Minolta Maxxum 800si

The Minolta Maxxum 800si, manufactured by Minolta, is an SLR camera that can be used with 35mm film. It is the successor to the Minolta Maxxum 700si and was sold in the USA. It was available in Europe as the Minolta Dynax 800si, and in Japan a similar model was marketed as the Minolta Alpha 807si.

A notable improvement to the Maxxum 800si is the built-in scene modes, including portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, and night portrait. This expanded range of scene modes gives users more creative options and flexibility in a variety of shooting situations.

Lenses

The 35mm camera allows lens interchange and is compatible with Minolta A-bayonet lenses. The wide range of Minolta AF lenses offers various focal lengths from wide-angle to telephoto and different aperture settings, opening up versatile photography options.

Autofocus

The Maxxum 800si’s autofocus system offers different modes such as AF-A, AF-S and AF-C, allowing different autofocus strategies for different shooting situations. The built-in AF light with a range of 0.7 to 7 meters ensures precise autofocus even in low-light conditions.

Exposure meter

There is, of course, an exposure meter built into the still camera, which offers a film speed setting from 6 to 6400 ISO/ASA. There is also an automatic setting for DX encoded film with an ISO range of 25 to 6400.

Exposure Modes

In addition to scene modes, the camera also offers an extensive selection of exposure modes. These include aperture priority, shutter priority, program auto, manual exposure and long time exposure. Shutter speeds can be selected from 1/8000 second to 30 seconds, while the available aperture values depend on the lens. Exposure compensation is available on the automatic modes with a range of ±3 EV in 1/2 EV increments.

Automatic exposure bracketing

A special feature of the Maxxum 800si is the auto bracketing function, which allows bracketing at ±1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV with options for 3, 5, or 7 exposures. This feature is especially useful for photographers who want to make sure they get the perfect exposure in difficult lighting conditions or who want to experiment with different exposure settings for creative reasons.

Flash

With a guide number (GN) of 14 to 20, depending on the sensitivity of the film stock, the Maxxum 800si’s built-in flash performs well. It also has zoom capabilities for focal lengths from 24 to 80 mm.

Other features such as the flash PC port and High-Speed Sync (HSS) wireless flash open up additional flexibility for off-camera flash shooting.

Additional Features

It is possible to mount the Maxxum 800si 35mm photo camera on a tripod for group shots or selfies, as it has a thread on the bottom of the body. There is also an integrated self-timer.

An advanced feature of the Maxxum 800si allows it to record and store exposure values for up to 9 rolls of film with up to 40 shots per roll. This feature proves especially useful for photographers who need to store exposure settings for multiple rolls of film to more easily review and analyze their results.

Other features of the Maxxum 800si include multiple exposure capability with up to 9 exposures per frame, automatic film advance with selectable single frame or continuous mode, and a maximum speed of 3 frames per second.

Weighing 628 grams without battery and lens and measuring 15.35 x 10.7 x 7.15 cm.

Battery

The camera is powered by a 2CR5 battery (eBay / Amazon*), which can be conveniently purchased online. This battery provides reliable power for the camera and allows you to take photos with ease.

Films for the Minolta Maxxum 800si

The Minolta Maxxum 800si is designed for the 35mm format. Films of this format are still readily available and can still be developed.

Possible films for this Japanese SLR are the Kodak Gold 200* and the Kodak T-Max 100*. Both of these films are convincing in test reports and are well suited for everyday use. Of course, there are a variety of other suitable films for this camera.

C-41 development is a common process for developing color films and is offered by many photo labs with experience in using this process. Many drug stores also offer the option of dropping off color films for development.

Black and white films can be developed in several ways, either by using a photo lab or by self-developing with appropriate equipment.