Minolta 7s and Canonette

[Commonman]

I had a Canonette qL 17 when I was a kid. I've been wanting to pick up one for nostalgic purposes and just for fun. I found a Minolta 7s in a junk shop just a few days ago and it's very similar to the Canonnett. I was just wondering if anyone knows which would have a better lense. I just shot a few rolls with the Minolta and I am amazed at how well they turned out.

 

[usayit]

If you are buying for nostalgic purposes do not settle for something different... makes no sense. You owned the Canonette as a kid you should just get it. IMO.. no point in even considering the Minolta as an alternative.

There are tons of Canonette QL's out there. Most are in working condition only requiring new foam seals to be replaced (easy DIY project).

 

[Commonman]

O.K. thanks. I was just wondering how they compare because I found a Minolta at a junk shop and I just shot 2 rolls of film with it and it appears to work fine. I guess would just like to own a "poor man's Lica" and regarding the nostalgia, yes I would agree.

 

[usayit]

You can always "collect" both... Minolta now and a Canonette when you find it.

Of course that can lead to having a collection of cameras that out grow your bookshelf

 

[malkav41]

I second what usayit said.

I started out with a Canon FTbn SLR, and now have 36 cameras. 24 SLRs, and 12 RFs including 5 Canonets, 3 of which are QL17s from 1965, 1969, 1972.

Camera collecting is a sneaky beast.

 

[usayit]

If you set a rule to collect a particular type/brand/decade/etc... then it won't be so bad.

I broke that rule several years ago... ah well...

 

[Commonman]

Yes, it's amazing what a sneaky beast it is. I started out with 1 35 mm '"point and click" in 2001. Now, I have about 10 cameras. At least 3 of these were given to me by people who knew they were done with film photography. I can see how it can happen.