The Minolta XD7 is an SLR camera from the 1970s. It was manufactured by Minolta in Japan from 1977 to 1984. The model was also sold as the Minolta XD-11 in the US. In its home market of Japan, the camera was available for purchase simply as the Minolta XD.
The lenses of the 35mm camera can be exchanged as desired. For this purpose, a Minolta SR bayonet was built into the camera. 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 the first model from Minolta with aperture and shutter priority. In these modes, either aperture or shutter speed is set automatically. The exposure meter is designed for films with sensitivities from ISO 12 to ISO 3200, so it supports all major films.
However, the camera also has a manual mode. Aperture and shutter speed can be freely selected here. The settings can either be taken from the camera's metering or measured externally. For the shutter speeds, you have a choice of values from 1/1000 second to 1 second with the metal shutter.
For long exposures, there is a Bulb mode. Here, the shutter can be dropped on the film for a variable time. When using the Bulb mode, one should mount the camera on a tripod. A thread for mounting is located on the bottom. 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. 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 are mechanical.
Films for the Minolta XD7
The mechanical functions include film transport. However, there is also a motor available as an accessory for advancing the film after each shot. On the top of the camera there is a counter for the photos taken. Usually 36 pictures fit on a roll of film.
Which films are needed for the Minolta XD7? You need to buy 35mm film for the camera. Possible films for the Minolta XD7 that can still be bought today and give nice results are the Kodak Portra 400* for color photos and the Ilford Delta 400* for B&W images. Of course, there are many other films for the camera. Also from other manufacturers.
