Review of the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D camera specifically for Radozhiva prepared Daniil Makienko.
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D. increase.
In 2005, Konica Minolta introduced the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D (KM 5D) camera to the world, which became the amateur version of the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D (KM 7D) camera. Also, this camera became the last CZK with the Minolta AF mount released by this company, the next camera in the system was the Sony DSLR A-100, together with it the mount was named Sony α.
Key Features:
Matrix Type: CCD (CCD)
Resolution: 6MP
System: Minolta AF / Sony α
ISO: 100-3200 (optional Lo 80 and Hi 200)
Excerpts: B, 30 - 1/4000
Burst: 3 K / s
Crop: 1,5
Weight: 590g (with battery and memory card)
Let's take a closer look at the camera
There are two selectors on the top of the camera, the left one is responsible for selecting the mode white balance: automatic, by the type of lighting (after selection, you need to press the central button and then select the type of lighting, you can additionally enter an amendment), by the gray card and by Kelvin (from 2500K to 9900K, step - 100K). The second selector is responsible for the choice of the shooting mode: a standard set of manual, semi-automatic and program modes. Next to the shutter button are the ISO buttons and the button for calling up the continuous shooting setup menu, bracketing and timer.
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
On the back there is a 2.5 ”screen with a resolution of 115 pixels. Also on the panel there are buttons for menu, screen display mode, viewing and deleting captured frames, they are located to the left of the screen, to the right there are buttons: Fn, which calls the menu for setting autofocus, exposure metering, flash compensation and color mode; navipad with which you can select AF points and surf in the camera menu; the button for increasing / decreasing the viewed photos, it is also responsible for adjusting the aperture and exposure compensation in semi-automatic and program modes; lock button exposure... There is also a socket for mains power, similar to that of the KM 7D and a stabilizer on / off lever.
The camera has a pent-mirror viewfinder that covers 95% of the frame and has a magnification of 0,54. The LCD panel in the viewfinder displays information about shutter speed, aperture, exposure meter (from -2 to +2 stops) and camera shake indicator, if you press the ISo button, the setting of this parameter is displayed in the viewfinder.
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
On the front of the camera there is an infrared port, aperture repeater and an autofocus (AF / MF) switch
On the side panels of the camera there are connectors for a release cable, slots for a memory card and a USB port (mini USB 8-pin).
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
Konica Minolta Dynax 5D
The control of this camera is quite convenient, I rarely had to go into the menu, mainly to adjust the metering and autofocus modes (which I set to the DMF mode, which allows you to manually adjust the focus). However, the camera screen leaves much to be desired, in comparison with the KM 7D it is lighter, but due to the low resolution at the same diagonal, it became more difficult to view the footage, while the viewfinder became smaller and darker than that of the same KM 7D, which makes focusing manually difficult. however, does not affect cropping. I also have questions about the advisability of placing an additional selector on the camera, and purely for setting white balance, since this setting, although important, is far from the most popular in amateur cameras.
The autofocus module is the same as that used in the KM 7D: 9 points, center cross type. In terms of accuracy and speed, it is practically the same as in the KM 7D.
The camera has a 6-megapixel Sony CCD matrix as in the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D matrix has a stabilization system. The sensitivity range is 100-3200, but there are two programmed values Lo 80 and Hi 200, which are designed to soften the highlights in the picture (Lo 80) and slightly tighten the shadows (Hi 200). In terms of the noise level, the working range can be considered ISO 100-400, at the 800-1600 range, noticeable noises appear that can be corrected in the editor, 3200 - conditional. Stabilization works the same as in the older camera, I didn't notice the difference.
The camera uses CF cards (I, II and Microdrive) as a carrier, it works without problems with a memory card with a capacity of 8GB.
The camera's buffer is small, it is enough for 5 frames in RAW mode, 3 frames in RAW + JPEG mode and 19 frames in JPEG (high quality) mode.
The batteries in the camera are the same as in the older one - NP-400, they are enough for about 400 - 500 shots.
Small details:
- Flash output can be influenced, which can be useful in the studio for controlling other flash units
- Compared to the KM 7D, the time-lapse option has been removed
- The flash, as in the KM 7D, is raised by hand
- There is Russian in the cell
- As in the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D, the camera suffers from a black frame problem if it is not turned on for a long time, but after restarting after a black frame, the camera shoots without problems.
- Cannot write lens model in EXIF (applies to native Minolta and Konica Minolta lenses, possibly later ones are also not displayed)
- Near the viewfinder there are sensors that turn off the main screen when you use it.
Sample images (corrected Exposition и white balance):
Conclusion
This camera is an interesting example of a good simplification of the professional model, after which a good amateur camera came out, not inferior to the professional one in terms of capabilities. At the time of its release, it was a fairly strong opponent of the amateur Canon and Nikon models in terms of capabilities and stabilization, but the camera was inferior in terms of price and a fleet of optics designed for an APS-C format digital matrix. Now this camera can serve as a "camera for the soul" due to the interesting color of the 6MP Sony matrix.
You will find more reviews from readers of Radozhiva here.
Great camera. And then SONY made their first-born A-100 based on it. In any case, the cameras are identical, even the “menu” is the same, apart from the 10 megapixel matrix. in A-100.
Many thanks to the author for the review!
Nice picture, but lacking in warm colors.
Half of the frames were taken at ISO 800+ in low light conditions (evening, cloudy weather). On three wild overexposures. The lens is a lame old whale. The only more or less decent photo - a horny-busty model was shot in the light of a mercury housekeeper, which gives a green tint and dips along the spectrum. What warm shades can we talk about in such a set of photos? The camera gives the shades that it sees. If you are shooting not a beach in Morocco, but Ust-Zazhopinsk in cloudy weather, I doubt that you will find warm colors. Photography is light, not a magic camera transfer function or beautiful analog transistors with warm tube photon storage.
I agree that the conditions and the right light, the skill of the photographer, in many respects decide. But the peculiarities of the drawings of different matrices are like different films, and alas, they cannot be replaced in the camera, and sooner or later it becomes boring and predictable from one camera ... So often they chase after ff, then ff, then films and plates ... Perhaps there is a photo component ... It’s a pity that the film is now the lot of non-poor enthusiasts living in capitals and large cities, each picture from the film was unique, and predictably from numbers, it’s like a drawing on graph paper, because the pixels of the matrix are fixed like cells, and the grain of the films is different in size and is located in a scatter, and on each frame, plus the nuances of development ...
Thanks for reviewing the retro camera. Even though I am from another camp and do not use Konica Minolta, it is still nice to read reviews of all these "soulful" oldies.
Much more interesting than the announcement of some new super mega device at a space price.
As for the weight of the camera: in other sources I see that 590g is the weight without the battery, and with the battery it is already 670g. Generally a very nice camera; as you know, there is the same matrix as on the Nikon D40, everyone's favorite, but I like camjpeg even more, more calm, of course, than in Mode IIIa D40, but not boring; however, what is a little lacking is the ability to load your own curve, as in the D40 (I once loaded a Portre-style curve into the D40 and turn it on for portraits). I got the D5D just in addition to the D40 for indoor shooting without flash thanks to the stabilizer on the sensor, and with the Sony 50 / 1.4 I got what I wanted, ISO 200 without any problems. Returning to the topic of weight, a little more weight compared to the D40 makes it subjectively uncomfortable to wear the D5D + SAL-50F14 (670 + 220 = 890g) on a photo walk for a long time just in the hand, without belts, as I do with D40 + 35 / 1.8DX (522 + 200 = 722g). Although I'm thinking about getting a light (175g) and cheap Sony 85 / 2.8, their combination with the D5D would be a lightweight help to me with Nikkor-P 105 / 2.5 ... Thanks a lot to the author for the review, before choosing the D5D I read it carefully. I thought about taking D7D, but the weight and the ability to customize camjpeg were important.
There were both cameras, 7d and 5d, the color in the jeep for 5d is a little smoother, 7d is more “colorful”, both have no dynamic range, but the color rendition is better than that of similar Nikon / Kenon, although Fujik still falls short. display backlight is weak, set from nikon d40, quite another matter. In 5d, in addition to the black frame, there is another glitch_ the shutter starts to work only through the "sleep mode", but it does not work like that. If you turn off, or get the battery, then you need to turn it on again through sleep mode. This is not for all cameras, but I got it. The menu is very convenient, everything is laid out on the shelves, no mess like Nikon's. The kit lens 18-70 is very decent, the picture with depth, volume and sharpness is good. In general, the camera is for those who have already played enough with kenons, nikons and olympus and want something else, for a change.
And how to run through the "sleep mode". Teach. Or it's hard to do it yourself. Just when the stabilizer breaks, the camera does not work. They say you need to run in sleep mode, but how?