Who knows the XG-M?

<p>It arrived this morning, just the thing to brighten up a rainy day. It's a Minolta XG-M.</p><div></div>

<p>I don't usually buy cameras this young. I have a reasonable collection of older Minolta SLRs, mainly the "SR" series and the "SRTs", but none of the popular "XG" series. Until this morning. This very beguiling little camera appeared on a local auction site, described as an "Old Minolta camera, as new, may never have been used ." The ad went on to say, "Not working. Shutter jammed. As is..." Hmmm...the lens looked very nice, and with a "Buy Now" price of US$12 I suffered an involuntary twitch of the mouse fingers and found myself committed to paying for it.<br /><br />It turned up this morning, and it does look new. Even the case looks new. To my delight a couple of fresh SR44's unjammed the shutter....It's not a camera I'm familiar with, but it feels so great in the hands that I'll take the time to change that, soon. I understand that the XG-M is considered one of the better XG models, and I'd like to hear the opinions of you learned Minolta fans, out there!</p>

<p>My first SLR! This one looks mint, better than mine was and I take very good care of my stuff. A decent camera. I liked that series because they were reasonably small and light. Aperture priority only, no shutter priority or program mode. I later upgraded to an X-700. Sold all my manual focus stuff on ebay a few years ago, got more than I expected. -MattM</p>

<p>I was GIVEN an XG-M, identical to yours acouple of years ago. With the same lens shown. While I don't love it, I respect it. Although it has a full manual mode, you must have a battery in it to operate. The only four things I don't like are the need for the battery (not really a big, big deal), then there's something about the size and shape that make my hand cramp (not a fault of the camera per se), the tendency for the auto timer to become activated unintentionally (bad ergonomics), and the electrostatic (?) shutter-button needs the skin of your finger to work (not great in cold weather).</p>

<p>All that being said, I like the viewfinder, the lenses I found for this are AWSOME!! including a Vivitar 28-70 Series I zoom (the one where you have to refocus as you zoom). I also bought a power winder for $10! It really is nice. I have taken some of my favorite photos with it, it's reliable and accurate and yet I don't love it, and I really do want to.</p>

<p>Pictures please! Not just the Porn! sp.</p>

<p>I was given an XG-M, then gave it away - not because of not liking it but because I met a student whose camera had been stolen. It's a nice camera, very light weight, pretty well featured with A mode and metered manual, full info finder, motor drive compatible, takes alkalines, and it has the shutter button you need to massage to turn the meter on (which doesn't always work for me, I guess my skin isn't conductive enough) but you can also press it halfway. The sample you've got there looks perfect!</p>

<p>Rick, You'll Love this camera. Especially for a beautiful focusing screen and MD 1.7, one of the best lenses around. <br /> I own the same model and love it for many reasons. I'm a sworn Minolta user and have many beautiful Minolta cameras of all kind, from AL to XG-1 to compare.<br /> The only thing I would change about XG-M compared to older SLRs is the weight, I wish it would be little heavier with more solid feel. Also if it would have at least one 1/90s mechanical shutter... <br /> Great camera, great engineering. You'll Love this outfit!<br /> <em> M.S.</em><br /> P.S. Looks like You have an orginal Minolta strap. Is there a battery holder on the strap? If so, fill it with nice and fresh ones, just in case:)</p>

<p>Congrats on your acquisition. When my family owned a camera shop we sold a fair number of XG-M's. The XG-M was an upgrade of the XG series. The standard split image screen was upgraded to the Acumatte screen. Metered manual exposure as opposed to meterless manual on the older XG. Finally, the capability to use Minolta's 3.5 fps motor drive. (note: the XG-9 also got the Acumatte upgrade as well). The body shape matched that of the X-700 and the X-570. The XG-M was replaced by the X-370 (which unfortunately gave up the DOF preview.)<br>

If everything is in working order you will find the XG-M to be a very capable picture taker.</p>

<p>I bought one for $7 at a yard sale a couple months ago, for the lens on it. I said what the heck, I can't throw it in the bin or give it away without running a film through it. So I did. Light leaks galore, and it died at about frame 8 even with new batteries. Fixable, probably, but 1) not worth my time, and 2) if I want to go out shooting, this is not a camera I'm likely to pick off the shelf. It also failed my metering test (consistently underexposed no matter where I pointed the camera, unless it was at something completely uniform).</p>

<p>The lens was of course worth the purchase price.</p>

<p>Well, there seem to be a few fellow Minolta-lovers out there! Thanks, one and all, for your responses. Specifically: <strong>SP</strong>, I'll post some pics as soon as I run a a film, but there are a several other old beauties already in the pipeline and a couple of other factors interfering with the process, namely "Making a living" and "Christmas is looming..."</p>

<p><strong>Maciek</strong>, you hit two points that I'd noticed immediately; it's a brilliant viewfinder, and despite it's obvious build quality, the XG-M's a featherweight, lighter than I'd prefer. It <em>is</em> the Minolta strap with the eyepiece shade and cute little battery holder still intact; the holder contained two lifeless batteries to match the two in the camera. It's obviously been a good few years since this baby was last fired up...</p>

<p>Thanks <strong>Robert</strong>, <strong>Matthew, Jody</strong> and <strong>Andrew</strong>, and <strong>Mike,</strong> for your usual invaluable background information.</p>

<p>It's a keeper, if only for the availability of great lenses at dirt cheap prices. Like Canon FD, there are no digiwidgets that take Minolta lenses so there is little demand for some of the best optics out there. Enjoy. </p>

<p>Rick, it's a surprisingly pleasant camera. I didn't expect to like it as much as my other Minoltas but I did. I'm looking forward to the pictures too!</p>

<p>I keep an XG-M with the 50 f/1.4 at work. It was given to me by a coworker and I quickly fell into using it quite often. Nice camera. </p>

<p>I had an XG-M that I used for a few years until it was stolen. Nice camera that did everything I needed. I had it serviced 1 time at Garry's Camera when I first bought it. If I remember correctly eventually the mirror will lock up and you need to change the capacitors on it to get it back into shape. Every 20 yrs they wear out.</p>

<p>Ok camera, but capacitors may be a problem. Capable shooter which will produce wonders in your hands. Take it out for a spin, and feed it some nice rokkor glass.</p>

<p>I have one.<br>

It was my first classic camera. I bought it at a now closed store in Kerkstraat, Hilversum (Nederland). Fully serviced, as new.<br>

A very fine camera, very sturdy and nice design.<br>

Drawbacks are that it's easy to loose grip on the rewind knob so that the film roll lashes back. This can produce lighter zones and stripes on some negatives.<br>

Besides of that it's a camera that feels good in your hands, if you hold it it's like a living being. Another plus is that there are lots of extras still in the market like a motor and of course the M42 adapter ring. <br>

This camera was marketed in the 80's as a high-end amateur model.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>The first SLR I bought was an XG-M, with the Rokkor 50mm f/1.4 lens. It served me well for 15 or so years, then had a battery problem, and now it won't even switch on, with batteries that drive my X-570.</p>

<p>It's a very nice camera, one of the best examples of the "XG" line.</p>

<p>If it's a keeper, look for a Minolta Motor Drive 1 (<a href="http://www.rokkorfiles.com/X%20series%20accessories.html">http://www.rokkorfiles.com/X%20series%20accessories.html</a>, about halfway down the page). It threads on through the tripod socket, and dramatically improves the ergonomics of the camera. Enjoy it!</p>

<p>Rick, Am I the only one on PN to post photos taken with an XG-M? I searched Gallery>PhotoTags> XG-M and all I see are the ones I've posted. At any rate I bought my first one new in 1982 and a second backup body a few years later. Both are still working but I had to replace the foam seals on one and I suspect I'll have to do it on the other fairly soon. All of the XG-M's shortcomings have been mentioned and I've experienced them but since they are not deal breakers for me I've learned to live with them. My version of the 50mm ( f1.4) only goes to f16 and not f22 as your f1.7 does. Best, LM.</p>

<p>Rick, Lucky twice, I picked up a kit at an old 2nd hand store in New Orleans. Took it to a camera store where a fresh battery, an instruction book, an old but working flash, along with some outdated film sent me into the wondrous and beautiful world of photography. A most excellent addition to ANY camera collection. Now use it ! and enjoy</p>

<p>Thanks for the encouraging responses! It really does seem to handle well, and the overall tone of your comments would be in the approval zone. I have a fair few of the beautiful old Rokkor MC lenses, and it's a bonus to know they will function on this camera, as well. When I get the chance to put the XG-M through it's paces, I'll post some results.</p>

<p>Oh, one other thing. Since this XG has A and manual exposure but not P or S, MC and MD lenses are equally useful on it.</p>

And the DOF preview makes it possible to use the old Auto Rokkors via stop-down metering.