Minolta Alpha 9xi

The Minolta Alpha 9xi is the flagship of the xi series of SLR cameras. It was introduced in the early 1990s. In Europe it was marketed as the Minolta Dynax 9xi. In the USA, the camera was available to photographers under the name Minolta Maxxum 9xi. In addition to the normal model, there was also a quartz date version with the option of printing the shooting date on the pictures.

The lens of the Japanese camera is interchangeable. This is made possible by the Minolta A bayonet. There are many different lenses for this mount for a variety of uses. Focusing is automatic. For this purpose, the camera is equipped with an autofocus system. Of course, the focus can also be adjusted manually.

You can also rely on the camera’s automatic exposure settings. There is a programme automatic that sets all values automatically. There is also a time and aperture priority mode. A fully manual mode is also available. In this mode, aperture and shutter speed can be freely selected. Here you can choose between values of 1/2000 second and 30 seconds for the shutter speed. There is also a Bulb mode for long exposures. The available aperture values depend on the lens.

The film speed can be set automatically by the camera. The camera technology uses the DX code on the film cartridge for this. Values from ISO 25 to ISO 5000 are supported. This value can also be set manually. Here, values in 1/3 steps from ISO 6 to ISO 6400 are available.

There is also a built-in self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds. There is also a tripod connection on the underside of the housing to attach the camera to a tripod. An external flash can also be connected to the Minolta camera.

According to the manual, the dimensions of the Minolta Alpha 9xi are 16.3 x 9.8 x 6.4 cm. It weighs 740 grams without lens and film. A 2CR5 battery (eBay / Amazon*) is responsible for the power supply. This battery can easily be purchased online. One battery charge is enough for 1200 pictures.

Films for the Minolta Alpha 9xi

The batteries are needed, among other things, for the display on the top of the camera body. The number of shots taken is also displayed there. The film is automatically transported by a built-in motor. It rewinds the film material after each release. The motor can take up to 4.5 pictures per second. Normally 36 frames fit on a roll of film.

The Minolta Alpha 9xi was built for the 35mm format. Excellent films for the Japanese camera, which are still available and easy to buy today, are the Kodak Gold 200* for colour shots and the Ilford Delta 100* for black and white shots. Of course, there are other manufacturers of film. Suitable material is offered by Adox, Rollei, Foma or Lomography. Also Fujifilm produces films for 35mm cameras.