Minolta XK Day!

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 to come by. However, I’m seeing more for sale lately, although the prices are just as high. The accessories, however, are still scarce, and because of that, they tend to cost close to the price of a camera body.

Minolta went all out to accessorize the XK, offering six finders and nine focusing screens. The standard finder was the AE, an auto exposure unit offered in 1972. Nikon and Canon did not match the XK’s autoexposure capability until years later—(Nikon in 1980 with the F3 and Canon in 1981 with the F-1). The AE finder was paired with a PM focusing screen (split-image with microprism band)). Ninety-nine percent of XKs for sale have AE finders and PM focusing screens, so locating other finders and focusing screens can be like looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

By spending way too much time scouring eBay,  last year I obtained a high-magnification finder and a waist-level finder. These finders  took four years of searching. But recently, I found a pot of gold—a seller offering five focusing screens (G, H, M, P, S) in a lot with a working XK (no finder) at non-ridiculous price. I have all the a focusing screens I want, and the only remaining finder I am interested in is the AE-s (silicon instead of CdS).  But, in five years, I have only seen one for sale, and it was badly dented.

One of these days, the XK will make it to the front of the user-experience report queue. But, for now, I’m just enjoying owning and using my pieces of history.