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
It seems everyone has written about Minolta SR and SR-T cameras, which only makes sense. They are the first and second generation of Minolta SLR cameras and are praised for their sturdiness and performance. These classic cameras, built like tanks, work great and produce excellent images. An SR-T 101 wasContinue Reading
I’ve just had a complete eBay buying experience. It began with an effort to buy a Minolta-35 rangefinder—Minolta’s Leica-inspired rangefinder. The Minolta-35 was manufactured from 1947 until 1959 and proved to be a capable Leica competitor during its run. Eight models were produced—models A-F, II, and IIB. While the Minolta-35Continue Reading
Camera collectors are nice people. Well, at least they are no worse than anybody else—except when it comes to camera gear. I’ve come to realize that camera collectors have no sense of proportion. They never ask, “How many do I really need?” You see, a regular person who owns aContinue Reading
The Minolta 700si won the 1994-1995 EISA award and a few others after its release in 1993. Today it has faded into relative obscurity. Looking at sold listings on eBay, one finds that only a few are sold in any given period. There are YouTube videos, though, so that’s good. At theContinue Reading
I’ve favored autofocus cameras for the last four years because they make creating images easier. In particular, aperture priority shooting with accurate metering leaves me unencumbered to compose and shoot. When chasing birds and insects, autofocus is a no-brainer choice. So, I am surprised by my growing affection for 50sContinue Reading
The Stars, as I call them, are a group of lenses I longed to try but never thought I’d own—the 24mm f2.8, 85mm f1.7, 58mm f1.2, 100mm f2.5, and the 35mm f1.8. The Stars are expensive but readily available— unlike those I call the Legends (20mm 2.8, 21mm 2.8, 24mmContinue Reading
I have more cameras and lenses than I need. Most were bought because of the Vintage Minolta Love Project (VMLP). When I bought them, my plan was to write a user experience report, keep the gear I liked, then sell the others. Thus far, three years into the project, IContinue Reading
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
