Minolta XD-7

Minolta XD-7 (XD-11, XD)

Type	35 mm SLR
Lens mount	Minolta SR mount
Focus	Manual focus
Exposure	Shutter and Aperture priority autoexposure
Flash	Hot shoe and PC terminal
Dimensions	51 x 86 x 136 mm, 560 g

The Minolta XD-7 (sold as the XD-11 in the U.S. and as the XD in Japan) was a 35mm SLR camera manufactured by Minolta and introduced in 1977. It was the first camera to feature both shutter priority and aperture priority automatic exposure modes. The camera also offered fully metered manual exposure as well as depth of field preview and an eyepiece shutter. Also included were fully mechanical "O" (1/100 sec) and bulb settings, which allowed it to operate without a battery. The XD-7 was the top-of-the-line Minolta camera when it was in production and retains a reputation for quality. It was Minolta's last metal-bodied SLR design before the company switched to plastic with the X-700.

There was also a less-expensive version of the XD-7 called the XD-5. Introduced in 1979, the XD-5 was mostly identical to the XD-7 but without some of the higher-end features like the eyepiece shutter or the display of the selected shutter speed in the viewfinder in manual exposure mode.

Specifications

• Exposure range of EV 1 to EV 18 (ISO 100 and f1.4)
• Exposure correction from -2 to +2.
• Flash sync at hot shoe or terminal at 1/100 s.
• Electronic vertical-travel metal shutter with electromagnetic release.
• Mechanical shutter mode available at 1/100 s.
• Shutter speeds of 1 s to 1/1000 s. Stepless control of shutter speeds in auto-exposure mode.
• TTL center-weighted metering (silicon diode)
• 94% viewfinder coverage
• Acute Matte focusing screen with split image biprism surrounded by microprisms. Four screens available, replaced by technician.
• 0.87x viewfinder magnification.
• Viewfinder information depends on operating mode:
  • In aperture priority, shutter speed is indicated by LEDs.
  • In shutter priority, aperture is indicated by LEDs.
  • In manual mode, recommended shutter speed is indicated by LEDs. The chosen shutter speed is shown in a separate window.
  • With Minolta X-type flashes, flash-ready is signaled by blinking over-range LED.
  • Aperture setting is shown in all modes.
• Mechanical self-timer
• Film memo holder
• Safe load signal indicating film present and correctly spooled.
• Film advance release allowing multiple exposures
• Motorized rewind possible with Minolta Auto Winder D.

Many professional photographers used the XD-11, and one of the best known was Harry Benson, who published various books in the 1980s, often acknowledging the XD-11 in his books.

References

• Hands, Antony. "The XD Series". Rokkorfiles. http://www.rokkorfiles.com/XD11.html. Retrieved 2008-12-24. 
• Foo, Leo. "Modern Classic SLR Series: The Minolta XD-7 (XD-11) - The First Multimode 35mm AE SLR". Photography in Malaysia. http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/minoltaxd711/. Retrieved 2006-06-11.