Minolta Maxxum 5 (Dynax 5, Alpha Sweet II) Video Manual 2: Operation & Custom Functions

[@jeffcsMN]

What an amazing video. I’ve owned my Maxxum 5 for 20+ years and honestly I’ve never truly known or appreciated the myariad of controls and customization this camera has to offer. I own an assortment of other vintage 35 mm SLR’s that I typically shoot with so my Maxxum 5 has just been sitting on my shelf. It literally looks like I just took it out of the box. I’ll be showing this gem of a camera some love it rightfully deserves. Thanks for the tutorial!

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@morganmaples5821]

Just picked this guy up today, thanks so much for such a detailed guide!

[@DavidHancock]

Nice!

[@jw48335]

Fantastic autofocus on these little cameras, best-in-class for that time period vs the F55/F75 or Rebels. I wish the pentamirror wasn't so prone to turning blue-ish. Ultimately I upgraded to a Maxxum 7 since the prism on those doesn't blue. I wish I'd kept one of these though as it was my first "serious" film camera.

[@DavidHancock]

Concur completely, and these are so incredibly light. Also, the only (I think) in-class camera with a metal lens flange. These were just made really well, aside from the mirror issue.

[@jw48335]

@@DavidHancock Did you see B&h is offering a massive 50% discount for creators on the Sony alpha one? $3180...

[@RhettAnderson]

@@DavidHancock Rebel T2, at least, has a metal mount. That's currently my favorite of this class, even though it's ugly as sin. It has crazy fast AF, so I'll compare it to the Maxxum 5 I just bought.

[@Manxkaffee]

Big thanks for this video mate.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@nalydaily4944]

Just picked up a minolta alpha sweet thank you for this video

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@williambenn4857]

Thank you for this helpful video.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@jacobpollard8672]

Thank you sir

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@SieDaniels96]

Great video, really helpful for any users of this cracking little camera. Just on that bracketing problem. It's because you had the continuous drive mode enabled. With this on, you must hold the shutter release for the three bracketed exposures. With single shot drive selected, it needs three separate shutter releases for the three bracketed exposures. If that makes sense?

[@DavidHancock]

That does and thank you!

[@RWD_Faiz]

Thanks for the video. I have the manual but video form is much easier to digest and refer to anytime 😅.. In any case that is a nice black model. Never knew they sold it in black.. Now I need to find one..

[@GertHellevig]

Hi David, thanks so much for publishing these tutorials. Just today (28 oct 24) I got my Sweet ii. I watched carefully your videos 1 & 2 about the Maxxum 5. Now I'm not sure if you made a third video as well? In any case, I have already learnt a lot, and tomorrow I will load my first film and start shooting. Thanks once more - Gert

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! I think it's just these two for this camera. Typically, the third videos when I make them are for highly complex cameras -- like digital camera menu systems.

[@GertHellevig]

@@DavidHancock and one more question: I would like to have an external flash that would work on my Sweet ii and my Sony A77 (mk1). Do you happen to know anything about that?

[@DavidHancock]

@GertHellevig unfortunately no. I know very little about the iiso flashes.

[@GertHellevig]

@@DavidHancock OK. Thanks. Have a good day!

[@sonyviva308]

I don't think anybody knows this much, but I have a hunch that movies and TV shows uses this exact camera as for the typical camera shutter Sound effect. If you shoot it in continuos mode it will sound exactly the same.

[@DavidHancock]

It's possible or if not this specific model then one of the other cameras with the same shutter installed. Once sounds make it into the audio library they tend to stay there.

[@pingu1506]

Hello David ! You say in the beginning of the video that you have had a number of cameras where the little plastic clip for the battery “door” has been broken. Well, this also happened to me, so I was wondering if you found any solution to get it fixed? Is it possible to replace the “door”? I tried looking for a website where you could buy parts of the cameras but didn’t find anything. Fortunately I macgyvered a way to keep it closed so the camera could still be used, but maybe there is better solutions out there. Thank you for your response (and for this video, really really helpful for a beginner) !

[@DavidHancock]

That's a pretty easy fix on these cameras. Find one on eBay that's in parts-grade condition and take the bottom off of it, then the door should be pretty easy to remove. Then since you'll know how to successfully take the bottom off one of these, just put that new door onto your camera and you should be good to go.

[@pingu1506]

@@DavidHancock Thank you ! I have another issue, the MF icon keeps popping up on the little screen without me touching any buttons, and its annoying because it’ll keep popping non stop and my objective we also make a noise each time and while its happening i can’t take any picture. Not sure if I explained it very well, but any idea what’s causing this?

[@DavidHancock]

@@pingu1506 That's probably a bad AF/MF switch and it sounds like the camera is flipping between the modes. I don't have a fix for that.

[@RhettAnderson]

I just bought a Maxxum 5. This video was great. Super helpful. Do you have a couple of Minolta AF lenses you recommend?

[@DavidHancock]

Nice! The 50mm f/1.7 and 28mm f/2.8 are both great lenses for this camera.

[@jeffcsMN]

I’m farsighted so the meter is a little blurry when looking through the viewfinder. Does anyone know how to adjust the diopter?

[@DavidHancock]

IIRC -- it's been years since I sold this camera -- there's a diopter adjuster next to the viewfinder. The first video SHOULD point it out. Just adjust it as you see fit until the meter is in focus.

[@jeffcsMN]

I have since confirmed that there is no diopter adjustment for this camera. Minolta made an accessory called the Eyepiece 1000 that attached to the viewfinder and was available in various maginfications e.g. +0.5, +1.5, etc. I've searched online and they now cost more than the camera body itself.

[@targetglen]

Excellent instructions, but I have a problem: I recently got the Dynax 505SI and the Dynax 5, and cannot make the little cursor appear which moves from Portrait mode to Landscape to Macro to Sport and then to Night. Everything else works perfectly. Batteries are fresh and new in both cameras. It's not covered by the manual except to tell me to use the button at top right. Which has no effect. Any ideas ?

[@DavidHancock]

Most likely the button to control that has failed. I forget if that button controls other things, but if it works for those then the issue is in the LCD. My guess is the button, however.

[@targetglen]

@@DavidHancock Thanks for the reply. Isn't it odd that both cameras have identical faults ? Particularly as everything else is flawless and the cameras look pristine. Keep up the good work.

[@DavidHancock]

@@targetglen Maybe yes, but if they had the same owner it seems possible that if they were mashing that button too hard then the damage could be the same. Just conjecture.

[@sreeharijayaram7908]

Hey, David. I think your battery polarity instruction was wrong maybe...

[@DavidHancock]

With Duracell, the copper end is the positive terminal and when they were inserted the camera turned on, so they must have been installed correctly.

[@red_nick]

I suspect you need to hold the shutter to bracket

[@DavidHancock]

That's a good idea. Thank you!

[@ВладСадовый-м9б]

Anybody know how to put flash in auto-mode? Pressing P button does not put it in auto. Tried to press the flash button on the side and rotate the right wheel but it doesn't work as well. Is something wrong with my camera?

[@DavidHancock]

Try the flash in manual mode. If it pops up then you know that at least the flash release mechanism works. Also try firing it in manual mode to test the flash. The flash SHOULD work in P mode -- not in full auto mode, however.

[@awngs9361]

I got 1 minolta sweet s alpha and now got error after snap a picture. Can you explain that. I need help.

[@DavidHancock]

I'll need more information. What's the error say? Is your film loaded correctly? Is your lens mounted correctly? Are the batteries good?

[@kamilp7527]

Anybody know how to get rid of the time stamp?

[@DavidHancock]

There's a time stamp control on the bottom of the back. You can use those controls to turn off the stamp.