How to Use: Minolta X-700 - Kamerastore

The X-700 brought Minolta back into the conversation for competitively-priced, feature-rich 35mm SLRs and gave the Canon AE-1 Program some competition. This SLR packs a lot of fancy electronics into its 80s-styled body, and Connor is here to help break down what all the buttons, dials, and switches do!
If you're looking for a serviced, working, guaranteed Minolta X-700 why not check out our website? We have a team of mechanics & technicians dedicated to keeping film cameras alive, so you can trust a camera from us to work well into the future!
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Time Codes:
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00:00 - Introduction & History
01:12 - Installing the Battery
02:37 - Installing the Lens
04:09 - Setting ISO
05:20 - Rewind Knob
05:43 - Exposure Compensation
06:12 - Hot Shoe
06:40 - Turning the Camera On/Off
07:20 - Setting Shutter Speeds
08:00 - Program and Auto Modes
08:27 - Aperture Priority Mode
08:44 - Program Mode
09:23 - Advancing the Film
09:49 - Frame Counter
10:06 - Aperture Ring
11:16 - Depth-of-Field Scale
12:00 - Focus Ring
12:35 - Self Timer / AE Lock
14:08 - PC Sync Port
14:28 - Lens Release / Cable Release
15:15 - Depth-of-Field Preview
15:56 - Battery Compartment & Tripod Socket
16:52 - Loading the Film
20:15 - Rewinding the Film
21:45 - Viewfinder: Overview
22:20 - Viewfinder: Manual Mode
23:17 - Viewfinder: Aperture Priority Mode
24:10 - Viewfinder: Program Mode
25:07 - Viewfinder: Exposure Compensation
25:45 - Viewfinder: Focusing Aids
27:15 - Conclusions
28:00 - Things to Look Out For

[@kennethmcghee8723]

Oh my God I found my x700 in a box when I stored it when I was 17 years old. I have grandchildren now. The most interesting thing are the comments I didn't know that people would even use this camera anymore. It's what got me interested in photography

[@Kamerastore]

Plenty of people are still using film cameras or discovering them for the first time. Check out our website, I'm sure you'll find some things that are nostalgic to you! (-: - Connor

[@jimgraves4197]

I have an X-700, it's a very reliable camera. The Aperture priority and full auto modes are bang on.

[@defensedad]

I just came across one of these for $50. Gets here in a few days. I'm excited to play with it. The X-700 was the 1st "real" camera I bought back in the 90's. It sparked my interest in photography.

[@fustigate314159]

I think the three contacts @19:05 are for the optional date back (that would expose the date on the frame to ensure you knew you were in the '80s and '90s ;-)

[@xTheTamingx]

My X-700 is coming in next week. First SLR film camera! I'm excited to try it out!

[@Kamerastore]

I hope it works well for you! Thanks for watching (-: - Connor

[@tommymonolo]

Absolutely wonderful guide and tuition …I will watch this over and over again to perfect all you have taught me.. Thank you

[@katiepetkewich]

I haven’t used my X-700 since a few years ago for my b&w film photo class, and I’ve forgotten how to meter the light. This video is super helpful! I’m excited to get back into shooting!

[@lohlsoos3204]

Perfect video to watch if you’re a beginner or just want to know everything about how this camera works

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to hear it. Thanks for watching! (-: - Connor

[@danielleemily1110]

My dad just gave me his old minolta X 700 and this video was super helpful! I’ve very new to photography and pretty much know nothing abt it but you made me feel so much more comfortable and excited to use it!! Thank you

[@Kamerastore]

Awesome, Danielle! That was our goal. (-: Film photography can be a bit intimidating to newcomers, but we want to make it as welcoming as possible. The X-700 is a particularly great camera for newcomers, so you got a good one. Good luck with your first rolls and feel free to reach out to us here or on instagram ( @Kamerastorecom ) if you ever have questions! - Connor

[@catherinegeil1011]

Awesome video thank you! Detailed and to the point

[@Kamerastore]

Thanks for watching, Catherine! (-: - Connor

[@fuentes.mp3]

This is super informative and easy to understand! Thanks so much for this video.

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to hear it! I hope your photos turn out well. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@kirstinzahradnick1479]

Thank you so much for this video! My uncles Minolta X-700 has been on display as decoration in my families living room since he stopped using it in the 90's, and now as I'm an aspiring professional photographer his camera and lenses can be put to good use! This video was so informative and helpful. I will definitely be a customer for the Kamera Store:)

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to hear the video was helpful!! The X-700 is a great overall camera and I hope you take some great photos with it (-: Feel free to reach out to us if you have questions, want to troubleshoot, or are interested in getting any lenses, film, or accessories! We're on Instagram @Kamerastorecom (-: - Connor

[@spakecdk]

You actually can use an ISO 6 film - rotate the ISO dial to 25 and the Exposure Compensation should enable you to go two stops down (25 -> 12 -> 6). So in practice, it can handle ISO 6!

[@fustigate314159]

Good hack! What's interesting and shows how the exposure compensation works, the ISO dial is the same as the exposure compensation under the plastic. Both turn the same brass disc different amounts. The disc has toothed slots like a gear for the ISO and a few slots a little further around for the exposure compensation to index on.

[@calme_]

This is a really great explanation video for beginner users 👍🏻

[@Kamerastore]

Glad to hear it!! Thanks so much for watching (-: - Connor

[@benwijma]

Great video brotha

[@Kamerastore]

Thanks for watching! (-: - Connor

[@KevinBrooks_c]

Thanks for the explanation! Just got mine today and if wasn't this video I wouldn't notice there should be a Aperture Readout while mine are just pitch black at the bottom!

[@Kamerastore]

Oh no! Hopefully your camera is working properly. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@MMIGZ]

Would recommend the X-700 to any new photographer! Has all the features you need to get the basics down. I have never used programme mode, but it’s a good tool to have. Aperture priority is really nice too.

[@tyeg1697]

i almost didn't rewind my film..........like and subscribe

[@Kamerastore]

Consider that like button SMASHED. Thanks for watching. (-; - Connor

[@Kevinmoore992]

Great detailed video ! Ever seen issues with a stuck MD coupler? Just bought one and it won’t budge

[@Kamerastore]

Yes! They can get sticky over time and require disassembly and cleaning.

[@anthonymd6003]

I have two lenses that have green 11 16 and 22 will the program mode work for those lenses on any number or only the x700 lens? I’m confused and new to all of this

[@Kamerastore]

Those lenses will work in program mode when set to the aperture number furthest to the right (the one in green). Each Minolta lens should only have one aperture number in green. Program mode will only work with lenses that have the green aperture number. Earlier lenses can only be used in manual or aperture priority modes! Hope that helps, thanks for watching! - Connor

[@bootdownthedoor324]

I noticed when in program mode, if I move the aperture setting around, the green P doesn’t blink to signify the lens isn’t set to program mode. Should I be concerned about this? I was just testing it to see if it’s functioning properly..

[@Kamerastore]

Good eye! I would just do your best to leave the lens at its most narrow aperture (where the program lock is/would be) while using it. While it's all in program mode, you can make sure the aperture is capable of changing by shooting it facing a dark area and then a bright one. The aperture should be different. At the end of the day, these are over 40-year-old cameras filled with electronics so there's always a chance of some unusual behavior. Hopefully, your camera is still capable of all its automated functions! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@fukolombobby]

You can meter for iso 6 just use exposure compensation

[@Kamerastore]

We thought that was a bit more advanced than necessary for a true beginner. (-: There's a ton of room to grow and experiment as a photographer when you have a camera like the X-700! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@user-gt4mi3km7o]

Even if the depth of field button isn't pressed down on manual mode, will it take the photo on the aperture it's on automatically or do you have to hold it down to take the photo at that aperature?

[@Kamerastore]

No need to hold the depth-of-field preview down! The camera will automatically stop the lens' aperture down when the shutter is fired. Hope that helps! - Connor

[@user-gt4mi3km7o]

@@Kamerastore yup that was it. Thanks man! I just recently got the Minolta x-700 and I didn't know it had open aperature meetering.

[@corwinfreak19]

Just got my first x-700, I have a question for the viewfinder section of this video! You mention in manual that you will not know the shutter speed selected, but then when talking about it later you mention it will show you the shutter but not the aperture. This is just a little confusing to a newbie! Mostly because I’m not sure what exactly I’m not supposed to be seeing lol? Thanks!

[@Kamerastore]

Hi! Sorry for any confusion! The X-700 has a few different exposure modes that cause the LEDs in the viewfinder to act differently. I'll try to summarize: 1. Manual mode - The user picks both shutter speed and aperture. In this mode, the LEDs on the right will indicate what shutter speed the camera's computer WOULD pick based on the given lighting and aperture selection. Choosing the shutter speed is up to the user, and there's no indication of what shutter speed is currently selected on the physical dial on top of the camera. So you have to take your eye away from the viewfinder to confirm/change the shutter speed. 2. Aperture-priority AE mode - The user picks the aperture setting and the camera picks a shutter speed. In this mode, the LEDs on the right side will indicate what shutter speed the camera will pick when the shutter is fired. It calculates this based on the current lighting, the ISO of the film, and your selected aperture value. 3. Program AE mode - The camera picks both the aperture and shutter speed. In this mode, the LEDs will also show what shutter speed the camera will select. There won't be any indication of the aperture that the camera will select, since the lens' aperture has to be locked to its minimum setting to activate program mode. So basically, in all modes the camera will tell you what shutter speed it would select. In manual mode, though, the camera doesn't tell you what shutter speed YOU have selected on the physical shutter speed dial. This is noteworthy because it means you have to take your eye away from the viewfinder to see it. Future models (like the Minolta X-500) fixed this issue. Hopefully, that helped! Thanks so much for watching. - Connor

[@corwinfreak19]

@@Kamerastorethis was so helpful, thank you for clarifying!!

[@peacemannen]

I’m completely new to this and this might be such a dumb question. But while shifting on my aparture ring, i can’t see any of those ”metal blades” that can clearly be seen in the video. Why is that? Is my aparture ring faulty or am i stupid?

[@Kamerastore]

Not a dumb question at all! If the lens is mounted to the camera, you'll only see the aperture blades when you fire the shutter. Take the lens off the camera and the blades should close down (-: The camera holds the aperture open when a lens is attached because it lets more light in this way. That makes it easier to see through the viewfinder for focusing and composing. If your aperture doesn't close down even separated from the body, then it's possible the lens isn't working properly. Aperture mechanisms can get quite sticky and oily over time and many vintage lenses haven't been repaired or maintained for decades. Hopefully it's not that, though! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@MarianelaBalderrama]

Do I have to turn the film advance lever every time I take a picture?

[@Kamerastore]

Yes! The film advance lever moves the film into the right position (it needs to move out of way of the previous shot or all your photos would be on the same bit of film!) and also preps the shutter! There are attachments you can get called Motor Winders that will automatically advance the film after each shot, though! For the X-700, you'll want to look for Minolta Motor Drive 1. Here's one from our store. (-: - Connor kamerastore.com/products/minolta-motor-drive-1-minolta-md-8?variant=48581246157133&=gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0_WyBhDMARIsAL1Vz8vEn5YDmsj94zUz5HxwJccawCRoeYN2yh0UYWpQjyXOqLDKZCJqCs0aAs4vEALw_wcB

[@MarianelaBalderrama]

@@Kamerastore thank you so much!

[@avebave6550]

Hi I have a question! I just bought this camera as my first ever camera! I'm in Tokyo and taking a lot of pictures. I'm a bit worried though because I'm about halfway through the roll and I noticed a change: when I first advanced the film at the beginning of the roll, the left dial spun a good amount as I advanced it (the dial that if you pull up on it, it opens the back of the camera). But now when I take a picture and advance the film, that dial spins much less than it first did when I was taking pictures. Did I make a mistake and now the film isn't advancing as much as it should? Or does that happen as the film goes on? Thank you!

[@avebave6550]

Hi again! I'd like to add to my question: so I finished the roll, took all 36 pics. I then held the tension button down and spin the lever. It took a while, like it must've been at least 30 rotations of the lever to finally roll the entire roll up. This worries me, is this normal? It could've been like 50 rotations tbh. I'm afraid the film didn't pull across enough when I advanced it and I just have a bunch of bunched up pictures on one 3dge of the film. Thanks!

[@Kamerastore]

Hi! I would not be too worried. The rewind knob moves according to the advancing lever. So as long as you push the advance lever to its full extent and the rewind knob moves accordingly, you should be sorted. Let me know how the images turned out. :) -Tuomas

[@avebave6550]

@@Kamerastore oh wow thank you so much for the response! And what a coincidence I had just sent a 2nd comment 😅 I am nervous since it's my first ever roll and I pray my Tokyo pics come out. I'll update you!

[@hypermnesium]

I just bought one of this from your store and I have a question. Do all X700 feature a Judas Window? Because mine doesn’t!

[@hypermnesium]

After further investigation, the window is there but almost no light passes through it

[@Kamerastore]

@@hypermnesium It's possible the tiny mirror that reflects the light from the aperture ring to the viewfinder is out of place or missing entirely. All X-700s had this feature from the factory, but it's been nearly 50 years of use for some of them so there are bound to be plenty with small issues like this. Hopefully it still works normally for you. Thanks for watching! - Connor

[@hypermnesium]

⁠@@Kamerastorethanks for the reply. I sent the camera back for repair and came back perfect! I’m assuming it was missing the mirror. Great customer support from you guys as always.

[@waltertomashefsky2682]

Why do people insist on keeping those gold JCII stickers on their cameras. Okay, it’s your camera and you can do what you want but back in my day (and I had a X-700 and XE-7 and other Minoltas) I’d always carefully peel them off first thing before they got scuffed up and the glue got hard to remove. Are old cameras worth more with the sticker on resale? Do they look better with a cheap paper sticker?

[@Kamerastore]

For most people, it doesn't matter so much so leaving it or peeling it isn't even something they consider. If the sticker is in good shape and not peeling, we leave it. If it's falling off, we remove it Simple as that! Thanks for watching. - Connor

[@garnieross9958]

It has a stepless shutter. It does tell you what the shutter speed is. When 125 and 250 are flashing it's telling you the shutter is in between those two numbers. You can chioose whichever one of the numbers you want as your exposure you gently turn the ring watching the lights. Us old guys know how to do these things.Stepless shutter has so many advantages. Was more desirable to have. Now people don't want to think. Point and shoot. Sad.

[@Kamerastore]

Hey! We were referring to the actual shutter speed dial, not the in-finder LED display. The camera does not tell you what shutter speed you have selected on the physical dial, only what shutter speed it would recommend. This was improved on the later X-500, where both the selected and recommended shutter speeds are shown in the viewfinder. Thanks for watching! - Connor