Excellent Metering.
Good Autofocus.
Excellent value.
Light and compact.
Easy to use.

Autofocus less useful in low light. Pop up flash irritating but can be turned off.

Excellent value. Bought to replace dying 5000i just before fall colors peaked last year. Excellent results. Metering much more precise than 5000i. Eye start automation actually pretty useful for travel. Camera felt almost toy like at first but has held up fine. Good choice for anyone wanting a camera they will not outgrow quickly. Good built in flash. Controls well planned and positioned. I like this camera.

Customer Service

Haven't needed yet.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta X-570
Minolta 5000i

Tons of features
Flash works even with motordrive!
Eyestart - very convenient
Dark illuminator -- allow you to focus in the dark
Very Light
Excellent Metering
4000s shutter speed
Very customizable - yes, it can take out of focus pictures
Prints Date/Time

TTL flash
Optional cable release very costly
No T shutter feature
No DOF preview

I bought the kit, with the 28-80mm zoom. The body works perfectly but the lens is disappointing. I will only recommend buying the body alone. This is a perfect camera for beginners who is looking for an autofocus system that does more but cost less. Although light, the lens mount is metal and the tripod mount feels like metal but painted black. I mount it on my Slik 500DX Pro with great results. My girlfriend owns the Nikon F65 which is more expensive, and I confirm that this is easier to use and control, especially with the eyestart. It will be more perfect if there is a T shutter like the F65, as I use this camera to take the night sky as well. This is one camera a beginner will not outgrow soon. Very experienced users will still find that the camera is very flexible and can be as creative as you want with it. You can rewind the film with or without rolling the leader into the cartridge, useful if you develop your own film. You can set the camera not to take the shot if the subject is not focus. Of course, you can set it to take the pictures intensionally out-of focus. The best bang for the buck. Do not care about the brand when it comes to this camera, I do not think you will regret buying it. Also, buy the one that can print date/time.

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F65

This is a very good camera with excellent durability and features. Would make a really good camera for beginners to experts and a good backup camera for professionals.

When in manual mode it doesn't give you the light reading. It just shows you a + or - after the shutterspeed setting. causing you to waste seconds finding the correct setting.
In AF can't take a pic until it is sure that it is in focus.
accesories like a flash and similar items are very expensive.

I was just about to buy a nikon n60 when I got a job at a camera store that only sold Minoltas and I started experimenting with the xtsi and discovered that it was a really great camera. I dropped my plans for the n60 and bought the xtsi kit and have been very happy with it. I am in college studying photojournalism and this camera produces just as good results as all of the other cameras the other students use if not better most of the time(and some students have really expensive cameras). If you want to spend a little more money get the 800si.

Customer Service

not needed in 2 years

Similar Products Used:

Pentax P30

Compact, light, good autofocus, good exposure control, simple to use, easy to get creative on a step by step basis. Not an easy camera to outgrow.

feels cheap.

This camera grows on you. It certainly does feel cheap at first. However it has a fast autofocus (with the right lenses), excellent exposure control, really easy controls and doesn't break.
This camera was my third choice. First and second choices were a Nikon F80 and the Minolta 800Si. As I already had a bag full of proven lenses from my tried and trusty Minolta 7000 the cost of going to Nikon would have been prohibitive, which left the 800 and the Xtsi. I found that I could buy the Xtsi and the 5400 flash combined for slightly less than the 800Si only. The Xtsi also has a panorama mode that the 800 doesn't appear to have - which makes scenic shots a lot quicker and easier. Much as I would like an 800 I feel I can better value spending the extra money on lenses and accessories instead, and the Xtsi has so far proven to be a worthy companion for every application I have come across. I am not sure that there is a better camera in its class than this one.

Customer Service

Never tried

Similar Products Used:

Late 1980's Minolta 7000

Good pictures, and ease of use.

The built in flash takes a long time to take a picture. I would recomend if a lot of your pictures are indoors to buy a the 3500($150) or 5600($300) flash.

I have used this camera to take pictures at weddings and other functions and I and my clients have been very happy. It is easy to use has all the basic fetures that most people would ever want.

Versatile and easy to use. Lot of pluses for the money

no DOF, No Vertical grip option. And no Diopter. No Shutter lockup, but hey at this pricepoint what did you want a Max 9?

I didn't get the Maxxum XTSI, I special ordered it's Dynax cousin the 505SI Super. It's essentially the same camera except the 505SI Super doesn't have the wireless remote Flash option disabled on it and I am big on using this feature on my other cameras to trigger my 3500 and 5400 flash units. It was dumb for Minolta to hobble the American version of this camera. Many amateurs would have liked this neat feature. As for the camera, well the metering is well above average, It's the same as in the Max 9 and accurate as a camera can be with TTL metering. The focus Zones are a cool addition and not convoluted like a nikon or cannon models with 22 or more zone focusing, the main crosshair and two sub zones to either side are a great help with moderately moving subjects, but you'll have to go manual on faster subjects. The controls are easy to get to and the placement is very ergonomically friendly. The eyestart focus feature is pretty cool and can be the difference on some spontaneous photo moments. I use this body as the second to my Max 9. The 9 is always ready to go on a tripod, but when I need an easy to handle camera for handheld I immediatly grab this bad boy and a good lense and start clickin. I can afford to be a little rough mounting a good glass because the metal mount can take the abuse. The light feel of the camera body offsets the heft of some of my higher quality "G" glass. Multiply this by two with the "9". If I do an indoor shoot with the "9" I can go hand held with the 505 and still be able to trigger my remote flashes. I wish their was a Vertical grip sometimes, I think I can custom build one with a remote trigger and an extended battery unit for the "505"...if Minolta still makes this accessory. It mounts on the bottom like the VC grip on the 600 or 800, but it's intended purpose is only to hold additional AA batteries to power the camera, I could skip installing the batteries and use the compartment to house the wiring for a trigger and with some sheathing fashion a comfortable grip. That's some time away. For now I'm more than satisfied with this body.

In conclusion this is the Biggest Bang for the Buck across the board. My Cannon and Nikon friends are also impressed with the versatility of this camera. Although they never fail to point out it's slightly noisier than their USM driven Lenses. They can bite me...besides look at the money they spent to get the same quality photos I get.

Customer Service

Never needed to service any cameras thus far. I treat everything like a very fragile heirloom.

Similar Products Used:

Dynax 500SI
DYNAX 850SI
Maxxum 650SI
Maxxum 9

Flexible automodes and ability to switch to manual when necessary.

None so far.

I just got the camera recently but it has been great so far.

Customer Service

Haven't had to use it.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-10

I own the Minolta Maxxum St Si, I like this camera for it's features and it's versatility. You can go from auto to manual instantly as well as standard to panorama with the turn of a knob.

None so far.

So far this camera has been a great choice for me, and money well spent. minolta has made a great product with this camera.

Customer Service

Haven't needed to use it yet. The owners manual that came with the camera has been pretty informational.

Similar Products Used:

Canon Eos regel G.

Its light weight. Its quality build.

no

I have a Minolta Maxxum 9 and I bought this camera for travel. I find it a great camera. When I bought my Maxxum 9, I thought the higher the price the better the pictures. I was wrong, this camera actually takes better pictures in the program mode than my 9.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon T-70, Minolta Maxxum 9

Light weight, but heavy enough to hold steady. Built in Flash. Enough manual overides to allow for creativity.

Not yet

This is the one to beat

Similar Products Used:

Cannon EOS