Minolta Maxxum XTsi Panorama 35mm SLR Camera Kit w/ 28-80mm & 70-210mm Lenses, Silver

I PURCHASED THIS CAMERA LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. TO MY AMAZEMENT I FOUND THAT IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN MALAYSIA...NOT IN JAPAN AS ARE MOST MINOLTA PRODUCTS. I FIRST NOTICED THAT THE IMAGES WERE NOT AS SHARP AS I WOULD EXPECT. THE FLASH IS VERY LIMITED...ONLY ABOUT 8' MAX. THE AUTO FOCUS IS NEARLY USELESS AT EXTREMELY CLOSE RANGES...I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF. THE CAMERA SUDDENLY STOPED WORKING [THE FIRST ROLL OF FILM] ON AN A MUCH ANTICIPATED TRIP TO AFRICA. UPON MY RETURN TO THE US I SENT IT IN FOR REPAIR TO MINOLTA'S WEST COAST FACILITY. THE CAMERA WAS RETURNED UNREPAIRED AND IS STILL IN FOR SERVICE. IF THE CAMERA LOOKS LIKE THE SIMILAR CANON AND NIKON...IT IS. APPARENTLY, ALL THESE CAMERAS ARE MADE IN THE SAME FACTORY IN MALAYSIA. IN MY OPINION, MINOLTA SHOULD PACK UP AND START MAKING THEIR CAMERAS IN JAPAN WHERE THERE IS MORE QUALITY CONTROL.

I just purchased this SLR and am stunned by how incredibly easy it is to use, and yet how in-depth the photographic options are. I have always been a Minolta person, and after buying my husband one a couple of years ago I couldn't wait to get my own. This wasn't the exact one I was looking for, but at this price, with two lenses, I couldn't pass it up. INCREDIBLE!