Not only!

There was the Minolta Vectis which had PnS's and SLR designs; mikeeckman.com/2022/04/mino...

It also had a 'V-mount' lens system that you can adapt to Sony-E mount today ($$$): www.monsteradapter.com/products/la-...

There's also a 'true' Pancake Rokkor (pre-MC/MD), but it's really rare and not as good as the f/2 MD version. But it is tiny!

minolta.su/minolta-rokk...

I think the best is 9000.org

Best viewed on desktop, but you'll figure why it's got the url pretty quickly.

And finally, what about 5?

There's no SR-5, but later Minolta camera series included it somewhere between 1 or 3 and 7 as an intermediate model.

E.g.
Basic/Entry - X-300, 300si
Intermediate - X-500, XE-5, XD5, 500si
Professional - X-700, XE-1/7, XD11/7, 700si

...so yeah, why SR-'7'?

Glenn was in the capsule 'Friendship-7', named after the Mercury-7 astronauts and the capsule being the 7th made.

The SR-7 was released shortly afterwards, Minolta still riding the high of being on a Space Mission. They essentially took the number from Friendship 7!

... Friendship-7 took the first American into Space in Feb 1962 and completed 3 orbits. John Glenn took a Minolta Hi-Matic with him!

When he came back down, it elevated Minolta's status as a camera company. Glenn got a personal tour of Minolta, as thanks when he had his 'Forth Orbit' World Tour.

...but hang on, what about the next camera, the SR-7?

Well, you couldn't call it SR-4. Because '4'(四 "shi") can be misinterpreted as 'Death' (死 "shi") and that's just bad marketing.

So why not SR-5?

Whilst the SR-3 replacement was being developed, Friendship-7 sent a Minolta Himatic into Space...

It's the same with Minolta SR to Canon EF-EOS; not many adaptor options and rightly so because it's terrible to use.

This old writeup was about 2 lenses, but ended up being a review of the terrible Pixco adaptor and why it's better adapting to mirrorless.

minoltascape.neocities.org/Battleofthe3...

Thanks, I appreciate it! Did you ever meet Sam Kusomoto with your time at Minolta US?

If it's still causing you trouble, check out the 'Minolta P-Adaptor' - an officially made M42 to SR adaptor (back when *P*entax still had M42 mount cameras). Should be affordable too!

I started with the sony a200 back in like, 2008? And I've been with them ever since! They've been dogging it a bit lately tho.. God I wish they'd revive some classic Minolta vibes.

Panasonic, Nikon, fujifilm, even OLYMPUS, they're all NAILING the retro look.

Sony, get it TOGETHER.

PLEASE.

obsoletesony.substack.com/p/sony-alpha...

Shhhh... Tell too many people and the Minolta's won't stay cheap for long! 😂

Enjoy the read!

www.butkus.org/chinon/minol...

Tip; If the mirror locks up after a shot (unintentional but it can happen very rarely), open and close the battery compartment, it's a reset.