XE-7 beats them all?

Minolta's XD-11 is currently my favorite Minolta, but I have an XE-7 coming from Japan. Will the XE surpass the XD? I have heard great things about this camera.

I have a Japanese market XD and it is my favorite film SLR. Very similar to the XD11 without the leather covering which might not be a bad thing due to leather shrinkage.

I was simplifying a bit. My XD-11 is actually a Japanese market XD like yours. It is superb. The XE, also Japanese, will have to be a beast to beat it.

While XD (I have an XD-5) is an excellent camera, I like the XE series a bit better for several reasons: 1- I like the size of the camera over the compact XD, 2-I find the film advance smoother and the shutter quieter. 3- I prefer the meter needle display in the XE over the LEDs in the XD. My reasons are subjective so you may still find you like the XD better. You may find other features to compare. The XD uses silicon metering rather than CDS on the XE. I never noticed any difference. Sync speed on XD is 1/00 second, but 1/90 of XE. Both cameras can operate without battery at X-snc and at B.

Both cameras are beautifully styled, the XE perhaps excelling with its "vinyl roof" prism housing. Both have simple, classic control systems with just enough automation to make photography simple without having to scratch your head to remember what button does what.

 

 

Have a mint XE-5 purchased a few years back for peanuts. They all shared the bomb-proof, "heavy metal" build quality of the original SRT line with electronic and battery updates. Under-rated classics.