XD-5

(1977) The XD-11 was a top-of-the-line camera, but Minolta knew that the price-tag kept it out of the hands of many.  So two years after the introduction of the XD-11, Minolta marketed the XD-5.  It was a slightly simpler version of the XD-11, and offered its main features -- aperture-preferred and shutter-preferred automatic exposures modes.  The major difference was in the viewfinder display.  It all modes, the XD-5 lacks the display of the manually set f-stop and shutter speed.  In aperture-preferred mode, the shutter speed that will be automatically selected is displayed on the LED scale on the right.

In shutter-preferred mode, the f-stop that will be automatically selected is displayed on the LED scale on the right.  

In manual mode, the viewfinder looks the same as in aperture-preferred mode.  The difference is that the displayed shutter speed is just the recommended shutter speed and is not automatically set by the camera.

Other cost-cutting was achieved by dropping the built-in, viewfinder blind of the XD-11.  A plastic, slip-on cover was attached to the camera strap, and worked just as well -- a feature from the XG series.  Lastly, the XD-5 lacked the film safe-load indicator.  

The above changes dropped the price of the XD-5 slightly, but not enough to boost sales enough.  The problem was that Minolta ended up competing against itself.  At the same time as the XD-5, Minolta was selling several XG cameras, that offered very similar features, except for shutter-preferred automation, and at a substantially lower price.  The XG series won the battle and the XD-5 was soon dropped from production.  Unlike the XD-11, which appeared with numerous names and in numerous styles, there was only one version of the XD-5.

For a comparative look at the major features of the XD-5, check out MINMAN's SLR table -- the world's most complete!

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