Minolta X-700 Review

Good Points
Compatible with the many MC/MD lenses, many of which are available 2nd hand. The automatic mode with MD lenses. Feather touch shutter button, which will tell you shutter speeds just by touching the shutter button lightly. DofF preview, 1/2000 max shutter speed, being able to see the aperture set through the viewfinger and the camera grip.

Bad Points
Will tell you the recommended shutter speed, but *not* the shutter speed you have set. The other models in the X series tell you that!!

The annoying 'too slow' beeper, which thankfully can be turned off.

General Comments
I have read the other reviews. I bought my Minolta X-700 35mm SLR Camera second hand off Ebay, and it appeared to be well cared for. Since then, I have used it and it appears to be fine. I haven't had any problems so far. I know that the current X370 is now made in China, if possible make sure any manual Minolta camera you may buy is made in Japan, because they're made better.



There aren't many quality, manual cameras you can buy new anymore. New X700s are available but rare, and the don't forget new Nikon FM3As cost are listed around £500ish. Thus, X700s are actually quite cheap.



My one is well built, and as they used to be professional cameras, they are designed to withstand a reasonable amount of punishment. They have a fairly good feature set that includes a 1/2000s top shutter speed, DofF preview, PC flash socket, aperture priority and fully automatic modes.



Essentially, a X700 will do everything you want a manual camera to do. It's better built than the Centons (Minolta and Pentax replicas), but is cheaper than a brand new Nikon manual. There are also extras (eg MD1 motordrive, autowinders, backs etc) that can still be found. I have never needed them though.



Good all round camera.