Oops I bought a Minolta 7000. Advice required.

Baloo

Baloo

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I was looking for a Minolta 28mm to go on my Sony A Mount cameras and found one attached to a Minolta 7000 that looks in pretty good nick. Been thinking of getting a film camera again for a long time and since the combo was only £40 I thought whats to lose?
The 7000 made sense since all my Minolta A mount lenses will fit and it takes AAA batteries so a good supply always available. Cannot say I am over in love with those 80s looks though. So it is on its way in the post.
Anyway hoping someone can help me with a few questions about film nowadays.

I am assuming I will need new light seals on the camera, where do I get the material?
I intend to run a cheap film through it to test and get it processed and scanned, whats a cheap place to get film and processing, not really bothered about quality for the first couple of films.
I used to love slide film and wonder if it still available and where to buy from if it is?
Anyone recommend a cheapish projector?

Finally anyone ever owned a 7000? Any tips advice on using one?
 
You can buy sheets of self adhesive foam from that auction site. You need 2mm thick foam. Cutting it to size is easy but fitting it can be a bit fiddly
 
john.margetts said:
You can buy sheets of self adhesive foam from that auction site. You need 2mm thick foam. Cutting it to size is easy but fitting it can be a bit fiddly
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Thank you John. First problem solved.
 
Baloo said:
I was looking for a Minolta 28mm to go on my Sony A Mount cameras and found one attached to a Minolta 7000 that looks in pretty good nick. Been thinking of getting a film camera again for a long time and since the combo was only £40 I thought whats to lose?
The 7000 made sense since all my Minolta A mount lenses will fit and it takes AAA batteries so a good supply always available. Cannot say I am over in love with those 80s looks though. So it is on its way in the post.
Anyway hoping someone can help me with a few questions about film nowadays.

I am assuming I will need new light seals on the camera, where do I get the material?
I intend to run a cheap film through it to test and get it processed and scanned, whats a cheap place to get film and processing, not really bothered about quality for the first couple of films.
I used to love slide film and wonder if it still available and where to buy from if it is?
Anyone recommend a cheapish projector?

Finally anyone ever owned a 7000? Any tips advice on using one?
Click to expand...

There's a thread linked from the Resources sticky above that might be useful: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/first-film-camera-ever-or-for-many-years.481985/ although I haven't checked it for a few years and it may well be out of date. Ignore any references to Poundland film, those days are long gone!

Lots of sources of film including @AgPhotographic and Analogue Wonderland. Both of those also offer processing (very new in the case of the Analogue Wonderlab). Filmdev is a lab that many of us here use, too.

Postage is often an issue for small quantities of film. Your local Boots might be an option in that case; the film is a bit more expensive, but for a couple of olls it's OK, and of course quick. I'd suggest Ilford XP2 as a possible starter; it's black and white but processed as if it was a colour film (the C41 process). They also have FP4 and HP5 ( "proper" black and white films, both slightly more expensive to dev/scan) and usually a Fuji colour film, although I think there have been supply issues recently.

Slide film is still available but very expensive. Most of us get it processed and scanned, rather than projected. The look of slide, specially Fuji Provia and Velvia, is distinctive and survives moving into the digit*l world!
 
ChrisR said:
There's a thread linked from the Resources sticky above that might be useful: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/first-film-camera-ever-or-for-many-years.481985/ although I haven't checked it for a few years and it may well be out of date. Ignore any references to Poundland film, those days are long gone!

Lots of sources of film including @AgPhotographic and Analogue Wonderland. Both of those also offer processing (very new in the case of the Analogue Wonderlab). Filmdev is a lab that many of us here use, too.

Postage is often an issue for small quantities of film. Your local Boots might be an option in that case; the film is a bit more expensive, but for a couple of olls it's OK, and of course quick. I'd suggest Ilford XP2 as a possible starter; it's black and white but processed as if it was a colour film (the C41 process). They also have FP4 and HP5 ( "proper" black and white films, both slightly more expensive to dev/scan) and usually a Fuji colour film, although I think there have been supply issues recently.

Slide film is still available but very expensive. Most of us get it processed and scanned, rather than projected. The look of slide, specially Fuji Provia and Velvia, is distinctive and survives moving into the digit*l world!
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Thank you Chris, lots for this insomniac to read tonight!
 
I used a Minolta 9000 for over 15 years. The big brother to the 7000.
Still got it along with a 35-70mm lens and a 70-210 beercan lens.
Also got the 4000af flash.
All boxed in mint condition, but with very little value.
It was a great camera.
 
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I used the 7000 for a while and liked it. The thumb grip part typically starts to crumble away so i just removed the whole thing. You can mould a new one from Sugo (I think that is what it is called) should this issue be present on your camera. I also did the light seals with the stuff you have ordered.

I only sold mine because I found an ME Super which was my first ever SLR and I don't need two SLR's otherwise I would like still have it.

Also, try FilmDev for your inexpensive developing needs.

Have fun.
 
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moggi1964 said:
I used the 7000 for a while and liked it. The thumb grip part typically starts to crumble away so i just removed the whole thing. You can mould a new one from Sugo (I think that is what it is called) should this issue be present on your camera. I also did the light seals with the stuff you have ordered.

I only sold mine because I found an ME Super which was my first ever SLR and I don't need two SLR's otherwise I would like still have it.

Also, try FilmDev for your inexpensive developing needs.

Have fun.
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Thanks Morris, I have never had a Minolta SLR so it will be a new experience for me, my first SLR was a Nikkormat and I was tempted to go for one of those but the fact all my A mount lenses will fit the Minolta swung it for me.
 
By the way Roger, if you do decide you want to project your slides then check out the auction rooms that are close to you. That kind of thing comes up very often at very good prices but you'll likely want to pop along to make sure of the condition. There are some auction rooms that I trust implicitly with description but they of course charge more. Flints is one example.
 
moggi1964 said:
By the way Roger, if you do decide you want to project your slides then check out the auction rooms that are close to you. That kind of thing comes up very often at very good prices but you'll likely want to pop along to make sure of the condition. There are some auction rooms that I trust implicitly with description but they of course charge more. Flints is one example.
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Thank you Morris, definitely going to get a projector, I have thousands of slides mostly taken by my father, mothers not too well and I think I am going to do her some slide shows over Christmas. Any recommendations for a reasonable slide projector, I have never bought one, I always borrowed dads back in the day! Most of the slides are in trays which I assume are pretty generic?
 
Baloo said:
Cornwall just outside Newquay.
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Very little auction activity down that way sadly.

I've never owned a projector so cannot make any recommendations so might be worth checking out the online stores that deal in old stuff so at least you have a return option.

I'll keep an eye open.
 
I had a Rollei projector with coupled focussing so that when you zoomed the lens the focus changed automatically. At least that's how I remember it working! One of the plus points was that it took standard 50 slide trays. Previously I had a manual focus Voitglander which was very nicely made but got nicked from my car. It also took the standard straight magazines. My dad had a Hanimex, which seem to be very common on eBay these days, nothing wrong with it at all as far as imaging goes.
 
ChrisR said:
Slide film is still available but very expensive. Most of us get it processed and scanned, rather than projected. The look of slide, specially Fuji Provia and Velvia, is distinctive and survives moving into the digit*l world!
Click to expand...
Forgot to mention: colour and black and white negative films have excellent latitude, so very forgiving of exposure. Slide/transparency/reversal (3 names for the same thing) film is MUCH less forgiving. You need to get your exposure bang on for best results.

XP2 might be the most forgiving film around. Someone on here suggest rating it at 400 (box speed) when cloudy and 200 or 100 when bright, on the same roll! (At least, that's my memory of the idea, I've never done it).
 
Great camera and so much underrated.
Agfa, later branded Reflects are good projectors. The Kodak carousel SAV 2000, 6000 etc are selling for reasonable prices now and they were propped commercial headwear at one time, but make sure you get one that works as they are very hard and expensive to fix!
I've got a 7000 around here somewhere in sure to be making a video about it st some point. Not sure I have a lens however!
I hope you enjoy it.
 
ChrisR said:
Forgot to mention: colour and black and white negative films have excellent latitude, so very forgiving of exposure. Slide/transparency/reversal (3 names for the same thing) film is MUCH less forgiving. You need to get your exposure bang on for best results.

XP2 might be the most forgiving film around. Someone on here suggest rating it at 400 (box speed) when cloudy and 200 or 100 when bright, on the same roll! (At least, that's my memory of the idea, I've never done it).
Click to expand...
Thank you Chris, the only colour film I used to shoot was slide, when I first started there was no ttl metering so had a Weston Light Meter.
 
ilikebowens said:
Great camera and so much underrated.
Agfa, later branded Reflects are good projectors. The Kodak carousel SAV 2000, 6000 etc are selling for reasonable prices now and they were propped commercial headwear at one time, but make sure you get one that works as they are very hard and expensive to fix!
I've got a 7000 around here somewhere in sure to be making a video about it st some point. Not sure I have a lens however!
I hope you enjoy it.
Click to expand...
Thank you I will be looking out for an Agfa, do not want to go for a carousel projector as all the slides I have are already in trays.
 
Baloo said:
Thank you I will be looking out for an Agfa, do not want to go for a carousel projector as all the slides I have are already in trays.
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Your local Gumtree has a Rollei in Falmouth and a Prinz in Newlyn. Prinz was a Dixons own brand, but it appears to be a Hanimex who also made for Boots, so should be plenty about?

Projector in Cornwall | Stuff for Sale - Gumtree

Find a projector in Cornwall on Gumtree, the #1 site for Stuff for Sale classifieds ads in the UK.
www.gumtree.com www.gumtree.com
 
Peter B said:
Your local Gumtree has a Rollei in Falmouth and a Prinz in Newlyn. Prinz was a Dixons own brand, but it appears to be a Hanimex who also made for Boots, so should be plenty about?

Projector in Cornwall | Stuff for Sale - Gumtree

Find a projector in Cornwall on Gumtree, the #1 site for Stuff for Sale classifieds ads in the UK.
www.gumtree.com www.gumtree.com
Click to expand...
Thanks Peter had to have few days away so will be contacting them tomorrow when I get back to Cornwall.
 
So the 7000 has arrived and it is in excellent condition as is the 28mm lens. But what a bonus included in the box, a working 9000 with just a bit of bleeding on the LCD. Absolutely delighted. Got to admit I prefer the 9000 to the 7000 principally because it has mechanical film advance.

Also found a shop near to me in Wadebridge that sells film and does next day processing.

So the 9000 is loaded up with Kodak Gold and I hope to put up a couple of pictures when I finish the roll and get it processed.
 
The 9000 and 7000 in amazing nick.

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51732518410_0302d9a0f5_c.jpg
 
Finally got around to getting my first film developed and the Minolta works fine. Unfortunately I did not get the images in digital so this is a phone picture of a print, the obligatory Squirrel shot!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2n9npvT]Squirrel film by R Hillman, on Flickr[/URL]
 
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