Minolta went crazy with “si” models. There seem to be more of them than any other AF line by far. By my count, there were 15 main models with additional variations of some of those. The XTsi arrived in 1998 and seems to be the more advanced of the later consumer models. It is a typical consumer camera of the late 90s, with little in particular that sets it from the pack. So, why did I buy one? Like the higher level models, the 700si, 800si, and 600si, it has a battery pack!
I saw an eBay listing for one that had the XTsi sitting on a battery pack, with a description proclaiming that it worked. I’ve read a lot of Minolta marketing materials and a lot of forum posts, but I had never heard of a battery pack for an XTsi. A quick search proved that such a thing was authentic and extremely rare. Naturally, I bought the set right away.
Historical Background
Released in 1988, the XTsi appeared two years before the Maxxum 7 and three years before the Maxxum 5. Already, many of the features found in those cameras were evident. One thing separating the XTsi from other Minolta consumer AF models is its metal lens mount. Models, such as the 400si and QTsi have plastic mounts. The XTsi offers eye-start, subject modes, 1/4000 shutter speeds, ten custom functions (including leaving out the film leader), 90% viewfinder coverage, three stops of EC, a built-in flash, and spot metering. It even looks like the future Maxxum 5.
Inspection and appearance
The XTsi and BP-100 battery pack arrived in good condition. There were only a few minor scrapes and no dents. It had been well taken care of. The battery pack was also in good shape and worked well on first use. The first thing I noticed was how light the camera was. Even with the battery pack, it seemed to weigh less than an SR-T with lens attached.
It is small, but the grip is better for my hand size than that of the Maxxum 5. Controls are easy to access and use. The dial on the top left allows access to exposure modes and custom functions, among other features. The top LCD is large and easy to read.
The buttons for selecting subject modes (macro, night, portrait, etc) are near the top LCD. On the right rear of the camera, one finds the Spot AF button and Spot metering/AF button. Both are easily within my thumb’s reach, but with my large hands, they are somewhat cramped. On the right-sided vertical panel of the camera is a switch that changes the view from standard to panorama. The camera was in panorama mode when I initially loaded it, and I had not noticed that when testing just to see whether it worked. It was on the third frame that I realized the viewfinder display was odd and took the camera out of panorama mode.
The viewfinder is bright, but I was briefly put off because exposure data is displayed vertically along the left side of the viewfinder, and from the angle I was looking, I could not see the LCD readout. Panic set in that the LCD was dead, but then I saw the readout. I think this may be my only SLR that has a vertical display.
Function and Handling
The XTsi weighs a little more than 13 ounces, making it easy to carry one around for a day. Like all Minolta AF SLRs, loading and unloading film is easy. Pop in a roll, move the film leader over to the take-up spool, and close the door. The ISO is read automatically but can be overridden if desired. I don’t tend to like eye-start, so that was turned off.
The XTsi is very responsive. Focusing was quick and accurate—even when shooting in the fairly deep shade with a lens with a max aperture of f4. Exposure compensation, a pet peeve, was simple using the button alongside the lens mount and front wheel.
Shooting
I’ve used the XTsi with three lenses: 100mm 2.8 macros, 35-70mm f4, and 35-105mm. Each lens responded quickly when focusing. The films used included expired Fuji CN 100, Fuji Xtra 400, and TMax 100, and the results were good. I took the camera to the Hanh Woods, an old railroad trestle, along the beltline, and around the neighborhood. Problems arose only when shooting with 100 ISO film in the shade, which one might expect. I did find the vertical viewfinder display a little irritating. More than a few times, I would look in the viewfinder wondering what happened to the readout, only to realize it was not at the bottom of the viewfinder, but on the left side.
Images
Black and white images were taken with the 100mm f2.8 macro (panorama mode) or the 35-70mm f4. All color images were made with the 35-70mm f4.
Impression
Like the Maxxum 70 and Maxxum 5, the Maxxum XTsi is a capable, lightweight camera that is perfect for taking photographs during a casual stroll. The Maxxum 5 and Maxxum 70 have more focus points, which come in handy, but the XTsi performs well. Eye-start is there if desired, but I have rarely found that feature to be useful—maybe when chasing butterflies.
Ergonomically, the XTsi is a peach. The most used functions, such as EC or changing aperture or shutter speed, are quickly learned, and the spot focus button is quite useful. I use spot-focusing quite often.
Given a choice between the Maxxum 5 and an XTsi, I would likely choose the Maxxum 5. The Maxxum 5 seems faster to focus, and the additional focus points add a bit more flexibility. However, between the Maxxum 70 and XTsi, the XTsi wins on faster shutter— 1/4000 vs 1/2000. The Maxxum 5 also has a battery pack, so here, it’s a tie. However, the Maxxum 70 does not, so the XTsi wins on this feature against the Maxxum 70. All that being said, these are quibbles. At one point, I was looking to buy a backup Maxxum 70. However, the XTsi and its battery pack have made a second Maxxum 70 unnecessary.
One rarely reads about the XTsi, but a recent search on eBay shows they are selling well, so someone has discovered them. Like many AF cameras from the 1990s they perform well but receive little love. If you want a good, expensive AF Minolta, the XTsi is an excellent choice.
