Earth, Sun, Film Minolta Pages
Minolta Camera and Lens Repair Services
Buying and Collecting Minolta: A Guide for Newbies
What is the Vintage Minolta Love Project?
Minolta-Focused Websites
Manual
Artaphot (German –some English) – Detailed reviews of Minolta manual lenses with comparisons across versions.
Dennis Lohmann: Minolta Manual Lens DB – Exhaustive list of all Minolta manual lenses. It introduced a widely adopted naming/classification scheme.
Rokkor Files – The best historical coverage of manual Minolta gear I have come across. If you want dates, models, and other details with lucid, interesting narrative, this is it.
SubClub – I have trouble with this site. For a long time, I could not access it (“Server not Found” message). Recently, it has worked—sometimes. I have accessed some materials by using the “cache” versions that appear in google searches. My mileage has varied—good luck.
Autofocus
Dyxum – Crowdsourced reviews and ratings for Minolta and third-party lenses for A-mount and Sony E-mount. The focus is on digital cameras, but the reviews and ratings apply just as well for film.
Fotographie – A detailed listing of Sony/Minolta AF cameras, lenses, and accessories with specifications and images
Kurt Munger – Detailed reviews of Sony and Minolta autofocus lenses and Sony A mount cameras
Minolta User’s Group – Good source of information about Maxxum/Dynax cameras. Site with the best information about Creative Expansion Cards.
Social Media
Reddit
(r/minolta)
FaceBook
Minolta Autocord TLR Users
Minolta Collectors
Minolta Film Cameras (Private)
Minolta Maxxum 35mm Cameras
Minolta History and Facts
Camera Wiki
Minolta Camera and Gear Manuals
Butkus
Manuals Library
Tutorials
– Minolta Capacitor Replacement (678 Vintage Cameras)
– Aperture Base Plate Repair (Reddit)
Minolta Books and Magazines
Manual Cameras
Cooper JD. The Minolta Guide, 1959
Covers all Minolta cameras available at the time of publication with a particular emphasis on the Minolta SR-2. It contains valuable historical and technical information along with general photography topics such as exposure, depth of field, etc. Worth having.
Cooper JD. Official Minolta SR Manual, 1965
Covering all SR models, I have found it an excellent reference for technical information—one of the few publications to mention the SR-3.
Cooper JD. Minolta SR Pocket Companion, 1965.
Basically a more portable version of the large book. It focuses mainly on the SR-7, and surprisingly, has a section on the Minolta ER. It reminds me of the Kodak pocket photography guides.
Reynolds C. The Minolta XE-& & SR-T Book, 1975.
Though the ebooks provide information for XE cameras, this is the best I’ve seen for the XE-7. Of the SR-T line, it covers the 100, 101, and 202.
Cooper JD. Minolta System Handbook, 1976
This an encyclopedia covering all SLR gear up to its 1976 publication date. It has the best discussion of Minolta lenses I have ever seen anywhere. That alone makes it worth having if one is a collector. It also covers general photography topics.
Emanuel WD. Minolta SR Guide, 1979
Covers SR-1 to XE-5 (not SR-2 or SR-3) basically a pocket-sized user manual–very handy with good technical info. Better than the camera user manual.
Reynolds C. The Minolta Way, 1979
Reynolds covers models from SRs to some XGs. General photography topics are addressed with an emphasis on features of Minolta cameras. One of my favorite Minolta reference books.
London B. A Short Course in Minolta Photography: A Guide to Great Pictures, 1979
I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I bought it because her textbook is so good. It is a good intro for someone completely new to film photography. Otherwise, it is far too basic. Good section on metering.
Shipman C. How to select and use Minolta SLR Cameras, 1980
Shipman includes a lot of technical information in his guides. They go far beyond being user manual accessories. Each covers the technical aspects of metering, exposures, filters, and related topics. This edition covers the XD-11, XD-5, XG-9, XG-7, XG-1, SR-T201, SR-T 200. These are great books, but may be overwhelming to beginners.
Curtin and London (eds). The Minolta Camera Handbook, 1981
Covers the XD11, XD5, XG-M and XG-1. Another book for absolute beginners. Does not offer much insight into the cameras. A brief section on film processing is interesting.
Shipman C. How to select and use Minolta SLR Cameras, 1982
This edition covers: X-700, XG-M, XD-11, XD-5, XD-5, XG-9, XG-7, XG-1.
The Complete Minolta SLR Camera and Accessory Guide, 1983
Covers the XG-1, XG-A, X-700, and X-570. This is a good overview of accessories and options. Quick read and a decent reference.
Medium Format
Steinberg W. Minolta Twin Reflex Guide, 1968.
I bought this as a curiosity because I had never seen it before. It contains useful information about later models. Copies are hard to find, so maybe worth it if one collects such things.
Autofocus Cameras
Shipman C. How to select and use Minolta SLR Cameras, 1989
This book follows the same format as the manual camera guides, but for the Maxxum 3000i, 7000i, 5000, 7000, and 9000 and associated lenses and accessories.
Hennings H. Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7xi, 1991
For me, the 7xi was a hard camera to get to know. The manual did not really help. This book is much better and covers expansion cards and accessories much better than the user manual.
Dinning D. Complete Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 700si, 1994
A good resource for 700si owners, it offers basic information about Minolta lenses and has the best reference section on Minolta Creative Expansion Cards that I have come across. Accessories are covered well.
Burian PK, Maschke T. Minolta Maxxum 600si, 1995
I bought this book after reading the user manual. I should have read it first.
Mayer RE. Minolta Classic Cameras, 1995
This is an odd book. It covers the SR-T 101, XD-11, Maxxum 7000, 9000, 7000i, and 8000i. Yet it manages to provide useful information despite the range of cameras covered. I bought it because I didn’t want to buy individual books for every Minolta I owned, and while lacking the depth of the others, it has been helpful. I’m glad I have it.
Modern Photo Series (Book series published by Minolta)
Black & White Developing at Home, 1982
Simple, easy to read, but packed with useful information. I took a darkroom class and wish I had this before attending.
How to Use Your 35mm Camera, 1982
Written for the absolute beginner, like other books in this series, it is easy to read. Basic concepts are covered and clearly explained. If you know nothing about film photography, start with this.
What Your Lenses Can Do, 1982
I bought this because it came with the other two and was basically free. It is an excellent companion to the 35mm book and a great introduction to lenses and how to use them effectively. I wish these had been the first two photography books I bought.
Burian P. Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D (Magic Lantern Guide), 2005.
Like other Magic Lantern Guides, it offers information and tips not found in the user manual. I wish I had a guide for my Maxxum 7 that went into this depth. If you have a 7D, very likely this is worth buying.
Minolta Magazines
PhotoClubAlpha
An online archive of articles covering the Maxxum era
Minolta Mirror Magazine
An official publication of Minolta, it was produced from 1975 until 1993. Shown here is the 50th Anniversary Edition, which I bought because of the articles on Minolta history.
Minolta Mirror, 1981
This edition has a very interesting article about Minolta’s lens making efforts. It’s a good find for a curious Minolta Lover.
