Minolta Alpha Sweet S

The Minolta Alpha Sweet S is a 35mm camera from the 1990s. It is an SLR camera with interchangeable lenses. In Europe, it was offered as the Minolta Dynax 404si. In the US, the manufacturer marketed this model as the Minolta Maxxum STsi. There was also a model with the possibility to imprint the shooting date into the photos (QD / Quartz Date model). However, this model has a calendar only up to the year 2019 and therefore can no longer be used in a meaningful way.

The lenses of the 35mm camera can be exchanged if desired. It comes with a Minolta A bayonet. This camera model is often offered with a zoom lens. However, there is a wide range of lenses to choose from. From zoom lenses to fixed focal lengths. The lens is focused by autofocus.

Of course, the SLR camera also has a light meter. Films with DX encoding on the cassette are automatically detected and the sensitivity is set according to the respective value. Here, films with a sensitivity of ISO 25 to ISO 5000 are possible. If you set the sensitivity manually, you can choose between values from ISO 6 to ISO 6400.

The Minolta Alpha Sweet S has all the important exposure modes that you need to take pictures. There is a manual mode. Here you can choose aperture and shutter speed completely freely. In aperture priority or shutter priority, the user selects one value and the camera sets the other. In program automatic, the camera assumes both values. There are also modes for portraits, night portraits, landscapes, close-ups and sports shots.

The shutter speed ranges from 1/2000 second to 30 seconds. There is also a Bulb mode for long exposures. Here, the shutter remains open for a variable duration. The possible aperture values depend on the lens, of course. In the automatic exposure programs, an exposure compensation of plus-minus 3 f-stops is available.

Of course, the camera also has a built-in flash. The built-in flash has a guide number of 12 at ISO 100 and takes about three seconds to charge. It can be switched on if desired. The flash has a fill mode and a red-eye reduction mode. Additionally, an external Minolta flash can also be used with the SLR. The flash sync speed is 1/90 second.

With a size of 13.5 x 9 x 5.85 cm, the Minolta Alpha Sweet S weighs 350 grams. This value refers to the pure body without films and lens. There is a thread for a tripod on the bottom of the camera. There is a self-timer with a lead time of ten seconds for selfies and group pictures. Modes for multiple exposures and bracketing are also available.

Two CR2 batteries (eBay / Amazon*) are responsible for the power supply. These also power the information display on the top of the Japanese camera. One battery charge is enough for about 400 pictures. The batteries are relatively inexpensive and easy to get online.

Films for the Minolta Alpha Sweet S

The Minolta Alpha Sweet S was built for the 35mm format. Good 35mm films for color or black and white photography with the Japanese SLR are the Kodak Portra 160* and the Kodak T-Max 400*. Both films are well suited for everyday photos and can convince in test reports.

The Minolta Alpha Sweet S exposes an area of 24 mm x 36 mm. Thus, at least 36 exposures fit on a normal film roll. The film is automatically transported by the SLR camera with a motor. On average, the camera can take one frame per second, which is the limit of the motor. The film is automatically transported back into the cartridge when the end of the roll is reached.