The Minolta XE-5 is a highly regarded 35mm single-lens reflex (SLR) film camera introduced in 1975. Developed during a famous engineering partnership between Minolta and Leitz (Leica), it is renowned for its Leica-designed Copal shutter and ultra-smooth mechanical feel. It offers Aperture-priority Auto Exposure (stepless shutter tuning) and full Manual. (See below for basic specs and technical details.)

This has been in a drawer for the last 10 years or so. I put some batteries in and it works fine. By "fine" I mean the shutter works, the film advance mechanism works, the exposure system is appropriately responsive to variations of light. Of course, just because the shutter fires and the metering responds to changing light doesn't mean the accuracy of those systems are up to factory spec. I would be surprised if that were true for any camera more than a few years old. But minor deviations -- especially with print film -- might not be noticeable or can be compensated for through the Exposure Compensation dial. I have no intention of running film through it as a final test -- too much trouble/expense.

Cosmetically it looks excellent.

Batteries will not be included. I have several other cameras that take the same batteries to test out and demonstrate. I will demo the camera to potential buyers but the batteries stay here.

The rear (film door) light seals were replaced by me 10-15 years ago with high-quality rubber seals and they still look good.

I did a recent survey of the SOLD listings on eBay and the average price paid for a battery-tested (or simply - ?) XE-5/lens combo was $78.80! So buy local and save.

Call or text me. If calling, please leave a voice message. Spam has trained me not to respond directly to unknown numbers. Please don't ask me if I take venmo or such. I'm an old geezer and don't cotton to these newfangled money exchange apps. Cash Only.

Thank you for your kind attention! Technical stuff:

Core Specifications:

• Lens Mount: Minolta SR mount (fully compatible with MC and MD lenses).
• Exposure Modes: Aperture-priority Auto (stepless shutter tuning) and full Manual.
• Shutter: Leitz-Copal vertical-travel metal focal-plane shutter.
• Shutter Speeds: 4 seconds to 1/1000th of a second, plus Bulb (B).
• Flash Sync: X-sync at 1/90th of a second.
• ISO Range: Manual selection from 12 to 3200.
• Power Source: Two 1.5V SR44 or LR44 button batteries.
• Weight: Approximately 751 grams (body only).

Key Features & Strengths:

• Leica Partnership Heritage: The camera shares its core chassis design, exceptionally smooth film advance lever, and short 38ms shutter lag with the Leica R3.
• Bright Viewfinder: It offers a fixed pentaprism with 94% view coverage, a horizontal split-image rangefinder, and a microprism band for quick manual focusing.
• Stepless Auto Exposure: In aperture-priority mode, the electronic brain can select exact intermediate shutter speeds (like 1/342s) for perfect exposure.
• Exposure Compensation: Features a locking dedicated dial on the top plate offering ±2 EV compensation in full stops.
• Fail-Safe Battery Check: A dedicated lever fires a bright red LED on the side of the body to guarantee your batteries are live.
• Mechanical Shutter Backup: If your batteries die in the field, the camera can still shoot mechanically at 1/90th of a second (X-sync speed) or on Bulb mode.