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MINOLTA Dynax (Maxxum) 7

Type: 35mm SLR.

Lens Mount: Minolta A mount.

Eye-Start System: AF and AE automatically activated by combination of eyepiece sensor and grip sensors.

AF System: Minolta’s TTL phase-detection system with CCD line sensors; 9-point AF System with Centre Dual Cross-hair Sensors (CDC912); AF sensitivity range: Ev -1-18 (at ISO 100); AF illuminator range: 0.7 – 7m (based on Minolta’s standard test methods with 50mm lens); AF modes: Single-shot, Continuous, and Automatic Autofocus; Manual focusing selectable.

Metering:

Ambient: 14-segment Honeycomb-pattern, Centre-weighted Average, Spot metering.

Flash metering: ADI, TTL 4-segment, or TTL Average can be selected.

Metering cell: 14-segment Honeycomb-pattern SPC (silicone photo cell), 4-segment flash-metering SPC

Metering range: 14-segment Honeycomb-pattern: EV 0-20; Centre-weighted Average: EV 0-20; Spot: EV 3-20 (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens).

Exposure modes: Programmed AE (P mode), Programmed control of aperture (Pa mode) and shutter (Ps mode); Aperture-priority (A mode); Shutter-priority(S mode); Manual (M mode); Full auto ([P] mode); Memory (3 entries).

Build-in Flash: Guide number 12 (at ISO 100); Flash coverage: 24mm angle of view; Recycling time: Approx. 2s.;

Film-Speed Setting: Automatic setting for DX-coded films ISO 25-5000; Manual setting range: ISO 6-6400 (1/3-stop increments); Recommended range with flash: ISO 25-100.

Exposure Compensation: +/- 3 EV (1/2 EV increments) or +/- 2 EV (1/3 EV increments).

Flash Compensation: +/- 2 EV (1/2 EV increments).

Exposure Bracketing:

Single-frame Advance Exposure-Bracketing: 3-, 5-, or 7- can be selected (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1.0 EV increments).

Continuous Advance Exposure-Bracketing: 3-, 5-, or 7- can be selected (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1.0 EV increments).

Shutter: Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane; Range: 1/8000-30 s, bulb (time count-up is available); Flash sync: 1/200 sec. or slower.

Film transport: Automatic with built-in motor drive; Auto threading, auto advance to first frame, auto rewind, and manual start of rewind; single-frame or continuous advance; Multiple exposure.

Viewfinder: Eye-level fixed pentaprism; Focusing screen: Spherical acute matte; Field of view: 92% of vertical and 94% of horizontal; Magnification: 0.8X (with 50mm lens at infinity); Diopter: -1 diopter (eyepiece diopter adjustable from -2.5 to +0.5 diopter); Long eye-relief.

Depth-of-Field preview: yes

Self-timer: electronic with 10-second delay, cancelable. 2-second delay (delayed shutter mirror lock-up function) can be selected.

Data memory: up to 7 rolls of 36-exposure film; Every roll of film: Data number, ISO value; Every frame: Aperture, lens focal length, lens smallest f-number, exposure compensation/exposure bracketing values, shutter speed, flash compensation/flash bracketing values (including flash on/off status), exposure mode, metering mode, date/time information.

Audio: Available during self-timer count down or when focus is locked.

Power: 2 x 3-volt CR123A/DL123A lithium batteries.

Dimensions: 143,5(W) x 97,5(H) x 65.5(D) mm

Weight: 575g without batteries or eyepiece cup.

My comment:

I had just one opportunity to work with this camera… and it is my goal now to have it. When comparing datasheet of Dynax 700si and 7 you may think the cameras doesn’t differ a lot. But datasheets do not tell the truth, all the truth and only the truth… Both cameras do work great, it is a real pleasure to take pictures with Minolta. The difference consist in the construction solutions. Since Dynax 7 has no slot for cards none of the functions are hidden behind the slot doors. And it’s a great facility. I am a fan of Minolta cameras, so I won’t be bothering you with my admiration for Dynax 7. If you have any comments: your welcome.

All data from www.konicaminolta.com.

“Every minute I was there, I wanted to flee. I did not want to see this. Would I cut and run, or would I deal with the responsibility of being there with a camera”

These are the words of the protagonist of Christian’s Frei documentary. James Nachtwey, born in 1948, studied Art History and Political Science. I think personally that this fact has it’s echo in his work. The movie shows a man, a photographer, conscious of the reality he is living in and making art of it. But can the war photos be called an art? Definitely. Even though the main objective of Nachtwey is to show us, people of 21-st century, that our times are not golden; that the hermetic worlds we create around us is not the only ones; that there are still places on our planet Earth that doesn’t fit in the margins of civilization – I had no doubts when calling Mr. Nachtwey’s work an art.

I think this kind of photography is the major medium today. It is surely more effective than newspapers; since we read less due to a lack of time, we just look at photos in the color newspapers. Who remember the article read about events of July, 21? I can only remember a huge photo of the destroyed bus on the front page of next day’s paper.

This movie left me an impression impossible to get rid of. It made me realize that we are so blind sometimes, even more, we shut our eyes pretending that nothing happens. If I have this feeling of losing my time by not doing something to help people a hundred miles from here, what should feel all those who have opportunity – called money these days – but not even thinking of helping the ones around them…

…and this supposed to be a post about photography.

What can I tell you? I highly recommend the movie. It is more than worth seeing it.

© Christian Frei Filmproductions

MINOLTA 700si

Type: 35mm SLR.

Lens Mount: Minolta A-type bayonet.

Eye-Start System: AF and AE automatically activated by combination of eyepiece sensor and grip sensors.

AF System: Minolta’s TTL phase-detection system with four CCD sensors; Built-in AF illuminator activated automatically; AF illuminator range: 0.7 to 7 mAF sensitivity range: EV -1 to 18 (at ISO 100 in ambient light; Manual focus selectable.

Metering: TTL-type; 14-segment honeycomb-pattern silicon photocell (SPC); second SPC for TTL flash metering. Metering Modes: Honeycomb-pattern, center-weighted average, or spot metering; Range: Honeycomb-pattern: EV 0-20, center-weighted average: EV 0-20, spot metering EV 3-20 (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens).

Exposure modes: Programmed AE (P mode: Pa, Ps, Creative Program Control); Aperture-priority (A mode); Shutter-priority(S mode); Manual (M mode).

Built-in Flash: Guide number 12 (at ISO 100); Flash coverage for 24mm field of view; Recycling time: Approx. 2.5 sec; Preflash for red-eye reduction and remote/wireless off-camera flash control available.

Film-Speed Setting: Automatic setting for DX-coded films ISO 25-5000; Manual setting range: ISO 6-6400 (1/3-stop increments); Recommended range with flash: ISO 25-100.

Flash Compensation: +/- 3 EV (0.5 EV increments).

Exposure Compensation: +/- 3 EV (0.5 EV increments).

Exposure Bracketing: -0.5 EV, +/- 0 EV, + 0.5 EV.

Shutter: Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plain type; Range: 1/8000 to 30 sec., bulb; Flash sync: 1/200 sec. or slower.

Film transport: Automatic with built-in motor drive; Autoadvance to first frame; Single-frame or continuous advance; Double exposure; Frame counter in body data panel with countdown of last 9 frames.

Viewfinder: Eye-level fixed pentaprism; Field of view: 92% of vertical and 94% of horizontal; Magnification: 0.75 (with 50mm lens at infinity; Diopter: -1; Long eye-relief finder with protective glass.

Depth-of-Field preview: yes

Self-Timer: Electronic with approx. 10-sec. delay; Cancelable.

Power: 6-volt 2CR5 lithium battery.

Dimensions: 153.5 x 98.0 x 71.5mm / 6-7/16 x 3-7/8 x 2-13/16in.

Weight: 595g / 21oz. without lens and battery.

My comment:

I must admit I haven’t found any serious lapses in this camera. AF works great; For a long time I worked on Tamron’s zoom lenses and it was a little bit annoying, but since I work on Minolta’s 50mm and it’s just perfect. There’s only one problem: the metering mode change button is hidden, which makes work less comfortable.

All data from www.konicaminolta.com.

My name is Marcin and you will mainly know me as one of this blog editors dedicated to one of my greatest passions: PHOTOGRAPHY.

About me

I study Spanish Philology on Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland. The Spanish and Catalan language and culture are my second greatest passion. That’s for the studies…

I am originally from Starachowice, a town in Gory Swietokrzyskie. “Gory” means “mountains” in English… and I will be boring but that’s my third passion. I love Tatra Mountains especially.

Blog

In this blog I will try to explain you how do I see photography and all the thing relationated with this subject. In few days I will surely write some articles about black and white, digital and traditional photography, etc. It’s good to look through someone’s eyes sometimes so I hope you understand my ideas of the greatest art which lives hard moments these days, I think, as all arts these days. I will continue this subject later.

Yes, that was a marketing trick…

My camera

Well, I have more than one, as you shoud expect… but I mainly work on Minolta 700si for making the traditional film photos and Canon PowerShot 510A – it’s not a tecnological miracle, but all depends on the photographer… – for digital photography. I also have Praktica DTL, Zenit, Fed and Cmena (last tree are Russian masterpieces). I had opportunity to work with some other cameras and I guarantee I will share my opinion about them with you.

What photography?

I am specially interested in documental photography. Yet, although I consider it the most demanding, I do not scorn other faces of the ‘art of images’. Have you ever tried to shoot a limon? Do it and tell me if the results are satisfying.

(no rewards in this contest…)

I hope you enjoy participating with me in the great adventure with photography.

Love,

Marcin

Thanks you for visiting My Photo Booth. We have decided to join Blogosphere by starting our own blog, we invite all photography lovers out there to come and contribute to My Photo Booth Blog to make if a rich and informative blog. After this rambling, I hope top post a really useful article in a few day, Marcin promised to add and article too and very soon I hope Piotrek too will join the bloggers of My Photo Booth Blog.