maxxum 7d - worth it?

[jenny71]

hi, all. apologies if this is a repeat post -- i'm having trouble signing in.

i have a year-old nikon coolpix 5700 and a much older maxxum 7000. since getting the nikon, i've pretty much stopped using the SLR, but i've reached the limits of what the nikon can do. so i've decided to get a dslr.

i checked out the canon rebel, thought it was nice, and then read that minolta was finally coming out with a dslr. i have several lenses for my maxxum 7000, and it's my understanding they'll work with the digital maxxum. does anyone have any comments or suggestions that could help me out? i'm hoping to get the camera (whatever i wind up buying) after christmas.

thanks!

-- jenny

[Michael Fanelli]

hi, all. apologies if this is a repeat post -- i'm having trouble signing in.

i have a year-old nikon coolpix 5700 and a much older maxxum 7000. since getting the nikon, i've pretty much stopped using the SLR, but i've reached the limits of what the nikon can do. so i've decided to get a dslr.

i checked out the canon rebel, thought it was nice, and then read that minolta was finally coming out with a dslr. i have several lenses for my maxxum 7000, and it's my understanding they'll work with the digital maxxum. does anyone have any comments or suggestions that could help me out? i'm hoping to get the camera (whatever i wind up buying) after christmas.

Read the field test at

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...nolta-7d.shtml

It has some good points and some bad points just like all cameras. I personally would never be a first adopter and especially not of the very first DSLR the company has produced. I'd recommend patience, let others test it before you lay down the big bucks!

Oh yeah... it does use maxxum lenses which is a plus for you.

[jenny71]

michael -- thanks for your thoughts. being an early adopter doesn't bother me (i still use my first-generation iPod and my palm Vx!), but i am wondering about the 7d being minolta's first-gen slr. have there been any problems with other manufacturers' transition from digital point-and-shoot to dslrs?

[Michael Fanelli]

michael -- thanks for your thoughts. being an early adopter doesn't bother me (i still use my first-generation iPod and my palm Vx!), but i am wondering about the 7d being minolta's first-gen slr. have there been any problems with other manufacturers' transition from digital point-and-shoot to dslrs?

The first runs of some DSLR models have had problems that the factories fixed for free. It is a pain to send the camera back but not fatal. I have never heard of problems that were large and unsolvable. I'm just a bit paranoid!

[Photo-John]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember most DSLR problems have been fixed with new firmware. I think the hardware is usually pretty straightforward. Besides the Anti Shake, I don't think Konica Minolta is doing anything really different with their new camera. And the Anti Shake technology has already been proven in their compact cameras. Michael isn't unreasonable in being cautious, but I don't think you have too much to worry about. I've been excited about the Maxxum 7D. And if you already have Minolta lenses, I think it's a no-brainer. Plus, I want you to get it so you can tell us all about it

[Michael Fanelli]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember most DSLR problems have been fixed with new firmware.

I think the early Canon 10D focus problems required a trip to the factory. Someone here had that problem...

[Mjjglasgow]

I got last week.

Erm so far its been pretty much worth it. I haven't encountered any bugs or problems with it but then I've only been using it for a week and a half so that probably doesn't mean much.

As for it being Konica-Minolta's first DSLR - well Olympus didn't have any problems with their E1 and neither did Pentax with the IstD so I think that's largely a non-issue.

The camera is more expensive than some of the other 6 MP DSLRs eg Nikon D70 etc but then it offers certain advantages eg a better viewfinder than most, good build quality compared to the D70/300D, the antishake feature which certainly seems to work very well - whether this is useful or not depends on your style of shooting but certainly for me it is a useful feature as I tend to use slower shutter speeds and low ISOs mostly and you can't always use a tripod. Also the 6MP sony sensor is a later model than the one used in the other 6MP cameras and has significantly lower noise levels at higher ISOs and better colour rendition. It also has the same control layout and ergonomic "feel" as the Dynax/Maxxum 7 which is a definite plus - all the dials and controls seem confusing at first but after a while it is quicker and easier to operate than systems that require on multifunction control wheels (at least to me). Also it has features that the cheaper cameras like the D70 and 300D lack like mirror lock-up, PC flash socket etc. Whether you need these things is a matter for individual preference I guess but certainly it is pretty good featurewise and therefore versatile.

Its at the same price point more or less as the Canon 20D. I don't find the 8MP of the 20D a big plus over the 6MP cameras but where the Canon 20D is really good is it has a high frame rate and fast write speeds so it clears its buffer quickly - this would make it a better camera for sports/action etc than the 7D. I think the important criteria to chose between the two would be whether you need antishake more than faster frame rates - the 7D isn't THAT slow (3 frames per second is fairly average) but its clearly behind the 20D.

So far I'm very impressed with it - it does everything my Dynax 7 did (with a couple of minor exceptions) plus something it didn't have (anti-shake) and is shaping up to be a very easy to use and verstatile camera. I'd recommend it personally but the best thing to do is give it and the 20D (or Nikon D70 or whatever else you prefer) a try in a shop and find what feels good for you.

[FirePix1075]

When oh when will the Maxxum 7D-SLR be "on the streets" already?

Enough hype... I can't believe they missed getting it into retail stores by "Black Friday"!

With two Minolta 35mm SLR bodies and several lenses, I've been longing to get my hands on one of these to "try" before buying, and I can't seem to find one in Maryland anywhere...

has anyone in the U.S. actually touched one yet?

[pgowder]

I have 2 Minolta bodies, several lenses and flashes and I'm looking at this camera also.

I've seen sites saying that all the Maxxum lenses will work, how about the flashes?

And what are the price trends with these types of cameras? Does the price go down within the first 6 months or so?

[FirePix1075]

Long story short... here on the East Coast, Ritz had the 7D-SLR advertised in its sale flyer @ Thanksgiving.. calls made to 6 + stores.. none had it, half of them had no idea what I was even talking about.. couldn't search their inventory.. told me to keep calling back to check.

This week I called several of their 800#s till I found the "right one".. spoke to a Ritz rep, who told me the stores will NOT be stocking the camera.. "we only bought a few b/c we didn't think they would sell in our stores @ that price ($1,599) so they are only being sold mail order and over the Internet."

When asked about those photogs who might like to actually hold one in the store and "play" with it a bit b4 plunking down that amount of change, she said, "well, we're not selling it in our stores. They just won't sell @ that price."

THEN WHY DID THEY PUT IT IN THE FLYER???

[rhboston]

I have a Minolta 300 Si and Tamron Lenses (28 - 200 and 200 - 400). Would these lenses fit the Maxxum 7d?

[Photo-John]

I have a Minolta 300 Si and Tamron Lenses (28 - 200 and 200 - 400). Would these lenses fit the Maxxum 7d?

It doesn't have to be a lens made by Minolta. Any lens with the Maxxum lens mount will work. And you'll find the Maxxum 7D to be a much more powerful and flexible camera than your 300 Si. The Maxxum 300 Si was basically a point-and-shoot SLR. The Maxxum 7D is a full-featured camera with all the manual controls you'd ever want as well as auto exposure for those who want it.

[Photo-John]

Our first review for the Maxxum 7D was posted this week. But one isn't enough. Anyone who's using the camera, please post a review:

Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D Reviews >>

And there's a review contest right now. Post a review and qualify to win a 5 megapixel Pentax compact digital camera:

Contest Page >>

Thanks!

[another view]

Most of the problems I've seen with digital cameras have been fixed with firmware, but Fuji also had a problem with backfocusing on the first S2's that went out the door. I got mine a year and a half ago, after it had been in stores for about that long and haven't had any problems.

Other than that - the first thing I thought of was Nikon's D1. It was the first "real" practical DSLR** that got a lot of people into digital. Not a bad camera and revolutionary in it's day (six years ago) but compared to the D1X it's nothing. I've never used one but hear of problems with color accuracy and flash mainly. My point is that there was such a huge improvement from Generation 1 to Generation 2 that it would be interesting to see how K/M does on their second camera. Of course, they need people to buy Generation 1 to help fund R&D on Generation 2...

Looks like the 7D is a real contender, and DSLR's in general have gotten so much better since '98.

**No, Nikon wasn't the first. Kodak had one several years earlier built on an F3 that was about 1mp and $25k...

[DBot]

I too am interested in in the maxxum 7 dslr and I am pretty much sold. (except for price)
However, the only other thing that concerns me is not the anti-shake or the interchangable
lense system. (I have hundreds of dollars of pre-existing lenses) It is the 6 megepixel ccd.
I wonder if they put all that energy into making a very advanced camera, why did they put only a 6 megepixel ccd in it. From what I read, there is nothing special about it. If anyone
has an example between the maxxum dslr and a more advanced ccd, i'd like to see it.

[Zly]

Hi!

I share your point of view related with this subject. The main reason is the whole investments made during the last years on cameras and bodies.
There are two reasons why I didn't make a decision:
- the price, aprox. 1.700,00Euro with taxes included, a suplementary batterie and a 1GB memory card.
- I worke a lot with differents formats: 4,5cmx6cm; 6cmx6cm;6x7; 4x5.
This last reason is directing me to a new Epson Perfection 4990 film scanner, covering all the film formats I mencioned above.
I hope I've help you.
Best regards