Minolta Alpha Sweet II

At the beginning of the new millennium, Minolta presented the Alpha Sweet II, a 35mm SLR equipped with an integrated flash, automatic exposure and autofocus. It was made in a Chinese factory.

It was marketed worldwide under different names. In America it was known as the Maxxum 5, while in Europe it was called the Dynax 5. Chinese buyers knew it as the Alpha 5 (α-5), and in Japan it was offered as the Minolta α-Sweet II (Alpha Sweet II).

Lens selection and focus features

The Alpha Sweet II camera features a Minolta A-type bayonet mount that accepts a variety of lenses compatible with that mount. This allows comprehensive coverage of the most relevant focal lengths.

It is versatile with a built-in focusing unit that offers a TTL phase detection system and allows for both auto and manual focusing.

An AF auxiliary light, which is switched on automatically in poor light conditions or low contrast, improves focusing significantly.

Light metering

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II is equipped with a TTL metering unit that offers a 14-segment honeycomb SPC for ambient light and a 4-segment flash meter SPC for strobe light.

The camera is capable of handling a wide range of film speeds and supports an automatic ISO setting from 25 to 5000 for DX encoded films. Settings from ISO 6 to ISO 6400 in 1/3 steps are possible manually. When using the flash, ISO values from 25 to 1000 can be used.

Exposure modes

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II presents a variety of exposure modes including P, A, S, M, PA/PS, and five scene-specific programs: Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports and Night Portrait. Each of these modes is specifically tailored to different shooting scenarios and creative preferences.

The exposure compensation can be used in the automatic setting, it can be particularly advantageous for backlit photos.

Time and aperture values

The camera is equipped with an electronically controlled, vertical focal plane shutter that allows exposure times from 30 seconds to 1/4000 second and offers a bulb mode for long exposures.

The apertures that can be set depend on the lens used.

Internal flash and advanced camera features

The camera includes a built-in flash that has a guide number of 12. The flash can also be used with a red-eye reduction mode.

Flash sync speed is 1/125 second or faster and syncs at all speeds in HSS mode.

A compatible external flash is required for HSS mode, including the 5600HS(D), 3600HS(D) and 5400HS.

Other features

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II offers a self-timer with a 10-second delay. It is also possible to connect a cable release, but this requires special Minolta RC-1000S or RC-1000L cables.

A multiple exposure mode is built into this model, as well as a bracketing function. A tripod socket can be found on the underside of the camera body, while the display with the selected settings can be seen on the top.

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II measures 127.0 x 87.0 x 60.5mm and weighs 335 grams without batteries, making it a very compact SLR camera.

Power supply and battery endurance

The camera draws its energy from two CR2 lithium batteries (eBay / Amazon*). Battery life varies with use and temperature conditions.

Without using the built-in flash unit, up to 30 rolls of film are possible at 20°C and up to 24 rolls of film at -10°C. At 50% Blitz usage, the amount reduces to 14 and 11 reels respectively. With full use of the flash, it is possible to shoot 9 rolls of film at 20°C and 7 rolls of film at -10°C.

Recommended films for the Minolta Alpha Sweet II

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II is specialized in the use of 35mm film and there is a wide range of compatible 35mm film available. The films should have a sensitivity of ISO 6 to 6400. If you want to use the camera’s automatic sensitivity detection, you should make sure that the film cartridge is DX-coded.

We especially recommend the Ilford Delta 400* for impressive black and white shots and the Kodak Gold 200* for bright color photographs. Both films enjoy a high reputation for their versatility. Other providers such as Lomography, Rollei or Foma also provide suitable films.

Film processing and exposure mechanics

The Minolta Alpha Sweet II exposes an exposure frame in 35mm format of 24mm x 36mm. The camera advances the film automatically, with options for single frame and continuous (3 frames/second) operation. After the film is fully exposed, the camera automatically rewinds it.

A small window on the back of the camera allows you to check the film loaded. The back of the camera must not be opened under any circumstances before the film has been rewound.

Current market value

The current value of this camera is highly dependent on its end of production and its availability on the used market. The current price outside of Japan is usually higher than equivalent models with other names. However, the purchase or sale price may vary depending on the state of preservation, functionality and attached accessories.