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Minolta XE-7 35mm SLR (serial 1199607) w/ Minolta MD 28mm f2.8 lens

Minolta XE-7 35mm SLR (serial 1199607) w/ Minolta MD 28mm f2.8 lens

Regular price $270.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $270.00 USD
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The Minolta XE-7 is a landmark mid-1970s SLR that was developed in collaboration with Leitz and is closely related to the Leica R3. The XE-7 is a beautifully engineered and very substantial-feeling camera with a smooth film advance and a quiet vertical traveling shutter. 

The XE-7 features aperture-priority automatic exposure as well as a full manual mode. Its superb, large viewfinder gives the shooter full information (shutter speed, aperture setting, and metering) in an elegant, uncluttered arrangement. 

The Minolta XE-7 is widely considered to be among the finest manual focus SLRs ever made. We love using this camera and would recommend it to anyone who gravitates towards solidly constructed, reliable equipment (it weighs 775g without a lens attached).

The camera requires a two 357/SR44 silver oxide batteries (available as an option). The included lens is a sharp Minolta MD 28mm F2.8 with a removable shade (which helps reduce flare and preserve contrast). The included strap is of the classic 'hippie' type and is very comfortable and well-made. 

Condition notes
We tested this camera and lens with film and it was a pleasure to use. All the negatives came out sharp and correctly exposed. In addition, we verified that this camera's shutter is working with good accuracy at all speeds. The camera and lens are in very good cosmetic condition as well (see photos).

Manual
https://www.cameramanuals.org/minolta_pdf/minolta_xe-7.pdf

Specs

  • Type: 35mm single-lens reflex with automatic and metered/full-manual exposure control
  • Lens mount: Minolta SLR bayonet, 54° rotating angle; coupling for full-aperture metering and
  • automatic diaphragm control with Minolta MC lenses (stop-down metering used for other than MC lenses); button for depth-of-field preview and stop-down metering. (Standard lenses: MC Rokkor-X 50mm €/1.7, 50mm f/1.4, or 58mm f/1.2; see p. 55 for specifications.)
  • Auto-exposure control: Special low-voltage circuit incorporating 2 monolithic IC's varies shutter speed continuously and steplessly to yield proper exposure according to metering system indication at the aperture, film speed, and exposure adjustment set.
  • Auto exposure range: EV 1 to EV 17 (e.g.. 1 sec. at f/1.4 to 1/1000 at f/11) at
  • ASA 100 with f/1.2 lens; see diagram, p. 54.
  • Shutter: Vertical-traverse metal-blade focal-plane type; electronically controlled speeds:
  • 1/1000 to 4 sec., steplessly on automatic mode or in steps on manual mode; mechanically controlled settings (no battery power required): "X" (1/90 sec.), “B" Shutter release locked when power switch off.
  • Light metering: Full-aperture TTL type with overlapping reading taken by 2 CdS cells mounted
  • on the pentaprism and circuited to provide optimum exposure in both flat and most contrast-lighting situations; stop-down metering also possible
  • Film-speed range: ASA 12 to 3200 set by dial (around rewind-crank/back-releases
  • knob) with lock; Device opposite film-speed dial provides up to ‡ 2 EV continuous adjustment of auto or metered manual exposure with 1 EV click-stops and a lock at zero setting.
  • Mirror: Oversize quick-return type (PO value: 140mm; finder image cutoff negligible even with 1600mm f/11 RF Rokkor-X extreme telephoto)
  • Finder: Eye-level fixed pentaprism type showing 94% of 24 x 36mm film-frame area; magnification: 0.84X with 50mm lens focused at infinitMat-Fresnel-field focusing screen with central horizontally oriented split-image focusing spot surrounded by microprism band. F number set and manual shutter setting or "A" (for AUTO mode) visible above the frame, stepless speeds or metered-manual exposure setting indicated by needle on scale at right of frame; indention shows meter-coupling range. Eyepiece shutter positioned by lever
  • Flash sync.: Threaded PC terminal and hot shoe with switch for X or FP delay; X contact: Electronic flash synchronizes at "X" (1/90 sec.) and lower stepless and step speeds; FP contact: F flashbulbs synchronize at all settings.
  • Film advance: Lever type, single 130° stroke after 30° unengaged movement Safe Load Signal indicates film loading and advancing condition. Multiple-exposure lever coaxial with advance lever allows unlimited recocking of shutter without advancing film. Advancing-type frame counter resets automatically when camera back opened (no advance with multiple exposures)
  • Self-timer: Lever type, operating time variable from approx. 6 to 10 sec.
  • Power: Two 1.5v silver-oxide cells, Eveready S-76 or equivalent, contained in camera base power both auto exposure control and shutter's electronically governed operation; battery checker on end of body. Mirror stays up (no exposure made) as warning when voltage too low for electronic operation. Turning power switch off locks shutter release.
  • Others:4-slot take-up spool; memo holder and ASA-DIN conversion scale on back cover.
  • Size and weight: 61 x97x 148mm (2-3/8 x3-13/16 x5-13/16 in.), 775g (27-5/16 oz.) without lens
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