Loved this camera when it first came out and couldn't afford one since I'd been entrenched in the Nikon system for many years by the time it was introduced. Still an impressive camera. IMHO, the Minolta Rokkor lenses were 2nd to none and this is from someone who has been shooting Nikon professionally since 1967, but still thinks that his SRT-201 with its 50mm f/1.4 PG lens is still a favorite carry camera. Great review! Thanks and I'll blame you if I finally decide that I have to have an MX!.
Nice review, I think that minolta used a new metering system for the xm-motor because speed became more important with the use of motordrive. The CLC system was intended for horizontal use. If you want to use the camera vertically, you first have to meter light first horizontally for best results...
Absolutely fantastic, I really enjoyed the presentation and would be interested in wether you think that the Nikon F2 is better, I know your biased by I’m collect cameras and have always had a soft spot for the Minolta as it was my first SLR X700 and I loved it however it’s nice to get a view from such a knowledgeable person and Northern. Regards David
Glad you enjoyed it! The F2 is probably the best all mechanical camera ever made. The XM was an innovation at the time with its sophisticated electronics. They are very different cameras in use. I no longer have the XM, so that probably answers your question of which I prefer. :)
@@Samsung9alaxy much appreciated, I noted after I sent the message that it was six years since the video, but I live in Lyndhurst New Forest have done for past 30 years, but used to be a fireman in South Yorkshire Sheffield having Transferred over from Manchester, so it was nice to hear the dulcet tones of true people! I collect cameras and have a varied selection right across the board, but I’m light on the Older Nikon, shall we say in the upper bracket, revered F series F1 and F2, so you prompted indirectly, a bit of homework 📚 and I looked at several references to these models and your right the F2 gets glowing reports in fact it’s difficult to find a bad remark, also the XD in my Minolta there is an XM on eBay at present, that looks decent and money at present is good, but I think you have swayed me. Loved the various controls and invasions, Minolta where always like that though, even in the Dynax range it was always more, but probably their down fall. Still the name lives on with Sony and It’s Nikon that are really having to come up with the goods now. Still carry that premium Name and always will. Thanks again and nice that you got the message. Regards David
I had an XM back in the70s and it was a brilliant camera, unfortunately it developed an electrical problem after about 5 years that was going to cost a fortune to repair. I bought an XE5 body that would take all the same lenses and used that until I went digital in the 90s. I still have the XE5 and all the lenses that are just collecting dust in the attic that are not worth anything really but I can't bring myself to just throw them away . Years ago I had my car stolen with all my camera gear in it including the XM that cost a fortune back then. I managed to get my car back but the camera gear wasn't in it. After a while the police got it all back (less a flash gun) after it had been sold down the pub for £25 !
I had two of these back in the "day". Although I loved them the electronics tended to get flaky after a period of time. I really wanted an XKM, the motor drive version of this camera. They were very expensive and not many were produced. I had finally saved enough to purchase one but my camera store didn't have one. Surprisingly however my store decided that I really didn't need one. The few they were allotted for the coming year were already spoken for to go to real pro photographers. My poor photo skills at the time didn't qualify me as "worthy" of ownership. At the time I was young and took this as an insult. As I've grown older I realize now how full of myself I was. They were correct I wasn't worthy and I didn't need one of the magnificent XKMs. Now I can look back and laugh at it all. I still have quite a collection of other Minoltas which I still shoot on occasion.
Hi, Have you tried the Minolta 9? It is heavy but a viewfinder delight and a great precision of exposure and a pleasure to compose and solve technical difficulties. The XE-1(7) minolta has almost everything that the XM has without the weight and the first matrix (analogical) of a srl , a better development than the CLC system of the SR-T that only had two sensors vertically in the prism.
thanks for this video. very informative. my step dad just decided to pass down this exact camera to me today. there are a lot of accessories and lenses. he also gave me an srt101 (I believe it's an srt101), as well. I have been meaning to get back into film photography and this looks like a more than decent kit to do so. can't wait to go over all the stuff I have now and give it a go. the variety of minolta manual focus lenses should double duty very well for my digital Fuji camera with a proper adapter.
What a camera! Thanks for the review. I think I will track one down! Question, can it be shot effectively with the prism removed? Similar to how a Nikon F / F2 can be shot with no prism and waist level. Thanks!
With the prism removed you would not be able to select a shutter speed and there would be no metering. There is a waist level prism available that incorporates the shutter dial, but again it does not have any metering.
Nice video. I got my camera for free, and I'm not surprised why. Most of the features are stuck frozen and advance is jammed. Also appears to be mold in the camera :(
Remember walking 1/4 mile in the freeway to pick it up after falling from my bike , thanks to the cars who avoid running over it, to my surprise it was still working well bang around but working .
I have one of this and I am now studying to learn how to use it. But I don't know how to do lots of things and lens are not coming out... Any idea how i can get it fixed?
hello! So, i saw it, but it is stuck.... I am trying to find a place where they can help me repair it here, in São Paulo... I hope to find it. Tks for the help anyways. I hope I can share good news about it in the future.
At the time, most professionals would have been very wary of electronics in cameras, so as advanced as it was that would have been another slight point of friction for professionals to switch to the system.
Very nice review, thanks! I really enjoyed my XK and nice Rokkor glass for many years.
Loved this camera when it first came out and couldn't afford one since I'd been entrenched in the Nikon system for many years by the time it was introduced. Still an impressive camera. IMHO, the Minolta Rokkor lenses were 2nd to none and this is from someone who has been shooting Nikon professionally since 1967, but still thinks that his SRT-201 with its 50mm f/1.4 PG lens is still a favorite carry camera. Great review! Thanks and I'll blame you if I finally decide that I have to have an MX!.
Nice review, I think that minolta used a new metering system for the xm-motor because speed became more important with the use of motordrive. The CLC system was intended for horizontal use. If you want to use the camera vertically, you first have to meter light first horizontally for best results...
Absolutely fantastic, I really enjoyed the presentation and would be interested in wether you think that the Nikon F2 is better, I know your biased by I’m collect cameras and have always had a soft spot for the Minolta as it was my first SLR X700 and I loved it however it’s nice to get a view from such a knowledgeable person and Northern. Regards David
Glad you enjoyed it! The F2 is probably the best all mechanical camera ever made. The XM was an innovation at the time with its sophisticated electronics. They are very different cameras in use. I no longer have the XM, so that probably answers your question of which I prefer. :)
@@Samsung9alaxy much appreciated, I noted after I sent the message that it was six years since the video, but I live in Lyndhurst New Forest have done for past 30 years, but used to be a fireman in South Yorkshire Sheffield having Transferred over from Manchester, so it was nice to hear the dulcet tones of true people! I collect cameras and have a varied selection right across the board, but I’m light on the Older Nikon, shall we say in the upper bracket, revered F series F1 and F2, so you prompted indirectly, a bit of homework 📚 and I looked at several references to these models and your right the F2 gets glowing reports in fact it’s difficult to find a bad remark, also the XD in my Minolta there is an XM on eBay at present, that looks decent and money at present is good, but I think you have swayed me. Loved the various controls and invasions, Minolta where always like that though, even in the Dynax range it was always more, but probably their down fall. Still the name lives on with Sony and It’s Nikon that are really having to come up with the goods now. Still carry that premium Name and always will. Thanks again and nice that you got the message.
Regards David
I had an XM back in the70s and it was a brilliant camera, unfortunately it developed an electrical problem after about 5 years that was going to cost a fortune to repair. I bought an XE5 body that would take all the same lenses and used that until I went digital in the 90s. I still have the XE5 and all the lenses that are just collecting dust in the attic that are not worth anything really but I can't bring myself to just throw them away . Years ago I had my car stolen with all my camera gear in it including the XM that cost a fortune back then. I managed to get my car back but the camera gear wasn't in it. After a while the police got it all back (less a flash gun) after it had been sold down the pub for £25 !
Don't throw it away - sell it. Prices are high these days.
I had two of these back in the "day". Although I loved them the electronics tended to get flaky after a period of time. I really wanted an XKM, the motor drive version of this camera. They were very expensive and not many were produced. I had finally saved enough to purchase one but my camera store didn't have one. Surprisingly however my store decided that I really didn't need one. The few they were allotted for the coming year were already spoken for to go to real pro photographers. My poor photo skills at the time didn't qualify me as "worthy" of ownership. At the time I was young and took this as an insult. As I've grown older I realize now how full of myself I was. They were correct I wasn't worthy and I didn't need one of the magnificent XKMs. Now I can look back and laugh at it all. I still have quite a collection of other Minoltas which I still shoot on occasion.
Hi, Have you tried the Minolta 9? It is heavy but a viewfinder delight and a great precision of exposure and a pleasure to compose and solve technical difficulties. The XE-1(7) minolta has almost everything that the XM has without the weight and the first matrix (analogical) of a srl , a better development than the CLC system of the SR-T that only had two sensors vertically in the prism.
thanks for this video. very informative. my step dad just decided to pass down this exact camera to me today. there are a lot of accessories and lenses. he also gave me an srt101 (I believe it's an srt101), as well. I have been meaning to get back into film photography and this looks like a more than decent kit to do so. can't wait to go over all the stuff I have now and give it a go.
the variety of minolta manual focus lenses should double duty very well for my digital Fuji camera with a proper adapter.
Wing Yip Congratulations on your new aquasition!
What a camera! Thanks for the review. I think I will track one down!
Question, can it be shot effectively with the prism removed? Similar to how a Nikon F / F2 can be shot with no prism and waist level.
Thanks!
With the prism removed you would not be able to select a shutter speed and there would be no metering. There is a waist level prism available that incorporates the shutter dial, but again it does not have any metering.
fantastic review
Hello, thanks a lot for the good job. I really like your accent ;)
where in the UK i can get this version of the camera ...please
Nice video. I got my camera for free, and I'm not surprised why. Most of the features are stuck frozen and advance is jammed. Also appears to be mold in the camera :(
Nice find.
Remember walking 1/4 mile in the freeway to pick it up after falling from my bike , thanks to the cars who avoid running over it, to my surprise it was still working well bang around but working .
I always love watching your channel. If you could only have one 35mm film camera what would it be?
Warren Roddy Probably the FM3a as it's a good all rounder. Until I get a F6!
I have one of this and I am now studying to learn how to use it. But I don't know how to do lots of things and lens are not coming out... Any idea how i can get it fixed?
Frederico Purini Nardi Removal of the lens is shown after 16 minutes of video!
hello! So, i saw it, but it is stuck.... I am trying to find a place where they can help me repair it here, in São Paulo... I hope to find it. Tks for the help anyways. I hope I can share good news about it in the future.
At the time, most professionals would have been very wary of electronics in cameras, so as advanced as it was that would have been another slight point of friction for professionals to switch to the system.
I agree! The Nikon F3 wasn't at first accepted by professional photographers for the same reason.
Samsung9alaxy I think some now see the F3 period as halcyon days! :D
Tim Gander Thanks for the story!
Bought an A1 with a 1.2 lens while stationed in Germany in late 1972.
No you did not the A1 was not released until the mid 70's.
looks just like nikon f2
这台相机很少见，不过是电子快门的。
HOW MUCH CAN A MINOLTA XK COST?
Pepe Redondo I sold this one for £250.
600+ Euro in Europe now.
$299.00 in the US.