beachluvr
02-10-2006, 09:55 PM
NOTE: This is a user/owner impression. It is NOT filled with specs. It is NOT filled with brand-hype. It is NOT intended to imply that the camera I bought is better or worse than any other brand. I’ll tell you exactly what I like and dislike about MY camera. Please don’t post rebuttals that you think your camera is better, or that my brand was taken over by another company.
The first thing you notice when you hold either the KONICA MINOLTA 7D or 5D is how well they both fit your hands, almost like a Porsche or BMW. Everything is just where it should be. While the adage that you get what you pay for is as true in digital SLR cameras as anywhere else, KONICA MINOLTA has an uncanny way of making you feel you got more than you paid for. You might have to pay substantially more in the Canon or Nikon lineup to get a body that has the feel of a Konica Minolta.
While the style of a camera is totally personal choice and doesn’t affect the picture quality, I will say I like KONICA MINOLTA’s look. While the Pentax *istDL2 is certainly more svelte and curvy, KONICA MINOLTA sticks to something a little retro. But then again that style has been successful for over 25 years and a lot of other weird designs have come and gone (like what Nikon imagined would be the “pro” look with their swivel-body cameras of a few years ago.) Several other brands are often reviewed as “too small” or “too big” but the 5D seems to fall squarely in the middle of the pack as “just right”.
With KONICA MINOLTA, every switch and button feels like it is where it should be. The body exhibits no creaking of plastic. The user is subjected to minimal searching deep into menus compared to the two biggest selling brands in the price category. KONICA MINOLTA understands photography and for the most part deliver a satisfying photographic experience in their products.
I am a fan of the power switch being activated by the left hand as incorporated in the KONICA MINOLTA 5D. I can move camera to eye while simultaneously switching it on and have my finger poised on the shutter release at the same time. I have been a dyed-in-the-wool Nikon owner forever and salivate … no let’s just say I drool … when I touch a D200. Everyone knows I will own one as soon as the initial hype and inflated prices go away. That being said, I abhor the Nikon power switch scheme. The user is forced to find the switch, which cannot be seen with the camera to eye, then move it with the index finger, THEN move said index finger from switch to shutter release. Who came up with that? Canon performs this simple task a little better on the 350D, but one is still forced to move finger from power switch to shutter release. Their 20D gets it much more with the switch in a place where the right thumb can activate it.
I’ll get this out of the way right up front; KONICA MINOLTA was stupid to leave the small status LCD off. Forget their excuses, it is inexcusable not to have a status display on any DSLR, period. Oh sure, you have an ok display in the viewfinder, but KONICA MINOLTA’s positioning of the in-viewfinder display is uncomfortably out of line of sight. And there are times you want a quick check of certain status items BEFORE you move the camera to your eye. KONICA MINOLTA does that with a blindingly bright 2.5” color display on the rear of the body. It is easy to read and gives the operator a more comprehensive reading than most monochrome LCD status displays, but the brightness of the color screen has certain drawbacks. For one, it draws attention to the photographer, rarely a good thing. At night it does that AND closes the pupil of the viewing eye, so when you place your eye to the optical viewfinder it has to adjust again for the ambient conditions. It also sucks battery power. Enough on that subject, bad move on KONICA MINOLTA’s part.
While I’m ranting on about what I don’t like, and this may not affect every owner, it is my choice of the KONICA MINOLTA 18 – 200 mm DT lens. Oh I love the quality of the lens for the purpose I bought it for, but it lacks a zoom lock switch to prevent “zoom creep”. No zoom lens I have ever owned from any manufacturer has ever “crept”. I can see how it can be a problem to a slight degree. But my lens is way beyond the term “creep”. If I tilt the camera downward the lens extends like it has a 20 hp motor in it! The lens extends all the way to the 200mm position as fast as you can say, stop that. This has obvious drawbacks, like when I want to compose a scene, then wait for action to occur. If I tilt the camera slightly downward the zoom extends. Not a good thing! When I pull the camera out of the case, the zoom extends. If I wear it tourist-style around my neck the camera naturally tilts somewhat downward, and the lens extends. You get the picture. No zoom lock switch is just bad design.
I like KONICA MINOLTA’s internal Anti Shake system, and will be happy that I can use a variety of lenses if I choose and still have the advantage of Anti Shake. In my opinion, no camera should be without some version of Anti Shake. It is not the cure-all for anything, but can be a helpful tool for quick-and-dirty shots, and some interesting creative shots. Anti Shake can definitely add an element to the fun of photography. Despite some design flaws, Anti Shake and a marvelous autofocus system make the KONICA MINOLTA 5D a serious contender for one of the best cameras in its price range with the plus that you don’t have to re-buy this feature every time you buy a new lens like with the other DSLRs.
Even when taking casual snapshots I tend to like manual control and even manual focus. KONICA MINOLTA is known for having an excellent autofocus and I can’t fault it … it is remarkably fast and accurate under some very trying conditions. It does what it should do.
The other things that reviewers measure I will leave for them to measure and you to read. I am finding the overall image quality to be at least the peer of other DSLRs in its class, which means with its other features it is still a viable choice for anyone who wants an excellent value in a sub-$1000 SLR. When Sony begins branding the KONICA MINOLTA product soon, the combined duo will likely kick some serious butt … Sony and Kodak vie for the #1 digicam spot in a continuous see-saw, and at this time Kodak has no serious interest in the entry level DSLR category until they buy Canon (I can see the faces of all those who are not laughing ... just k/d folks)
I have made some remarkable images already with my KONICA MINOLTA 5D. It is definitely a class leader in the sub-$1000 DSLR category.
PROS:
1. In-body Anti Shake
2. Accurate autofocus
3. Body construction, materials, fit and finish
CONS:
1. No monochrome LCD status screen
2. Zoom creep to the max
3. Uncertainty during transition to Sony
The first thing you notice when you hold either the KONICA MINOLTA 7D or 5D is how well they both fit your hands, almost like a Porsche or BMW. Everything is just where it should be. While the adage that you get what you pay for is as true in digital SLR cameras as anywhere else, KONICA MINOLTA has an uncanny way of making you feel you got more than you paid for. You might have to pay substantially more in the Canon or Nikon lineup to get a body that has the feel of a Konica Minolta.
While the style of a camera is totally personal choice and doesn’t affect the picture quality, I will say I like KONICA MINOLTA’s look. While the Pentax *istDL2 is certainly more svelte and curvy, KONICA MINOLTA sticks to something a little retro. But then again that style has been successful for over 25 years and a lot of other weird designs have come and gone (like what Nikon imagined would be the “pro” look with their swivel-body cameras of a few years ago.) Several other brands are often reviewed as “too small” or “too big” but the 5D seems to fall squarely in the middle of the pack as “just right”.
With KONICA MINOLTA, every switch and button feels like it is where it should be. The body exhibits no creaking of plastic. The user is subjected to minimal searching deep into menus compared to the two biggest selling brands in the price category. KONICA MINOLTA understands photography and for the most part deliver a satisfying photographic experience in their products.
I am a fan of the power switch being activated by the left hand as incorporated in the KONICA MINOLTA 5D. I can move camera to eye while simultaneously switching it on and have my finger poised on the shutter release at the same time. I have been a dyed-in-the-wool Nikon owner forever and salivate … no let’s just say I drool … when I touch a D200. Everyone knows I will own one as soon as the initial hype and inflated prices go away. That being said, I abhor the Nikon power switch scheme. The user is forced to find the switch, which cannot be seen with the camera to eye, then move it with the index finger, THEN move said index finger from switch to shutter release. Who came up with that? Canon performs this simple task a little better on the 350D, but one is still forced to move finger from power switch to shutter release. Their 20D gets it much more with the switch in a place where the right thumb can activate it.
I’ll get this out of the way right up front; KONICA MINOLTA was stupid to leave the small status LCD off. Forget their excuses, it is inexcusable not to have a status display on any DSLR, period. Oh sure, you have an ok display in the viewfinder, but KONICA MINOLTA’s positioning of the in-viewfinder display is uncomfortably out of line of sight. And there are times you want a quick check of certain status items BEFORE you move the camera to your eye. KONICA MINOLTA does that with a blindingly bright 2.5” color display on the rear of the body. It is easy to read and gives the operator a more comprehensive reading than most monochrome LCD status displays, but the brightness of the color screen has certain drawbacks. For one, it draws attention to the photographer, rarely a good thing. At night it does that AND closes the pupil of the viewing eye, so when you place your eye to the optical viewfinder it has to adjust again for the ambient conditions. It also sucks battery power. Enough on that subject, bad move on KONICA MINOLTA’s part.
While I’m ranting on about what I don’t like, and this may not affect every owner, it is my choice of the KONICA MINOLTA 18 – 200 mm DT lens. Oh I love the quality of the lens for the purpose I bought it for, but it lacks a zoom lock switch to prevent “zoom creep”. No zoom lens I have ever owned from any manufacturer has ever “crept”. I can see how it can be a problem to a slight degree. But my lens is way beyond the term “creep”. If I tilt the camera downward the lens extends like it has a 20 hp motor in it! The lens extends all the way to the 200mm position as fast as you can say, stop that. This has obvious drawbacks, like when I want to compose a scene, then wait for action to occur. If I tilt the camera slightly downward the zoom extends. Not a good thing! When I pull the camera out of the case, the zoom extends. If I wear it tourist-style around my neck the camera naturally tilts somewhat downward, and the lens extends. You get the picture. No zoom lock switch is just bad design.
I like KONICA MINOLTA’s internal Anti Shake system, and will be happy that I can use a variety of lenses if I choose and still have the advantage of Anti Shake. In my opinion, no camera should be without some version of Anti Shake. It is not the cure-all for anything, but can be a helpful tool for quick-and-dirty shots, and some interesting creative shots. Anti Shake can definitely add an element to the fun of photography. Despite some design flaws, Anti Shake and a marvelous autofocus system make the KONICA MINOLTA 5D a serious contender for one of the best cameras in its price range with the plus that you don’t have to re-buy this feature every time you buy a new lens like with the other DSLRs.
Even when taking casual snapshots I tend to like manual control and even manual focus. KONICA MINOLTA is known for having an excellent autofocus and I can’t fault it … it is remarkably fast and accurate under some very trying conditions. It does what it should do.
The other things that reviewers measure I will leave for them to measure and you to read. I am finding the overall image quality to be at least the peer of other DSLRs in its class, which means with its other features it is still a viable choice for anyone who wants an excellent value in a sub-$1000 SLR. When Sony begins branding the KONICA MINOLTA product soon, the combined duo will likely kick some serious butt … Sony and Kodak vie for the #1 digicam spot in a continuous see-saw, and at this time Kodak has no serious interest in the entry level DSLR category until they buy Canon (I can see the faces of all those who are not laughing ... just k/d folks)
I have made some remarkable images already with my KONICA MINOLTA 5D. It is definitely a class leader in the sub-$1000 DSLR category.
PROS:
1. In-body Anti Shake
2. Accurate autofocus
3. Body construction, materials, fit and finish
CONS:
1. No monochrome LCD status screen
2. Zoom creep to the max
3. Uncertainty during transition to Sony