Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Review from the reader Radozhiva

A review of Konica Minolta Dynax 7D SLR camera specially for Radozhiva was prepared by Sergey Ovchinnikov (blog on Yandex-Zen; photo hosting Flickr).

Fig. 1. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Hereinafter the photographs were taken by Panasonic FZ3.

Fig. 1. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Hereinafter the photographs were taken by Panasonic FZ3.

I am an amateur and not a professional photographer. The camera for me is not a tool for making money. Therefore, I can safely continue to work with the old photographic equipment, because the new models do not offer me, as an amateur, anything fundamentally new, and in terms of design - the convenience of the bodies, the abundance of physical buttons and switches - old cameras can provide even more comfort when using. And all this for a very small fee.

If you are an amateur and you have lenses for the Sony / Minolta A system, perhaps instead of buying another "advanced" carcass, you should take a closer look at Konica Minolta Dynax 7D (hereinafter referred to as Dynax 7D, D7D), the cost of which in the Russian secondary market, for example, starts from 4000 rubles.

I will try to give you the most detailed description of the first Konica Minolta DSLR camera. It's up to you whether the camera is right for you or not.

Fig. 2. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D.

Fig. 2. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D.

prehistory

I counted four system cameras that Minolta managed to release before its merger with Sony. Three for Minolta A lenses and one for Vectis lenses.

The Minolta RD-175 was one of the first over-megapixel portable DSLR cameras that could be carried without any problems. This happened in 1995. Perhaps this is one of the most interesting Minolta system cameras. The technologies applied here have been continued in the Anti-Shake image stabilization system and in the pixel shift multi-frame shooting mode used in Sony cameras.

In 1999, Minolta announced a kind of digital SLR camera for Vectis (Advanced Photo System, APS) lenses - Minolta RD-3000.

In 2004, after a long break, the already renewed Konica Minolta company released the Dynax 7D SLR camera - the hero of our today's review, which fans of Dynax film autofocus cameras have been waiting for. The unique advantage of the Dynax 7D is the Anti-Shake stabilization system. Minolta first introduced this feature with the DiMAGE A1 progression in 2003.

In 2005, Konica Minolta announces a cheaper SLR camera Dynax 5dwith which, Sony will copy its first SLR camera - A100.

Entering the market

A pre-production version of the Konica Minolta Dynax 7D was unveiled on February 12, 2004 at the PMA Photo Exhibition. On September 15, 2004, shortly before Photokina, the company released full camera specifications and an official press release. The Dynax 7D was targeted at the high end of the DSLR market, digital photography enthusiasts (hobbyists who are willing to pay extra) and professionals. The carcass was given for $ 1600.

The Dynax 7D simultaneously coexisted in the market with cameras such as Canon EOS 20D, Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro, Olympus E-1 and Nikon D70... The $ 1600 price tag was bold and refreshing enough. Canon EOS 20D was already on sale at a price of $ 100 cheaper (!). Wherein Canon EOS 20D was made in an all-magnesium case, equipped with an 8MP CMOS sensor (2MP more), could provide a shutter speed of 1/8000 second (against the shortest 1/4000 second for the D7D), shot 5 frames per second (against 3 frames per second for D7D) and turned on almost instantly. Nikon D70 was simpler, but could offer almost everything the same, and most importantly - it cost as much as $ 600 less (!).

If in 2004 you started from scratch, you had a lot to choose from. And the best choice could be Canon EOS 20D... But if you already owned a fleet of Minolta A lenses and were waiting for a digital carcass for them, you had no choice;)

Together with the camera, new lens models were presented - Konica Minolta AF 17-35 mm F2.8-F4.0 (D) and Konica Minolta AF 28-75 mm F2.8 (D) - at a price of $ 500 and $ 400, respectively ...

Today the D7D supports all Sony lenses, both screwdriver and conventional built-in motors. Difficulties can arise only with the most modern lenses with ultrasonic motors.

In my case, both kit lenses (SAL18552 и SAL55200-2) work as best they can. As for the high-aperture SAL50F18, then I started having problems with him a long time ago (already on the previous cameras). So on D7D I use it more often in manual focus mode.

Minolta MD and MC series lenses cannot be used directly. In nature, there is an adapter, but focusing to infinity with these lenses will not be - only macro photography.

As for Soviet lenses, so far I have no experience with them on the D7D. If you have a similar experience, write in the comments.

D7D is a 6MP camera on board. But for the amateur photographer, this is not important. You may not have a high-quality monitor at home that can display all 6 million pixels at once. Multi-pixel can be useful if you like to aggressively crop an image after shooting; or if you are fond of shooting at a distance (digital zoom option).

6MP lenses are less demanding on the resolution of lenses. This is a “fat” pixel, which means you can unleash the full potential of existing lenses.

Long way to D7D

Getting to know the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 shaped my interest in Minolta. Until that moment, I had not come across Minolta products.

Fig. 3. Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5

Fig. 3. Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5

Therefore, when the question arose again about where to attach my autofocus Sony A lenses, I began to consider not only the options for Sony DSLR cameras (which was an obvious solution to the problem), but also their predecessors.

As you know, Sony bought Konica Minolta in 2006, having the opportunity to become a serious player in the digital system camera market. Up to this point, Sony has produced advanced compact cameras, which were sometimes even called "professional" (although they were not). I have in my collection a very nice F717 in terms of images, dating back to that era.

So, the question arose about buying a new carcass for the existing lenses instead of the "broken one according to Booth's method" (in fact, even earlier) Sony A100.

In my city there was an interesting offer - Sony A390 for 2500 rubles (complete with a whale lens, of which I already have enough). A390 is a 12MP CCD. The entry-level A390 DSLR is one of the last Sony to offer this type of sensor. Great cap for my cheap lenses.

There were many more interesting offers outside my city. Dynax 4000D and Sony A7 were offered for the same wooden 700 rubles.

I carefully studied the camera reviews. It turned out that the Sony A700 is the Dynax 7D version, which was seriously "spoiled" especially for Sony. Let me explain: all Sony DSLRs are converted from two Konica Minolta DSLRs - Dynax 7D and Dynax 5d... Redesigned according to a simple recipe: equip with a cool matrix of the latest generation and make everything else worse.

The Sony A700 only offers twice as many (megapixels, performance), but the shots look surprisingly worse. The ergonomics of the case are definitely worse. The camera uses a CMOS matrix.

CCD-matrix or CMOS-matrix - for me it was not important. Therefore, choosing between Sony A700 and Dynax 7D - I was looking not at the type of matrix, but at the design of the case. The Dynax 7D is out of competition.

So the choice fell on the Dynax 7D, the best-designed camera of 2004.

General remarks

The first thing to note in terms of the design of the D7D camera is the correct placement of the strap mounts (the camera with the lens does not tend to fall down when worn) and the presence of a small stop in the front part along the optical axis of the lens (the camera with the lens is stable on flat surfaces).

Fig 4. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Fig 4. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

The camera is heavy. The carcass with a battery, belt and memory card weighs 910 grams. With lens SAL55200-2 - 1260 grams. And if you take all three lenses and an additional battery with you, it will be 1790 grams. The use of a wrist strap is recommended.

The front and top of the camera are made of lightweight metal alloy. The back is plastic. Disks, buttons, switches are plastic. There are backlashes. I would not call the assembly perfect. Olympus E-20 seems to be put together better.

The camera is heavy. The handle is not comfortable. On Olympus E-20 и Canon 300D the grips are more interesting, the cameras are easier to hold. The D7D grip has a sufficient extension, but it is narrower at the grip (especially downwards) - this makes it less comfortable. The rubber on the grip is excellent. The thumb elastic has been re-glued by the previous owner - a common problem with the D7D. The notch for the thumb is not sufficiently pronounced, which adds to the problem of holding.

Rice. 5. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Rice. 5. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Let's pay attention to the D7D switch. I don't like the way it is positioned - to the left of the viewfinder. This means that you cannot turn on the camera with one right hand. The correct switches on the DSLR Canon Kiss Digital, Olympus E-20 and on almost all compact cameras - under the thumb of the right hand. This should always be done. Of course, you can turn on the camera once and not turn off the whole shooting day. If the battery is capacious, and the energy saving is set correctly, why not. But the fact remains - the D7D switch is out of place.

Rice. 6. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Monitor with the protective cover removed.

Rice. 6. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Monitor with the protective cover removed.

It’s a pity that the camera simply didn’t have enough room for a monochrome LCD. However, all the main parameters are on the switches and you just need to carefully examine the body;) However, being collected on a small display, the shooting parameters would become more readable. In this case, the number and distribution of control elements throughout the body negatively affects the speed of their reading. Of course, there is a large color matte monitor, but this is an additional waste of energy, it blinds the eyes and distracts from shooting.

It is unprofessional to use a color monitor to display shooting parameters.

Konica Minolta Dynax 7D uses its own and very specific connector for external flashes, for which we will send a ray of anger towards the company. You are not given any chance to use a center flash, even if in manual mode. An adapter is needed. True, there is a sync contact under the rubber plug on the right.

Rice. 7. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Synchronous contact under the rubber plug on the right.

Rice. 7. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Synchronous contact under the rubber plug on the right.

Memory card slot CF hidden behind a door without a latch. Doors like these are a signature feature of Konica Minolta. It seems that it is easy to accidentally snag, open, and even break. On the same E20, the door of the compartment with memory cards has a latch with a lock - this is a more correct and professional solution.

The camera uses NP-400 rechargeable batteries (BC-400 charger). In cold weather, batteries quickly lose capacity. I will not say exactly how much is enough, tk. I got them in a half-dead state. According to the instructions, a fresh battery should be enough for 400 shots.

By the way, the NP-400 battery is also suitable for other retro cameras: Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2, Konica Minolta Dynax 5D, Pentax K10D, Pentax K20D, Samsung GX-10, Samsung GX-20, Sigma SD1, Sigma SD15, Sigma SD14.

The watch battery can only be replaced at a service center. This is bad. On the same Canon Kiss Digital (Digital Rebel, 300D) The button-type battery can be easily replaced by yourself. However, the battery on my copy is still working.

Collected camera in Malaysia. The first camera from the early 2000s from my collection, not assembled in Japan. Times changed - production was moved to countries with cheap labor.

Aperture, shutter speed, light sensitivity.

Aperture priority (A) is my favorite. Mode dial with a lock, which is very correct. Will not accidentally switch. The letters are made in relief - as if nothing will be erased. No unnecessary "user" modes. Reference Mode Dial Design!

Rice. 8. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Mode dial with lock.

Rice. 8. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Mode dial with lock.

Both control wheels adjust the aperture. What aperture you can set depends on the lens. A camera with a relatively large sensor, so often the aperture will have to be clamped harder to provide sufficient depth of field. In manual mode (M), the front wheel controls the aperture, the rear wheel controls the shutter speed. It's convenient again.

There is a button for viewing the depth of field, pressing which closes the aperture to the working position. The button itself and its location seemed inconvenient.

Control wheel excerpt ranges from 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds. This is sufficient for most situations. In manual mode, you can set a slow shutter speed (BULB). To do this, the camera has a cable connector (on the bottom left of the camera).

The control wheels are more reliable than later Sony cameras. Longer work on failure.

Rice. 9. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. AEL button and metering switch.

Rice. 9. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. AEL button and metering switch.

Most of the time I use a 14-segment honeycomb meter. When shooting against the sun, I choose spot metering. exposure... I have traditional questions about the icons on the case. If empty brackets are given, it seems logical to me to imagine that the metering goes over the entire area of ​​the frame. But no! This is center-weighted metering. Now we take the icon - brackets with a center point. Center weighted? No - 14-segment full-frame cellular metering. I think it was worth changing the meaning of the icons. And in general - to standardize these designations for all key market players: Canon, Nikon, Sony.

For the AEL button in section 1 of the CUSTOM menu, I've assigned the AE hold mode. It is more convenient for me when the exposure bar that I see in the viewfinder is blocked. Sometimes the exposure meter works with some deceleration, as if recounting the scene again after pressing the button.

Rice. 10. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. ISO button, MSET button, IS mode switch.

Rice. 10. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. ISO button, MSET button, IS mode switch.

Light sensitivity settings are selected by pressing a separate ISO button and turning the control wheel with control on a color monitor. It's a pity that we didn't make a separate switch to visualize this important shooting parameter. Moreover, all ISO values ​​on the camera are working.

Light sensitivity options: 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600. The automatic camera selects light sensitivity in the range of ISO100… 400. This range should be considered optimal in terms of "noise". And there will be noises even at low ISO values ​​- as soon as you start drawing out shadows in the pictures, you will see these noises. Sony CCDs have never been quiet. In the Custom Preferences section, you can enable the ISO3200 selection option.

Above the ISO button is the MSET button, which, when shooting, allows you to save the current settings to one of three custom settings on the mode dial. You can teach the button to call your favorite menu page.

Exposure compensation

To the left of the flash there is an exposure compensation wheel and a correction wheel. exposure outbreaks.

Rice. 11. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Exposure compensation wheel.

Rice. 11. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Exposure compensation wheel.

The exposure compensation wheel is equipped with a lock and has two scales. The orange scale adjusts the exposure within ± 2.0 Ev in 0.3 Ev steps. The silver scale allows you to adjust the exposure within ± 3.0 Ev in 0.5 Ev steps. Orange is enough for me.

Usually I make a slight positive exposure compensation of images from the camera already during RAW processing, but I prefer to shoot without exposure compensation - the camera is accurate enough and I do not want to lose detail in bright areas of the image. But in difficult shooting conditions, where both the sun and darkness are in the frame, the exposure compensation on the camera may be appropriate.

I try to shoot RAW. It's funny that I was recently "taught" this by compact cameras. The camera does not use lossless compression and the file size is about 9MB. I set up the camera so that right after taking the picture, I get a screen with histogramwhere areas of the image approaching the luminance limit values ​​are highlighted in the thumbnail (blinking). This is handy, but you should be aware that the camera is very “careful” and in fact marks all border areas. Those. the highlighted area may well carry details and not everything is catastrophic there. On the other hand, if you have a large area of ​​the photo highlighted, this is bad, you should reshoot with different settings. exposure.

Rice. 12. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Flash exposure compensation wheel.

Rice. 12. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Correction wheel exposure outbreaks.

The flash is only raised manually, which is correct. It's great that there is a separate wheel for adjusting the force of its actuation. On the other hand, a spring-loaded, snap-on flash with a mechanical button like the Olympus E-20 would be a better option. The D7D can be accidentally caught, opened, or even broken.

The flash clicks unpleasantly when closed and opened. The same thing that I had with Sony A100... Again, in the E20, the "closers" make opening and closing the flash, if not silent, then very pleasant.

The raised flash assists the focusing system with a burst of pulses when needed. Switching to slow sync mode occurs by pressing the AEL button - convenient.

Viewfinder and focusing system

The main shooting parameters are displayed in the viewfinder. To save energy, you can turn off the large color monitor by pressing the display button. The battery savings should be solid.

Rice. 13. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Bright and large pentaprism optical viewfinder. 13. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Bright and large pentaprism optical viewfinder.

Rice. 13. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Bright and large pentaprism optical viewfinder.

With the D7D, you will use a bright and large pentaprism optical viewfinder. The field of view is only 95%. The D7D's viewfinder is designed to provide diopter correction from -3.0 to +1.0. There are sensors that turn off the color monitor when you bring the camera to your face.

Compared with "mirrors" in Canon Kiss Digital - in a “kissing” camera, the viewfinder is noticeably smaller and darker. V Sony A100 - similarly. The Olympus E-20 has an even larger viewfinder than the D7D (due to the aspect ratio of 3: 4, they are perceived the same in width).
The extension of the viewfinder is not level with the camera. The diopter adjustment dial is inconvenient. No comparison to the Olympus E-20 viewfinder.

There is no LiveView mode. If you are used to a live picture through a camera monitor, you will either have to pass by the D7D or plunge into the harsh realities of the early 2000s.
All the most interesting camera angles will become less accessible to you with the D7D. I don't know what can fix the situation. Angle viewfinder? Doubt it will replace LiveView for you. So - in a raskoryachku, lying, on your knees, from a stepladder, with prayer and just at random "in the blind" ... In short - in the old fashioned way.

Focus is locked by half-pressing the shutter release button. On Sony A100 was the activation of focus by the eye. I haven't found anything like that here, which I don't regret. Focus lock works fine. When reframing, focus is not lost.
If anyone is interested: it is possible to change the focusing screen (in the service). By default, type G with spherical pointed matting is used. In addition, focusing screens such as M, L or ML can be used.

There are few focus points (nine, like Sony A100) and they are all gathered in a mighty bunch in the central part of the frame. What is wrong. For example, in Canon EOS 300D there are even fewer of them, but they are at least more evenly smeared across the frame. There is a laser illumination of the focus point. The backlight seems rather weak.

Rice. 14. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Focus area switch.

Rice. 14. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Focus area switch.

I prefer to use the center focus point as it is the most tenacious and effective. You can lock the selected point using the switch, which is convenient. I use the standard (single-frame) focus mode - S.

Rice. 15. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Focus mode switch.

Rice. 15. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Focus mode switch.

The AF / MF button, like other focusing modes, is most effective when using lenses with a screwdriver. When using Sony lenses with proprietary motors, the AF / MF button simply locks the lens, disabling communication with the motor. You do not lose focus, but you cannot use manual focus either (because you need to move a separate switch on the lens).

Rice. 16. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Shutter button and front control wheel.

Rice. 16. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Shutter button and front control wheel.

I am not very clear about the accuracy of the focusing system on the D7D with my Sony lenses.

On the one hand, I cannot claim that my specimen has a back-front focus - a terrible Minolta / Sony genetic disease. On the other hand, the accuracy, or rather, the stability of the autofocus system leaves much to be desired.

The forums are full of complaints about the autofocus system of Konica Minolta DSLRs (Sony inherited this problem). There is a persistent feeling that the last Dynax, where everything was in order with the focus, were the Dynax film.

If you are in no hurry, the D7D focusing system, albeit not always right away, will point the lens exactly at the subject. From the second or third half-press of the shutter button ...

The shutter button travel is small. The button is small with a notch in the center. Located in the groove guiding the finger. Regular button. I like the deep large button with a "rim" on the Olympus E-20 a lot more.

Drive modes and shooting speed.

The camera has six drive modes, selectable by a dedicated dial on the right (below the exposure mode dial).

Rice. 17. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. The wheel of the selection of modes of a broach.

Rice. 17. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. The wheel of the selection of modes of a broach.

Drive Modes: Single bracketing (each frame in the series is taken after pressing the shutter button separately); continuous bracketing (the whole series is filmed at once); frame-by-frame advance (shooting with an interval is possible); continuous broaching; self-timer with an interval of 10 sec. (the mirror will be raised just before exposure); self-timer with an interval of 2 sec. (the mirror will be raised immediately after the countdown starts).

The maximum shooting speed is 3 frames per second. The maximum number of frames depends on the image size and quality settings. In RAW and RAW + JPEG modes, you can shoot up to nine frames to the buffer. In the JPEG mode of maximum quality - 12 frames per buffer. Of course, these values ​​can only be obtained under ideal shooting conditions. With my leisurely shooting mode, I didn't notice any brake issues at all. However, after the E-20, nothing is scary.

For JPEG lovers

I don't think it's worth spoiling the camera experience by shooting in JPEG. I shot pairs of JPEG + RAW, compared the results - JPEG is much worse than RAW. The processor and algorithms for computing on a computer remain unrivaled. The 2004 camera is unable to offer comparable power and handles images poorly.

Of course, if you don't want to mess with RAW and the result needs to be urgently shared on the web ... Why not use JPEG?

Rice. 18. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. White balance mode switch with preset button.

Rice. 18. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Mode switch white balance with a preset button.

On white balance: When shooting in JPEG, it is convenient to have a separate switch with a button. But I shoot in RAW, so I set it to automatic. white balance and forgot about it. It is a pity that the switch and the button, located in a convenient place, disappear. There could be a toggle for ISO values ​​for example. However, for JPEG lovers, the switch can be useful.

Automatic white balance works great. There is no green or red tones. Most of the time, I like automatic white balance... You can set a preset white balance (sun, shade, etc.), manually on a white sheet and in color temperature values.

You can choose from large, medium, small JPEG file sizes and three compression rates. Two color spaces are available: sRGB (natural color and enhanced contrast and sharpness) and AdobeRGB. You can change the contrast, sharpness, saturation and hue of a JPEG image in the Digital FX menu. Scales with five divisions: -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.

Anti-shake

The camera uses the Anti-shake vibration compensation system, unique for 2004, which minimizes the shaking effect by shifting the matrix. Stabilization works on any attached lens, which is a big plus. Run-in on KM compacts, the system was first installed on a D7D DSLR.

Rice. 19. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Anti-shake logo. On the right is the button for checking the depth of field.

Rice. 19. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Anti-shake logo. On the right is the button for checking the depth of field.

The effectiveness of Anti-Shake can be significantly reduced when shooting moving objects, when shooting with panning, at shutter speeds of 1/4 second or longer, as well as when shooting macro. Anti-shake is disabled during long exposure (bulb).

When the system is engaged, the Anti-Shake bar on the right side of the viewfinder (in Sony A100 this scale is below - among other indicators). The more elements are lit, the more unstable the image.

In the event of a serious stabilization system malfunction, the Anti-Shake scale in the viewfinder blinks. Do not apply strong shocks to the camera. Anyway, on Sony A100, the stabilization system was easily damaged by impact. And all would be fine, but the matrix wedged in an arbitrary position, after which the picture in the viewfinder did not match within the boundaries of the actual image obtained.

Viewing Pictures

When shooting in RAW only, you should be aware that the camera cannot read its own RAW. You cannot enlarge the image. I remind you that an amateur camera Canon Kiss Digital I knew how to do it back in 2003, and we have a camera “with a pretense” from 2004 ... To assess the sharpness of the resulting image, you need to produce entities - shoot a bunch of RAW + JPEG.

Even more stupid is the fact that having a rotation sensor on board, the camera cannot flip vertical shots. Those. the camera turns over the service information on the monitor, and the picture must be turned over manually.

The monitor is large and sharp, but I would not rely on it completely for minor focus and color problems. The brightness of the LCD screen can be set in eleven levels. The brighter the monitor, the better. On the other hand, energy wastage.

Hack and predictor Aviator

The camera leaves the most pleasant experience. I won't say that I like it a lot more than the Olympus E-20. But let's face it, Konica Minolta has done a good job.

Compared to the E-20, the Dynax 7D has a larger sensor and higher performance, making it suitable for a variety of shooting situations. The D7D delivers a better picture quality than any of the most advanced compacts of the early 2000s. Even with kit lenses, the D7D can perform better than the Olympus E-20. Because a camera with a larger sensor will always be better than a camera with a small sensor.

Comparisons with advanced compacts, such as the Olympus E-20 SLR, let me remind you that the D7D assumes interchangeable lenses, which entails a bunch of compatibility problems, back-front focuses. Focusing on the E-20 produces consistently high quality results. I can't say the same about the D7D.

Compared with "heavily cropped" matrices, for example - in the size of 2/3 inches (as in the Olympus E-20) - the problem of depth of field on DSLRs arises. While on the E-20 you can, in most shooting situations, keep the widest aperture of F2.0-3.2, then on a cropped D7D DSLR F5.6-11.0 can be a necessary solution for many shots. Otherwise, something will definitely fall out of the field of focus. Of course, the need to work at closed apertures is offset by the high ISO operating values ​​on the D7D.

Pay attention to the macro shots given in this article. They are made on Panasonic FZ3 - a compact camera with an even smaller matrix (1 / 3,2 inches). This made it possible to achieve the required depth of field when using the maximum aperture of the lens. To achieve this on a mirror system would be much more difficult and expensive.

It's a shame that the Dynax 7D lacks the LiveView and flip-down monitor like the E-20. Konica Minolta did not have such technologies.

Rice. 20. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Rice. 20. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Rice. 21. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Rice. 21. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

There are minor flaws: a problem with RAW viewing, auto-rotation of the image. Let me remind you once again about the problems with autofocus, traditional for digital Minolta / Sony. But all this is insignificant for leisurely amateur photography, because the camera gives excellent color. Straight to RAW. What is it like Nikon D40 - for Minolta / Sony lenses only.

Rice. 22. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Rice. 22. Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Don't forget: 6MP images are environmentally friendly enough. Pictures are lightweight and require less energy to copy, save and display. The very idea of ​​giving the old camera a "second life" is essentially environmentally friendly.

When buying a camera from the aftermarket, pay attention to the autofocus system on your lenses. To do this, be sure to upload photos to your computer and view them there. Check the operation of the Image Stabilizer (indicators in viewfinder should not blink).

It's hard to tell by the mileage. You can find out something specific only at the service center. The seller can point to the file numbers. But you should be aware that after 10000 the camera will reset the picture numbers to zero. Look at the state of the camera itself - it can tell about more than the file numbers.

The D7D may not be suitable for professional use, but it is still a powerful tool for the hobby photographer.

Sample images from Konica Minolta Dynax 7D

Pictures are sorted according to the lenses I own. I shoot exclusively in RAW. When exporting to JPEG, using ACDSeePro, batch correction was performed exposure (+0,15), the shadows are slightly worked out (+5), the sharpness is neatly increased (value - 70, radius - 1, detail - 50). White balance, color, contrast - everything is unchanged from the matrix.

Lenses in turn: Sony DT 18-55 / 3.5-5.6 SAM II (SAL18552), Sony DT 50 / 1.8 SAM (SAL50F18), Sony DT 55-200 / 4-5.6 SAM (SAL55200-2):

You will find more materials from readers of Radozhiva here.

Add a comment: Seladir

 

 

Comments: 38, on the topic: Konica Minolta Dynax 7D. Review from the reader Radozhiva

  • Vasya

    Author, thanks for the review! In 2013, I seriously considered buying a used D7D, but after some hard thinking I took a brand new d40, which I do not regret. Not at all surprised by Sonya's vile manipulations to "improve" Minolta's DSLRs - Sonya is like the king of midos, on the contrary - what it doesn’t touch turns into g ... but.

  • Oleg

    Abruptly

  • Jea reth

    I will say an inappropriate thing for a canon follower, but if you want excellent ergonomics for 2 kopecks, take the Nikon D200. Of everything that I have used, only the film Canon EOS 1 had better ergonomics. her controls really need minuscule.

  • Zheka

    The review is well-written, I read it with pleasure, but I didn't like the color in the photo.

  • Victor

    The picture reminded Nikon d70

  • Oleg

    Many thanks to the author for the excellent review language. Read in one breath, like a good story.

    On the technical side, a number of details are missing:

    firstly, if the stabilizer fails, the d7d blocks shooting. Shooting with the left matrix (and more often not in an arbitrary position, but specifically in the left corner) is allowed for Sonya's carcasses, such a trick will not work here.

    secondly, the problem of the “black frame” - all d7d's are in the risk zone.

    • sovch

      thanks for the clarification. I'll fix it at myself. I forgot to write about the black frame) when I bought it, I was interested. for my copy, the problem has not crawled out yet for the seller - too, according to him. from the bottom of my heart I felt relieved and forgotten;)

  • Seladir

    I still can't understand why people are so attracted to the image of a “fat pixel”.
    The multi-megapixel matrix will not be worse in anything.
    Images from it will not be less detailed, reduce the resolution from 24MP to 6 and it will be clearly seen that the picture is more detailed, at least you will not lose anything.
    Diffraction occurs sooner? This will not make the picture worse than a large-pixel matrix, in the worst case, it will lower it to its level.
    Is every single pixel more noisy? But the increase in noise is small and much less than the increase in the number of pixels. As a result, there will still be more details.
    Optics not resolving the matrix? Well, it's enough to consider individual pixels, even with poor optics, there will still be an increase in detail, just the further, the less. Plus, the absence of an anti-aliasing filter in front of the matrix will increase the sharpness.
    There is a real nuance that the smaller the pixels, the more noticeable the effect of the software sharp. You can simply shoot a multi-megapixel photo more strongly, if you want the same sharpness sensation, in any case, “sharp” is not equal to “detail”.

    As a humble hobbyist, I will always want modern features like animal eye AF or 42MP on a full frame sensor. This is a professional focus, and so the optics will always be where necessary for each task, but I just want to enjoy the process and walk most of the time with one lens, which rules everyone, and sprinkle;)

    • Yuriy75

      The whole question is price.

      • Sergei

        In addition to the price, there is also the issue of the speed of writing to the card.

        • Seladir

          It seems to me that this characteristic is improving faster than the size of photo files grows, since video recording strongly spurs this direction.

          • Oleg

            Yes. I have canon1100d and 80d, 80d has dd one stop higher, iso one stop higher, detail is 24mp versus 12mp. Where is my bold pixel?

            • Rodion

              In 1100d, the matrix is ​​ancient, what is there to compare ...

              • Oleg

                Well, in general, the new multipixel sensors are better than the old bold pixel, which is often advocated

              • Rodion

                Well, this is indisputable. It is enough to take the same old 5d and the first a7s - both there and there are 12 megapixels, but, you know, these are very different 12 megapixels ...

              • Rodion

                But what will happen if you take the Canon 80D and A7s2, or whoever is closer to it by the year of release?

            • Seladir

              Different manufacturers and sizes of matrices. Let's take A7S3 and A7R3. At low ISO, the detail advantage is huge behind the R-th, at high ISO the gap decreases, but still more detail after noise reduction remains.

              • Seladir

                He missed, replied to Rodion:
                > if you take Canon 80D and A7s2

      • Victor

        Not everything is decided by the price.

    • Ivan

      There is a different opinion
      I have in stock
      Nikon D800 and Canon 5D
      One has 36MP, the other has ~ 13MP, both FF
      1 Nikon D800 I cannot shoot at shutter speeds of 1 / FR - micro-smear, I have to raise shutter speeds to 1/2 * FR. And on 5D I calmly shoot at shutter speeds of 1 / FR. That is, 5D already has a one-stop win.
      2 Not quite technically accurate, but because of the thicker pixel in 5D, it is in the 5D matrix cell that more photons are accumulated in the same unit of time, which means that the 5D cell captures more light than the D800 cell. And sometimes the same frame on 5D is captured at an even faster shutter speed than on the D800, even without taking into account micro-blur. Which again leads to a win in the Expo par. And that's all at base ISOs.
      3. Not always, but usually the photo ends with a print on paper. For an A4 print, which was the limit without dancing with a tambourine on 135 film, the resolution of the 5D matrix is ​​enough for me even with a small crop, horizon correction.

      • Seladir

        1. Does the micro-smear remain noticeable if you reduce the image resolution from D800 to 5D? Well, that is, in general, it is natural that it is necessary to change the rule that was relevant for film or low-resolution matrices. On the other hand, stabilization performance has also evolved in lenses and cameras.
        2. In theory, this should not be, since ISO100, whether it is a DSLR or a mobile phone, should give the same exposure at the same exposure. It's just that where fewer photons accumulate per unit of time, a higher gain will be applied to achieve ISO compliance. Of course, there will be some deviations, but in your case, it is possible that the reason is different real aperture of the lenses that you use on Nikon and Canon. Another important point is that a theoretically large pixel is not necessarily the same in practice, that is, as technical progress progresses, it turns out to use the sensor area more efficiently by arranging the binding, as a result, there will be more pixels, but the area of ​​the photosensitive element itself will not change.
        3. I understand. Well, I shoot quite a lot of macro, and I always don't have enough resolution)

        • Ivan

          1. Micro-smear is micro-smear, which cannot be corrected by reducing the size of the frame, and you get a real loss in the loss of one stop ... or in the shutter speed or raise the ISO. In this case, it is better to raise the ISO and suppress noise in post-processing.
          2. "In theory, this should not be the case, since ISO100, whether it is a DSLR or a mobile phone, should give the same exposure at the same exposure."

          You are wrong. In the days of the ISO figure, nothing means anything, especially since it is not such a standard for digital photography. And every hardware manufacturer turns this parameter as he wants. This in the era of ISO film depended on the chemistry of the photographic emulsion. There was a + - the same for different manufacturers. This is analogous to battery voltage. NiCd and Ni-MH give 1,2V instead of 1,5V.
          And in the era of digital photography, I remember the same age as this Nikon D50 - its base ISO 200 was the same as ISO 100-120 for the Nikon D70. And in order for the ISO to be the same for different manufacturers - well, you really need to believe in the existence of a digital ISO standard. And matrix technology is not changing so quickly. Look at how all manufacturers churn out their devices of different generations by shuffling old matrices into them. The only thing that comes to mind from the “breakthrough” in matrix construction is matrixes with back illumination. There yes - the light transmission was increased due to the transfer of the conductors. The rest of the improvements are only due to more digital signal processing and a more powerful processor, which better removes digital noise. Therefore, the race of megapixels started, and not the licking of small-pixel matrices - changing the production technology. What for? If the user can roll off the 50 + MP matrix, and then we will remove the noise using the built-in processor using the software.

          • Victor

            Sorry, you seem to be confused to me :)

            1. Micro-blur is just the same corrected by changing the frame size. Another question is that no one would like to "overpay" for 36 (or how many) MP to receive 12 in the end :) And in general, if we talk about D800, Nikon himself said that, yes, micro-lubrication takes place be due to the design features of the mirror unit, but by the d810 everything had already been fixed.

            2. There is a difference in ISO, no doubt, but within the same manufacturer it is microscopic, no two-fold (!!) difference is out of the question (not to mention the fact that the D70's base ISO has always been 200, where does 100 come from? )

            At one time, Fujifilm (which is no longer “that” fujifilm of the c5pro era, but mirrorless) dabbled in ISO marking according to a different standard, like Olympus, where ISO 200 by exposure came out as ~ 120ISO for Canon Nikon, but again, I repeat, within the same manufacturer, if we talk specifically about Nikon, there has never been such a huge difference and could not be.

            • Ivan

              As for the ISO difference in D50 vs D70, I remember in 2006-2009 I actively read the corresponding forum thread on nikon on the videomax.ru website. This forum has "died" for 10 years already - there it was sucked and compared with d70 and d200. I also met this problem (in the same years) in other forums. But now, due to the antiquity of the camera, the search gives only pages with a general comparison of the characteristics of cameras in the form of tables.
              About micro-lubricants - maybe. Maybe I confuse micro-lubricant with a nutcracker, but for me both micro-lubricant and a nut-nut are a marriage. And in order to get away from this marriage, I reduce the shutter speed to 1 / 2FR, but on 5D I calmly photograph at 1 / FR

  • Alex

    you need to worry a lot about "environmental friendliness" in order to choose the latter when choosing between the A700 and this miracle)

  • Oleg

    In terms of language and attention to detail, probably one of the best reviews ever

  • Sandro

    I cannot share the author's enthusiasm. I have been shooting with this camera since 2006, then I took it new in the store and during the warranty period it went twice to the service not to replace the shutter.
    Probably, now from her raw-file you can draw some kind of intelligible color, but in the realities of that time, after the film, she wanted to shoot only in black and white.
    The normal color on the number began only after the transition to canon 5D and the appearance of normal profiles in lightroom.

    The ergonomics of the camera were excellent, you can't argue with that. But it's not in vain that the original Dynax 7 film is one of the best films of all ages.
    And, of course, it’s a pity for the Minolt. But the optics for the system costs mere pennies.

  • Ivan

    "Focus point laser illumination" is what's new ...
    "Drive modes" - what is it, film? This is the shutter release mode.

    • Ivan

      *something new

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Drive modes, by the way, are still used in the latest digital cameras. For example, here's the Sony ILC-E A7R IV

  • Linnea

    Many thanks to the author of this review! It turned out just super! It is very interesting to read the history of the development of the first digital SLR cameras. Everything developed so quickly in just 20 years. Probably at the beginning of this journey, the first cameras seemed like a miracle. And the capabilities of those cameras that are being produced now, then generally seemed to photographers to be something unattainable.

  • Dmitriy

    Great review, thank you. I have such a camera with a black frame problem. Can you tell me, is someone else repairing them in Moscow? I would like to revive.

    • Human

      If something is simple, then the official Sony-Canon service will handle (copy-Moscow). But if you change some part, only if you find it yourself and give it to them

  • Human

    If something is simple, then the official Sony-Canon service will handle (copy-Moscow). But if you change some part, only if you find it yourself and give it to them

  • Human

    I would like to add a small note in comparison with the Dynax 5D, which I have experience with,
    - autofocus depends on the lens, the heavier the lens, the more difficult it is to focus, the more misses and the more the battery on the camera runs out
    - in general, 5D, although a year newer, has an almost two-fold advantage in the price of secondary housing, due to the fact that it is "not entirely professional"
    - The 7D has a very big advantage in control ergonomics, due to the 2nd dial, which is usually used for aperture, and which is not at all in 5D, where to adjust the aperture, as for me, I have to use a terrible crutch, holding down the AEL button, while adjusting the shutter speed at the same time and aperture, leaving the exposure in place.
    - the camera has a specific mini-USB connector (something in between the usual mini-USB and micro-USB) for connecting to a computer, while not every cable is suitable for this (for example, I had one from an old samsung player - did not install connecting with him
    - my 5D for some reason refused to accept the hitachi microdrive CF hard drive, although the characteristics seem to indicate its support, I wonder how the 7D will behave
    - although the screen is bright, it is quite pale and with poor viewing angles, which does not add to the convenience of use.

  • Dim

    Thanks for the review, I read it with great interest and pleasure. Another thing is that whatever you say or write, even so sincerely, and the camera is clearly not a fountain and it looks like it has been like that since its release.

  • JD

    Buen articulo, solo falta hablar de:
    1- Predecesora Minolta Dynax/Maxxum/Alpha 7, analógica.

    2-Fallo Black Frame
    3-Fallo AntiShake.

    Thank you.

  • Jim

    I find it interesting that the vast majority of people are quick to say something is 'out of place' as if everyone was the same. In particular I refer to the statement regarding the on-off switch being on the left side of the camera.

    'The correct switches on the DSLR Canon Kiss Digital, Olympus E-20 and on almost all compact cameras – under the thumb of the right hand. This should always be done.

    I realize that most people are right handed, so for them this statement holds true. But as a 'lefty,' I would find its location ideal.
    It's nice every once in while to find something 'inconvenient' for the majority, since for me & others like me, 'inconvenience' is a fact of life. :-)

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