Numerous features, a plethora of information given on the Data Screen. Nice solid feel. V-Grip with many features. Hope to take advantage of the imprinting on the film.

Mirror lock works in conjunction with Self Timer. Same as Elan IIE QD.

This camera has an excellent feel to it. Coupled with the 24-105 D Lens, produces sharp images. Not nearly as quite as the Canon's Elan series, but who cares. To each his/her own. A recently converted Nikon using friend of mine (currently the proud owner of an Elan 7E QD), only wishes his photographs were the quality of this Maxxum 7. Now if he could learn to operate his new Elan 7E as good as he can operate a pin hole camera, he might get better results ;-). If you've got the extra cash, you won't be dissapointed in this camera. Otherwise, I think the Canon Elan 7E is still pretty hard to beat for the money right now. I'll still give it a 5 star even though it doesn't have a dedicated mirror lock function, such as the Elan 7E does.

Customer Service

Not needed (?yet?)

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1P, Yashica (?), Canon EOS Elan IIE QD

LCD Display,ergonomics,
dial controls,STF function, DOF rear display, over/under exposure display, build quality (good but not metal)VC-7 grip is excellent, distance integration lens series works quite well

Plastic body, autofocus and mirror slap are a bit loud if you require silent shooting

I waited for the F80 then the Elan 7E, but I am glad I looked at the 7 before I purchased. This camera is a good choice for intermediate photographers who want a camera that will grow with there abilities. I you are trying it out at a shop, look at the DOF display on the LCD, as well as the under/over exposure value. I didn't want to spend this much on a body but for about 200US more than the F80 or Elan7 this camera is well worth it. Minolta probably offers the best features at price point. I've used until last year. Buying this camera broke the Nikon "obsession" I was afflicted with and made me realize how stingy Nikon is. If you are considering the F80 or Elan 7 look at this before you buy. In my opinion the two 7's are the best choice then the F80

Customer Service

Not needed yet/but helpful with technical info I required

Similar Products Used:

Nikon N70/F100
Minolta700si/800si
Canon Elan7

Innovative design, rear LCD screen, built-in custom functions, great metering, good autofocus, plastic but feels sturdy, nice size, good placement of controls. Great features with VC-7 grip - battery choices and controls.

Plastic body, many buttons hard to just pick up and use initiqally. Nothing else yet.

Would also like to buy 9, but the 7 and the VC-7 grip together costs less. Will use this camera in the studio, use older 9xi's for outdoors and other uses where stronger body is needed. Innovative design and nice features for price. Too bad Minolta is not as respected by more pros, I know the reasons and understand. The most innovative and maybe better design doesn't always win over the majority, customer service and marketing. Since I started using Minolta years ago and it has worked well for me, have continued to add to the investment. Would recommend to Minolta users or those wanting to jump off the bandwagon and try a new system. Great camera !!!

Customer Service

Good when I ordered a custom piece for 7xi, adapter for studio flash. Have not had to use for repairs.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 9xi, 7xi
Minolta 7000i, 5000i
Canon T-70, Rebel

Autofocus - and 5600 hsd flash. Good to see variable independent flash exposure. display on back is useful especially when it is turned through 90 degrees! uses all old lenses and external flash is 17mm wide! very good for aerobatic photography - focus control. Nice to see full honeycomb metering display. I use the VC-7 contol grip to preserve batteries.

Small and not suited to big fingers. Built in Flash is a bit dissapointing. care full on closeups and large diameter lenses with the built in flash

Bl***y excellent when compared to my old 7000i fast on auto focus or what ?

Customer Service

non used yet. Good shop and very pleasant people

Similar Products Used:

7000i, snappys, canon A1

Too much to name. I'd feel sorry for the readers to let them read so much.
Too, toooo much.

Ofcourse it has its weaknesses, but if you weigh them against its strengths and compare it to other cameras in this price class you'd know comes out best.

It would be unfair to compare it to eos1v or f5, those are much more expensive cameras. Even to compare it with a f100 would be unfair, that one is still 50% more expensive. It obviously wins from the f80 by miles, but its more expensive.
Its same story with canon, its only true counterpart could be the eos3 and even the 3 is not much more expensive, i'd still go for this one.
Trully a briliant camera and with the new line of lenses you can't use that as an excuse of not buying the dynax7. If you won't more quality you could go for "g" lenses and because its not "nikkor" you'll pay a lot less for the same quality.
I giant step of Minolta in the direction of becoming one of the best and not the best of the rest.
I really love it.

Customer Service

never used it yet

Similar Products Used:

dynax 505, eos30, eos50, f80

Build quality. Plastic, but a very nice finish. Incredibly fast A/F. Vast array of custom setting. Could put some users off but is not that complicated when you start using it. 24-105 zoom is very sharp. Metering is not easily fooled except with back lit subjects but show me a camera that is not. I bought the VC-7 grip a week later and it transformed the camera into a hand hugging thing of beauty and I can run it on recharable pencells instead of the lithium. The Navigation system is the best thing to have appeared on camera. As a student on a photography course I have had to carry a notebook and pen around writing down all the settings used on a photo. This camera does it all automatically. It even prints the memory storage location on frame 0 of the film so you don't get mixed up.

The navigation display sometimes gets a mind of it's own. Usually when I sit down to have a play with it. After about 5 mins the display turns the wrong way. I have found this to be when the camera is tilted down at an angle for a length of time as one would when it is new and the displays are being examined. This corrects itself after a short while of standing level.

This is an excellent camera and has a vast array of features for the advanced amateur/semi pro photographer. I can't praise it enough I totally love it. It is fitting that I has recieved the Amateur Photographer magazine, camera and best product of the year awards. For me it is a dream camera come true....Nice one Minolta. D.

Customer Service

1 e-mail to Minolta. Replied within 1 hour. Excellent.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 500 SI
Minolta 600 SI Classic

Beautiful Autofocus and exposure control. I have shot 5 rolls of film thru this camera since I have had it without a hitch. I am also using a 24-105mm Minolta maxxum lens with this outfit. A very beautiful lens and I would highly recomend this lens with this camera. The pictures have turned out very sharp and and the autofocus has nailed everything right on, and the exposure is right on the money. I have owned this body for about 3 months and it is preforming flawlessly so far. Iam going to try it out on a trip to the Virgin islands soon. I also have purchased the VC-7 grip and love this, and would highly recommend this if you have large hands and want to save batteries.

Alot of controls, I have to use the manual alot to figure them out. No other complaints

I would recomend this camera to anybody whom wants the most features for the money, and whom wants a quality product from Minolta. So far I love this camera and would not give it up for anything else. Not even a Nikon. This camera is very high tech.

Customer Service

Have not had any experience with this yet

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 400si, Nikkormat FTn, Minolta xg-7,Minolta SRT201,

1)Data saver
2) Ergonomics and control layout
3) accurate metering
4)Excellent flash metering
5) Good autofocus

1) I wish it had moisture and dust resistant body, but for its
price i think it is worth. I could have bought maxxum 9 which is also a very exccelent camera
but i was fascinated by so nice
and new features of maxxum 7
2) Auto focus still needs improvement. It sometimes hunt too much with some lenses (even new dedicated lenses)

_ I think data saving an essential feature for anyone who want to
improve his/her photographing skills. With my previous cameras i once tried to write down the data for each shot. But it was an
exhausting job sometimes virtually impossible. Now my camera
does this job for me 8-). This is the main reason i bought a
minolta camera. The only other 35mm SLR that does this job
(as far as i kow) is Canon EOS 1v (you can view the data only on a computer). Nikon F80s which imprint data (not all
important ones) is not still available in North America.
EOS 1v is 2.5 times more expensive, besides i do not like the EOS control designs.
2) Comparing to EOS cameras with which i am very well familiar,
maxxum7 has a certain superiority (in my opiniioon). In "www.photozone.de" i have have given a detailed comparison on
why working with maxxum7 is much faster than EOS cameras.
Many jobs that can be done with maxxum 7 in just one step, has to go through several steps with EOS cameras (for example autofocusing though the situation is better for those EOS cameras with eyecontrol autofocus). Also sometimes e button on
a EOS camera does several jobs which means you can not have all those simoltaneously and to switch from one to anonther you
have to go through the process of resetting custom functions.
On maxxum 7 one can have all of them together.
3) I checked that flash metering is very accurate at least comparing to those EOS cameras that i have had. Wireless flash
is very effective and to have that you just need to buy one flash unit, while with some other brands you have to buy at least two flash units or a flash unit and a transmitter.

Customer Service

I had to replace the body camera once since it had autofocusing problems. The dealer quikcly did what i requested.

Similar Products Used:

Canon EOS: 650, 100, ElanII

After shooting about 30 rolls of film I have found the camera very easy to use. I love the ability to assign certian functions, e.g. exp. comp to one of the dials so I don't have to remove my eye from the camera to compensate. The custom functions are a dream! VC7 grip is a must and makes up for the camera's smaller size. Also saves on lithium batteries.

Eats lithium batteries for lunch. Would not recommend camera without VC7 grip which allows use of AA batteries. Depending on light level some times AF hunts too much.

I am thinking of buying a second. Once you get used to the great controls you won't know how you lived without them!

Customer Service

Minolta USA responds quickly with question but no need for repair.

Similar Products Used:

Maxxum 9, Maxxum xti,

Innovative, light but well build, controls, DATA SAVING, the big display an advantage and a lot other handy functions.

Eats a lot of battery's (so you better buy the VC7), not as solid build as a "9".

I'm a camera fanatic so besides my Nikons (F5,F90x and reconsidering the D1X) I also have Minolta's (Dynax 9, 800si). I don't like Canon's and it would cost me too much to start a collection of that as well. So you can say that I know a lot about the machinery that is there. The first minute I got my hands on the 7, I loved it (the VC7 is a must, believe me otherwise it's just a half body). The controls are so fine to use. I myself like to use centrum-weighted metering (because cameras do not try to think so much for you) and over and under expose at experience and feeling. So the design of the over/under expose button (as on the 9) is superb to work with. As for the other controls they are the easiest to change of any camera. It's nice to work with such controls.
The metering of Minolta is just superb. Even in difficult light and contrast situations it gives the same shutter speed as a F5. Which was surprising to me because it has the best metering.
The functions it offers are heaven. If you get used to it, it's difficult to work without it.
I love the index of the light metering of each of the cells. That’s very helpful. If the only reason why you should have this camera when u are doubting its the data saving. It is so important to know when u are learning (and nobody is too old to learn). Although there are cameras that imprint some data. It’s not enough. I sometimes need to know at which focal length I took a picture. This camera is just superb to work with. Of course it is the lens that makes the picture but it’s the camera that makes the photographer. Minolta have some great "G" zoom lenses. They are as good as Nikkors, but don't have the build-in motors as an only disadvantage. The fixed length lenses are sometimes even better (check "photodo" for that).
The only and really the only thing I wished it was build like the "9", and I see that as the only disadvantage.
As for Minolta lovers I don't need to say why you should buy this.
As for people that are starting it’s the best thing you can by if you have the money. A F100 is not that much more expensive, but although it is a bit better build this is still a better choice if you want to make better photos.
I'd say that if you don't necessary need build-in motors and body's build to knockout people with, this is the camera to buy. In everything else it’s a class of its own.

Customer Service

As in a shop you have to deal a lot with customer services, I must say it is as good as other customer services. No complains so far.

Similar Products Used:

I work in a photo shop for 6 years, so a got my hands on almost everything that came out on the market within that period.