Require some advice please

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Hi, I am seeking some advice about the Minolta x-300 camera. I have the opportunity to purchase this along with the following for around $300 (australian): A digital readout in the view finder, auto photo etc. The lens is a Vivitar 55mm 28-70 with macro. The flash is a Sunpak Softlite 1600a. Also comes with a Hoya 55mm Skylight(1B)lens filter. I am a novice when it comes to this so any comments with regards to performance or anything would be much appreciated.
 
I haven't used one personally, but I know someone who has one, and it's apparently a very nice rig.
 
Have you looked at where you will be developing the film for that matter buying fresh film? That said there are a lot of used film cameras for very cheap you might be better off setting your sights a bit higher and picking up a professional nikon body. (I'm not a Nikon shooter but know their old bodies were built tough) The other advantage would be a greater chance of finding used lenses. If you really want to go cheap the Pentax K-mount system has a lot of used lenses for sale.

Honestly I think it's overpriced, the accessories don't add up. Very old flashes are going to be iffy. Look at a Nikon, you are going to find a lot more used lenses. Again not a nikon shooter not starting a brand war just looking at number of used accessories generally available.
 
Looks a lot like my old Minolta SRT-101 with some added on electronics. It can do Aperture Priority metering (so you just set the Aperture on the lens and the camera will select the shutter speed to give the correct exposure). You can also set the shutter speed manually.

The lens is basic, similar to a kit lens on todays cameras. There are plenty of very nice manual focus Minolta lenses out there, I always had a couple Rokkor-X lenses and it would help to have at least one fast prime lens as you will probably be using film in the ISO 100 to 400 range. The 50mm f/1.7 Rokkor-X is probably the cheapest (I think the -X designation was used in the U.S.). As the camera does not have automatic control of aperture it can probably use older Minolta lenses with no problem.

Price seems a bit on the high side. I would think 200 Australian is a decent price. If it was the higher up X570 (or X500 depending on market) the price would be about right.

However, if the camera is in very good condition then it is certainly a decent camera to use for learning photography or just having fun with film. It has a very good meter (typical of many Minolta cameras) and nice viewfinder equal to the their higher end models so it should be easy to focus. It will hold up to a lot of abuse for a plastic body camera. It can take a cable release (get one if you don't have one), but does not have a PC socket for external flash (have to use the hotshoe).
 
13-year-old post. I suspect he has made up his mind by now.
 
Haha, I hope so!
 
A Zombie thread about a Zombie camera company :smile-new:
 
For the love of the kittens in the world.......
zombie_thread.jpg
 

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