Minolta XE7 review and test.

Hello to all, this is the review of my minolta XE7 camera. Overall a very good and complete camera. If you have any doubt, or comment, leave it below. Thanks for watching.

[@BadKitty859]

Thank you so much for this review! My dad passed his Minolta down to me and this really helped out a bunch!

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

Hello Sydney, i am glad to hear that this video helps, hope you enjoy the camera!

[@gxaxw666]

Just got this camera and this video helps a lot. I previously use minolta SRT 303B and it turns out everything is pretty similar beside the electronic function

[@ciprianoravet]

This one is actually heavier if you can believe it, I have one and it is build more like a tank than the SRT. I'm afraid one day I'm gonna drop it on my foot 😅😅

[@user-pd2zn4up6m]

I have one too. It's a perfect camera if the light meter works correct and there is no corrosion on pentaprism.

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

keep shooting with it, very soft and sharp camera!

[@Eclectic_RN]

Thanks, really nice overview of what a collector should look for when buying one.

[@egomez7850]

Thank you for this tutorial! I inherited this camera from my grandfather but Im so excited to use it.

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

It is a pleasure to know that this videos help people out there. It is a very good camera, enjoy it!

[@steved5518]

Too neat features: (1) smoothest film advance lever movement in this world or any other; and (2) it has the Copal vertical shutter allowing for faster flash sync. I believe it is 1/100 vs normal horizontal shutter flash synch speed of 1/60. I don't need the auto function bells and whistles of program shutter found on X-700

[@journeyquest1]

My 1st real camera was an XE5 with 1.4 lens bought new in 76. Still have it along with another XE5, a couple XE7s, a black SRT 102 and an X700 with motor drive and a bunch of ROKKOR lens.

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

That particular X series are great cameras, super soft and smooth, love them.

[@danc2014]

You have a hot shoe for the flash, no need to plug the synch chord to the camera. This is an old camera but it is also one of the first electronic shutter no timing gears

[@northof-62]

I just bought its little sister, a mint XE-5 . The body is in chrome with black pentaprism/viewfinder. Everything works, but I don't trust the meter. Seems to give me way to optimistic speeds, like over 1/1000s at f/8 on a cloudy day (mid day at 62 degrees N latitude) at 200 ASA. This is ok for shooting clouds only. So I don't use it on AUTO. The XE-5 lacks the multiexposure button and has only an X-sync port. It also hasn't got the eye-piece shutter lever or any windows that enable seeing the chosen values for aperture and shutter speed in the viewfinder. But the mechanics, apart from this, are the same. Very smooth to operate and really and well made. Almost Leica feel. So far I have found a 28mm MC Rokkor which I love, and I have an MD 50mm f1.7. Thanks for your review. Sad you couldn't get any TLC on it. Be safe now. Cheers!

[@danc2014]

You said Leica like.. did you know Minolta and Leica did some co designs back then? CLE and XE7 were the outcome but the CLE is consider a classic. The XE7 has the smoothest wind and shutter release. I do have the jumpy auto shutter speed problem too and a prism decay.

[@northof-62]

@@danc2014 Ah yes. I believe the Leica R series were Minolta XE-7 based bodies up to the R7 model. Sorry you see you are experiencing the shutter problem too. I managed to track mine to a misplaced or jammed string that connects the readings/aperture to the shutter dial. Putting that back onto the relay wheels fixed it for my XE-5. The left top part can be removed separately, carefully noticing the order of disassembly and assembly. There are service manuals available. Hope you manage to make it work again. I have since got an X-700 mps which is more modern and works perfectly. The ideal pre-AF Minolta for me would be the Japan marketed only XD-S, as it has built in diopter correction in the viewfinder. Cheers!

[@melvinch]

I don't understand why camera reviewers don't bother showing how the viewfinder looks like.

[@MateusMedeirosBrilhante]

Hey, guys. My Minolta XE7 gets its mirror locked up whenever I shoot on AUTO mode. It works just fine on manual. Now I know this is usually a sign of low battery, but mines are brand new, so that's not the case. Even if I shoot on auto mode and the mirror locks up, if I just change it to manual, the mirror will come down right away. Does anyone know what could it be?

[@henrysiegertsz8204]

You glossed over the DOF Preview button on the Shutter release side of the camera, in fact you said that side of the camera was "Clean", with no buttons???

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

On watch later after work mate cheers 📷📷📷

[@isabellaholguin-veras248]

Hello pedro! I was wondering if you could do a review on a nikon FM camera? If it's possible. Thank you!

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

Hello Isabella, thanks for the comment. Right now i do not own one of tose, i will see if i can find one, as of today i only have zenit cameras, bit still thanks for the comment.

[@isabellaholguin-veras248]

Hi! Why can't I load the camera in order to test if the shutter is working properly. Does it need to have a battery in order to load?

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

Hello Isabella. In order to test the shooter speeds and the working condition of the camera, you do need to have the batteries installed, since the shooter is also powered by the batteries.

[@isabellaholguin-veras248]

@@pedrogabrielmejia6093 thank you so much for replying! my dad recently gave me his father's minolta and I'm trying to see if I can get it to work. After watching your video everything looks great overall, only that the battery port is a bit rusty but I think it'll work. I'll order energizer batteries from amazon!

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

@@isabellaholguin-veras248 Thanks for your comments. It is really good to hear that this videos are helpfull for people out there, makes me happy of the work. You could try to clean the batter port with a little of soft sand paper and a bit of 5-56 spray oil. That could help to make the contacts work.

[@OkayHobbs]

I wanna see photos

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

l will give you a drive link with the pictures. I used a Rokkor 45mm with kodacolor.

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

drive.google.com/drive/folders/1esgKgpI1apxjXQOmopaiAOFPcMn4RqvX?usp=sharing

[@bellarodriguez5844]

What size battery ???!!!

[@celestehernandez7852]

what film do you use for this type of camera?

[@pedrogabrielmejia6093]

You use 35mm film, either color or black and white. There are lot of brands out there like kodak, fuji, lomography, etc. I personally use kodacolor iso 200 that ia cheap and has good color.