MINOLTA 7D OWNERS!: I need your help.

ScottMcLeod

I just grabbed a Minolta 7D from work, a customer who's having problems with the camera not giving reliable exposures in automatic mode, with his giant Metz 50MZ-5 and Minolta 5600 HS-D Flashes.

I've taken some shots in the apartment, and it seems to be exposing properly, i'll be playing with it tonight more. (The anti-shake is pretty effing impressive)

Questions:
- Does the camera have any new firmware updates since november?
- Does the camera suffer any "glitches" or inconsistencies?
- What are the best set-ups for indoor shooting with people (close)
- What are the best set-ups for large group indoor shooting (with Metz Flash for fill)

I'm suspecting he's just not setting the camera up right, and is relying on the flash for light, rather than for fill. I'll let you all know more as I go. (and I'll take photos and post them for those who have yet to see a Minolta 7D in action :-P

BrettG

Hi, I'm a 7D owner (love it) but I rarely use the popup flash, and I don't own an attachment flash at all.

Having said that, I've heard/read that there's definate exposure problems with external flash on the 7D. Try the dpreview Minolta SLR forum, I'm sure there's lots of people there with experience.

As far as I know, there's no new firmware update since the first update (1.1 ?)

Hope that helps,

ScottMcLeod

Update: I shot a full day with the camera today (we did another 'TogsBfast (photographer's breakfast) )... The results are as follows:

- The image stabiliser does more damage than good.

- The camera lacks contrast in JPEG mode in daylight. (Photos from 10D/RebelXT same day were much nicer)

- [Sidenote:] The 18-125 Sigma DG (for Minolta) is one of the worst lenses i've ever shot with. I will NEVER sell this lens again. Slow to focus, bad vignetting, and the worst barrel distortion i've ever seen (will detail later with gallery).

(back to the camera)

- The controls are awkward to get to, and most feature awkward safety overrides (exposure compensation, p/a/s/m knob), of the form of a button you have to push while turning the knob, very hard to do with one hand while trying to grab the shot.

- Shutter button feels cheap, and non-positive.

Positives:

Auto ISO is nice.

Noise at 1600 is comparable to Rebel XT/20D

Shutter behind control wheel is awkward. Shutter should be the foremost control on the grip.

Autofocus is awkward to disengage completely (though the "Temporary AF-override" button is nice), and slow. It's stupid that the camera has to "re-home" the lens at infinity every time the system is re-engaged.

It's nice that the display rotates automatically when the camera is turned to portrait mode. If only the photos did the same thing on my computer. It seems that the EXIF data for rotation isn't supported properly by most image browsers (windows, picasa, rawshooter, etc...)

Bottom line:

I wouldn't dish out the cash for this camera. It's got a lot of nice features, but when it comes down to getting the photos I want, I'd rather have a D70 with an 18-70 VR lens, or 20D with 17-85 IS, than rely on this so called revolutionary IS system that works on "all of your lenses".

ScottMcLeod

http://framebyframe.ca/storage/photos/2006-01-06/

Most were taken with the 7D, except those which have me in them. I'm the cute one with the blue eyes ^_^

HeldDown

How I felt re: the 7D.

Art Scott

As KM7D owner...I have absolutely no problems as mention above....I do think a lot of it has to with getting used to the equipment......DPReview gave the camera a great review and so did the Luminous Landscape.....(as did several camera mags)....the Image stabilizer has saved my butt a couple of times ..... However I do not bet my photos outcome on any image stabilizer alone.....I almost always have a 'pod of some type attached......


However this was shot off hand at 1600 iso ..... as was the one below




Now Scott...What type of help do you need from us KM 7D owners????????????????????

Art Scott

I am sure if I had no been running a sound board at the same time I would done much better......but the sacrifices we make for out arts...........

ScottMcLeod

ART SCOTT wrote:

As KM7D owner...I have absolutely no problems as mention above....I do think a lot of it has to with getting used to the equipment...

Now Scott...What type of help do you need from us KM 7D owners????????????????????

I've had the camera for 3 days now, and I still can't get it to provide reliable metering or get the stabiliser to work properly...

I suspect the camera might need to go in for repair. I'll suggest to the photographer that owns the camera (and can't figgure out how to use it), that he:
A) get his lens checked
get his camera checked
C) bring the camera back to me afterwards so I can explain to him how to get it to do what he wants.

It's not that I don't understand how to use it (I do.). I just find that the ergonomics are frustrating, and since the camera's misbehaving, it's making my frustration at it even worse.

ScottMcLeod

ART SCOTT wrote:

I am sure if I had no been running a sound board at the same time I would done much better......but the sacrifices we make for out arts...........

I told you that your shots were great considering you were leashed down .

What lenses do you own for your 7D?

I suspect the issues with my customer's 7D are from a bad combination of lens/camera, but also, I suspect the camera has some kind of faulty metering.

Art Scott

ScottMcLeod wrote:

I've had the camera for 3 days now, and I still can't get it to provide reliable metering or get the stabiliser to work properly...

I suspect the camera might need to go in for repair. I'll suggest to the photographer that owns the camera (and can't figgure out how to use it), that he:
A) get his lens checked
get his camera checked
C) bring the camera back to me afterwards so I can explain to him how to get it to do what he wants.

That sounds like a great idea...

It's not that I don't understand how to use it (I do.). I just find that the ergonomics are frustrating, and since the camera's misbehaving, it's making my frustration at it even worse. Of course it does, that is natural. [/quote]

ScottMcLeod wrote:

I told you that your shots were great considering you were leashed down . yes you did and I will always hold that comment near and dear..... :fu lol lol lol

What lenses do you own for your 7D? SIGMA 28 TO 200.....made that mistake cause that is the lens I used on my Nikon F70 for years....forgot the 1.5 magnification....really want the 10 - 20 or 18 - 200 for atandard lens.

I suspect the issues with my customer's 7D are from a bad combination of lens/camera, but also, I suspect the camera has some kind of faulty metering.

Sounds to me he needs to send it back to KM for warranty repair.

ScottMcLeod

ART SCOTT wrote:

... 18-200 ...

Check the glass out before you buy it... because seriously, the 18mm end of the sigma is *ass*. Really bad Vignetting and barrel distortion.

HeldDown

I'll second that, the Sigma we were shooting is the single worst piece of glass I've ever had to use. Absolutely horrible.