- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 47 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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22 out of 39 people found this review helpful
3.0 stars
"You need to read this"
Pros: Excellent images...great color
Cons: Flash...what flash?
Summary: I think this camera would be appropriately priced at about $1,100.00. I just cannot see spending $1600 in a 6.1 megapixel camera. i'm a die-hard minolta fan and have aquired a lot of lenses. If Minolta wants my business, they will have to come down on their price tag.
The pop-up flash is worthless. I was taking some indoor photos and found them underexposed considerably; moreover, my 5400HS does not work with the camera...it has to be the HS(d). Oh well. I hate to say it, but the Canon 20d is a better buy.
Canon 8-megapixels / Minolta 6-megapixels
Canon 5 fps / Minolta 3 fps (maybe 2.5)
Canon $1499 / Minolta $1599
Canon max shutter 1/8000 Minolta 1/4000
- 4 replies to this review
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well, from the beginning, i've always been a canon fan, and not to say that konica did really well would be (incorrect), they're trying hard, but canon got it first and realized what the consumer(prosumer) wants first.
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Photographers judge cameras by results and how well the camera allows the photographer to achieve those results. We do not judge a camera by "the numbers".
But, amateurs buy the Canon 20D for "the numbers". FPS, MP, list price. Photographers buy the Konica-Minolta 7D for the way it allows them to achieve superior results, more often. Ergonomics, accessibility, intuitiveness, a great finder and big review screen are photographic tools.
The 7D is a far better tool for photography than the 20D. Noise-free and sharp 6mp is preferable to noisy sharp 8mp any day. Compare shots on the web at any of the big photo sites and tell me the K-M is worse than the Canon... it's as good or better.
Numbers do not make better photos on their own. They can help, but the whole package has to be there. Otherwise just buy any of the 8mp point and shoots.
And the ability to get a high percentage of excellent shots in short order (with the turn of a knob or press of a button) is much preferred to multiple menus and custom functions.
Buy the 7D if you are a photographer, or wish to learn to be one. -
Start buying image stabilized glass and the cost will pass the 7D instantly.
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I have shot professionally with Minolta SLR cameras for many years. Minolta, once an innovator in the SLR arena (remember autofocus? Wireless flashes?), has been very late to the digital camera party---both with prosumer cameras, and more recently, it's first DSLR. Unfortunately, their lateness has not been accompanied by much innovation. Yes,they get big props for their unique image stabilization system, which spares us the need to pay the cost premium associated with lens-based IS systems (Canon), but this first digital SLR seriously misses the mark on resolution. As such, it is still a very usable camera for the amateur/serious amateur who already owns one or more Minolta lenses.
I agree with the previous reviewer that the lack of compatibility with previous flashes is a real pain. I rely heavily on Minolta's wireless flash capabilities, and having to upgrade all my flashes from the earlier HS model to the newer HS-D model is a costly burden. Their prosumer digital bodies like the Dimage series suffered the same limitation, so this is not a new issue. Just irritating.
I'm also disheartened by the use of a proprietary battery. Having gotten accustomed to prosumer digitals that use ubiquitous and cheap NiMH AA batteries, it's hard to get excited about having to buy an extra, costly battery and charger to have on back-up. This is more the rule than the exception with digital SLRs nowadays, so I guess I cannot be too critical on this point.
In short, this first offering is a bit of a let-down for a pro with a significant investment in Minolta lenses and flashes. The price point is steep for a 6-megapixel sensor. In effect, you're paying a premium for the unique image stabilization feature. It is dynmite, but is it worth the extra cost? You will have to decide. I'm sure their next DSLR body will have higher resolution, but the flash incompatibility problem will remain.
