Minolta Dyanx 7D Views

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Dave Hellberg wrote:
> Has anyone in group Bought one yet and if so
> are you pleased with it or not
> I am waiting for them to arrive in New Zealand and would
> like some ideas if they are worth buying

I got my 7D here in Seattle, (in the northwest USA) on November 15th and
I'm in love...

My main reason for going with the Maxxum/Dynax is the collection of
lenses and accessories I already had for my Maxxum 9xi's. All the
lenses work well (Minolta 50 f/1.4 & 50 f/2.8 Macro; Tamron 35-105
f/2.8; Sigma 75-300 f/4~5.6 APO & 500 f/7.2; Tokina 20-35 f/3.5)

My Tamron 1.4x and 2x tele-extenders work okay only if I turn off
autofocus; if AF is on, the camera just sorta growls the focusing motor
but won't focus or allow shutter release, no matter which lens I use.

My 18 year-old Minolta 4000AF strobe also doesn't talk much to the
camera other than to fire when the shutter is released; it's auto-zoom
head also still responds to zooming a lens. I will have to go back and
dust off the brain cell that supposedly learned how to calculate via
guide numbers, ISOs and distance - or I can just use the brute force
trial-and-error method since I have instant feedback - that method has
worked very nicely in my tests so far. Might look into one of the newer
whizbang Minolta strobes when I gather up some more pennies, but I
really don't do all that much flash photography.

I also got the VC-7D Vertical Control Grip which seems to work very
nicely, it gives me a better grip on the camera than I usually have on
reality (not like that's saying a lot...), and it has room for two
NP-400 batteries - a nice feature is that it will operate also with only
one battery installed, or with 6 AA Ni-Mh cells (haven't tried the
latter.)

I'm using a Hitachi 4Gb Microdrive which has been trouble-free so far
other than it fits quite snugly into the slot, I have a little trouble
getting my big fingers in to pull it out after pushing the eject lever -
still better than having it go sproinging out over the rim at Crater
Lake or into the intake of a jet... I have managed to about half fill
it so far and have only recharged the batteries once, and then only
after a big set of long nighttime exposure tests - these also turned out
quite well, at least here close to a city core with brightly light
polluted skies, Seattle hasn't had a clear night yet to try some
starscape photos, maybe next August. The 2 second delay release mode is
great for such tripod shots, the 7D locks up the mirror when you press
the shutter allowing vibrations to damp before the actual exposure -
schweet!

Coming from decades of slides, I really like being able to change ISO in
'mid roll' - even at ISO 800, noise is minimal; at 3200 there is a fair
bit, but still less than I get scanning an ISO 200 negative in my Nikon
Coolscan 4000ED. Was having fun late last night riding home with a
friend, handholding amazingly short exposures out the windshield at ISO
3200 with a 1.4 lens that showed very nicely the moron in the next lane
aggressively tailgating the poor sot in front of him.

The anti-shake system seems to work quite well, and is a real plus for
me as I'm not as steady as I used to be with this bum back; Minolta also
came to my rescue like this in 1985 when they brought out the Maxxum
7000 AF just as my eyesight was taking a decided turn for the worse. The
data display on the 7D is also a real help for my crummy eyes - I can
set it to the minimal data mode where just the most important details
are shown in even larger text - much easier for me to see than the LCD
panels on my 9xi's or the smaller viewfinder readouts, though the 7D is
better there compared to the 9xi, too.

Summing up, I'm really happy with my new toy! I've had a Sony Mavica
CD1000 for four years, nice for what it does, but nowhere near a match
for a 'real' camera - this is my first experience with a DSLR, I don't
think I will be shooting a whole lot of film from here on out!

Bob ^,,^
http://bobqat.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Do you have any xi style lenses and dothey work?


"Bob Harrington" <rch.NOS-PAM@blarg.net> wrote in message
news:186dnSBonp8YNjjcRVn-rw@giganews.com...
> Dave Hellberg wrote:
>> Has anyone in group Bought one yet and if so
>> are you pleased with it or not
>> I am waiting for them to arrive in New Zealand and would
>> like some ideas if they are worth buying
>
> I got my 7D here in Seattle, (in the northwest USA) on November 15th and
> I'm in love...
>
> My main reason for going with the Maxxum/Dynax is the collection of lenses
> and accessories I already had for my Maxxum 9xi's. All the lenses work
> well (Minolta 50 f/1.4 & 50 f/2.8 Macro; Tamron 35-105 f/2.8; Sigma 75-300
> f/4~5.6 APO & 500 f/7.2; Tokina 20-35 f/3.5)
>
> My Tamron 1.4x and 2x tele-extenders work okay only if I turn off
> autofocus; if AF is on, the camera just sorta growls the focusing motor
> but won't focus or allow shutter release, no matter which lens I use.
>
> My 18 year-old Minolta 4000AF strobe also doesn't talk much to the camera
> other than to fire when the shutter is released; it's auto-zoom head also
> still responds to zooming a lens. I will have to go back and dust off the
> brain cell that supposedly learned how to calculate via guide numbers,
> ISOs and distance - or I can just use the brute force trial-and-error
> method since I have instant feedback - that method has worked very nicely
> in my tests so far. Might look into one of the newer whizbang Minolta
> strobes when I gather up some more pennies, but I really don't do all that
> much flash photography.
>
> I also got the VC-7D Vertical Control Grip which seems to work very
> nicely, it gives me a better grip on the camera than I usually have on
> reality (not like that's saying a lot...), and it has room for two NP-400
> batteries - a nice feature is that it will operate also with only one
> battery installed, or with 6 AA Ni-Mh cells (haven't tried the latter.)
>
> I'm using a Hitachi 4Gb Microdrive which has been trouble-free so far
> other than it fits quite snugly into the slot, I have a little trouble
> getting my big fingers in to pull it out after pushing the eject lever -
> still better than having it go sproinging out over the rim at Crater Lake
> or into the intake of a jet... I have managed to about half fill it so
> far and have only recharged the batteries once, and then only after a big
> set of long nighttime exposure tests - these also turned out quite well,
> at least here close to a city core with brightly light polluted skies,
> Seattle hasn't had a clear night yet to try some starscape photos, maybe
> next August. The 2 second delay release mode is great for such tripod
> shots, the 7D locks up the mirror when you press the shutter allowing
> vibrations to damp before the actual exposure - schweet!
>
> Coming from decades of slides, I really like being able to change ISO in
> 'mid roll' - even at ISO 800, noise is minimal; at 3200 there is a fair
> bit, but still less than I get scanning an ISO 200 negative in my Nikon
> Coolscan 4000ED. Was having fun late last night riding home with a
> friend, handholding amazingly short exposures out the windshield at ISO
> 3200 with a 1.4 lens that showed very nicely the moron in the next lane
> aggressively tailgating the poor sot in front of him.
>
> The anti-shake system seems to work quite well, and is a real plus for me
> as I'm not as steady as I used to be with this bum back; Minolta also came
> to my rescue like this in 1985 when they brought out the Maxxum 7000 AF
> just as my eyesight was taking a decided turn for the worse. The data
> display on the 7D is also a real help for my crummy eyes - I can set it to
> the minimal data mode where just the most important details are shown in
> even larger text - much easier for me to see than the LCD panels on my
> 9xi's or the smaller viewfinder readouts, though the 7D is better there
> compared to the 9xi, too.
>
> Summing up, I'm really happy with my new toy! I've had a Sony Mavica
> CD1000 for four years, nice for what it does, but nowhere near a match for
> a 'real' camera - this is my first experience with a DSLR, I don't think I
> will be shooting a whole lot of film from here on out!
>
> Bob ^,,^
> http://bobqat.com
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Bob Harrington wrote:

> I did take the new toy on a four day vacation to Oregon last weekend,
> over 900 images at highest res and lowest compression (not RAW) and
> still didn't quite fill the 4GB microdrive.

Anything to post / comments on the shots posted / etc.


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-- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Reply to message from "Bob Harrington" <rch.NOS-PAM@blarg.net> (Sun, 05 Dec
2004 11:09:16) about ""Re: Minolta Dyanx 7D Views"":



Bye
Marc De Cnop <>
Thu, 09 Dec 2004 21:36:11 +0200

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.1 Unregistered

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Harrington" <rch.NOS-PAM@blarg.net> Sent: Sun, 05 Dec 2004 11:
09:16 Subject: Re: Minolta Dyanx 7D Views

SDW wrote:
> Do you have any xi style lenses and dothey work?

Sorry, I don't have any xi lenses...

From the 7D manual:

"LENS COMPATIBILITY

All Konica Minolta AF lenses are compatible with this camera. MD and MC
series lenses cannot be used. For our current line of lenses, contact your
Konica Minolta dealer. The AF Macro Zoom 3X - 1X f/1.7-2.8 cannot be used
with Anti-Shake (p. 32); turn Anti-Shake off. If a lens is equipped with a
macro release, the release cannot be used with Anti-Shake. Focus range
limiters set to a range that does not include infinity cannot be used. The
focus range limiter on the SSM-series or D-series macro lenses can be used
at any set range. Anti-Shake may not work with products made by another
manufacturer."


I did take the new toy on a four day vacation to Oregon last weekend, over
900 images at highest res and lowest compression (not RAW) and still didn't
quite fill the 4GB microdrive. Other than some dust issues on the sensor (I
need a better puff blower), no problems other than those caused by the
loose nut holding the shutter release...

Bob ^,,^