Minolta Dynax 404si

The Minolta Dynax 404si is a 35mm camera from the 1990s. It belongs to the group of SLR cameras with interchangeable lenses. In the USA, it was offered as the Minolta Maxxum STsi. In the home country, the manufacturer marketed this model as Minolta Alpha Sweet S. In addition, there was a model with the ability to imprint the shooting date in the photos (QD / Quartz Date model). However, this model has a calendar only up to the year 2019.

The lenses of the 35mm camera can be interchanged. It comes with a Minolta A bayonet. You can often find this model with a zoom lens. However, there is a wide range of suitable lenses. The lens is focused by autofocus.

Of course, the camera also has a light meter. Films with DX encoding on the cartridge are automatically detected and the sensitivity is set according to the respective value. Here, films with a sensitivity of ISO 25 to ISO 5000 are possible. If you set the sensitivity manually, you can choose from values from ISO 6 to ISO 6400.

The Minolta Dynax 404si comes with all important exposure modes. There is a manual mode. Here you choose aperture and shutter speed completely freely. In aperture priority or shutter priority, the user selects one value and the camera adjusts the other. In program automatic, the camera adopts both values. In addition, there are modes for portraits, portraits at night, landscape photos, close-ups and sports pictures.

The shutter speed ranges from 1/2000 second to 30 seconds. There is also a Bulb mode for long exposures. Here, the shutter remains open for a variable duration. The possible aperture values depend on the lens, of course. An exposure compensation of plus-minus 3 stops is available in the automatic exposure programs.

Of course, there is also a built-in flash with the camera. The built-in flash has a guide number of 12 at ISO 100, and it takes about three seconds to charge. It can be switched on if desired. The flash comes with a fill mode and a red-eye reduction mode. Additionally, an external Minolta flash can also be used with the SLR. The flash sync speed is 1/90 second.

With a size of 13.5 x 9 x 5.85 cm, the Minolta Dynax 404si weighs 350 grams. This value refers to the pure housing without films and lens. There is a thread for a tripod on the bottom of the camera. For selfies and group pictures, there is a self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds. Modes for multiple exposures and bracketing are also available.

Two CR2 batteries (eBay / Amazon*) are responsible for the power supply. These also power the information display on the top of the Japanese camera. One battery charge is enough for about 400 pictures. The batteries are relatively inexpensive and easy to get online.

Films for the Minolta Dynax 404si

The Minolta Dynax 404si was built for 35mm format. Nice 35mm films for color or black and white pictures with the Japanese SLR are the Kodak Portra 400* and the Kodak T-Max 100*. Both films are well suited for everyday photos and can convince test reports.

The Minolta Dynax 404si exposes an area of 24 mm x 36 mm. So at least 36 exposures fit on a 36 roll of film. The film is automatically transported by the SLR with a motor. On average, the camera can take 1 picture per second. The film is automatically transported back to the cartridge when the end of the roll is reached.