Folding cameras were not supposed to be part of the VMLP. I was drawn to SLRs and was quite happy limiting my photography journey to them. That feeling held until I used an Autocord. Yes, the Autocord is a TLR, but the 6×6 negative yielded such clear,Continue Reading
By May 2019, I was three months into my photography journey. My camera collection consisted of a Maxxum 7000i with a crumbling grip, a Maxxum 5 with a discolored focus screen, 600si, 7xi, 700si, 7, and 7000. It had been maybe a little more than a month since IContinue Reading
Taking only a 135mm lens out for a walk proved to be just as jarring as the 24mm. Taking the 24mm and 135mm out on separate walks has given me a new appreciation for quality zooms. As with the 24mm, I quickly discovered I’m a poor judge ofContinue Reading
For me, the Minolta X-600 was only a little less mythical than the Minolta Sky. I had seen references to the X-600 in passing but had never seen anyone mention one until a member of the Minolta Collector’s group showed pics of his newly-arrived prize. Intrigued, I searched forContinue Reading
I have seven types of cameras: AF SLR, Manual SLR, P&S, rangefinder, TLR, folding, and digital. I count the Pentax 645 as a manual SLR. There was a time when I had only AF Minoltas. They all work pretty much the same, with the higher-level models having more features. AsContinue Reading
Time passes quickly, as it was a little more than two years ago when I wrote a post (Minolta Love—Enjoying My Toys!) describing my impression of all the cameras I had at the time. Should you read that post, you will find that I had only two non-SLR cameras—a 7sIIContinue Reading
The XK was Minolta’s first stab at a professional camera. It did not sell well. However, it was advanced for its time and backed by a range of excellent gear. These days, the XK is very much a collector’s item. Working models are pricey and, until recently, relatively hard toContinue Reading
Window light fascinates me. Maybe because so many paintings feature scenes with windows as a light source. Since the light typically enters the scene from the side, it throws shadows that increase the depth and texture of the scene. I’ve spent the last four years studying the lighting patterns atContinue Reading
Life is full of surprises, some pleasant, some not. The Maxxum 70 is a pleasant one. The Maxxum 70 was my next purchase after the Maxxum 7000i. This was in March 2019, right before I learned Minolta no longer existed and that the Maxxum 70 was the last Minolta filmContinue Reading
I try to avoid thinking of myself as a collector. That way, I don’t allow myself to get caught up in buying items unless I plan to use them at some point. However, because of the VMLP, I am interested in historic or unusual items. This Super A meter isContinue Reading
