Minolta X-300: A Strong Reflex

What can I say when I must talk about the camera wished for years? I can say that I take photos from 1977. Until 1983, perhaps of punctual and sporadic form, but from this moment, photography turned into a love for me. At this time, I began using an SLR, but it was not mine, so I started looking for one. It came from 1990, and it was a Minolta X-300, a second-hand one.

Originally, with a Rokkor lens 50 mm. A wonderful camera!

The zoom lens is more versatile, and could easily be changed with other compatible lenses. But the most curious thing, the fact is that there were still commercialized several models which were copies of Minolta X-300 (I remember the Centon, and the Samyang and believe that Exakta also had it). This discovery allowed me to have another lens for my camera. Also, it is possible to connect an optional power winder, which increases the weight of the camera.

It’s a 100% manual camera, beginning from the selecting of the film´s sensibility in a wheel placed under the crank of rewinding. The camera back doesn’t have a window to see the spool. But there is the “most modern” window where you can place the reverse of the case of the spool. A completely analogical way of identifying the spool of the interior!

Next is focusing, choose the opening of the diaphragm and the speed. But precisely, the camera indicates the suitable speed to you and the one that you have. This allows you to play with these parameters. Precisely, it has an “auto“ mode: you select the opening of the diaphragm and the camera will set the necessary speed.

From the moment I met the Minolta, she has always been my partner. Until I bought a digital camera (that was in the year 2003), the moment in which my analogue cameras have remained relevant to the plane of the special things: black and white photos to reveal at home, experiments, multiple exposed, and it never showed signs of breaking down, even now.

I can say that this camera has only one problem: the batteries. Without them, it does not work, so it is wise to have a spare ready for non-stop shooting.

This article was written by Community member jaalvarez.

written by jaalvarez on 2010-07-03 #gear #review #slr #minolta #jaalvarez #reflex #japan #35-mm #x300 #minolta-x-300 #x-300 #rokkor