember the model but I heard quite a few people say the Minolta or Olympus was a better choice. Thanks do much for this video. I can't wait to get my 35mm, whatever one I choose.
@wildbill99199 жыл бұрын
Thanks for posting. I recently got a SRT 102 and SRT 202. They both have quirks and issues but the 102 is usable as is. The 202 needs more attention so I'm sending it to a shop next week.
@drewhanks07 жыл бұрын
Great video! I picked up an x-700 off Craigslist with 5 lenses for only $30, looking to flip it for a profit. Tried it out and instantly fell in love, and even bought a nicer lens for it. Film is expensive for a college student on a budget, so I just got a cheap Sony NEX-5 off eBay the other day, and for $100 and a $15 converter, it takes some amazing photos with the old Minolta lenses. I love my x700, but it sure is hard to put the Sony down, especially when I can still use all my favorite lenses.
@ronaldkearn33223 жыл бұрын
Gary I feel just like you do! I save my cameras and lens's for sentimental reasons. I even take photos with them from time to time. :-) My favorite Minolta was the set 101 that I bought in 1968.
@edthesecond4 жыл бұрын
Been through seven SRTs, two still work, and one of the SRTs died when I got hit by a car and it hit the pavement the same time as my head. Gave away a Minolta rangefinder because it only weighed a ton and a half. Got two X-700 Minoltas for the right price-Free! Just bought a beautiful 'right out of the box' X-570, black, Tokina 28-85 lens, but haven't been able to use it yet because of quarantine. Meters are no big deal, since I use manual settings for B&W, 1/100 at f8 for ASA 100, 1/250 at f8 for ASA 400, and the trusty hand held meter for the tricky stuff. Minolta builds cameras as good as Subaru builds cars.
@FriedmanArchives4 жыл бұрын
Wow. You've got quite a history!
@yumenolalaАй бұрын
Thank you for this video. I loved the stories and the history of these great cameras. Your behind the scene blog was really good too! I bought my first SR lens 12 years ago to use with M43. I never had a Minolta SR mount camera until last month. I now have the X700, XD7 and waiting for the XE1 to be delivered. Maybe I also want the SRT 303/B too but my wife already giving me the evil stare.
@FriedmanArchivesАй бұрын
That's quite a collection! Give your wife a hug. 🙂
@samsen2019 жыл бұрын
This was one the best YT clips I have seen in a while. A total History lesson. Dearly appreciate what you did and enjoyed profoundly. What a shame Sony's ego and grandiosity killed this wonderful line of legendary photography machine, then now kills the DSLR line just because they don't know the market and can't figure out how to sell... Way to go and wish you a long life to give us such wonderful insight at such a quality presentation rate. You are a STAR.
@LennyCooke6364 жыл бұрын
Fantastic video ! I started out with a Minolta SRT 202 back in the late 70's. My second Minolta was a Used Maxuumm 7000i. This was a great camera as far as exposure s concerned but it had that dreaded 1st blank film problem, meaning the first frame on the film would blank out for some reason. I wanted to stick with Minolta, but then they went out of business... Now there is Sony but I haven't sweetened up to them yet. I always wanted an XD11.
@garyfriedman20054 жыл бұрын
My advice: Sony will never produce an XD-11. But you can pick one up on the used market quite readily. It's one of the nicest cameras ever made.
@tkarlmann6 жыл бұрын
I shot Wedding professionally with two Maxxum 9's and I contend that the "9" is THE best film camera ever made -- with a stainless steel body! And you are correct, it got nothing but bad press because of the (handy to have in an emergency) pop-up flash. I also note that Sony never put a flash on the a99II probably due to that undeserved legacy. In a Wedding, I never had time to look at LCD screens on the "7", I had to KNOW that the exposure was correct -- and shoot negative film.
@dolinick4 жыл бұрын
12:40 I got my 7D today! Had a memory card issue I think I resolved. It is beautiful! Clean and looks brand New! We took a few test shots with it today. Still waiting to pick up my Sony A850. All the digital cameras i've owned since my first DSLR a Sony A100 are Sony A300, Nex-3 and the emount Sony A3000. My daughter so was excited to use the 7D. She is eight years old! Most of the time I am using manual focus with my cameras. Autofocus and an optical viewfinder again is so nice.
@skeletoninadress6 жыл бұрын
The first camera I ever shot with was a Minolta, it was my Mother's as she had been a photography enthusiast. I believe it was a Maxxum 3xi. I swear it was the loudest camera in the history of ever but I was very fond of it. I'm wanting to get back into film now and am trying to decide on the best manual 35mm for my budget. While I'm lusting after the Olympus OM-1, the Minolta SRT series tends to be more affordable, and I think it would be fittingly sentimental to go back to shooting a Minolta, just like when I first started. Thanks for the fun video. :)
@skeletoninadress6 жыл бұрын
Gary Friedman Haha, thanks for the reply. It was the film advance/rewind motor that I remember being so loud, you would reach the end of a roll and the motor would kick in with it's scream and everyone around would stop and look at you. :D
@Unitedfitco17610 жыл бұрын
Hi Gary, I was wondering what you think about the x-700 and how it compares to these beautiful cameras. Thanks! Great video
@yassinerizzani46005 жыл бұрын
The x-700 is a good beginner manual focus camera, but it has reliability issues, because it relies entirely on capacitors.
@sethmacdonald57255 жыл бұрын
@@yassinerizzani4600 it depends which generation x700 you get, the first generation models still work really well, but the second and third generations were made in Malaysia (i think) and china. And suffered huge blows to quality.
@gregforeman82746 жыл бұрын
XD-11 is still one of my favorite cameras.
@standarduser71054 жыл бұрын
When I first received the x700 as a gift, for about a year I only used Aperture Priority. I then started doing my research and manually fiddling with the shutter. It’s my absolute favorite.
@pentlx4 жыл бұрын
The XK came out in 1972, not 1978. It was not a knockoff of the F2AS because the F2AS came out near the end of the F2's production.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
I stand corrected! Thanks.
@chpq200011 жыл бұрын
My first SLR was a Dynax-5. It's a very cute and capable camera. It's very small and light, but have 1/4000 shutter speed and very fast auto-focusing. Some years later when I was tempted by the heavy and mechanical beasts, I sold it. I miss it very much. There are some other Minolta cameras that also have very good reputation, such as the TC-1, Autocord and the Himatics.
@vladimirivanov63535 жыл бұрын
i sell this camera .....
@reedmelicher86584 жыл бұрын
I'd love to hear more about the Minolta lenses!
@machia070511 жыл бұрын
SRT 101 w/ a Rokker 58mm f1.4 lens, sweet photos and memories...Was given to me in 1972 and still using it today.
@StevenStaton11 жыл бұрын
SR-T 201 and X-700 should be in the list. The 201 was the most common SR-T variant sold in the U.S. and the X-700 won Camera of the Year in Europe in 1982.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
There was only room for 10!!
@Enid2Sacramento11 жыл бұрын
My first 35mm camera was the 101, and I wish I'd never sold it. What a mechanical beauty. Thanks for the vid.
@thesaltycodger4 жыл бұрын
I have an old "A", the 101, a 102, and an XE-7.
@robertspeicher50472 жыл бұрын
Great video. I still have my 202...It was all the camera I needed. I shoot landscape don't recall ever having to hurry on a photo....Never saw a landscape doing 60 mph...MY PET LENS...MINOLTA 35-70.
@amirahtaylor1758 жыл бұрын
I love the video. I was given a Minolta 570 for my birthday last year but I can't seem to find much information on it. Is it a good camera? If so, what film should I get for it because I want to actually use it.
@bosscat43794 жыл бұрын
Can't believe I have now watched this in its entirety for the 2nd time and I dont shoot Minolta . 😂
@jomarmachado754610 жыл бұрын
Thank you!!! I`m very fond of my Minolta 101. It`s a pity it doesn't exist in the digital world of nowadays...
@alannorthdevonuk7633 жыл бұрын
I had a tiny Minolta camera - point and shoot using the 110 cartridge. Not sure what happened to it but then went onto the Olympus Trip 35m. Had that for years but it went rusty. From there on to Fujifilm bridge cameras. and Nikon (D3200, 3500, D7200 and now the Z50 - I love it). Someone gave mew a Minolta 7000 last week with the kit lens and a Signma zoom, It's peculiar looking, feels so nice to hold, makes good noises. All in all an attractive camera. It worked well, I got some lford B&W 400 film and the 7000 just stopped working. Nothing. Changed all batteries but nothing. Went on to eBay and got a 7000 for £28, about the same in $. I told the seller, a photographer thinning out his collection, I only wanted the body and he was good enough to get back to me and offer me a Minolta 5000 for nothing in place of the lens. Just like these lumps for some reason and take pride in owning and using them.
@ninelaivz43342 жыл бұрын
Minolta was 12 years ahead of everyone else in 2003. Their DSLRs were the iPhone of cameras. They had all the concepts for what should be in a digital SLR camera, which applies to this day, from the get-go. I don't know why we are talking about Sony today instead of Minolta.
@SENTINELREPORT10 жыл бұрын
Thank you Gary for this excellent video presentation.... Damn ! I think I have to partly blame you for now I have Minolta 7000i, 7000, x300, x700, sr, and I hope to get some of the ones you show us here !
@FriedmanArchives11 жыл бұрын
The X-570 was essentially the X-700 but without shutter priority mode (and, therefore, not program mode). It was a nice enough camera (lots of cameras on my list were aperture-priority mode), but since the X700 didn't make either of my lists (despite its popularity), the X-570 doesn't hold a place in my heart. That having been said, it's a well-designed and robust camera, and will serve you well (and take great pictures!) for many years to come. Whatever you paid, you got your money's worth.
@mkshffr4936 Жыл бұрын
My 35mm kit is the 570 and has been since I first got in to photography almost 50 years ago. Never let me down.
@FriedmanArchives Жыл бұрын
@@mkshffr4936 You're lucky... Minolta models from that era (including the X700) are known for capacitor failures on the main circuit board over time.
@mkshffr4936 Жыл бұрын
@@FriedmanArchives Good to know. I was never a daily user so that may have helped. I will have to look into it because being made before the surface mount era replacing a cap shouldn't be that difficult if it ever occurs. I suspect getting to it would be the most difficult part. Of course all my lenses should work on an SRT body. In anycase, now that I am getting ready to get back into the hobby I am moving more in the MF direction but there is definitely some good memories associated with the old girl. P.S. I just found the instructions for the replacement. Dead simple. Thanks for the heads up.
@metocvideo4 жыл бұрын
I used a 9000 outfit with motor, 4 lenses, for 5 years in the late 80’s. superb optics and accurate exposures, and the motorwinder was perfect for using the camera one handed when you had to, like shooting a big yacht race up close in a rib, heavy swell and doing about 20 knots. I was held in the boat by a burly Australian sailor, and we got some great shots right under the bows of the boats. My 5 or so years of enjoyment was cut short when the whole outfit fell overboard when transferring from boat to boat.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Wow. That's a shame about it going overboard.
@findingnemo22298 жыл бұрын
I ended up with almost the same collection of Minolta cameras and one Konica Minolta 7D, except that I couldn't afford Maxxum 9000 at time and bought Maxxum 7000 instead and of cause couldn't find and never afford a XK-Motor when I started with photography. But I was able to find several different types of viewfinders and focus screens for my XK cameras. Unfortunately not the fast AE finder used by XK-Motor. To match an Austrian Subal underwater housing I had to buy Maxxum 700si and 800si with these interesting card extensions. I probably would have added X-700 to the list, but have to admit I didn't buy it because I didn't consider it a signifikant update for my loved XD-11. I loved switching to DSLR with KM 7D and having an almost identical handling to my Maxxum (Dynax) 7, exept for digital photography and an inferior autofocus performance when compared. And now more than 10 years later I've bought my first Sony camera, the Alpha SLT A77II. Thanks to Gary Friedman, who wrote an excellent complete guide, I'm catching up with a decade of developmant in digital photography. Sorry Gary that I didn't find out about how Amazon is treating authors before I had bought the Kindle Version of your guide which referred me to your home page only to find out, that I would have got more from you directly for the same price. I'm still missing the part about the ten worst Minolta cameras. The APS camera system would be on my list.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
You can always buy directly from me for subsequent cameras! 🙂 The "10 Worst" blog post link can be found in the video description.
@jam631126 жыл бұрын
My first DSLR was the 5D (a cheap version of the 7D) I found it was quite good, even in low light. Has a flash, a stabilizer a very good AF Very easy to use. Good simple and logical user interface
@giljesusseraspe92252 жыл бұрын
I miss my Minolta 9000 and the 9. Wonderful years in my early film days in photography.
@FriedmanArchives2 жыл бұрын
The 9 is still a psychologically satisfying camera to hold. :-) (Don't mean to rub it in...)
@CGphotoOp9 жыл бұрын
Awesome video. Now all we need is a video about minolta lenses. Us a7 shooters would greatly appreciate it.
@Zampano6914 жыл бұрын
XD7 - most beautiful camera ever made
@Arys608411 жыл бұрын
I had the Minolta XD5 the one before the XD7 and XD11. The XD5 has the aperture and shutter speed priorities. (1983)
@matlockcopy4 жыл бұрын
I still use my XG-1 with Autowinder and my X700 with motor drive, but sadly my Dimage A1 failed ten years ago so it now sits in amonst my camera collection. Three 7000i cameras were sold on after one started to rewind in the middle of a roll of film, too expensive to put up with that. After Konica Minolta sold out to Sony, I sold my Dimage A2 and moved over to Canon EOS. Still have a soft spot for Minolta, wish they had stuck with photography but copiers probably were more profitable for them.
@Crespire7 жыл бұрын
I know this is a fairly old video, but I've gotten into the Minolta MF systems hard and I appreciate this video SO MUCH.
@FriedmanArchives7 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much!!! It is an old video, but new viewers keep finding it. :-)
@Crespire7 жыл бұрын
Did you ever use any of the Minolta rangefinders? I'd love to hear your thoughts on those!
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
@@Crespire Regretfully no. I grew up on a Ricoh 35 rangefinder, with no meter. And I would have loved to have owned a Minolta CLE with a handful of lenses...
@mogden8 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this video! I would love to see a video like this for minolta lenses, as I shoot manual minolta lenses on a Sony A7
@paulhancock78604 жыл бұрын
Loved my Maxxum 9...my favourite pro body I ever owned and I've owned all the Canon and Nikon ones!
@MickeyKodak4 жыл бұрын
Tears in my Eyes, as I see my old XM and XM Motor.... also the D7 and the great srt...... nice Memory about Minoltas U done for us
@agogobell288 жыл бұрын
The XD11 has basically the same shutter-priority metering as the Nikon FA, or at least a similar sort of concept - some would call it "instant stop-down metering". Which is absolutely brilliant with the technological limitations of the time.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Some people call it brilliant; some people call it an engineering kludge because the lens designers never envisioned them being used in this way. 🙂
@UpcomingJedi8 жыл бұрын
The earliest memories of me disliking a 35 mm camera is when they came out with th e Maxum series. Having the camera auto focus without allowing ME to focus on what I wanted the photo to look like just didn't sit well. An overpriced plastic disposable camera. Here I sit all broken hearted wondering how I can manipulate this phone to be more like a manual camera. Time lapse photos just don't come out right when the camera attempts to average out the scene and it turns out over or under exposing the ground in favor of the amount of light in the sky. An x370 would 'suggest'the correct exposure but not cram it down your throat.
@UpcomingJedi8 жыл бұрын
Second bad thing of the Maxxum is the inability to change to different focal length lenses.
@bucksellers53648 жыл бұрын
Cant change focal length lenses ???.....Um.......That is VERY strange..... That's kinda like Elephant tranquilizer strange???.....lol
@userkc739 жыл бұрын
greetings from Siberia, I have a Zenit TTL (I use 25 years) and Minolta 400si (take 3 years)
@MaynardJamesKeller11 жыл бұрын
An SRT 101 that someone left in my car glove box was my first "real" cam and gave me great shots for years. The 102 was its successor. And mine had a broken rewind crank. A 20 cent hex nut and a miniature grip lock worked fine as my rewind mechanism!
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
They sure don't make them like that anymore. (i.e., easily repairable by the user.)
@robertrosselit82417 жыл бұрын
It's funny you compare the XD-11 with the ME Super, because they both used the Copal electronic shutter. Still, the advance mechanism was very weak. Had they used better gears, it would have been better.
@Falamangoshinto11 жыл бұрын
This was so interesting. I really enjoyed listening to this.
@bucksellers53648 жыл бұрын
No X-700?.....C'mon !!! .....Yeah its plastic...But to me its still the best Minolta ever made....lol...Ok maybe not the best...But I never had access to everything Minolta made....But honestly the Minolta X-700 to me was and still is a truly GREAT manual film camera....Its 2016 and I don't go anywhere without my Canon 50D digital camera & my Minolta X-700 film camera...I also have a Minolta XE-5 that I wouldn't part with for anything....I don't like it as well as the Minolta X-700 but probably only because I've used the X-700 a LOT ....And I only recently (about 3 or 4 months ago) acquired the XE-5 ...To me the X-700 is just so easy to use and makes GREAT images with the 50mm prime lens without costing an arm and a leg....I also have a 300mm for wildlife shooting...... I just love it the X-700!!! ....Obsolete?.....Not to me....I love shooting film.....Why ?...I really cant answer that...I don't know why....But I can tell you one thing for sure....Shooting film made me a MUCH better digital photographer.....No joke....To me one NEVER truly understands photography without learning to use a manual film camera....In the beginning I think what drew me to film photography was that it was a challenge...But after I learned to use the vintage manual film cameras I still continued to use them.....I honestly don't go anywhere without My Canon 50D and the Minolta X-700 ....So see I don't have to have the latest , greatest digital.... To me the Canon 50D is STILL a wonderful camera! ....I don't make a living with a camera either....I'm just a shutter bug....Who the hail needs 50 megapixels?.....Ridiculus !!! .....15 megapixels is a gracious plenty!....My photos shot with the Canon 50D are nothing short of amazing!.... I want to see someone look at my photos without a magnifying glass and show me something wrong with them....They are beautiful !! ..Sharp !! Nobody needs anything more !! ....Long live film !! ...Long live my Minolta X-700 !!! ... You cant beat those photos either!! ... I own 3 X-700's ....Just in case my Minolta X-700 usefulness doesn't live as long as my usefulness .....lol....I seriously doubt that is going to happen....But I have back-ups just in case......
@DanielMelzerPhotography7 жыл бұрын
i love the x-700!
@bucksellers53647 жыл бұрын
Great video by the way...don't know how I forgot to mention that...even if you didn't mention the X-700...lol..
@mike9696967 жыл бұрын
The X-700 was a great seller, but only a good camera. Its technical basis was in the relatively mundane XG line rather than the more interesting - and more upmarket - XD cameras which were also built to a higher standard.
@bucksellers53647 жыл бұрын
mike969696..Well as I mentioned...I never owned a lot of Minoltas...But at one time I was just learning to shoot film manually...I was not doing well at it....In other words I was ready to give up...I live in the middle of nowhere so a film class was out of the question...The Minolta X-700 literally saved me from giving up on analogue.....I acquired one in a huge box of cameras (seventeen cameras) that I bought from a salvation army store...In that lot was a Minolta X-700....I learned to shoot manual by shooting the X-700 in aperture priority mode and taking notes of the shutter speed the camera selected for me and the light available at the time...I was shooting manual in no time....Now , whenever a student asks me what camera they should learn to shoot film with I always suggest the Minolta X-700...There are millions of them out there in good condition and at a low cost....plus they are MUCH more reliable than the old Canon cameras from the same era... I now own a LOT of film cameras...But the Minolta X-700 is and will always be one of my favorites....Matter of fact I own 3 X-700's right now...I am selling one of them on ebay....If anyone out there is interested my username on ebay is douglasmilloutfitters....I am thinning down on my collection of film cameras....I don't have a clue how many I have...But it is a LOT...I have basically a closet filled with cameras....I have been collecting film cameras for around 11 -- 12 years...I cant possibly use all of the cameras I own...I started out collecting rangefinders....then switched to SLR's...I have a lot of both ...I plan to keep maybe 10 to 12 cameras.....give or take...Just a more manageable number ....Nobody needs a couple hundred cameras....Or that's what the other half tells me anyways....I think she just wants the money I'll get from selling the vintage film cameras...
@mike9696967 жыл бұрын
At one stage I used a couple of X-700's. They are OK, but, as I say, in retrospect didn't really offer that much on top of the XG cameras they were based on (P mode and TTL flash, basically), and a few of the controls (the dof preview button comes to mind) felt cheaper than on the earlier cameras. I ended up slightly preferring the very similar XG-M camera myself.
@crosshairstare11 жыл бұрын
I've got a 7000 I bought new and I'm crazy about it,but this fellow Gary seems to really know his stuff-I'd listen to him!!!!
@biogons144 жыл бұрын
The Minolta XD-7 has a twin sister in the Leica mount (R4). Both have the smoothest film advance gear I know.
@MrTnicodeme4 жыл бұрын
9000 for ever... though the 9Xi gave me a look into "confortable" photography
@garyfriedman40014 жыл бұрын
I agree it was very comfortable and the metering system nailed it every time. Still didn't like it. :-(
@socratescafe20049 жыл бұрын
This video is really a treasure! Thank you Sir!
@WhisperingOaks1184 жыл бұрын
I wish Minolta was still in the market for cameras. As a teenager in the early thru mid-90s, I shot with the Maxxum 3xi. I paid about $250 for the body and about $85 for the 50mm f/1.7. Took excellent pictures. Their technology was a little better than Nikon and Canon. Everything Minolta did, Nikon and Canon copied later on. A good example would those creative expansion cards. My 3xi didn’t use those, but the 5-9xi models took it. They had cards for portraits, sports, child, interval shooting, etc. Nikon and Canon included those functions on their cameras. Minolta also introduced eye-start automation and auto stand-by zoom. I could go on with this, but I’ll leave it at that.
@sputumtube11 ай бұрын
Appreciated that this comment is eleven years too late, but - excellent review and thanks for posting.
@FriedmanArchives11 ай бұрын
Hey, all comments are appreciated, even those that come after 11 years. 🙂
@MasticinaAkicta12 жыл бұрын
Oooh neat Got my hands on an SRT 101 with a 50mm 1.4. can't wait to get some decent film in it and go out "hunting"
@DinoDiLabio7 жыл бұрын
I still Believe that Canon stole everything from Minolta
@Noeman20097 жыл бұрын
Care to elaborate?
@ghw719211 жыл бұрын
I've been using Minolta's since my father gave me the Minolta 35 he brought back from Japan in the early 50's and I collected quite a few of them during the 16 years I managed a camera store. My 2 faves are the XD-11 and the X-570. .For years, my daily carry camera has been an X-570 with a 50.1.4 Rokkor and the Motor Drive 1. Exciting, no, but extremely reliable and a very competent camera. Excellent Video! Thanks!
@eddyhoughton6542Ай бұрын
Hey Gary, they're not obsolete if you can use them today. And I certainly do. My 303b, Dynax 404si, and Nikon FE get regular use alongside my Nikon DSLRs (in the plural). In fact, I am getting right back into film photography and learning how to process my own negatives. So I'd even go so far as to say that the DSLRs are a backup to my analogue cameras, considering I prefer the artistic results of the latter. Thanks for your informative and well presented videos, you're doing a lot to support the discipline / hobby / art form. (How would you classify film photography?)
@FriedmanArchivesАй бұрын
Glad you found it useful! You may also enjoy this youtube video (although you probably already know how to use your film cameras by now :-): kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kK9dh7h03K_Upp8.html (How would I classify film photography? I'd say all three: discipline, hobby, and art form. )
@janbielikowski11 жыл бұрын
10:32 pure happiness.
@truerushblast7 жыл бұрын
i dont see the minolta xg-1
@DanielMelzerPhotography7 жыл бұрын
yes!
@truerushblast7 жыл бұрын
Sold mine anyway
@cure8657 жыл бұрын
CEO of heaven did it suck
@religiondoctor51987 жыл бұрын
Mvca Ruiz no i liked it sold it because I needed money
@victorca84007 жыл бұрын
CEO of heaven I have one from the grampa of my mom
@CarlosFonse9 жыл бұрын
Great video i must say you have my dream collection i just started mine with an srt 202 that i got at a thrift shop for 15 bucks and i love it i still need to learn a lot but im eager to also ordered a maxxum 5 from ebay I've read a lot of good reviews would like to know your opinion on that one and also a question for you of all the ones you showed which one is you love the most?
@CarlosFonse9 жыл бұрын
Hahaha i must say that's loved the answer thanks a llt for responding keep up tje good work :)
@konaguzzi19 жыл бұрын
***** funny that I have the srt101 dynax 404 505 sony alpha a100 and a77miilove them all but always hankered for the 5d not sure why though
@hubertetienne25714 жыл бұрын
Que de souvenir mon ami ..!! La grande époque de Minolta ..mon premier réflex Minolta était un SRT 303 B . c'était un super Copain photographique , jamais je ne l'oublierai .la preuve ,de mon coucou ..!! Merci pour ce Flash Back . Admiration et respect , pour cette grande marque de réflex . Hubert Etienne
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Je suis tellement contente que ça vous ait plu !!
@FoxtrotBravo9012 жыл бұрын
my wife wonders the same thing!! ahahah
@fingling85679 жыл бұрын
Very knowledgeably done. I was not surprised my X-570 was not among the great. Bought a floor model in 1983 or so (the kit lens always a bit rattly), it's been okay but never reliably great. It does have a nice, bright viewfinder that offers plenty of information.
@johncameron697611 жыл бұрын
Wonderful Video Gary! Stated in the early 70's with the SRT 202 and now use my KM 7D and although I would love to get an Alpha 99 I am still happy with what my D7 gives me! Keep up the great Work!
@mikenorris53782 жыл бұрын
My first Japanese camera was an srt 101. Really remember it for the outstanding lens.
@racebearstv5 жыл бұрын
Enjoyable video,Gary,which I’ve watched several times!By the way,I still have my dad’s SRT 101,but even with the correct replacement 675 battery the meter won’t work - a common issue with these I believe.Do you happen to know how to fix this?Best wishes from another Minolta collector in the UK.
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
Regretfully, I don't know how to fix a broken meter. 😞
@zelluloidAT12 жыл бұрын
Great video! My dad and granddad were shooting Minoltas (manual focus) since I can remember. I'm mainly a Canon (film!) shooter, but I love taking my X-700 and X-300 out every once in a while. Very pleasant experience shooting both and I've got a XD5 on the way.
@henryrichardson3508 Жыл бұрын
The Minolta XK did not come out in 1978. It came out in 1973. I bought one in 1976 and sold it in 2000. I still remember the Modern Photography review of the camera that helped me decide to get it.
@FriedmanArchives Жыл бұрын
You're right; I must have been thinking about the XG-7 and XD-11. :-)
@henryrichardson3508 Жыл бұрын
@@FriedmanArchives - I sold the XK in 2000, but I still have the Minolta MC Rokkor-X PG 50mm f1.4 that I bought with it in 1976.
@FriedmanArchives Жыл бұрын
@@henryrichardson3508 That lens is legendary!
@henryrichardson3508 Жыл бұрын
@@FriedmanArchives - A few times I have used it with a cheap adapter on one of my several m4/3 bodies. I have many m4/3 lenses so I do not use adapted lenses much, but it was fun to use my old Minolta 50mm using focus peaking and/or view magnification for focusing. Results were really good too.
@samchapman47479 жыл бұрын
An excellent review! I still have my Dynax 9 and it's built like a brick latrine. there are only two niggles I have with this beast, which are the design of the On/Off lever, which could get accidentally switched on, (however, this was due to it's dust and water-resistant design, so what other type of switch one would replace this with, I'm not too sure!) and the batteries the body uses. The 'stacking' of the exposure controls around the rewind lever, plus the lock built into this, was ergonomically an excellent design feature. As you say, the narrow-mindedness of reviewers, whom were largely Canon and Nikon users/addicts, probably as usual, trying to find something to 'slag off' any other manufacturer's products.
@mike9696967 жыл бұрын
Sony made a big mistake, in my view, when they came out with the dumbed-down A100 camera and dropped the beautiful interface of the 7D. What a wasted opportunity! On the other hand, I think it at least does not have the "blank first frame" problem...
@FriedmanArchives8 ай бұрын
@@mike969696 They did eventually come out with the Alpha 700, which is the 7D's spiritual successor...
@ghw71928 жыл бұрын
Very enjoyable! I'm an admitted Nikon-o-holic from many years of working for newspapers in the 60's and 70's, but I have a selection of Minoltas that still see regular use and I will put my Rokkors up against any lenses Nikon or Canon made at that time. I love the X-570's, especially with the Motor Drive 1, because of the metered manual settings as well as aperture preferred auto and the fact that with an adapter, they work great with my old M42 screw mount lenses. However, I've always felt that the SR-T 102 was a highly underrated professional quality camera and still have the one I bought when they first came out. The full information viewfinder is great and my version has a mirror lock-up. I use 675 hearing aid batteries with a spacer and the meter works just fine 40+ years later. The only problem I've ever had was the plastic tip fell off the film advance lever and a part from a dead yard sale SR-T 200 fixed that.Excellent video--thanks for sharing!
@mike9696967 жыл бұрын
With the passing of time, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the SR and SRT cameras are going to have useful lives far in excess of those of the later electronic cameras. The same is true of every manufacturer who made top quality fully mechanical cameras in the 1960's and 70's...in my view the SRT and Canon FT/FTb/FX/TX/FP etc are at the top of the pile for affordable high-quality cameras which will keep working.