Minolta Dynax / Maxxum 5 (alpha-Sweet II): my favourite point-and-shoot!

[@markgoostree6334]

Early July , (2024), I bought one of these from a yard sale. It looks as though it has never been used... even though I'm sure it has seen a few rolls of film. They were ready to take $8.00 for it but I left $30.00. I will put a roll through it soon.

[@philosynth]

The KZbin algorithm recommended this channel to me and I subscribed immediately. I am also a fan of Minolta (I have several Dynax and an XG-M) and Sony A-mounts (at the moment I only have an A-100 and I really like it). Your in-depth analyzes on lenses have been very helpful to me. I look forward to seeing more videos of your journey through film photography. Thank you!

[@marcelocampoamor4761]

Good video thanks. I am a big Minolta collector (I also use the cameras very often I should add, I don't just buy them), also Olympus SRL and some Canons and Nikons as well as old Konicas and Mirandas. I usually watch videos of KZbinrs commenting and giving their opinions about that analog world from not so long ago. There are many interesting interviews with very good information, as well as a lot that is not worth it. When it comes to Minolta, there is something that never ceases to attract my attention. When it comes to Minolta's proprietary system, the majority seems to have agreed and which to me seems not only boring but also quite uninformative. It highlights the fact that the flash shoe is proprietary and that fact alone makes it meaningless and points against the camera automatically and as a universal truth. To begin to argue with that plethora of detractors who did not take the trouble to see if that was really the case, I am going to argue the pros of that system and also comment on the suitability of a non-proprietary system. To begin with the only real advantages of a standard hot shoe is the use of other things that are not flash such as remote triggers or some other accessory that in general are not used by consumers since even if they have the same hot shoe the use of a flash per example Nikon on a Canon must be done in manual mode because automation is not supported. Minolta's proprietary system has several advantages over the standard one, it is safer and easier to use, but most importantly it gave consumers the ability to have access to wireless flash without having to purchase remote trigger systems. For example, with the Dynax 5, a large number of flashes can be fired remotely without using anything other than the built-in flash and that was already possible since the SI series. What's more, Sony flashes are even compatible with those models. I remember when the Dynax or Maxxum 9 was announced in 1998, most critics dismissed it as a professional camera that had a built-in flash without taking into account that this flash was for using the wireless lighting system.

[@The157ra]

Thanks. Very interesting. I picked up a Dynax 3 and a Dynax 5 for A$15 and A$20 in 2006 when nobody wanted them anymore. I never new what that back AF button was for till now.

[@Minolta_Andy]

Very nice review, thank you for keeping it entertaining. Im a big Minolta fan. The Dynax 5 is so underated. With a Minolta AF prime its a dream to use. Nice tip regarding exposure compensation. Thank you 🙏

[@10rollsoffilm11]

Thanks for watching! 🙏

[@jerryrichards8172]

I have not used this camera but hear nothing but good things about it. It's a minolta if it's anything like my minolta X-700 That I have solely used used from 1987 to this day without any repair needed it will just keep working with that beautiful minolta color.

[@10rollsoffilm11]

The feel of earlier manual focus minoltas is quite different, even the relatively plasticky X/XG series. I have a soft spot for XG-M in particular as it was my first proper camera ❤️

[@IIPhotography]

Excellent review, superbly delivered.. will break out my 5 and and FP4 shoot something tomorrow. Have subscribed. 😊

[@10rollsoffilm11]

Thank you so much for the kind words - and the subscription, of course! 🙏

[@andybaldwinphoto]

Nice review. I have one of these (a Maxxum 5 version) as well as a Minolta 9XI. The 9XI is a much better camera, but the 5 is so much better for hiking long distances with for landscape photography.

[@10rollsoffilm11]

I secretly like the Xi generation of Minolta cameras, they are certainly not everyone's cup of tea in terms of design and ergonomics but it's always great to see a company that thinks outside the box.

[@AlexLuyckxPhoto]

I remember when I was starting to look at autofocus SLRs, and a local 'bargin' shop had an in-box Maxxum 5 (this was the late 1990s or early 2000s). I never got one because that shop had a reputation for selling hot items. And while I've still wanted to try one, I don't think I'll own one; I'll stick to my 70s. But good to know about the AF might explain why I have that same problem with my 70.

[@10rollsoffilm11]

AF on the 5 is indeed a tricky beast!

[@janisbrod]

Is there any way to set the AF permanently to only use the center AF point (without having to use the AF button each time)?

[@10rollsoffilm11]

Not to my knowledge... But it's entirely possible I missed it deep in the manual somewhere!

[@maciekd.8556]

CUST #9 -> 2: "Wide focus area and local focus areas set with the control dial while pressing the spot AF button. The focus area REMAINS selected even after releasing the spot AF button."

[@waggington]

@@maciekd.8556 This video was so good and this comment makes it even better. Thanks

[@Unrelatedseries]

I have a question if it is possible to mount a manual lens to this camera with an adapter?

[@10rollsoffilm11]

Personally, I don't have experience adapting lenses to Minolta/Sony A-mount and would expect it to be a rather tricky affair: with flange distance (from lens mount to film plane) of 44.50mm, it's in the unfortunate spot where other popular lens mounts either have a shorter flange distance (so adapting lenses from those will not let you focus at infinity, only somewhat usable for macro work) or longer but not by enough to fit a lens adapter, which is typically at least two-three millimetres thick... 🤔

[@ciragoettig1229]

@@10rollsoffilm11 No experience with it but I was interested as well - It does seem an impossibly thin requirement for the adapter. But somehow, and perhaps suspiciously, there is an adapter for this that is being sold (I won't name products in ppl's comments, but its googleable) - now apparently only for some m42 lenses: they say the following re compatibility -- "If your M42-mount lens has no aperture pin, tabs, or levers; or if it has an aperture pin that does not fully depress (small tabs stick out), it is considered a type-1 lens and this V1 lens mount adapter is compatible with it. However, if the aperture pin of your M42-mount lens depresses all the way down, your lens is considered type 2 and is compatible with V2 adapters" -- and as far as I can see they don't have a V2 adapter for the A mount, only the V1 one seems to be listed. They do have a V2 adapter for some other mounts though, so I wonder if the reason is just lower demand or tighter geometry of the mount. There's a picture illustrating the look of the lenses and the required adapters too. And they do claim they maintain infinity focus, I'm not sure how and does the pin have anything to do with it. Perhaps there's some tolerable small slack re infinity focus or the base of some lenses somehow? Or maybe its just false advertisement.

[@ciragoettig1229]

ok, reading further, however it is doable exactly, it seems its unremarkable and known to long time minolta users that a simple thin adapfer for m42 to a mount works -- I'm reading a blog of some vintage camera reviews (they owned the 7xi and 700si back in the day), I guess I shouldn't link it w/o permission -- anyhow -- in a 600si review, they just mention in passing that they're using such an adapter and that it works fine, although as you note, the viewfinder limitations are a pain for such use. picture of an unremarkable circular piece of metal next to the lens is shown, like any other m42 adapter.

[@aryanarch8066]

I have just bought one with 28-80 AF Zoom Camera + MINOLTA AF Zoom Lens 75 - 300mm for £40. Is that a good deal?

[@10rollsoffilm11]

It's a good kit to see if you like shooting film. If you decide that it's your jam, I'd then look into other lenses (especially primes). Good luck!