Minolta Alpha 3xi

The Minolta Alpha 3xi is a 35mm camera and belongs to the Xi series. It belongs to the SLR group and was introduced in the early 1990s and sold in Japan. In Europe, it was marketed as the Minolta Alpha 3xi. In the US, the camera was available to male and female photographers as the Minolta Maxxum 3xi. There was also a Quartz Date variant with the ability to imprint the time of day into the photos as they were taken. In addition, there was a panorama variant of the Japanese camera

The lenses of the 35mm camera are interchangeable. Lenses with a Minolta A bayonet are used. An autofocus system is built into the 35mm camera for focusing the lens. However, it is also possible to adjust the focus manually.

There are also automatic functions for exposure. For example, the exposure meter can automatically select aperture and shutter speed. There is also one mode each where the photographer selects aperture or shutter speed and the camera automatically sets the other value.

A manual mode is also available. In this, the aperture can be set freely depending on the lens. For the shutter speed, you can choose between values of 1/2000 second and 30 seconds. Additionally, there is a bulb mode for long exposures.

The exposure meter is designed for an ISO range of 25 to 5000. The film speed is determined by the DX code on the film cartridge. If this code is not present, the automatic system automatically sets ISO 100.

In low light conditions or low light, the camera’s built-in flash can be used. According to the manual, the flash’s output reaches up to 12 meters at ISO 100, but an external flash can also be connected. There is a self-timer for group shots. The camera can also be mounted on a tripod for this purpose.

The housing without lens and battery weighs 420 grams and measures 14.6 x 9.2 x 6.4 cm. Power is supplied by a 2CR5 battery (eBay / Amazon*). This battery can be purchased online. One battery charge lasts for a little more than 1400 pictures.

Films for the Minolta Alpha 3xi

The Minolta Alpha 3xi is loaded with 35mm film. The camera is equipped with an automatic film transport. Suitable film material can be conveniently ordered online. Depending on the film, 36 images usually fit on a roll of film. The film should be in a sensitivity range of ISO 25 to ISO 5000.

Easily available photo films for the Minolta Alpha 3xi are the Kodak Gold 200* for color shots and the Ilford Delta 400* for black and white shots. Quite a few other manufacturers also produce films for this format. So there is great film material from Foma, Adox, Fujifilm, Lomography or even Rollei.