When I first got back into shooting film around 2013, the first film SLR I acquired after a brief flirtation with lomography cameras was the Minolta X-700. I got it and a couple lenses for free from a local Facebook group for my town. It was caked in dust and didn’t look like much, so my expectations were pretty low.
After I got it cleaned up and played around with it a bit, I marveled at how intuitive all the controls were. Although I was unfamiliar with this specific camera, I practically grew up with a camera in my hand and shot film extensively as a teen, so I definitely knew where the controls SHOULD be. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the X-700 and the way it felt in my hand, but I still didn’t expect this previously dust-covered camera to produce good images.
These 5 photos are from one of the first rolls I shot with it back in 2016. I took it to a wooded area near my office called Ward Reservation in Andover, MA on my lunch break. This area boasts a hill with the highest point in Essex County and provides a beautiful view of the Boston skyline over 20 miles away on a clear day. However, I was more fascinated by the view looking up the hill toward an old unused fire tower. I also loved spotting out-of-place numbers, leading lines from stairs and trees, as well as some closeup textures of tree bark which I often find to be a fascinating subject, especially in black and white.
Enjoy these 5 photos on Kodak Tri-X 400 from the start of my rediscovery of film photography, expertly processed and scanned by one of my favorite photos labs, Old School Photo Lab (aka Photosmith) in Dover, NH.
![Fire tower on Holt Hill at Ward Reservation, Andover, MA.](https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DS-Ward1-1024x679.jpg)
![Found numbers at Ward Reservation in Andover, MA](https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DS-Ward2-1024x679.jpg)
![Trees at Ward Reservation in Andover, MA](https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DS-Ward3-1024x679.jpg)
![Stairs leading down into a path to the bog at Ward Reservation in Andover, MA](https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DS-Ward4-679x1024.jpg)
![Cracking tree bark at Ward Reservation in Andover, MA](https://www.35mmc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/DS-Ward5-1024x679.jpg)
Side note: I love my X-700 so much that I bought a second one just in case the first one ever breaks. Since I dove back into film, I have acquired some of the best film cameras ever made including a Leica M2, Pentax 645Nii, Nikon F5, etc, but the Minolta X-700 holds its own and is still one of my absolute favorite cameras due to its simplicity and reliability.
– Dave Shrewsbury
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Comments
Sam Forrest on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Natalie B. on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Jukka Reimola on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Gary Smith on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Dan Emerson on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Fabulous tonal gradations on the numbers and peeling bark shots. Making the most of monochrome!
Regards
Daniel
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
Comment posted: 14/03/2024
gustav on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 15/03/2024
I also shoot and love the X700. Can also recommend the SR7 if you want an all manual/mechanic body.
Comment posted: 15/03/2024
Khürt Williams on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 18/03/2024
Comment posted: 18/03/2024
Pete on 5 Frames with a Minolta X-700 and Tri-X
Comment posted: 18/03/2024
I too had the X-700 which I bought new in the 80's, then sold late 90's but bought again a few years back in really good condition. Before usage, I replaced the foam seals and bought some of that nice Minolta glass that also works great with my Sony a7 camera. Some of Minolta's great manual lenses that I acquired are the 24 & 28 f2.8, 50 f1.4, 100mm f2.5, 200mm f4, 200mm f2.8, 135mm f2.0 (collectors dream), the 35-70 macro and 75-150mm f4. I also bought a couple XD11 bodies and they are a dream to use as well!
Great post, love to see those black and white shots and immediately feel an urge to go out and shoot some photos! :)