The Minolta XD is an SLR camera from the 1970s. It was manufactured by Minolta in Japan from 1977 to 1984. It was sold to photographers in Japan, Minolta's home market. The model was also sold in Europe as the Minolta XD7. In North America, it carried the designation "XD-11".
The lenses of the 35mm camera can be interchanged at will. A Minolta SR bayonet was built into the camera for this purpose. There is a wide range of lenses for this mount. You have to focus the lens by hand. The camera does not have an autofocus function.
The 35mm camera has a light meter and corresponding automatic functions. It is Minolta's first model with aperture priority and shutter priority. In these modes, either the aperture or the shutter speed is set automatically. The light meter is designed for films with sensitivities from ISO 12 to ISO 3200, so it supports all common films.
However, the camera also has a manual mode. Here, aperture and shutter speed can be freely selected. The settings can either be taken from the camera's internal exposure metering or measured externally. For the shutter speeds, you can choose between values from 1/1000 second to 1 second with the metal shutter.
For long exposure times, there is a Bulb mode. Here the shutter can be dropped on the film for a variable time. When using Bulb mode, you should mount the camera on a tripod. There is a thread on the bottom for mounting. There is also a connection for a cable release.
A self-timer is not missing either. The lead time is up to ten seconds. An external flash can also be used with the Minolta SLR. This can be connected via cable or you can use the hot shoe.
The camera weighs 560 grams without batteries and lens. The dimensions are 13.6 x 8.6 x 5.1 cm. The camera requires two S76 batteries (eBay / Amazon*). However, most of the functions of the Japanese SLR camera are mechanical.
Films for the Minolta XD
Among the mechanical functions is the film transport. However, there is also a motor available as an accessory that advances the film after each shot. On the top of the camera is a counter for the number of photos taken. Normally, 36 pictures fit on a roll of film.
What film is needed for the SLR camera? According to the manual, 35mm film is needed for the camera. Great films for the Minolta XD that are still available today are the Fujifilm Superia 400* for color photos and the Ilford XP2 Super* for black and white photos. Films from other manufacturers can of course be used with the camera. Both photo films can convince in professional tests and guarantee reliable results in daily use. Other suitable films are offered by Fujifilm, Foma, Rollei and Adox, among others.
