C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Dynax 9 (1998) — known as the Maxxum 9 in North America and α-9 in Japan — is Minolta's professional flagship A-mount SLR, produced until Minolta ceased camera production in 2006. It features a magnesium-alloy body with weather sealing at 76 points, a 14-point wide-area autofocus system, a 14-segment honeycomb (evaluative) meter with central spot, and the fastest mechanical shutter of any production 35mm film SLR: 1/12,000s. The viewfinder is 100% coverage at 0.80×. The body runs on four AA batteries with optional grip accessories.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
Minolta's professional A-mount pinnacle. 1/12,000s shutter — the fastest of any 35mm film SLR ever made. Weather-sealed magnesium, 14-point AF, 100% viewfinder. The camera that killed Minolta's ambition.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Minolta A |
| Years | 1998–2006 |
| Shutter | 30s – 1/12,000s + Bulb, vertical titanium |
| Flash sync | 1/300s (highest of any film SLR at launch) |
| Meter | 14-segment honeycomb + center spot, EV 2–21 |
| AF | 14-point wide-area (Eye-Start optional) |
| Viewfinder | 100% coverage, 0.80× |
| Frame rate | 5.5 fps (6.5 fps with optional grip) |
| Weight | 730 g (body only) |
| Battery | 4× AA |
Minolta's professional SLR heritage began with the Maxxum 9000 (1985) and continued through the Maxxum 9 (predecessor body). The Dynax 9 launched at Photokina 1998 to compete with the Nikon F5 and Canon EOS-1N. Its 1/12,000s shutter bested both rivals (the Nikon F5 topped at 1/8,000s), and its 1/300s flash sync allowed high-speed fill-flash techniques impossible with competitors. Minolta exited the camera business in January 2006, transferring the A-mount system to Sony (which became the Sony Alpha DSLR line). The Dynax 9 was the last body Minolta sold under its own name.
The Dynax 9 represents Minolta's engineering peak and commercial tragedy. It was technically superior to the Nikon F5 and Canon EOS-1N in shutter speed and flash sync, yet Minolta never regained the market share it ceded to Nikon and Canon after the Maxxum 7000 launched the autofocus era in 1985. The system's weakness was third-party lens support: virtually all professional telephoto and specialist glass came from Nikon and Canon, not Minolta or third parties.
Used, the Dynax 9 is extraordinary value. A clean body with grip costs $200–600 — a fraction of equivalent Nikon or Canon pro bodies — and accepts the full A-mount lens range (including Sony G-series and later SSM lenses in manual mode). For someone committed to the A-mount system (or who owns Sony Alpha lenses and wants to shoot film), the Dynax 9 is the finest body available.
Minolta A-mount (same mount Sony Alpha DSLRs later used). Excellent native options: Minolta G-series (100/2.8 Macro, 300/2.8 APO G, 85/1.4 G, 200/2.8 G), standard zooms (24-105/3.5-4.5 D), and primes (50/1.4, 85/1.4). Third-party support (Sigma, Tokina, Tamron) limited but exists. Vertical grip: VC-9 (4× AA) for faster 6.5 fps. Flash: Program Flash 5600HS D for high-sync HSS flash.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Minolta Dynax 9
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