Minolta X-700

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Rare later production silver Minolta X-700. Early silver models lack the AE-Lock button and have XG-M style self timer switch

Black version.

The Minolta X-700 was a 35 mm single-lens reflex camera introduced by Minolta in 1981; it was their final manual-focus SLR before the introduction of the revolutionary autofocus Minolta Maxxum 7000. It used the basic body of the XG-M but added full program autoexposure in addition to the XG-M's aperture priority and metered manual modes. It also introduced through-the-lens (TTL) flash metering, and added exposure lock and interchangeable focusing screens to the XG-M's features.

Motivated by the huge success of the low-priced Canon AE-1 and other, consumer level cameras, Minolta followed suit in the new camera's design by offering more external camera features. This had the effect of lowering the budget for the camera's internal mechanism. Like the rest of the XG series in which the X-700 evolved from, the X-700 lost the modern fast vertical metal shutter of previous Minolta cameras, and was instead fitted with a less expensive horizontal fabric-shutter curtain shutter operated by simple electromagnets. This resulted in a rather uncompetitive 1/60 flash sync and 1/1000 top shutter speed. No mechanical shutter speed was provided, even in bulb or time exposure modes, and the resultant battery drain makes the camera a poor choice for long exposures or astrophotography. Minolta further lowered the price of the camera by fabricating certain parts in the film advance and rewind mechanism of less expensive materiels, and by the use of less expensive electronic components. Even the rewind lever of the camera is made of plastic.

The X-700 was awarded the European "Camera of the Year" award in 1981, and its competitive pricing resulted in its becaming the most successful Minolta camera since the SRT era. As Minolta began to focus on its autofocus cameras and lenses, further research and development of newer manual-focus 35mm SLR cameras was shelved. Some internal components of the X-700 were changed over its production run, apparently in an effort to lower costs. Minolta was also one of the first major 35mm SLR manufacturers to offshore assembly of its 35mm SLR cameras. The camera was eventually discontinued in 1999.