Rating: 
Summary: Minolta Cool
Review: I've always enjoyed the Minolta system of cameras and thought I'd check this one out. Overall, it's easy to use and the AF system is spot on. The only criticism I have is that the functions are not always easy to figure out and I have had problems taking a photo and the camera doesn't want to. My manual X700 runs great, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Better than the rest
Review: I've had this camera more than a few months now, and I must say it takes excellent photos. I shopped for a long time and had a hard time choosing between this camera, the N65 and the Cannon Rebel 2k. The camera will not let you take a bad picture. I've been starting to stray from the full auto mode, and find the controls to be the best around. If things get weird, one button restores full auto everything. Get the extra wireless flash (which is unfortunately proprietary) and you have a great setup. The size and weight are an added bonus. I love this camera. No, its not metal. Except the lense mount, where it matters (unlike Cannon). But the silver looks cool.
Rating:
Summary: A fine camera with excellent features
Review: It has the best features in it's class - Nikon N65/N80, Canon EOS Rebel etc - you can compare side-by-side.
It can produce excellent results.
It's the lightest around which is important and really nice.
If you know your SLR a bit, having a zoom 75-300mm will be a very rewarding experience. You might find yourself using only the zoom afterwards.
Suprisingly Minolta does little publicity compared to Canon,Nikon though their products are so good.
My 2 cents advice for SLR beginners-
1.Read the manual for some length at least before starting to shoot.
2.Try not to use the All-auto(default) mode as soon as you can.Use S(125 speed is a safe choice) or A mode.
3.Specially for portraits use ISO-100 film for best clarity.
4.All cameras of this type have a small built-in flash which may disappoint you indoors. Use ISO400 film indoors.
Rating:
Summary: Small SLR, Big Features!!!
Review: Just bought this camera from Amazon.com and came with no harm. The camera is pretty small, compared to Canon Rebel 2000 or the new TI and Nikon N65. I kind of have a big hand and this camera is actually for my wife who has a small hand so it's perfect for her. I chose this maxxum camera cause my friend has the old minolta SLR camera and still produces nice pictures. The EYE START module is nice, it'll follow your eyeball to the object you want to focus the most. It's really nice. I'm no pro but loves anykind of camera. Used to have N65, hated it, never got a single nice pictures, and it was so heavy. With this camera, you can taste what a pro-like results even you use the complete auto mode.
Rating: 
Summary: Recent buyer
Review: Photos taken from my Minolta 5, which I recently purchased, have been by and large disappointing. Whether using manual or automatic mode for focus, lighting, subject type, etc. the resulting photos do not exceed the quality one would obtain with a normal point-and-shoot camera. So far, the "extra performance" of this SLR with multiple menus has failed to materialise. I would very much like to trade it in for another brand.
Rating:
Summary: Great Camera
Review: Simply put, the Maxxum 5 is a great balance of features, price, and quality for the beginner to pro hobbiest.
Rating:
Summary: Hidden difficulties
Review: Since purchasing the Maxxum 5 aproximately two weeks ago for a Photojournalism class, I have discovered a few annoyances with the camera. First, if one has the inclination to shoot infrared film... forget it. The film reader inside the camera will fog your film, says the manual. Also, after shooting 40 exposures, the film will automatically rewind... whether there's more film in the camera or not. But the most frustrating feature of this camera is the flash shoe. The Maxxum series apparently uses a flash docking system that is precisely opposite to normal flash mounts, making equipment crossover all but impossible. While a basic flash for other cameras will coast you as little as [dollar amount], flashes for the Maxxum 5 will run you between [much more expensive]. So far, I have been unable to find an adapter that won't risk frying the camera's internal circuitry. Furthermore, Minolta decided to omit a port for a hard-wired flash to be attached, which would bypass the entire mess of flash difficulties.On the positive side, the camera has an incredibly high shutter speed (1/4000th), along with many, many options including a fully manual mode that's pretty easy to work with. Continual film advance is impressive at 3 frames per second and the Eye Start feature (which auto focuses the camera on the subject ahead ONLY when the camera is being held and up to your face) is just really awesome. The onboard flash is quite powerful and the lens mountings seem very solid. Film loading is incredibly simple, and the camera can be set to leave a tab of film out after rewinding for ease in the event that you're developing your own film. Film rewinds in about 8 seconds, the same amount of time it would take you to expose a roll of 24 on continious advance, expediting rapid film turnover for rapid photography, if necessary. The ring that runs around the manual focusing meachanism makes manual shooting very smooth and natural, and illuminated viewfinder autofocus indicators make fully automatic shooting facile. In short, this is an outstanding camera that beats out almost all others in its class; if not all. The Maxxum 5's primary drawbacks lie in its specialties that may cost you a small fortune to compensate for... if you're able to correct them at all.
Rating:
Summary: backup camera for a pro photographer
Review: the minolta maxxum 5 is my back up camera for my outher cameras.
this camera is very light it is the 2nd lighest camera on the market. the minolta maxxum 3 is the lightest on the market.
it has most bells for it's of class and it has most of the bells that you would find on the minolta pro camera line.
here is what you get with the camera
Fastest AF in its class
Selectable, 7-point, AF system
AF modes: single-shot, continuous/predictive, and automatic
Exposure: Program AE, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual, expsoure compensation
Eye-Start
Shutter: High-Speed 1/4000 Sec. and 1/125 Sec. flash sync
3 fps continuous film advance
Depth-of-field preview
Spot meter and a wireless off shoe flash system. you don't need to have a pc cable for it.
as for flash units on this camera. you can find cheap flash units at camrea stores. the reason why Minolta made the flash shoe that way because it's customers where telling them they would like to see a faster locking flash shoe on there cameras. there are no crossover flash on the market that you can use on all the cameras. when you buy a flash for a canon you can't use it on a nikon. but there is onley one flash co. out there that do make a adoptor for all the cameras on the market for there flash.
this is a very simple and easy camera to use and yet very powerfull too.
Rating: 
Summary: Great features, poor reliability
Review: This camera has great features for the price, and I was extremely happy with the quality of the photos I took in the 3 days I had the camera. Then it started eating whole rolls of film. After contacting the manufacturer they would repair it and I would pay all shipping costs. I returned it to amazon instead.
Rating:
Summary: I Love This Camera
Review: This is a terrific camera. I have been toying around with 35mm point and shoots for the past several years. I have never been satisfied with the results. I finally decided to get rid of them and buy an SLR. I did research for about three months and could not find another camera to match this one in terms of cost and amenities. It can do just about everything the amature photographer wants to do. I have used Minolta SLRs years ago and found the cameras to be totally dependable. Minolta still makes a great product. This camera is easy to use and not intimidating. Read the manual after you shoot a few rolls of film to get used to all of the bells and whistles to use this camera to its fullest potential. The metering is fabulous. The eye-start mechanism is totally awesome for focusing. This is the best feature of the camera. You should buy this camera Thanks, Minolta!!!!!
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