Design, ease of use, fast AF, large LCD display, shutter crutch

None

Perfect is the word to describe my 7

Similar Products Used:

Minolta: 800si, 600si, 505si super, Dynax 5, 7000i Nikon: F5, F90x, FM2

Fast autofocus, just one button to switch between autofocus and manual focus.

the buttons in the camera back are too easily to be touched when hanging the camera on the neck when not using the camera.

I purchase it with VC-7 in HK$6400. It realise my dream design of camera. Combined traditional retro button design and digital interface. Easy to use and reliable function. The fastest Minolta that I ever use. Easy to manage the focus points for framing.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta Dynax 7000i, Dynax 600si, Dynax 800si

Fast, functions, ergonomics, value, attention to details

fidly without optional grip. Watch out for Sigma lenses! Have had trouble (although easily resolved).

Fantasic. Just cannot switch back to my Dynax 5 now. Love the feel, love the functions (especially the mid roll film change capability - so smart). The camera is filled with little touches and attention to detail that makes it a joy to use. Very fast, the autofocus and recovery speed are a joy. Did find it a little small and fidly but with the VC7 grip it is just perfect - must get one!

Customer Service

Crap - were not interested in my Sigma issue

Similar Products Used:

Dynax 505Si super

Easy to use controls unlike 800si. Superb metering.

none

The best Minolta camera that i have had so far. Ergonomic controls, superb metering. I happen to use the wireless flash feature quite often and have had some excellent photos.

Customer Service

When i bought the camera from mail order in sweeden , i did not get the english manual. wrote to minolta sweeden as well as Phil Bradon of Minolt USA. Got the manuals immediately.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 7000, 600si & 800si

Super easy to use, even without the manual! This is the way ALL cameras should be designed! Large LCD display on back panel is a super feature, and is very easy to read and use, plus it is illuminated for low-light use. Instant switching to manual focus is great as is the automatic DMF (Direct Manual Focus) feature which works with ALL Maxxum lenses, not just the new ones. Having all CFs displayed in plain English (or French, Japanese, German, or Spanish) is also wonderful too! I also really like having 9 AF sensors instead of the 3 or 4 I'm used to with Maxxum cameras. The locking camera back (whenever film is loaded) is nice as it keeps someone from accidentally opening and ruining a roll of film (it was also good that Minolta gave us not 1, but TWO ways of getting the back open if the camera ever failed while film was loaded!).

A little bit too light in the build department, but otherwise excellent fit and finish. Earliest models have a confirmed software bug that can only be corrected by Minolta USA, of which mine is one of the affected S/Ns. This is pretty irritating since I just sold my Maxxum 9 after two trips to Minolta USA for software glitches!

Killer camera for the money, and much more useful to me than the Maxxum 9 was at almost twice the price! I'd definitely buy another one in a heartbeat... but I'd want it without the software bug! ;-)

Customer Service

Top notch, especially with someone super like Minolta USA's Phil Bradon handling things!

Similar Products Used:

In the past I've owned: Nikon N50 and N90s, Canon Elan IIe, Canon A2e, Canon EOS 10s, Minolta Maxxum 600si and 800si and Maxxum 9.

See Popular Photography's October issue for the most complete review. The first review on this list is very complete, too.
This camera is outstanding in every way! I have been looking at the maxium 9 for over a year but no longer. I don't know if I would get the 9 even if the price was the same. The 7 does everything very well and it couldn't be easier to use. Features are too numerous to list. Example: When you use any AEL mode, the camera shows you how far off the overall value is to the one you just locked in.

Must remove the rubber eye surrond to install the eyepiece shade (timer shots). A built-in unit like on the Maximum 9 would have made the camera perfect.

Unless you are a pro and demand the durability offered by the Maxium 9 (Nikon F5, etc.) then you don't have to look any futher. Camera of the year is a sure bet.

Similar Products Used:

Maxium 7000, Maxium XTsi, Nikon N70

Take just about every feature found in the Minolta AF series of cameras from the very first one and toss it into the 7, add an amazing LCD display panel on the back, dozens of custom features, innovative 9 point AF and 14-point honeycomb exposure value display, and you've got one killer of a camera.

Think 600si on steroids!!

The basics are as brain dead easy to figure out as the 600si, which was also know for its extremely good ease of use. The many deeper features require that you skim the 200 page manual, but after that, it's so intuitive, you can simply toss the manual away.

Lighter than the 9, albeit who knows if the polycarbonate body will stand up to heavy abuse.

3D Depth based flash similar to Nikon's.

Much faster AF, even vs. a 9, and the double-cross central AF coupled with a bright lens means it'll lock onto just about anything out there easily.

14-point display of the entire honeycomb metering at once on the back panel = stupendous 14-point simultaneous spot metering of a scene. No more spotting around a scene just to see if the entire scene is within the exposure range of film, and you can instantly see the effects of dialed in EV Comp.+/- as well!

This means an overly bright/dark scene can be properly exposed and adjusted for easily since you can see right away what parts are out-of-range. No more guessing! and it really works well, letting me get superbly exposed shots w/o having to meter the entire scene.

Fun!!!

Fast 4fps means no more waiting around. Not 10fps F5/Eos 1V fast, but hey, those guys usually have to dial down the fps setting for regular use (unless you just happen to be wanting to go through a 36 roll of film in under 4 seconds ;)
It's now 'snappy' enough to be in the sweet spot of fps and has a nice whizzzz rather than a leasurely whirl.

Smaller, more comfortable body vs. the bulkier 600si. Rubberized grip = better hold.

Built-in date imprinting, so no need for a seperate databack. Built-in 7 roll memory of S/A & EV +/- as well.

Blue backlit display for nighttime use.

You can custom set it so that the moment AF lock is achieved, the lens will allow you to manually fine-tune the focus using the lens focusing ring. Not quite as convenient as the Canon where you can grab and MF the USM AF lenses at any time, but similar. One push of the AF/MF mode button near the thumb allows you to go straight into MF mode at any time quickly as well.

Uses two small CR123 Li-Ion batteries - battery hog vs. the fat pack used in the 600si.

No in-viewfinder display of the EV values for each and every cell of the 14-cell honeycomb meter like that displayed on the LCD back panel (although this is more of a future features request).

AF still hunts if you use a slow lens and/or have that right subject that'll confuse the 7. eg. leaf blades of a tall plant moving gently coupled with a 28-80 Tamron zoom at 80mm mode right outside a window next to you in daylight will confuse the AF lock and it'll hunt around in A/S/C modes. Not at all like even a Canon Rebel 2000 which will lock on right away and stick it there.

Flash mode dial flush against the right side of the body is really tough to turn as the tiny indentations really dont' help, the knob is really tight, and you wonder why they didn't just make it another Custom Function accessible from the back panel LCD...

AF illumination pattern is offset towards the right side (the red led light is on the right side), so on closeups at night (eg. 1-2' or closer), it won't always illuminate the central AF spot in longer lens lengths and the camera won't be able to achieve AF lock on flat/dark objects. Zoom or back out and it'll be fine.

Date imprinting included, but no exposure imprinting interframe ala Nikon/Minolta 9, etc. which puts the shutter speed, aperature and EV comp. between frames.

AF point pad selector in the back is a bit weak - selecting one of the 4 diagonal AF points is touch-and-go, and often you just accidentally pick one of the four wide sensors instead. Even pushing and practicing pushing the diagonals won't do much good as the control just isn't willing to pick the diagonal section up every time. At least pushing the central AF point button always works.

Yucky! Nikon lock mechanisms on the P/A/S and EV comp. dials. You must keep the button depressed between all modes on the P/A/S dial; you only need to press the button when moving the EV comp dial out of or past 0 comp. No more locks on cameras!!! - it's just like guns, no locks desired, only user smarts.

Killer camera of the year, and I'll bet it'll be the 2001 camera of the year as well.

Excellent 600si replacement taking care of the various faults it had (eg. no shutter priority release, slow AF & wind, etc. on this 5 year old body), and an instant tradeup pick.

It still does the well-known Minolta AF hunt on a few situations (not THAT bad, minor occurences), so if you need super-sure AF, try a Nikon F5 or Canon instead if the prime lenses with wide aperatures from Minolta don't work out for you in tests. However, it isn't that bothersome if you aren't going after action shots and such, or if you're already familiar with workarounding the Minolta AF hunt situation.
Keep in mind that AF is tightly coupled with the lenses you use, and your picks may result in better or worse AF lock in various situations.
(My tests were with slow, 3rd party Tamron 28-80 and 80-210 lenses; waiting for the faster 24-105.)

Minolta must be congratulated this year for introducing the first new, innovative tool for photographers wanting better control over their picture taking - the full 14-point honeycomb display of what the camera is metering. Replacing 14 seperate spot meter readings of the scene with one instant display, and allowing careful EV comp. of scenes to fit everything into the exposure range of film, this single feature alone will send a shock to the rest of the industry. Hopefully it will lead to even more new innovations for the creative photographer while letting beginners and experts control and understand their exposures in a more intuitive manner.

It isn't the fastest camera, the most durable, the heaviest, etc., but it certainly does allow the photographer the easiest access to the controls (most items are one-dial/button/switch away), the easiest no-manual operation, and innovative features like the 14-point meter display that allows for greater exposure control/understanding over a photograph vs. any other AF camera out there today -- and really puts you in as full control as you'd like over your picture taking.

Similar Products Used:

600si, Canon AE-1P, Minolta 9, Xtsi, etc., Nikon F100, F5, F90, etc., etc.

Dual 16bit cpu(focus and metering). Focusing is much more responsive and precise then previous models. Metering system also has added conveniences, A.D.I. flashes and 'D' lenses also include distance parameters incorporated within metering system so flash exposure is more accurate.Focus clutch and precise(1/3 stops) exposure controls are also very very welcome at this price.
Camera body is ergonomically designed and much more sturdier then previous non-metal bodies.

This camera performs on par with models costing hundreds more(thxs to its dual cpus) so can't complain. But brighter view finder and magnesium alloy body would be welcomed.

A superb camera with 'Dual sixteen bit' cpu's, nine focusing sensors, center sensor is dual sensors super imposed on each other. Wireless remote control flash abilities and A.D.I. flash system means accurate indoor and studio flash exposures and added conveniences. Shooting in 'green' program mode with A.D.I. flashes and lenses is hassle free for both indoor & outdoor photography. The Dyna 7 is a splendid camera for usage in all fields.

Customer Service

Good sturdy camera, no service needed yet!

Similar Products Used:

Nikon F100
Canon EOS3
Canon EOS1
CanonEOS1N
MINOLTA DYNAX 9
MINOLTA 9XI
MINOLTA 800Si

It's easy to use and has all the functions I need. It has extra 35 custom functions to provide additional control.
It has a large Navigation Display LCD panel on the back of the camera, which is easy to read and very useful like a computer. It also has a back light for low light condition.
It has a very fast 9-point AF system which can be controlled by a press of button.
It has all the features of a professional camera, a diopter adjustment I must have, and the eye-start switch which works like a reliable servant.

None for me

This is the best camera I have used. It is the camera of future which I can use today. I think, it should be the camera of the year. The very easy to read Navigation Display is always in front of my eyes like a computer, which no other camera has. It is the camera specifically designed for me. It is light and good for me, because I am not a professional and I don't need the extra weight of metal.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1 program, Minolta 600si, Nikon F100.

Good build, excellent design, GREAT features

can't complain anything yet

I had 700si for two years, then bought 800si, it wasn't such a big improvement over 700si, so I was quite dispointed. When I placed the order of 7, I didn't expect much from it until I hold the camera and shoot several films. Comparing to 800si, 7 is certainly a big jump... much faster and acurate autofocus. It is lighter than 800si, but feels more solid than 800si...

I didn't get the new 24-105mm(D) lens c/z it's on the back order... but I used the Tamaron 28-300 lens to shoot four rolls of film indoor and out door. To be honest, the shooting experince is very very enjoyable. Picture quality was outstanding.

I have to say this is the best camera I have ever used. The camera can stores up to 7 previous rolls of film's data(shuttle speed, Aparture, Focus length,etc), which is extremely helpful. It has so many customized functions that I haven't had time to remember all of them:).

Minolta finally added the audio sound to the Autofocus and self-timer!!!

The control is much easier than 800si, since now you can simply use the dials instead of using buttons.

Speaking of the software upgrade... i found my camera needed the upgrade right after I got the camera... I was not very happy... but I called Minolta service. The guy I talked to was very nice and gave all the information I needed. Since Minolta uses UPS next day air, so the whole upgrade processing only takes less than a week... all the postage will be paid by Minolta. They are going to give you a free t-shirt!:)

So far, I really love this camera... I really have no doubt you will like this camera as I do!

Customer Service

shipped back to Minolta, USA for software upgrade

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 500si, 700si, 800si, Nikon N90, N60