Minolta XK (X1, XM) Video 1: Interface, Features, and Layout

Minolta's XK was the most-complete professional-grade system camera released by Minolta and one of only two ultra-high-specification bodies they released. The XK competed with the original Canon F-1 and Nikon F2, but had specifications and capabilities in line with the Canon F-1N, Nikon F3, and Pentax LX, cameras that all arrived up to ten years after the XK was introduced. A victim of its own price, the XK cost as much, in 1973 dollars, as a medium-format DSLR in 2017. Not many people could afford these; not many bought them; today not many are available so they've retained their value.
But Minolta built them well with extensive quality control. Even original XK units, like the one in this video, work generally well and command high prices on the used market.
A truly heavy 35mm film camera, the XK reminds the photographer that it's there all the time. This is not a hiking companion.
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Minolta XK (XM, X1) Review and Photos
• Minolta XK (XM, X1) Re...
Minolta XK (X1, XM) Video 1: Interface, Features, and Layout
• Minolta XK (X1, XM) Vi...
Minolta XK (X1, XM) Video 2: Operation, Load Film, Change Batteries, Mount Lenses, Take a Photo
• Minolta XK (X1, XM) Vi...
Video Index:
0:07 - Skip the Intro
0:20 - Minolta XK Overview
3:48 - Minolta XK Features - Top
10:32 - Minolta XK Features - Front
14:12 - Minolta XK Features - Back
15:29 - Minolta XK Features - Bottom
16:46 - Minolta XK Features - Inside
18:05 - Notes and Special Features
22:11 - Things not to do with Your Minolta XK (X1, XM)
References:
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en.wikipedia.or...
camerapedia.wik...
artaphot.ch/min...
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[@Gabez82]

I just recently bought an Minolta XK fully boxed with all original packaging with the Rokkor-X 35mm f1.8 from a Retired doctor in San Diego!! He was meticulous about taking care of it. It was purchased originally in ‘75, and works flawlessly. Love this beast of a camera.

[@DavidHancock]

Fantastic find!

[@eliedelorme9945]

C’est mon appareil photo favori. Il est solidement construit de laiton et d’acier. Il de ce fait stable et fiable. Il est intuitif une fois qu’on le maîtrise. J’aime surtout la correction d’exposition fine à ressort de rappel pilotée par le pouce. La visée est très juste et claire, le déclenchement reste discret. La double cellule est précise et indestructible donc bien protégée au fon du prisme. Il peut déclencher sans prisme pour des photos indiscrète ou à ras du sol. Les optiques Minolta sont aussi performantes que les autres japonaises voir certaine avec leitz. C’était mon premier appareil et je viens d’en racheter un par nostalgie et je vais l’utiliser avec le Minolta le 50f2 compact léger homogène et permettant d’obtenir des images nettes et précises sur l’ensemble du champs dès la pleine ouverture en parallèle avec mon nikon Df que j’adore egalement. N’attendez pas de vous en procurer un.

[@DavidHancock]

Très agréable! Minolta est définitivement, aujourd’hui, très sous-estimé par rapport aux autres fabricants d’appareils photo vintage. Ils avaient une optique et une qualité de constructi

[@AndrewKaiserPhotography]

I've always wanted one of these. I have a nice collection of Minolta manual focus bodies including the SRT-101, SRT-102, X-700, XD-11, X-570, etc. I'm missing an XK though and I think that would round out my collection nicely.

[@DavidHancock]

They're really nice cameras, without a doubt. I like it, even though it has personality quarks and is possibly the heaviest manual focus 35mm SLR ever made.

[@boyplunger222]

Damnnn. Neat. I've yet to spot one of these in the wild. Lucky!

[@DavidHancock]

They're pretty fantastic to use. Heavy, hard for hiking with, but they're great to use.

[@marcelocampoamor4761]

Very nice review David. I think the very first camera , at less for minolta, with TTL and full aperture light metering was the SRT-101. I understand why you call the XK the first professional camara Minolta make but the XD7(XD11) without many of the XK features was in my opinion a professional tool and the Minolta 9xi too.(with somes ergonomics problems I agree)

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! Yeah, the XD11 and 9xi are often pointed out as other pro-grade cameras. What I don't know about those is if they were marketed directly to professionals like the XK and Alpha 9 were.

[@Gabez82]

Everyone forgets the Maxxum 9000, it was a professional camera

[@vladcam4]

...hi, nice video presentation of your Minolta XK. I wanted to mention that there was also a motordrive model build (same year?) that was based on the former XK model. This variant was called the "XK Motor" or "XM Motor" in some continents. It had a fixed motordrive en battery compartiment under the bottom plate of the camera. These days the XK Motor is very scarce on used markets online...and when its ever pops up for sale, the tended to be saled for astronomic prices...i think its cost at least 5 times more of a price for a mint Nikon F2 or Canon F-1 from that same are and also professional like machines..Greetings Evandro 🙂

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you, Evandro! I agree that the motor version of these is obscenely expensive. And, frankly, and F-1 or F2 will be FAR more reliable and serviceable if they break.

[@lorcansmith1252]

Just found one for €10 with 50mm f1.4 lens. A few shutter problems but I'll get it sorted out.

[@DavidHancock]

Nice! That's a great find!

[@bedevere007]

beautiful

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@markwasmer]

I had one in the late '70s, way to heavy and bulky for my tastes. Traded it in on an XD11. Minolta's failure to include a detachable motor drive hampered sales to the pro market. Minolta had a prior model aimed at the pro market, introded in 1965. Called the "SRM" it featured a built in motor drive but omitted an internal light meter, just when pros were accepting this feature.

[@DavidHancock]

I've heard that the SRM is incredibly heavy, but haven't ever seen one. I'd be afraid of carrying this camera with an MD on it. :D

[@Otokichi786]

I remember when the camera magazines did a (somewhat) complete rundown on this system camera, and thought that it was a tad late to the film SLR parade/show. Then I went back to using my Nikon FM and F2, wondering what The Next Big Thing was going to be. (Ilford black-and-white film was the next big thing, so you didn't have to buy FP3 and HP3 from Freestyle Sales.;)

[@DavidHancock]

The professional market has always been a narrower market than the others, but the old pro bodies are really fantastic today.

[@flowermaze___]

What an interesting camera! Can it be shot without a prism on it effectively? I notice the shutter speed dial comes off with the prism, that would make it tricky…

[@DavidHancock]

I would not recommend it with any camera that has a removable prism. Light can get past the mirror during exposure and fog the film.

[@35alanp]

This is a grate review, however, as an owner of a X-700 (along with a SRT 201, 2 XE-7s, XD-11, XG-1, X-700 and a X-570) I would think the the "PRO" camera that replaced the XK, would be the XE-7, which is basically an XK but with a fixed pentaprism. After the XE-7, the XD-11 would also be one that I would consider to be a pro-camera. And finally, the X-570 could be considered as a pro-camera (I've used it professionally) but in my opinion, it would be a stretch. The last manual focus camera that I would consider as a pro-camera would be the XD-11.

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! I haven't used (or even seen) XD and XE series cameras yet. They are, however, very high on my list of cameras to review.

[@MadisMcLembrus]

9000 and 9xi were also most certainly made for the Pro market.

[@DavidHancock]

I always forget about the 9000.

[@tittfestx3]

Hey I don’t know if you’ll see this but I took the prism off and now when I reattach it it doesn’t lock in with this shutter Speed dial so it’s essentially just spinning and not changing the shutter speed how do I attach it so it locks into place?

[@DavidHancock]

You'll need to turn it until it clicks. It should seat at some point. It took me a few times to get it to reseat when I first got this camera.

[@tejajonnalagadda5068]

Thank you for this amazing video !! When do you use sensor switch and what is the use of using it

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you! It's designed to let the cameras know it's about to be used. Functionally, it's a battery saver.

[@FrederickSlowly]

Page 15 of the owners manual states that "The camera will use power ONLY when the electronic shutter is released". The Senswitch or the power switch turns power on ONLY to the meter and is MANDATORY when the camera is set to AUTO, because the meter reading is required by the camera body to work in auto mode. On all other shutter settings (manual modes), optional power to the meter is there to allow the photographer to see the exposure for reference. That is the reason why the camera still works without a meter or viewfinder attached with no the need to press the Senswitch.

[@sarahtownend2663]

Thanks for the great manual, i am having a play around with my camera with film in and the shutter dial is stuck at 1/250. it will rotate upwards to 1/2000 but won't go below 1/250. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@DavidHancock]

Hmm. Curious. Will it rotate beyond 1/2,000?

[@lukehumphrey8293]

Do you think this camera is still worth buying!?

[@DavidHancock]

Depends. If you get one that works, they're nice and good to use, but VERY heavy. If you want something with the same capabilities in a lighter body, check out the X-570. The XK is a great camera with a lot of nice features, but the weight is a big issue for it.

[@lukehumphrey8293]

@@DavidHancock i have the 570, 700, and 370 i love all of them but i wanted something older. I think i might go for it. Really appriciate your knowledge and your videos keep it up man!!

[@hoorayforpentax3801]

Neat camera. Minolta really were ahead of the field; it's a pity they're out of the game (and no, I do not count Sony; they have taken their own distinct direction with what they were given). 20:00 IIRC it wasn't quite the first aperture-priority SLR. I think if you check your Pentax history, you may find that the Electro-Spotmatic and perhaps even the significantly more reliable ES just beat this into the market... though it may be close, and it may come down to a matter of weeks or months between them.

[@DavidHancock]

You're right, the Electro came out in 71 in Japan and as the ES in 72 worldwide. It was the first pro-grade aperture-priority SLR.

[@jeffreygoldammer1741]

Looking at getting one of these, would you consider them reliable?

[@DavidHancock]

The camera yes, the metered prisms less so.

[@jeffreygoldammer1741]

I keep reading about these mirror lock up issues that has me concerned, the one I’m looking at looks clean cosmetically; by the way I appreciate your vids

[@DavidHancock]

That has to do with a couple of factors. When the batteries die, the mirror locks up mid-exposure. To undo that, just remove the batteries. I get the sense that the XK does drain batteries quickly, most likely due to aging electronics. Or it may be more fair to say it needs fresher batteries than other cameras. Whenever I take the XK out, I make sure the batteries are new and that I have a spare set to use, too. Keeping the spares in my pocket helps keep them warm so they're more effective if I have to swap them out.

[@FrederickSlowly]

@@DavidHancock The mirror will also lock up if the camera is set to AUTO and the meter is not powered up with either the Senswitch or the power switch. Power to the meter is MANDATORY when in AUTO mode.

[@quatie]

Hey David, where is a good place to get free lightroom presets?

[@DavidHancock]

I'm a Photoshop guy, so I don't use Lightroom much.

[@hansemannluchter643]

The "X" on Rokkor lenses just indicates it was for the North American market. There is no difference between Rokkors with "X" and without, other than the "X".

[@DavidHancock]

Thank you!

[@steveg8322]

Luke I am your uncle!

[@DavidHancock]

LOL

[@steveg8322]

Darth Vader's kid brother.

[@DavidHancock]

It definitely has that look.

[@Gabez82]

No, this predated Darth Vader’s debut.