Digital or Traditional?

[92135011]

What features do you want?
If you are a manual controls type of guy then I would suggest buying used. Older cameras have tougher builds of metal rather than plastic at that price point. In addition, old cameras have the split prism that lots of new ones do not have due to whole multi point auto focusing stuff. These days, cheap lenses have a thin little focusing ring made of plastic with absolutely no resistance at all. Cameras either have shutter or aperture priority. The way of fiddling with aperature on the lens is no longer common. To bad for people like me.

If you are an auto type of guy, then the market now is good for you. Everything has some sort of auto function.

Start with some sorta zoom lens. Maybe a 28-70 or 35-80 or something will be nice. Probably end up being f/3.5-5.6 or something. My first camera was a 1998 Nikon FM10 fully manual and mechanical with 28-70 zoom f/3.5-5.6. However, this camera is sorta MIA at the moment. Have not been able to find it ever since we moved.

[Outdoorsman]

well im willing to spend about 400$ but i know i can get a 400$camera for about 200$ to 300$.

im almost completly sold on the maxxum 7 by minolta.they seem to be a solid company and have real quality merchandise.

but what else do you all suggest i buy with it? ie lenses,film ect

Yeah, I like the specs on the Maxxum 7. I've heard its a great camera. Get two zoom lenses: a 24-70 or similar, and a 70-200 or similar. Get a flash unit and a good tripod. Try Fuji films. Camera bag with nice wide comfortable strap. Throw in a few filters and some lens cleaning supplies. I would normally not be so clipped but I gotta run. Good luck!!!

[Clemmie]

well im willing to spend about 400$ but i know i can get a 400$camera for about 200$ to 300$.

im almost completly sold on the maxxum 7 by minolta.they seem to be a solid company and have real quality merchandise.

but what else do you all suggest i buy with it? ie lenses,film ect

Aye! Thanks for a 'pet subject' for me to burn #100 on.

The Maxxum 7 is just, simply, the Ultimate film camera. There are enough features that once you get it, you'll never outgrow it.

I bought my Maxxum 7 in late June. Refer to it as my 'midlife crisis' purchase - couldn't afford a Harley or a Mercedes, so I went for 'all the camera I could get'.

I highly recommend getting it from B&H, where the body is $399, and shipping charges are 'real'. (There are a few online vendors that list it a little cheaper, then tack on $50 shipping, making it cost more.) They are prized enough that they rarely come any cheaper Used - so you may as well 'bite the bullet' and get it New with a warranty (factory warranty is one year).

B&H also offers a 7-year extended service plan on it (from Mack Camera Service) for $24.95 (where others charge $75). It is worthwhile as 'cheap insurance' - as anything so complex certainly could give problems at some point, though the Maxxum 7 has been quite reliable since its introduction. Personally, I have had Minolta cameras since 1996 without a single problem - so I say they are top quality stuff.

On Lenses for my Maxxum system - I have not yet bought a single lens New, but have an excellent collection - most of them bought as Used or 'Factory Refurb' off of eBay. There is quite a selection available, and most are in superb condition.

I have accumulated 9 lenses thus far, for just under $400. The most expensive of the lot was the 50mm/3.5 Macro, which I got for $110 - less than half of new price. Close behind that was the current 75-300 D zoom lens - $96 as a refurb, vs. $169 new, and you can't tell the difference.

One of the best lenses Minolta has ever made - and there are plenty of them out there - is the original design (metal barrel) 70-210 f/4. I bought two of these - at $41 and $57, which covers the usual price range for these - both in Mint condition.

I also have 28-80 and 28-100 'kit lenses', a classic 35-70, 50mm f/1.7, and an interesting non-Minolta toy - a Loreo 'PC lens in a cap' perspective-control lens.

Every Maxxum lens ever made by Minolta (and that's a LOT of lenses!) will work with the Maxxum 7. So your choices are many, and generally quite affordable.

We do have a lot of discussions on the Minolta groups, however, about incompatibilities of some older third-party lenses with newer Maxxum cameras - especially those by Sigma. Those problems have to do with circuitry in the lenses, so it's not a 'Minolta' problem. My general recommendation would be to avoid the Sigma lenses, and thus avoid the problems. Who needs them anyway? Minolta makes plenty of excellent glass!

[Michael Fanelli]

Aye! Thanks for a 'pet subject' for me to burn #100 on.

The Maxxum 7 is just, simply, the Ultimate film camera. There are enough features that once you get it, you'll never outgrow it.

And this is it's major problem. It's a large investment in glass with no upgrade path to digital. Yeah, they make promises but until bonafide models hit the streets, Minolta is a dead end. Even people who swear by film will eventually want to upgrade. Nikon, Canon, and Pentax are the better choices overall.

[92135011]

What do you mean?

Some people just dont like digital as much as film. It aint no crime.
Leica is an expensive brand with basically no change in look or options through 50 years. People still get them, regardless of that. They have a new digital M coming out, but why would anyone want to get Leica digital? Thats not their strong point. its the manual rangefinder. Why would I want to go to a French restaurant to get a burger and fries? For me, I would rather have a manual cam that is of high quality with a compliment of digital cam that can be used for snapshots at a dinner party or something. Plus, I would simply miss the split prism that they do not have in many newer style cameras.

If you are thinking of going digital later on, then yes, maybe you should choose a canon or something. Nikon Digital aint that user friendly. Dont know too much bout pentax. At present, Canon possibly has the best digital technology around.

Sorry if this post doesnt make sense. I'm not much of a Minolta guy. Dont know too much bout it

[Clemmie]

Michael - The new 7D is on its way to the dealers right now, so there will be Minolta DSLR's 'on the streets' within a few weeks.

The 7D is just the first - there will be more, as Minolta is making a major commitment to Digital.....FINALLY!

With the 7D, you get in-body Anti-Shake.....which means Image Stabilization in EVERY Lens - WITHOUT requiring special lenses. Let's see Canon and Nikon match THAT.

Minolta - where "Good Things Come To Those Who Wait". WE'RE BACK!!!!!