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 the time of its release, the Minolta 700si was at the top of Minolta’s 90s product line, technologically. Minolta needed a hit after the “xi” series’ poor showing. The 700si brought in accolades–I have no idea how well it sold.
My 700si was purchased in 2019. At the time, very few 700si models were available for sale. It took a few months of waiting before a working model appeared on eBay. When it did, it cost only 25.00. I was trying to collect all of the AF seven-level Minolta SLRs at the time. When I bought the 700si, the 7000, 7xi, 70, 7000i, and 7 were already on my shelf. Tellingly, having owned the 700si for four years, I’ve only shot it a few times. The 7xi has made it off the shelf only twice. Don’t misunderstand–the 700si is a very capable camera. I have been pleased with its responsiveness and metering accuracy. I even like the little “anti-shake” warning symbol in the viewfinder. So, why don’t I use it more???
Historical Perspective
The 700si took the modal user interface and Creative Function Cards to their logical conclusion. I don’t care for modal interfaces, which remains true for the 700si. The 700si works well and takes excellent photos, but that interface rubs me the wrong way. The Creative Function Cards are either a pain or a nice touch, depending on who you ask. They are a nice touch for the 7000i to 700si models, the most useful being the Custom Functions, Fantasy, and Data Memory cards. Cards such as Background Priority (hyperfocal distance), Close Up (Macrophotography), and Depth (depth of field) can be helpful for those learning photography because they emphasize those principles.
The Data Memory card allows for storing exposure data (FL, f-stop, shutter speed, EC) for forty frames, which can be handy. I tried keeping notes for exposure data. But the notes always had missing info whether I used paper or my phone. The Data Memory 2 Card can store data for four rolls of film. This capability is built into the 800si, Maxxum 9, and Maxxum 7. But a Memory card might be handy for 7000i, 7xi, and 700si users.
I find the Creative Cards interesting, and for those with a historical interest in Minolta, the cards might be worth exploring. Some, such as the Fantasy card, provide special effects unavailable on other Minolta models (the Maxxum 7 can sort of replicate the behavior). I’m going to review Creative Cards in a dedicated post.
After releasing the 700si in 1993, Minolta released many more “si” models until 1999. The XTsi, 400si, and similar consumer models have Creative Card features (Portrait, Depth, Macro, Background). The 800si (1997), the most advanced “si” model, offered built-in Creative Card features and a more powerful flash, among other capabilities, but kept the modal interface to some extent. The 600si (1995) was a return to classic camera design. During this time, Minolta was experimenting with features and the user interface. Ultimately, the classic design won out for the Maxxum 7, Maxxum 9, and subsequent models.
Inspection and Appearance
When buying inexpensive cameras on eBay, one doesn’t expect much. However, my 700si arrived in excellent condition. The grip, a weak point for the 700si, was in perfect condition, except for a few minor scratches. Overall, the camera looked barely used. Even the light seals looked great.
Less bulbous than the 7xi, the slimmer 700si feels more natural in my hands. Following the design of its predecessors, the top of the 700si has the Mode button, which along with the front control wheel, allows one to select an exposure mode (P, A, M, S). A Memory button offers the ability to store exposure settings for later use (for example, to create an exposure setting that activates spot metering when in S mode). The top LCD is large and displays all needed info related to metering, exposure mode, and drive mode (single, continuous). The Card button activates creative cards inserted in the side door, standard on all models from the 7000i to the 700si.
The back panel offers an AF button that allows one to select one of four focus areas when used with the front control dial. A Spot button grants immediate access to spot metering—a feature I love on cameras. Flash and exposure compensation are activated using buttons to the left of the lens mount. For those situations where manual focus is essential, an AF/MF button to the lower left of the lens mount allows one to use manual mode for a specific shot.
Function and Handling
The viewfinder window is clean, and the display is not too cluttered. The 700si offers a Metering Index, a vertical readout showing the difference between the camera’s center-weighted metering exposure suggestion and the more detailed 14-segment honeycomb metering. Using this info, one can see how situations such as backlit scenes affect exposure. This is a neat feature for those who like exact metering info. The display appears when the exposure compensation or spot buttons are pressed. I like it! The usual exposure info (f-stop, shutter speed) appears on the viewfinder’s bottom.
At about 21 ounces, the 700si fits into my comfort range for camera weight. I love my 50s rangefinders, but they can be heavy. The flash is easy to use—raise the flash and activate it using the button. Film loading is simple, as with all Minolta AF cameras. Eye-Start is a love or hate feature. I usually turn it off because it doesn’t seem helpful in most cases. When chasing butterflies, it is.
Shooting
I shot rolls around the garden and while out and about. Around the garden, I used the 100mm f2.8 macro with a +2 close-up filter and without. Otherwise, I used the 35-70mm f4 and the 35-105mm f3.5-4.5 lenses. Fuji Color 100, Kodak UltraMax, and Kentmere 400 were used for images.
Even though I rarely take a camera out without a strap attached, I rarely use the strap while shooting if the camera has a grip suitable for my large-ish hands. The 700si grip is quite comfortable, and the coating is not slippery. Eye-Start is a feature that allows the camera to focus faster. The process begins with the grip, which has two conductive strips. When Eye-Start is “On,” and a hand covers the grip, as soon the camera is lifted to one’s eye, it starts metering and focusing the lens. Placing a finger on the shutter release completes the focusing process. Ideally, one can shoot action faster and more accurately with Eye-Start.
Metering was perfect as I shot sunny, high-contrast scenes and scenes with deep shadows. All exposures were spot-on. AF speed was acceptable, as I don’t recall the camera having difficulty locking focus.
As always, I shot predominantly in aperture priority mode. Using the control dials for quick changes was easy and natural. Garden shots were high-contrast, mid-day images, and the camera handled them quite well. It did the same with pictures shot in morning shade. At all times, the viewfinder was easy to read and informative.
Impression
I like how well the 700si performs, despite the modal interface. Autofocus speed is good, and metering is accurate. The grip is just the correct size for my hands and very comfortable for walking about. Exposure compensation is easy to do (addressing a pet peeve).
The weight with a lens attached can get up there, but using the 35-70mm f4 with it is a no-brainer. The Metering Index seems like an excellent innovation for managing exposure challenges such as backlighting or high-contrast scenes. Still, having shot in challenging light conditions, the camera did fine without any adjustments on my part.
Structurally, the camera is well-balanced, sturdy, and solid without being a barbell. So, why don’t I use it more often? That is hard to say. I don’t hate it, but neither do I look forward to taking it out to shoot. Perhaps, the problem is it has too much competition within my collection. At any time, my camera shelf has a Maxxum 7, X-700, Freedom 160, AF-C, and 7D within easy reach–one of those will usually meet the need at hand. Any other camera choice usually arises out of a desire for a specific experience, like wanting to shoot a 50s folding camera or be fancy with an XD-11. So far, nothing about the 700si makes it stand out as a shooting experience. That said, it is a good camera that will yield great results. It would certainly work as an only camera. If you can find one in good condition, it is worth a try.
