The X-570 is not flashy. It is best described as a gracious, reliable, helpful companion. It doesn’t chew with its mouth open, expect you to laugh at bad puns, or eat the takeout you tried to hide in the back of the fridge. It is simply there when needed andContinue Reading
I have a respectable assortment of Minolta gear, even a few big-deal items like the 58mm 1.2 and an SR-2 camera. I enjoy owning them, but I enjoy using them even more. The Vintage Minolta Love project (VMLP) has motivated me to track down sometimes obscure Minolta objects. The project’sContinue Reading
Manual focus cameras force one to concentrate on the fundamentals of photography. Using a manual focus camera requires a sequence of tasks: compose the image, meter the scene, set the aperture size, set the shutter speed, and shoot. You must be familiar with concepts such as depth of field andContinue Reading
The Minolta XK (XM/X-1) is a storied camera, a fine example of Minolta innovation introduced in 1972 with interchangeable finders and auto-exposure. It was Minolta’s first stab at a professional camera system, offering 8 seconds to 1/2000 shutter speeds, aperture priority shooting with auto exposure, and nine user-interchangeable focus screens.Continue Reading
Being in command of an extraordinary machine is an intoxicating experience. I’m a huge Star Trek fan, and the bridge has always held a particular fascination for me. The sense of being in absolute control of an immensely powerful ship–the lights, the screens, the sounds–has never lost its appeal. AlthoughContinue Reading
After settling on a Pentax 645 system, I had little interest in buying more gear. However, a few items have found their way to my door. There are three lenses, two cameras, and a book, and all charmed me with their reputations and unexpected affordability. Clearly, I had no choice.Continue Reading
Starting in 2019, I began compiling information about Minolta gear for my use. Soon, keeping track of where to find reviews and gear suggestions proved to be tiresome, so I wrote them down, and those notes became “Buying and Collecting Minolta: A Guide for Newbies.” At one point, I neededContinue Reading
My first eBay purchase was a Maxxum 7000i with two lenses: a Minolta 35-80mm and a Minolta 75-300mm from the last generations of Minolta’s AF lenses. At 42.00 for the set, which included a flash, I thought I had done quite well. Generally, I was happy with my purchase, andContinue Reading
Those following along will remember my quest to try as many Minolta manual zoom lenses as possible. I am doing this for the VMLP and a little bit for the same reason people climb Mt. Everest. However, in the case of the 80-200mm, f4.5, there is a detective story of sorts. When the Minolta-LeicaContinue Reading
About two years ago, I spied what looked to be a nearly mint black SR-T 101 in a large eBay lot of four lenses, three books, an SR-T SC-II, and a pack of SR-T spare parts. Hoping to fulfill my dream of owning a black 101, I wrote to theContinue Reading
