If you're burnt out on cameras from Canon and Nikon, take into consideration the Konica Minolta Maxxum series of cameras. The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D features are under review in this article.
The Maxxum 7D is a midrange digital SLR that can apply optical image stabilization with any lens. It has an interesting and unique Anti-Shake system which works with all lenses and also has an efficient control layout. Let's find out more.
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 clearly been carefully thought out to make it possible to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and an Anti-Shake device.
The Anti-Shake mechanism prevents image blur caused by camera movement. This mechanism is in the Maxxum 7D's body - it works by shifting the CCD - so it functions with all Konica Minolta autofocus (AF) lenses.
Plus, nine focus points are incorporated into the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D's advanced AF system. You can allocate the active point yourself or leave all of them active and let the camera settle on which to use from shot to shot. You can also set the camera to switch to continuous or tracking AF operation automatically if it detects subject movement.
Many exposure features are to be had on the Maxxum 7D. These include all four customary 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.
Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. As should be the case with a serious shooter's camera, most important features are controlled via dedicated external buttons, rather than being buried in the menu system.
Other shooting settings, including exposure adjustments are controlled with thumb and forefinger command wheels. The white-balance control is one of the quickest and most flexible available, consisting of a rotating switch surrounding a button that ingeniously accesses several menu choices.
You will find a dial on the camera's top-left side for setting flash or ambient exposure compensation. The same adjustments can also be made using the forefinger wheel, which seems to be more efficient. As a whole, control position and operating efficiency on this camera are among the best on any DSLR.
The Konica Minolta 7D's noted battery life is more or less adequate for a full day's shooting. If you are reliant on a long battery life, you can always take along some extras that can be purchased at your neighborhood camera store.
The Minolta 7D allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards. A MicroDrive can also be used. Pictures are easily moved from the camera to the PC through 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 that can apply optical image stabilization with any lens. It has an interesting and unique Anti-Shake system which works with all lenses and also has an efficient control layout. Let's find out more.
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 clearly been carefully thought out to make it possible to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 6.1 megapixel resolution and an Anti-Shake device.
The Anti-Shake mechanism prevents image blur caused by camera movement. This mechanism is in the Maxxum 7D's body - it works by shifting the CCD - so it functions with all Konica Minolta autofocus (AF) lenses.
Plus, nine focus points are incorporated into the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D's advanced AF system. You can allocate the active point yourself or leave all of them active and let the camera settle on which to use from shot to shot. You can also set the camera to switch to continuous or tracking AF operation automatically if it detects subject movement.
Many exposure features are to be had on the Maxxum 7D. These include all four customary 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.
Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D. As should be the case with a serious shooter's camera, most important features are controlled via dedicated external buttons, rather than being buried in the menu system.
Other shooting settings, including exposure adjustments are controlled with thumb and forefinger command wheels. The white-balance control is one of the quickest and most flexible available, consisting of a rotating switch surrounding a button that ingeniously accesses several menu choices.
You will find a dial on the camera's top-left side for setting flash or ambient exposure compensation. The same adjustments can also be made using the forefinger wheel, which seems to be more efficient. As a whole, control position and operating efficiency on this camera are among the best on any DSLR.
The Konica Minolta 7D's noted battery life is more or less adequate for a full day's shooting. If you are reliant on a long battery life, you can always take along some extras that can be purchased at your neighborhood camera store.
The Minolta 7D allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards. A MicroDrive can also be used. Pictures are easily moved from the camera to the PC through 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!
About the Author:
Looking into digital photography, ever want to start Learning Digital Photography? Get Great Tips on how to shoot Digital Photo's with This Free Report
