Minolta R4

The name "Minolta R4" is ambiguous in the surviving record. It appears to have been applied to at least two cameras, possibly three. This page sorts out what is known and says plainly where the trail splits.

**The 1964 Rangefinder R4**

The Rokkor Files lists a Minolta R4 as a 35mm rangefinder camera introduced in 1964, weighing 525 g. It is identified as part of the Minolta "R" series. Almost nothing else is documented: no lens specifications, no shutter details, no viewfinder information, no original price, no period reviews.

**The X-4 / "R4" SLR (1981)**

A separate source, Retina Camera, discusses the Minolta X-4 and notes that this SLR body was designated "R4" in the Chinese market. It is a different product from the 1964 rangefinder and shares only a shorthand name. If the R4 you're researching is this camera, the record is much fuller. It was produced approximately 1981-1983 as a budget alternative to the X-700 and X-570, and it shares the body shell and basic electronics of the X-7/X-70. Known specifications: Minolta MD bayonet mount, vertical-travel metal-blade focal-plane shutter from 2 sec to 1/1000 sec (sync at 1/60), aperture-priority AE and manual modes, ISO 12-3200, a fixed eye-level pentaprism with split-image focusing, and power from two LR44/SR44 batteries. Weight is approximately 485 g. A common failure is the meter capacitor, which kills the LED display in the finder. Replacement is a well-documented repair on forums. These cameras typically sell for $20 - $40 on eBay today.

**A note on the XR-4**

Another Retina Camera page mixes in text that appears to belong to the separate Minolta XR-4 model. It cites a 475 g weight, a "54mm f/1.2" lens (likely a typo), and 1-1/1000 sec shutter speeds. These figures conflict with the X-4 specs above and cannot both describe the same camera. The XR-4 is treated as a distinct model elsewhere in the archive.

**The DiMAGE R4 (2005)**

For completeness: by 2005 the brand was Konica Minolta, and the DiMAGE R4 was a compact digital camera. It had 6.1 megapixels, a 1/2.5" CCD, a 7.7-46.2mm f/3.2-4.6 lens (6x optical zoom), Anti-Shake image stabilization, shutter speeds of 15-1/1000 sec, ISO 64-800, LCD-only framing and SD card storage. No production years, price, or reception data have surfaced in the available documentation.

If you have a Minolta R4 rangefinder and can contribute specifications or photographs, the archive would welcome the correction.

- If 1964 rangefinder: 525 g, introduced 1964, R series

- If X-4/R4 SLR (1981): MD mount, 2s - 1/1000s, ISO 12-3200, AE + manual, ~485 g

- If DiMAGE R4 (2005): 6.1 MP digital compact, 6x zoom, Anti-Shake