JIYEJI Speaks | Beloved Camera and Inherited Time | Minolta dynax 7000i | Knowledge #486

Creators who are passionate about photography share their stories of cameras and the narratives behind them. A "beloved camera" reflects each individual's philosophy and values. In this installment, we feature JIYEJI, who treasures her Minolta dynax 7000i.

In recent years, film cameras have been re-evaluated not simply as "nostalgic tools," but as media that record time and memory. The atmosphere, the negative space, and the unique warmth of each moment—elements that digital cannot capture. For JIYEJI, the Minolta dynax 7000i has truly been a companion through life and time.

The Minolta dynax 7000i is a 35mm film SLR camera released by Minolta in 1988. It is known for its electronically controlled, user-friendly operation and Minolta’s signature soft color rendering. Even today, it enjoys strong support as a classic autofocus film camera.

It has been eight years since this camera came into my hands.
I first encountered an SLR camera at my workplace, but after experiencing setbacks at a travel agency, I returned to my family home in the countryside. At that time, I struggled to handle cameras and even thought, "Maybe photography isn’t the path for me."

Whenever I returned home, I enjoyed rummaging through the storage room, looking for anything new or unusual. That day was no different—I was simply going through my usual routine without any particular reason.

But that day was different. As I was searching through the storage, a large camera bag suddenly tumbled down in front of me.
It was just as I had begun to think, "Maybe photography isn’t my path." It felt like a scene from a movie, as if the camera bag was calling out, "Take me with you."

And so, after many years, the Minolta Dynax 7000i was passed down to me.

This camera originally belonged to my father.
Despite being left in storage for nearly 20 years, it remained in remarkably good condition, except for the flash, which had suffered battery leakage. Both the body and the lens worked perfectly, and I was moved by the fact that it was still capable of taking photographs.

I felt as though I had inherited my father’s unfulfilled dream of photography.

From there, I gradually became more familiar with the camera, experimenting and creating my own combinations. The first lens I used was the Minolta AF 70-210mm F4.

In Korea, it’s also known as the "Kimbap Lens," and I’m fond of its distinctive long, tubular design.

Even though it’s a film camera, I was amazed by how sharply it could focus on distant subjects. Its gentle color rendering and soft bokeh are also captivating, perfectly matching my style of simply capturing subjects. I also use the Minolta AF 50mm f/1.4 prime lens to complement areas where I need more flexibility.

The body of this camera is known for not being particularly durable—in fact, it’s quite fragile.
Even now, every time I touch it, parts of the exterior crumble away. It feels as if it’s gradually losing its form in real time. But I see this as proof of the long time we’ve spent together.

Of course, there are many film cameras with higher performance. But I have grown alongside this camera. Now, I even think, "If it weren’t for this camera, I might never have picked up a digital camera."

Because it could break at any moment, I purchased an additional model of the same camera from an overseas auction site and keep it in storage.

Interestingly, the one I bought as a backup had also belonged to a father in Germany. I felt a mysterious connection in this overlapping story of time being passed from one person to another.

I am currently creating works themed around "time."
That’s why I hope this camera will stay with me for as long as possible. Being an old machine, there may come a day when it breaks down.

Even so, I feel that the time I have spent with this camera has already become a precious work of art in itself.

When that camera bag first fell in front of me, I wondered if it was fate. It was as if a cinematic cliché had happened in my own life.
I had a vague feeling that I would embark on a long journey with this companion from that moment on.

Have you ever had a piece of equipment that you just happened to pick up one day?