Minolta X-300 Review

Overall Rating

Easy to use.
Long serving.
Good build.
Extremely sharp lenses.

Only up to 1/1000 s shutter speed.
Relies on battery.

I bought my Minolta X-300 (the older one with metal body) sometime in 1995. I sold it for SGD$250 and bought a X-700 (big mistake!). Several cameras and many years later, I bought back the same X-300 for SGD$125. The difference is that this time, I recognize the quality of the lens and camera body.


The Minolta X-300 is a metal body, manual focus camera with Aperature Priority (AUTO) mode. It does not have DOF preview and does rely on batteries (no battery-no click). It has a shutter speed range of B, 1 s to 1/1000s. Full information (full range of shutter speed with LED indication) is displayed in the viewfinder. I feel this is superior to the +/- exposure readings that can be found in some Nikon bodies. The X-370 is current production camera with a plastic body. I have not used it but the features are the same.


My camera comes with the standard 35-70mm zoom. And for a zoom lens, it is very sharp. I hear that original Minolta lenses are mostly really sharp. Metering is spot on. The controls are simple and intuitive. It feels as solid as my FM3a (and more so than my 500N). I have not seen the need to send it for repairs as yet.

It loses out somewhat due to the (slow) top shutter speed of 1/1000 s, no DOF preview and it depends on battery. But on the battery point, I must add that it has the same battery now as when I bought it in 1995.

My 2-cents:
If you are looking of a learning camera that doubles as a quick point and shoot, the Minolta is a great choice. The second hand lenses can be had for a song and the quailty is fantastic.

Did I mention I got mine for SGD$125 (or USD$70)?
:)

Members' Comments onStanley Wong.'s Review

• Jasmin Wong. on 14th Apr 2003

  I agree that the Minolta X-300 is a great camera to learn with. I got it as a gift and it is currently 11 years old but still as good as new. I love the manual functions and the ability to "construct" photographs. It's definitely one of the best cameras I've had the chance to play with.

• Roel. on 20th Apr 2003

  Agreed. I own my X-300 since 1987, and it never let me down, although operation conditions have been harsh and I made thousands and thousands of pics. Minolta lenses are perfect. Keep this one for ever!

• g. on 29th Apr 2003

  I agree the x-300 i lways thought was a good camera. Its nice to have some confermation.

• esagol on 14th Jan 2004

  Ýts one of the greatest cameras for beginners of photography ... I bought it from istanbul-Turkey nearly 130$ with the original 50 mm lens (second hand)... It gives me reasonable slides and photos from the most beautiful city of the world -istanbul- ... But lens's imaging quality is not as sharp as new minolta lenses...

• varmar on 28th Feb 2004

  I have owned my X-300 camera since 1985. It has really sharp images if used with the original Minolta lenses. I do not think the battery is a negative point as replacement is not required very often. I have carried the camera in a fighter aircraft cockpit and can report that it works flawlessly from 0 to 50,000 feet!

• Lirezig on 14th Jun 2004

  I own 3 camera's my first SLR being the X300. What a beauty!! It has given me some Top slides-esp closeup macro lenses.I now have the X700 (its good- and I was supposed to get rid of the old X300 - but NO - its with me. Minolta lenses esp fixed lenses are better quality than zoom...and 2nd hand they are quite reasonable-compared to Nikkon.

• ceres on 23rd Jun 2004

  Not so much a comment as a question, but i have recently been given a X-300, but without a manual. As i have no experience in photography yet, but really want to get started with it, i was wondering if anyone could help me out with how to get my hands on a manual for this camera.
  Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

• stanley c wong on 24th Jun 2004

  Addressed to Ceres.
  
  The X-300 is a really basic camera. You could probably figure the controls by yourself. But just in case...
  
  I once got a copy of the X-300 manual from the Internet for free. But I can no longer find the website and I have since lost the file. However, I did find a copy of the Instruction Manual for X-370s. This is essentially the same as the X-300. I flipped through the manual to make sure.
  
  You can download a free copy at:
  
  http://www.minoltausa.com/eprise/main/MinoltaUSA/MUSAContent/CPG/CPG_SupportCenter/ManualResults
  
  At the courtesy of MinoltaUSA. Have fun!

• Peter25 on 24th Jun 2004

  Hi Ceres,
  
  If you follow this link
  
  http://www.biowriters.com/emmanouil/images/x-300en.pdf
  
  it should take you to a page with the complete x-300 manual, (the page takes a while to load-there are about 40 pdf pages)

• ceres on 25th Jun 2004

  Thanks heaps guys, very helpful! :-)

• dachlady64 on 24th Jun 2007

  I bought my Minoltax 300 at a yard sale and no one will probably believe me but I got it for $5.00. It came with the strap and the 35 -70mm lens I am looking for a owners manual or something so I will know how to get better pictures. I have taken pictures with and it does work if any one knows where I might get a book on it please email me dachlady64@yahoo.com. Thanks.