5 Frames With A Minolta 700si And A Roll Of Dubblefilm Monsoon – By Nigel Cliff

Firstly can I just say that this review is all the fault of Simon Forster from the Classic Lenses Podcast. Why you may ask, well having dragged me into the world of Classic Lenses he then appeared on the Sunny 16 podcast and I was hooked into the world of film too.

The Sunny 16 Podcast then introduced me to film outside my safe world of Kodak and Fuji – I’d been having the urge to try something different when I heard the Dubblefilm episode so picked some up from Analogue Wonderland. Simon then posted a post about a Minolta SLR on Adventures in Film Photography which got me thinking that I’d never had a Minolta SLR. A visit to a local car boot sale later, and I was the proud possessor of a 700si complete with Sigma 28-80. The Doublefilm found its way into the Minolta and together they accompanied me on a holiday to North Wales.

The 700si is a chunky beast with a bit of heft to it, but it sits well and all the controls fall easily to hand. It’s fairly minimalist with buttons and dials leading to the various shooting modes, but is all fairly understandable and easy to get to grips with.

The Dubblefilm Monsoon was a real stab in the dark but I liked the description of “Colours like after a fresh Monsoon rain”. It didn’t disappoint giving a retro feel but really crisp colours with a blue green tone and so different to the mainstream films I’ve always used in the past. I don’t think I had ever been so pleased with a first set of shots from a new film since my first roll of Velvia so many years ago.

Anyhow more Monsoon has been acquired and the Minolta will see regular use in the future

Share this post: