If you're tired of cameras from Canon and Nikon, Look into the Konica Minolta Maxxum series of cameras if you find yourself tired of those from Nikon and Canon. In this review, we will note the features of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D.
The Maxxum 7D is a midrange digital SLR. It offers optical image stabilization with any lens. It has a unique Anti-Shake system that works with all lenses and also has an proficient control layout.
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D is finished in a professional matte black comparable to most standard DSLRs. Although conservative in its angular design, it still looks good. The body consists of a hybrid of magnesium-alloy and plastic and is well-built and crafted. It includes a nicely contoured grip and feels sound. Without a lens, the camera weighs in at about 30 ounces, which is an ounce or two heavier than average for this camera class.
Similar to the Olympus Evolt E300, the Maxxum 7D dispenses with a separate status LCD and uses the camera's main LCD to display shooting settings, a design convention we've decided we like. On this Maxxum, the large 2.5-inch LCD has room to display more settings than a typical status LCD - including ISO, color mode, and image parameters, among others.
The optical system of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D has noticeably been carefully designed to allow one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and an Anti-Shake mechanism.
The Anti-Shake device averts picture blur caused by camera movement. This mechanism is in the Maxxum 7D's body, working by shifting the CCD, so it operates well with all Konica Minolta autofocus (AF) lenses.
In addition, the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D's sophisticated AF system incorporates nine focus points. You can designate the active point yourself or leave all of them active and let the camera decide which to use from shot to shot. You can also set the camera to automatically switch to continuous or tracking AF operation if it detects subject movement.
Extensive exposure options are available on the Maxxum 7D. These include all four standard exposure modes; three light-metering modes (14-segment honeycomb, center-weighted, and spot); ambient exposure compensation either in half-EV increments to plus or minus 3EV or in one-third-EV increments to plus or minus 2EV. The sensor's sensitivity can be set to auto or from ISO 100 to ISO 3,200 in 1EV increments.
On to user controls for the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. As with any dedicated shooter's camera, the most important options are controlled using dedicated external buttons, rather than being part of the menu.
Thumb and forefinger command wheels control exposure adjustments along with other shooter settings. The white-balance control consisting of a rotating switch surrounding a button that smartly accesses multiple menu choices is the fastest and most flexible to date.
There's also a dial on the camera's top-left side for setting flash or ambient exposure compensation, but those adjustments can also be made using the forefinger wheel, which I found to be more efficient. Overall, control placement and operating efficiency on this camera are among the best I've seen on any DSLR.
The Konica Minolta 7D's advertised battery life is more or less sufficient for a full day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
The Minolta 7D stores your photos in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards. You can also use a MicroDrive should you choose. Pictures are transferred easily from the camera to the PC with the USB 2.0 interface.
There are only a few negatives to note in the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. First of all, the camera has a slow start-up. You are also limited to one JPEG compression ratio in raw-plus-JPEG, and there is no way to steer clear of noise reduction processing in high ISO images.
I hope this Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D review has been helpful to you. If it is you are seeking a decent professional SLR camera, the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D might be hard to pass up. Still make sure to do your own research when making a buying decision and after thatHappy Shopping!
The Maxxum 7D is a midrange digital SLR. It offers optical image stabilization with any lens. It has a unique Anti-Shake system that works with all lenses and also has an proficient control layout.
The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D is finished in a professional matte black comparable to most standard DSLRs. Although conservative in its angular design, it still looks good. The body consists of a hybrid of magnesium-alloy and plastic and is well-built and crafted. It includes a nicely contoured grip and feels sound. Without a lens, the camera weighs in at about 30 ounces, which is an ounce or two heavier than average for this camera class.
Similar to the Olympus Evolt E300, the Maxxum 7D dispenses with a separate status LCD and uses the camera's main LCD to display shooting settings, a design convention we've decided we like. On this Maxxum, the large 2.5-inch LCD has room to display more settings than a typical status LCD - including ISO, color mode, and image parameters, among others.
The optical system of the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D has noticeably been carefully designed to allow one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and an Anti-Shake mechanism.
The Anti-Shake device averts picture blur caused by camera movement. This mechanism is in the Maxxum 7D's body, working by shifting the CCD, so it operates well with all Konica Minolta autofocus (AF) lenses.
In addition, the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D's sophisticated AF system incorporates nine focus points. You can designate the active point yourself or leave all of them active and let the camera decide which to use from shot to shot. You can also set the camera to automatically switch to continuous or tracking AF operation if it detects subject movement.
Extensive exposure options are available on the Maxxum 7D. These include all four standard exposure modes; three light-metering modes (14-segment honeycomb, center-weighted, and spot); ambient exposure compensation either in half-EV increments to plus or minus 3EV or in one-third-EV increments to plus or minus 2EV. The sensor's sensitivity can be set to auto or from ISO 100 to ISO 3,200 in 1EV increments.
On to user controls for the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. As with any dedicated shooter's camera, the most important options are controlled using dedicated external buttons, rather than being part of the menu.
Thumb and forefinger command wheels control exposure adjustments along with other shooter settings. The white-balance control consisting of a rotating switch surrounding a button that smartly accesses multiple menu choices is the fastest and most flexible to date.
There's also a dial on the camera's top-left side for setting flash or ambient exposure compensation, but those adjustments can also be made using the forefinger wheel, which I found to be more efficient. Overall, control placement and operating efficiency on this camera are among the best I've seen on any DSLR.
The Konica Minolta 7D's advertised battery life is more or less sufficient for a full day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
The Minolta 7D stores your photos in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards. You can also use a MicroDrive should you choose. Pictures are transferred easily from the camera to the PC with the USB 2.0 interface.
There are only a few negatives to note in the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. First of all, the camera has a slow start-up. You are also limited to one JPEG compression ratio in raw-plus-JPEG, and there is no way to steer clear of noise reduction processing in high ISO images.
I hope this Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D review has been helpful to you. If it is you are seeking a decent professional SLR camera, the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D might be hard to pass up. Still make sure to do your own research when making a buying decision and after thatHappy Shopping!
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