Minolta XD7

As my journey into analogue photography continues, I purchase and try out more cameras. Since I have many lenses with the SR mount, it's unsurprising that I picked up a camera body with that bayonet. After some careful research, the model I decided to go with was...

Minolta XD7! Or is it XD11? Maybe just XD? Here's my issue with the Minolta SLR lineup: they made the naming confusing. Each camera had two or three different names depending on the region it was destined for. My XD7 is the European name for the XD sold in Japan. In America, the same SLR was called XD11. But under the nameplate is the same camera.

The XD7 came in two colour variants: all black and silver with black leatherette. The black one was considerably more expensive when it was sold new, which is why fewer units were produced. They retain a hefty price tag nowadays and are challenging to find. Mine is silver, which is much more common and, in my opinion, more beautiful. I bought two, and I'll elaborate on my reasoning later.

Specs

The XD7 was the top-of-the-line model, equipped with all the bells and whistles available in 1977. It easily meets and exceeds my expectations. Here are the relevant features. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

• SR bayonet
• Very bright viewfinder with 94% coverage
• Interchangeable focusing screens
• Both aperture and shutter speed are displayed in the viewfinder
• Light meter with LED indicator in the viewfinder
• Default focusing screen with split-image focusing aid and a microdiaprism collar
• 1-1/1000 s shutter speeds, plus "B" mode and an additional "O" mode (1/100 s mechanical speed that doesn't require a battery)
• Accepts standard threaded mechanical release cords, screwed into the shutter button
• Takes two LR44 batteries
• 12-3200 ISO speed setting and +/- 2 EV exposure compensation
• PC flash sync port
• Hot shoe
• Depth of field preview button
• Mechanical self-timer
• Contacts for attaching an auto-winder

Issues and Complaints

I have two observations about the viewfinder. First, the light meter scale is not backlit. There are LEDs next to the speed/aperture scale, and they glow bright red, so they're good. However, the numbers on the scale itself rely on the light coming in through the lens. If the photographed area is dark enough, the scale is unreadable. The bright LED alone provides zero information about the desired speed setting. It becomes necessary to flash a light source into the lens, inevitably throwing the meter reading off. It's nothing that I can't work around, but dark backgrounds and especially night photography are more of a challenge.

Likewise, the aperture and shutter speed displayed in the viewfinder rely on the ambient light. There's a Judas window right above the lens' aperture ring that shows the current aperture setting. In dark conditions, this will be unreadable. The selected shutter speed is illuminated by yet another opening in the pentaprism housing. It's enough to shine the phone's torch in it, but to be honest, it's probably quicker to just take the eye away from the viewfinder and review the settings. Again, these will affect night photography to a certain extent.

The self-timer does not trigger mirror lockup. It's probably not an issue, since the mirror dampening in the XD7 is exceptional, but I'd feel more secure if the mirror went up during the countdown like it does in the Konica Autoreflex T3.

The size of the camera body is very minute. I like the bulky form factor of modern semi-professional cameras, their deep grips and ergonomic shapes. The XD7 has none of that. The camera is compact and has no grip or even a modest thumb rest. Attaching an autowinder helps somewhat, but only adds to the vertical dimension. Plus, I'm not a fan of using a winder anyway, and I'll likely get rid of mine.

The original vinyl leatherette is prone to shrinkage, and one of my two XD7s suffered from this. There is a selection of replacement self-adhesive leather finishes. I refinished the camera in red.

Double Trouble

So why did I get two identical camera bodies at all? The problem concerned battery drainage. Some online sources indicate that the condensers in the XD7 are prone to leakage. This is what happened in my case. The first unit I bought had suffered a leakage that slightly damaged the electronics. The camera is fully functional but constantly draws power, draining a set of batteries in a day or two.

I'd dropped the camera off at a repair shop, but they were unable to repair it without getting a donor unit with intact electronics. I purchased a second unit for parts. Before handing it back to the repair shop, I tested it. After shooting it for a while, I noticed several minor issues with it. The self-timer lever stopped midway and needed to be pushed, defeating its purpose. The light meter was off, showing times 1-2 EV faster than required. The aperture stop-down lever was sluggish, resulting in an annoying lag between pressing the shutter button and triggering the shutter.

I took both cameras back to the repair shop. It was cheaper to repair the issues on the second body, and that's the one I kept.

Performance in the Field

Film loading is interesting in this camera. The take-up spool has several slots where the film leader is inserted. The slots have a small protruding hook that aligns with the film's sprocket holes. Once the film is inserted correctly, the hook engages with the sprocket hole, and the camera back can be closed immediately, without winding the film. I found it very reliable and easy to use. I also consistently squeeze one or two extra exposures from each roll of film.

Taking photos is as easy (or as hard) as with any other camera with a readable light meter. I don't need to take my eye away from the viewfinder; I compose, focus, set the settings, wind the film and shoot without interruptions. The only thing to watch out for is the super soft, incredibly sensitive shutter button. There's no tactile feedback between engaging the light meter and taking a shot. If the shutter is cocked, it's easy to fire it unintentionally. The best way to avoid this is to measure light before cocking the shutter, which is what I'm used to doing anyway.

Speaking of firing the shutter, accidentally or not, I can't help but mention the shutter sound. It's the quietest shutter sound I've ever heard in a vintage camera. Naturally, it can't compete with modern ones, but it's still incredibly silent. The mirror dampening, which I'd already mentioned, contributes to this, reducing the mirror clap to a barely audible sound.

The photos are as good as the lens and film stock are. I haven't noticed issues with uneven sharpness or anything that would indicate a problem with the film transport. And of course, there's also the beautiful lineup of high-quality Minolta glass at my disposal, along with third-party lenses with the SR mount, such as my RMC Tokina 28 mm f/2.8.

When it comes to flash photography, the hot shoe isn't an ideal choice. It doesn't seem to be a standard ISO hot shoe. Instead, it has an additional contact that my Nikon speedlights fail to communicate with. The camera fires the flash, but fails to close the shutter or lower the mirror unless I disconnect the flash. This behaviour is consistent between both my XD7s and another Minolta camera model I have. It's easier to just use the PC port, which works great. I've found another workaround, though. To make the camera work fine with a modern speedlight, it's possible to put sticky tape over the additional hot shoe contact, leaving only the large central one exposed. It's a hack, but it works.

Overall, the camera is a joy to use. A grip of any dimension would be nice, and I wouldn't mind a backlight for the in-viewfinder settings display. Other than that, the camera performs great, and I'm pleased to recommend it to anyone if they can find one in good condition.

Images

Below are a few customary example photos taken with both of my XD7s. As usual, a disclaimer: photograph quality doesn't depend on the camera body; it's a function of the film stock and lens characteristics (and the photographer, obviously). All a photograph can say about a film camera is that it works.