Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D / Dynax 7D Digital Camera

Pros: Inexpensive for value, lots of lenses/accessories, powerful features, Flat-out WORKS
Cons: No successor yet produced, becoming somewhat rare.

My first SLR was the first Minolta auto focus SLR, the Maxxum 7000. My second SLR, as it turns out, is the first of Minolta's Digital SLRs, and sadly, appeared at the end of this brand in the marketplace. Now that I had had the Maxxum 7D for a while, I ...

Pros: photographer-friendliness, solidity, antishake for all lenses, huge LCD, fast operation, good resolution, low noise
Cons: relatively small buffer, limited burst rate, fastest sync speed only 1/160s with built-in flash

Size, Shape & Weight This camera is almost perfectly sized for average male hands, the only exception being the hand-grip, which could be a bit deeper. The overall shape resembles that of its 35mm bro, the award-winning ...

Pros: Anti-shake. Exceptionally good handling, large LCD, unique design philosophy.
Cons: In-camera sharpening is not the best. Mediocre kit lens.

This camera is uniquely innovative, but also has quirks that may turn off customers who aren't already loyal to Minolta. The analogy to the Apple Macintosh is very apt. Like the Apple Macintosh, the 7D paradoxically combines some of the industry's most ...

Pros: Full range of manual settings to tweak, solid 6.1 megapixel shots.
Cons: Autofocus can be quite uncooperative.

I bought this camera mainly to take pictures of rally cars, which requires the camera to perform under a full range of conditions (light, distance, speed, etc.) My old Fuji Finepix S602 used to take care of the job, and I'm glad I upgraded to the Maxxum ...

Pros: Great camera, with a lot of issues
Cons: Buy it only if you 're fully aware of the warranty issues.

Got my 7d in March, and love it, but, and this is a biggie, if you buy one, be aware that Sony just bought out Minolta's camera assets, and support on this camera is just about non-existant. Right now, if one breaks and needs parts, Sony is offering a ...

Pros: Body integral anti-shake Great interface Big LCD Fast autofocus
Cons: Problems with flash exposure

The Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D is a digital SLR (DSLR) which is built on Minolta's Maxxum 7 body. It has an APS-size CCD as its image sensor which crops an image by 1.5X in comparison with its 35mm film counterpart. The 7D has a large, high-resolution LCD, ...

Pros: Ergonomic controls, ease of use, good viewer, large screen, anti-shake built into camera body
Cons: APS-sized sensor.

Extremely well designed camera, with features beyond those found on competing models. The first AS (anti-shake) system (built into the camera body) will save on lens costs: you don't have to pay over again for each "IS" lens. You get the feature even on any pre-owned Minolta AF lens. The nice, large knobs are simple to use without having to squint into an obscure window. The screen on the back is LARGE and easy to use.

I have used the 7D mainly for nature photography, and am very pleased with the results The camera body is handsome and well made. Easy to use, yet with many less obvious (and less obtrusive) features of interest to the most sophisticated photographer. This is real competition for the larger companies: I have had Nikon users walk up to me in the field and admire the large screen and clear finder. Nothing second-rate about this camera, except perhaps that a full-size 24x36-mm sensor would be preferable. Perhaps it will come later.