Minolta Alpha 2xi

The Minolta Alpha 2xi / α 2xi is an SLR camera from Minolta. It was introduced in the 1990s and was intended more for the entry-level segment. It was mainly sold in Japan under this name. In Europe, it was marketed as the Minolta Dynax 2xi. In the USA, the functionally identical model was available under the name “Maxxum 2xi”.

The 35mm camera has a built-in light meter and various exposure modes. The film speed can be set automatically each time by the camera technology. The value is read from the DX coding on the inserted film cartridge. Values from ISO 25 to ISO 5000 are possible. If the coding is missing, the automatic system sets ISO 100 by default.

In terms of exposure modes, you can choose between program automatic, aperture priority and time priority. In addition, there is a fully manual mode. In this mode, you can freely choose aperture and shutter speed. For shutter speed, you can choose between times from 1/2000 second to 30 seconds. There is also a variable Bulb mode for long exposures.

The aperture value depends on the lens used. The lens can be exchanged on the Minolta Alpha 2xi. Lenses with an A bayonet can be attached. There is a selection of suitable products for this mount. The focus is automatically adjusted on this already very modern camera.

According to the manual, the camera weighs 385 grams and measures 14.65 x 9.1 x 6.05 cm. There is a thread for a tripod on the bottom. A self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds is available. A flash can be connected to the corresponding port.

The camera requires a 2CR5 battery (eBay / Amazon*) for operation. The battery can be easily ordered online and usually lasts for up to 1440 pictures. It also powers the display on the top of the housing. There you can find information about exposure modes, shutter speed and the number of photos taken, for example. Film transport is automatic after each image. The motor also automatically rewinds the film back into the cartridge

Films for the Minolta Alpha 2xi

According to the manual, the Minolta Alpha 2xi exposes 35mm film. Good 35mm films for color and black-and-white shooting, respectively, are the Kodak Portra 400* and the . Both films deliver convincing results and do well in various tests.

Lomography, Adox and also Rollei are still other suppliers of 35mm films. There are also films from Fujifilm and the Czech producer Foma. In principle, you can use all 35mm films with the camera. Of course, you should consider which films you need for the desired result and in which situations you want to use the material.