Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/4, 1/18 sec, ISO3200 “My Minolta” Cedar Park, 2021
Today is World Photography Day, and I thought I’d take a photo of the camera that started my photography hobby in earnest. It’s my beloved Minolta X-700, which was my dad’s camera before I “borrowed it permanently” for my photography class in college.
My grandfather bought it in Hong Kong in the 80s as a gift for my dad. When I moved to Japan, I brought it with me and got it CLA’d (Clean, Lube, Adjust) at the Yodobashi store in Yokohama for ¥ 5,000 JP and enjoyed practicing photography and using slide film while there.
Ever since digital cameras got up to speed, I haven’t used my film cameras much, although I did stick with Minolta (Konica-Minolta) and even Sony after they bought the Konica-Minolta camera division.
Film cameras are certainly beautiful, but I find film to be too much of a hassle. I know film photography has been enjoying a resurgence (mainly for those who grew up with digital), but I am pretty sure I’ll never seriously go back.
Thank you for all the memories, my little Minolta X-700!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 135mm, f/1, 1/60 sec, ISO500 “Anko” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。How’s it going?
Today I received a lens adapter in the mail so that I can mount my beloved Minolta MD 50mm f/1.4 lens to my Fujifilm X-T10. The Fotasy Minolta MD to Fujifilm X-Mount Adapter was only about $16 and fits perfectly. The mounted lens is snug and secure, with no play at all.
The 50mm lens is what I used a lot my Minolta X-700, and more recently with my Sony A77 via an adapter, so I thought it would be cool to put it on the Fujifilm. I am happy to report that the quality of the photos that the lens produces with the Fujifilm is much better than the ones produced with the Sony. The edges are sharper and there’s less chromatic aberration. I’m not sure why the Sony images weren’t as good, since the adapter simply acts as a spacer between the lens and sensor. I can only guess that the adapter I used with the Sony was a tiny bit too long or short.
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 135mm, f/1, 1/120 sec, ISO400 “Son” Cedar Park, 2018
At any rate, the 50mm lens produces some lovely bokeh at the wider end, and when stopped down to f/3.6 the sharpness increases quite a bit. Using a manual-focus lens on a mirrorless body is easy because of the focus peaking feature, which overlays color outlines over the parts of the image that are in focus. I love it!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 50mm, f/1, 1/30 sec, ISO800 “Sketchy Model” Cedar Park, 2018
Now I have another option that I can use with my single body/lens philosophy, which seems to be working out nicely. Just yesterday I used the X-T10 and 35mm lens combination at the Fourth of July party, and I am really happy with the images! And I don’t mind “zooming with my feet” with the prime lens. It’s actually kind of fun!
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-T10, 35mm, f/6.4, 1/6 sec, ISO3200 “Digital and Film” Cedar Park, 2018
こんばんは。
Today’s photo is of my favorite digital camera and my favorite film camera. I’ve seen quite a few videos about shooting film, and there’s a general revival of film photography happening. It’s pretty cool! I guess all the younger photographers who grew up with digital are discovering film. I think it’s great.
I love my old film cameras and had so much fun shooting with them. Because I learned photography by shooting film, they hold a special place for me, and each of my film cameras has certain sentimental value. Actually, that’s not true. I have a few that I acquired later on that I don’t have any real attachment too, and I should probably donate those. But my Minolta X-700, α507si, Nikon F, Holga 120, and Olympus XA are keepers!
That said, I don’t see myself shooting film in the future. I just think the advantages of digital are so great that the charm of film cannot overcome them. The combination of digital and Lightroom allows me to create the photographic style I like, plus the speed of processing that I require to post to my blog every day requires a digital camera. As much as I enjoyed shooting film, it’s simply a hassle to develop the film.
I guess for me it’s also a case of “been there, done that”. But for the younger photo-enthusiasts, it’s a whole new world to explore, and that is wonderful. I get excited thinking that they might be experiencing that same magic of discovery that I experienced when I learned how to develop film and make prints in the dark room. It was a great time. I honestly feel that film is something you have to try out at some point as a photographer because it is an important part of photography that still exists and it’ll be an itch that you’ll have to scratch, or it will stay at the back of your mind and drive you crazy.
Anyways, I will hold on to my precious film cameras and maybe someday my sons or even grandkids might want to use them to shoot some film. 😀
I have Google Photos automatically upload/backup my photos folder, and its “Assistant” will make animations and movies from sequences of photos. I thought this animated gif created from some film scans was pretty cool. Back in 1998 I had just bought a motor drive for my Minolta X-700 and took it for a spin in Odaiba. That motor drive made the coolest sound!
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My camera & photos
I use a Fujifilm X-series camera for most of the photos on this site and my Instagram. Why not pick one up for yourself?
