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Post by belgiumreporter on Sept 3, 2016 10:06:24 GMT -5
With the XD7/XD11 minolta succeeded once more to have world premiere. It was the first ever slr with both aperture and shutter priority(and manual mode). Introduced in 1977 the era where minolta and leica joined forces it's chassis was used as a basis for the leica R4. With lots of other more sophisticated electronic slr's that followed, it is somewhat forgotten and can be found for very little money and so is the R4 (unless you want the fitting leica glass). Though i'm a nikon guy, i think minolta does have a few milestone gems in their catalogue ( Sr2, Srt101,XK-XM,XD7,Xi9,7000...) but they rarely seem to get the credit that is due, is it because minolta was never considered to be "pro"gear? Even at camera fairs people don't give them a second glance and in my opinion they deserve better. Family portrait with the German cousins
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Post by Randy on Sept 7, 2016 23:05:36 GMT -5
I've got 3 XD-11s and an XD-7. It didn't help when Minolta used Brucie Jenner as a spokesman.
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Post by lesdmess on Sept 8, 2016 22:16:46 GMT -5
Minolta and Leica started a collaboration beginning with the Minolta XE-7 and Leica R3 followed by the Minolta XD-11 and Leica R4. This gave Minolta access to the vertical metal shutters developed by Copal which they incorporated in both models. Prior to that - and after those two models, they reverted back to horizontal travel shutters on their manual focus cameras. I wonder if this is why they never made another manual focus model with a shutter speed of 1/2000 or greater because Leica didn't achieve faster shutter speeds till a few models later - assuming they continued to use the Copal shutter.
BTW, since you have them both, how is the film advance on the XD-11 compared to the R4?
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Post by belgiumreporter on Sept 9, 2016 3:19:41 GMT -5
Minolta and Leica started a collaboration beginning with the Minolta XE-7 and Leica R3 followed by the Minolta XD-11 and Leica R4. This gave Minolta access to the vertical metal shutters developed by Copal which they incorporated in both models. Prior to that - and after those two models, they reverted back to horizontal travel shutters on their manual focus cameras. I wonder if this is why they never made another manual focus model with a shutter speed of 1/2000 or greater because Leica didn't achieve faster shutter speeds till a few models later - assuming they continued to use the Copal shutter. BTW, since you have them both, how is the film advance on the XD-11 compared to the R4? The film transport on the leica R4 is definatly smoother than on the XD7/11. On the R4 it's an allmost "hydraulic" feel, smoothness all the way, wile on the minolta, though very smooth as well, you can still feel and hear some gears grinding. I'm by no means a leica fanatic but must admit the R4 is better than the XD7/11.In case you wanted to know, there is a lot less diffrence in film transport on the XE1/R3 , i would say they are about the same, the saying goes the XE1 has the smoothest film transport of all minolta's and i am inclined to believe that.
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Post by lesdmess on Sept 10, 2016 12:33:04 GMT -5
Since you don't have the XE-7, how about the film advance comparison between the Nikon F3, Leica R4, Minolta XD-11 and Olympus OM-1?
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mikeg
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by mikeg on Jul 26, 2018 4:29:08 GMT -5
I thought that the XE type used Copal shutters but the XD used Seico. I agree that the film advance on the XE is marginally smoother than the XD, at least on my copies. I was surprised how painless it was to recover the shrunken leatherette on the XD.
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Post by yashica1943 on Aug 21, 2018 4:32:06 GMT -5
I have just done a quick non-scientific comparison of a few cameras for lever wind smoothness, (none with film inside .) All those tested are in A+ cosmetic condition with working exposure systems(where fitted)...
Leica R4 good, slightly better than my Minolta XD7 (which I am about to sell.) I was surprised by the Nikon FE and Nikon FM2, very 'geary' but Nikkormat EL slightly smoother and quieter. German Rolleiflex SL35,Pentax MX, Canon AE-1 and Olympus OM-1 slightly grinding - for quality mass market cameras! Pentax Program A quite good. Pentax ME Super very nice, smooth and short, I like it's action more than most. Minolta SRT101 - quite smooth. Pentax Spotmatic SP11 - average feel. Best of all to the touch, Pentax S1a (black) smooth as silk with no sensation of being attached to anything (melted Lindt dark chocolate perhaps!) My other S1a in chrome is smooth but slightly stiff. Suggesting, perhaps, that some mass produced (70's & 80's) cameras can feel quite high quality. And others not.
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Post by belgiumreporter on Nov 6, 2019 5:35:07 GMT -5
You should try an early Leicaflex though, i think they could be held as a "smootness of transport" reference. But still, on a scientific note, would it be possible to measure the torque force of shutter cocking/film transport throw on a camera? or has this ever been done? And would it be possible to make a fair comparison of a camera with say a 100° degree throw to one with a 130° throw? Could smoothness be defined in numbers or do we need to say one is a bit more "geary" than the other? Anyway these are just questions that come to mind, they don't keep me awake at night! ;-)
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Post by philbirch on Nov 22, 2019 9:45:09 GMT -5
I dont know about measuring torque, but some Nikkormats had far too much, both mine tore the film out of the cartridge If I wasn't careful.
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