Re: Minolta X 700 Serial Numbers
Jahed Stetter
Hello all, have just been thinking about EVs. I have always liked that on the Hi-Matics they give you the EV number for different shutter speed / aperture settings right there on the same rings. But thinking about it, EV numbers are more complicated than that, and need to have the ISO taken into account.
Thanks Q.G. , so I did have a problem in there somewhere. I thought I had it clear but now I am confused. I get that EV numbers were a way of replacing the shutter speed/aperture combination, using a single number instead of two. But don't really get it.
If you look at an EV chart it says for example, 1/250 at f11 at ISO 100 is EV15, which is what the HiMatic also says. The way I understand it is that EV numbers are good to use because they correspond to certain lighting conditions, so EV 15 is good for subjects in sunlight. But you are saying that the combination 1/250 at f11 is always EV15? Because the charts say that 1/250 at f11 at ISO 400 is EV 13.
EV - Equivalent Value (but apparently also called Exposure Value in some old manuals as an interchangeable term) is a set of numbers that replace the shutter speed and aperture numbers with one number.
I'm not really explaining this clearly but in short, I can really see sense in using Exposure Value numbers / table as a method of mental light reading calculations. But what really was the point in Equivalent Value numbers that I have on the rings of my Minolta Hi Matic 7, 7s, 9? yes I know it reduces two numbers into one, but how was that useful?
These are AF 8-digit serial numbers. Back in manual focus time after 1973 (MC Rokkor-X time) Minolta would "jump" or "restart" serial number sequences each time it came out with a modified version of a lens (earlier than that there was some sort of sequential ordering). So even back in this primordial time the serial number ranges got confusing, with layers of similar ranges for different generations of lenses of the same focal length (except last generation "plain" MD). And by AF time would assume even more confusion (given the 8th digit), so Mr. Mueller's right. Without additional info these serial numbers are meaningless.
It may be better to quote: 11202### etc. as you serials on on-line forums. You can never be sure what people will do with these numbers! Like add them to their own insurance certificate and then claim them as 'stolen' .... oh look, this guy has them!
I agree with one of the replies that the numbers are meaningless anyway, so you may not want/need to post the numbers again anyway! There was a thread in another forum to attempt to unravel the 7Ds seial number. There were two - quite different - ideas, both were rubbish of course.
A previous poster wrote "It may be better to quote: 11202### etc. as you serials on on-line forums. You can never be sure what people will do with these numbers! Like add them to their own insurance certificate and then claim them as 'stolen' .... oh look, this guy has them!"
I have heard this before and it is just another "urban legend", what we used to call BS in the old days. So I could go to a camera store, look at some used items, note the serial numbers, file a police report saying the items were stolen from me, and get them back? Sure I could. Please spare me the "My brother knows a guy that this happened to" line.
Two focal lengths were made for the CL: 40/2 and 90/4. Threefocal lengths were made for the CLE: 28/2.8, 40/2, and 90/4. CLE lenses aremulti-coated, CL lenses are not. CLE lenses have traditional Leitzparallel focusing cams, CL 40/2 and 90/4 lenses have very angular focusingcams. No one questions the CLE lenses will work well with the Leica Mcameras. Some people believe the CL lenses are not 100% compatible with theM's -- I disagree, the full story is in the CL profile. The easiest way to spot CLE lenses is their serial numbers are onthe lens barrel. CL lens serial numbers are on the filter ring. The 40/2 lenses for the CL or CLE are among the sharpest lenses I haveever used.
The rarest CLE is the Gold, made to commemorate Minolta'sThree Millionth Camera! Only 300 were made. Serial numbers run from 3,000,001 to3,000,0300. The body is all gold plated, including the strap lugs. The lens looks like aregular black 40/2 Rokkor, but its lens mount is gold plated. It came in a normal CLE boxmarked "Limited Edition." Anyone can gold plate a CLE, so beware of its value as a collectible if outside this serial number range.
The Crown E is equipped with a small disc acting as an exposure counter, object of the 1934 patent mentioned above. This disc advances each time the release is tripped and it can be manually reset. It is graduated from 1 to 8 with an intermediate stop between two consecutive numbers so that each number is used twice, the same as in the red windows. The disc makes two full turns during the 16 exposures and each numbered position is shared by two numbers: 5/1, 6/2, 7/3 and 8/4.
The Semi Minolta with frame finder ("types A1, A2, A3")[18] is extremely rare, and only very few surviving examples are known so far, with lens numbers in the 3xxx range.[25] All have an accessory shoe ("type A2")[18] instead of the cylindrical post found on the advertising pictures. The lens and shutter assembly is mounted on a focusing helix and the distance scale is on a metal strip above the front standard. The lens bezel is black and of course the front element is fixed. The frame finder is opened by lifting the rear edge, and its front part folds over the rear one. The back has two uncovered red windows, which are offset to the left compared with later examples, and look slightly smaller.
The example pictured above has 1/100 top speed ("type B1"),[18] but others are known with 1/200 ("type B2").[18][29] Examples of this version are known with body numbers in the 02xxx range and lens numbers in the 9xxx to 11xxx range. The transition from 1/100 to 1/200 shows some overlapping of the lens numbers: no.9429 is known on a 1/200 shutter, lower than no.10379 pictured above on a 1/100 shutter.
At some point after the definitive adoption of 1/200 top speed, the low film flanges were replaced by higher ones, similar to those mounted on the model II. The newer flanges ("type C")[18] can be lifted only after they are turned so that the small screw on the rim is pointing to the back, unlike the older ones which could be lifted in any position. A few examples or this version are known, with lens numbers in the 11xxx to 15xxx range.[31]
The examples with f/4.5 lens have an unchanged lens bezel and infinity stop, and presumably an unchanged folding bed, notably recognized by the thicker standing leg ("type D2").[18][36] Lens numbers are known in the 28xxx and 29xxx range, and one camera has body no.05690.[37]
The late version also exists with an f/3.5 lens. The distance scale is engraved on the side of the focusing rim and the infinity stop consists of a small red plate. There is a new type of folding bed ("type E"),[18] same as found on the model II, with a recessed oval and a thinner standing leg, certainly to accomodate the larger f/3.5 lens. Compared with an earlier example, the spring mechanism releasing the folding bed is different, but it is unknown if this is related to the bed modification. All the other features are unchanged. The only serial numbers known so far correspond to the camera pictures above, with body no.05943 and lens no.30234.
The first examples have two red windows in the back, protected by a cover that is retracted by a lever. This feature is pictured in one of the advertisements for the Prontor model mentioned above. It only appears on a few examples with Prontor II shutter and f/3.5 lens (numbers are known in the 32xxx and 33xxx range),[48] or with Crown shutter and f/4.5 lens having the old lens bezel.[49] On these, the control lever is sometimes broken, hinting that the part was too fragile.[50]
Some early examples have the same lens bezel and infinity stop as the original Semi Minolta, with lens numbers up to the 38xxx range.[55] This was soon changed for a new lens bezel and infinity stop similar to the f/3.5 version.[56]
The earliest lens numbers known for the Crown and f/3.5 combination are in the 38xxx range, and there was some overlap with the Prontor equipment until the 40xxx range. Known lens numbers for the early model (f/4.5 or f/3.5) run into the 48xxx range.
Towards the end of the production of the nickel plated version (lens numbers in the 62xxx to 64xxx range), the advance key was modified with sharper edges, and the transitional cameras received a chrome plated lens and shutter unit.[68]
The late model of the Semi Minolta II has plain diagonal struts, without any logo, increasing the similarity with the 4.56 Nettar. This model exists both with the f/4.5 lens and with the f/3.5 lens, normally engraved Coronar Nippon. Lens numbers are confirmed from the 83xxx to the 108xxx range. One isolated example has been observed with the older lens marking and an out of sequence serial number in the 69xxx range, perhaps because remaining lens stock was used.[72]
Also a titanium version of this camera was available as the 9Ti. The 9Ti had the same features as its regular counterpart with the exception of the silver finish and lighter weight of the titanium shell, a "wet type" rubber grip, knobs with relief labels in orange color instead of the standard model's knobs with phosphorescent paint, and a brown leather shoulder strap. It also received four additional custom functions for a total of 25.A lighter magnesium vertical grip VC-9M was available as well.The camera came out in 1999 in limited quantities only and with 4-digit serial numbers. It was sold out in 2001 already. A small batch of Dynax 9Ti bodies with 8-digit serial numbers in the #199011xx range and lacking the accessories surfaced in Germany between 2002 and 2006 (presumably assembled by Minolta's European Service Center in Bremen from 9Ti spare parts), dubbed the Dynax 9Ti II to distinguish it from the original 4-digit limited series of the 9Ti.
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