Minolta slr camera to learrn film shooting

[alaios]

Hi
I am looking for a minolta camera that would allow me to learn shooting in film.
So far I had bad luck on buying on ebay. I leave in Germany and if you can deliver here I would be very happy.

I am just asking for fully working cameras that were until recently used. I got few from ebay that either capacitor, led, prism, something else technical needed repair...

If you have such camera please write here.

Regards
Alex

[philslizzy]

I think a manual model may be best. One of the SRT Models, I have an SRT 100b and it is fine, works without a battery - the one in it only powers the meter. If the shutter fires after you've wound it - you've got a winner.

I have 4 Minoltas. The SRT100b, an XGM which has just gone kaput and a X700 which is a sexy beast. Plus a Dynax 3000 (I think) All are wonderful to use but I suspect the SRT100B will outlive everything.

[alaios]

what would be the cost for each of your beasts?

Alex

[philslizzy]

I'm not selling any of them sorry but:

The SRT100b (or it may be an SRT 100X) and its siblings the 101, 202 and 303 regularly go for £40 to £60 with an f1.7 or f2 lens.

The X-700 sells for anything between £25 and £70 depending which lens it has, the 35-70 f3.5 macro is the dearest one but is one of the best short zooms made. The camera is fully electronic with Auto, Program and full manual with metering.

The XG series are cheapest but not all have metering in manual mode. The XGM was top of the range and could take an autowinder (which mine shares with the X700)

My Dynax you can have for a fiver plus postage. But it is very limited, only full auto and no manual controls. Nor can you use legacy lenses in Minolta's SR bayonet . The lenses for the Dynax are in Minolta / Sony's A bayonet and will work on Sony SLR and SLT cameras - but probably not vice versa

The last three are fully electronic. If the battery dies you have no camera unless you carry a spare. Something to think about and could explain why a much older camera is worth more.

If you can pick up a body I'm sure I have a spare 50mm I can let you have.

All the above can take M42 lenses with a cheap adapter, which is a bonus. That said however Rokkors are pretty cheap on ebay and of superb quality.

There are a lot of minolta fans here.

[miran]

I also suggest one of the SRT line of cameras. I have a 303 and it's just amazing. Made of metal, very big and bright prism, fully manual controls, no auto anything, works without batteries (except for the light meter, but you can find compatible batteries if you really need the meter) and I think for learning to shoot film it is one of the preferred choices. The later models in SR mount are generally more plasticky with a lot of electronics that might work or it might not (and will require weird batteries either way) and some models (lower end) won't even give you full manual control (as in I'm so clever you don't have to do anything, just point and shoot). The AF Minoltas (alpha mount) are even worse in that regard, especially the lower models (auto everything, little manual control). Also for some reason the newer models have inferior viewfinders.