Minolta AL

[Banjo]

I recently scored a very clean Minolta AL in good cosmetic condition and am having it CLA'd right now, as the shutter operation was erratic and the rangefinder and meter both needed attention. However, I have been assured that it should go OK once serviced.

Any other AL owners out there? Opinion, experiences, please?

[dof]

Yes, the AL is a great camera and often found at bargain prices. It's also fairly
easy to work on. That little round plate on top comes off and gives access
to the rangefinder adjustment screws -- a handy feature.

It has an excellent lens, nice viewfinder with parallax correction and shutter
speeds to 1/1000. It's hard to beat and, in my opinion, really better than a
lot of the more "famous" RF cameras that go for much higher prices.

The Minolta AL-S and AL-F are nice too.

[Scoo]

It was my first rangefinder and the only one I'd really use for stealthy street photography (the leaf shutter is quieter than my Soviet RF:s). The 40.5mm filter size comes in handy if one also have, for example, Soviet rangefinders. I think the viewfinder with its pink rangefinder spot is fairly bright (brighter than a Yashica Electro 35GSN), I did open up mine to clean it (proved to be unnecessary). The lens is very nice and the copal shutter on my sample is working excellent.

I haven't bothered with the built-in light meter and instead taped it over; I use a handheld meter or casually "sunny f/16". The only negative thing I can think of is that it's quite heavy for its size, I use a wider strap and keep the AL's "never-ready" case in storage.

[fish4570]

off topic: scoo, your signature is a hoot ...

back to topic: i have the AL's cousin, an A5. very nicely engineered hunk o' camera, but the rangefinder is difficult for me to use (old right eye) ...

[Banjo]

Thanks for responding, guys.

As I said, it's being CLA'd as I write, and now I'm just waiting to get it back.

What I really liked about it, when I saw it, was the extensive range of shutter speeds and apertures available: B to 1/1,000th, and f/2 to f/22!

(Not to mention flash synch at any shutter speed!)

It is as heavy as a brick, though .

[Banjo]

[fish4570]

Looking forward to some samples.