Strenghth and durability. Ease of use in any auto mode. Good system support for more advanced work. Cheap to buy.

Slower to use if wearing gloves in winter because sensor bars on grip don't respond.

Very simple to use especially in program mode where I can leave it swithched on in standgy mode and "grab" shots instantly. Quality is excellent and the camera is very robust if a little heavy and bulky. Results are first class and delightfully consistent. A first class amateurs camera.

Customer Service

Never had cause to find out with this camera although Minolta UK proved excellent with wife's Riva zoom.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS 300

Built-in zoom flash (automatic up/down)
Spot metering
eye start focusing
Program ajustments (Ps and Pa)
Very easy to use..

Shutterspeed maximum only 1/2000, plastic body..

Very good SLR for starting..

Customer Service

Never used,till now, the plastic broke

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F70
Nikon F80
Minolta SpXi

Full information viewfinder, eye start, spot metering and exposure compensation is not something one can expect in such an affordable camera, but they are there. ON top of it, there is a remote cord outlet and auto-zoom capability. Built-in flash can control an off camera unit, so there is no need to buy an expensive wireless controller (I actually bought a used 5xi body instead). Can accept program cards. Build quality is much better than in later consumer grade si cameras.

Custom function card cannot be used, so there is no way to make this camera leave the film leader out. Slow motor.

I use this body for party shots where 9xi is too heavy and bulky and as a remote flash controller shooting portraits. Excellent camera for an advanced amateur photographer. Used it is around $150, which makes it an appealing choice for a student or a person who has not yet get addicted to photography to the point where sky is the limit.

Customer Service

Did not need

Similar Products Used:

9xi
2xi
400si

Qualidade de construção
Exposição
Cards
Flash c/zoom
Facilidade de utilização
Lentes Minolta

Auto focus lento
Eye focus não pode ser desligado
Extremamente barulhenta
Não é providade de profundidade de campo

Excelente câmera, beneficiada pela qualidade das lentes minolta 50mm f 1.4/ 50 mm f 2.8 macro assim com o da fotometria eficiente em condições adversa de luz.
Lamentavelmente o desempenho global é prejudicado pelo foco automático lento e pela impossibilidade de se desabilitar o eye focus.
Outrossim, a velocidade do foco automático não é fator determinante para fotógrafos de retrato o que torna esta máquina uma escolha acertada em função de seu custo/benefício.

Customer Service

Nenhum

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N70
Nikon N60
Canon Elan II e
Canos EOS 300
Pentax PZ 70
Contax RTS II
Olympus OM 1
Fuji Fotonex 4000 APS

Lightweight
quiet
no brainer operation

burns batteries
no brainer operations
LCD display is "leaking:, resulting in mottling/blob-like structure in the display

I inherited this camera, and have used it very infrequently. Minolta never fails to amaze me. This camera can do just about everything, though I must admit that I much prefer my Nikons to all the automation.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

none

THIS IS A VERY TOUGH CAMERA. I HAVE DROPPED IT BEFORE AND IT WAS NOT AFFECTED. MY CAMERA IS 10 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.

I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE YET.

I STARTED WITH THIS CAMERA NOT REALLY KNOWING ALOT ABOUT THEM, BUT HAVE FOUND THAT THEY ARE GREAT TO LEARN ON AND IF & WHEN I BUY A NEW BODY IT WILL ALSO BE A MINOLTA.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

MY FRIEND OWNS A CANON REBEL WHICH I HAVE USED BUT I AM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MY MINOLTA.

Very easy to use, lightweight body, lens mount is made of steel (reason enough to buy it, much better than this plastic mounts on the cheap Minoltas and the middle-class Canons which are only waiting to break). The 5xi is a backup for my 9xi or whenever it is too heavy to take a pro-camera with you. The 5xi has everything you need to take excactly the picture you have in mind. It has a program-shift and a spot-metering (Program-shift is now missing in the 505si super), but nothing more. But this is good, because you don't need any skills or experience to handle this camera! And you have always a strong zoom-flah with you!

None, more than you can expct for this price nowadays!

You want to concentrate on your picture instead on your camera? This one is easy to use, has everything you need and gives you full information in the viewfinder. It has a steel lens mount and a strong build-in zoom- flash! Better than the new si-series!

Customer Service

Eye-Start was out of order, very fast and cheap repair!

Similar Products Used:

7000 with scientific Super Back 70
7xi
9xi