Maximum flash-sync shutter speed is 1¼180 with Anti-Shake switched off, and 1¼125 with Anti-Shake activated. Attach an optional Program/Maxxum Flash 5600HS(D) or 3600HS(D), and you can use high-speed sync, up to the camera’s maximum 1¼4000 shutter speed (albeit at reduced range). Image quality is excellent at the lower ISO settings (this was hand-held at ISO 100, 1¼45 at f/4.5, AF 17–35mm f/2.8–4.0 D lens at 35mm, equivalent to 52.5mm on a 35mm camera). Photo by Ron Leach Digital Features At the digital heart of the Maxxum 7D is a 6.3-megapixel (6.1 image megapixels) 23.5x15.7mm CCD image sensor. Because it’s smaller than a full 36x24mm 35mm film frame, the sensor “crops” the image formed by the lens more tightly, yielding the field of view of a lens 1.5X longer. Thus, a 100mm lens on the 7D frames like a 150mm lens on a 35mm SLR. This is great for sports/wildlife shooters, whose telephoto lenses all in effect become 50% longer; but not good for wide-angle buffs, whose wide-angle lenses also become 50% longer (that 28mm wide-angle acts like a 42mm “normal” on the 7D). This isn’t unique to the 7D; all digital SLRs in this category have similar-sized image sensors and crop factors. The Maxxum 7D lets you shoot JPEG images at three resolutions, with three image-quality settings (levels of compression) for each, plus unprocessed RAW images at maximum resolution (6 megapixels, 3008x2008 pixels), and simultaneous RAW + JPEG recording. RAW images provide the best image quality, but require processing in the computer using special DiMAGE Viewer software provided with the camera. JPEG resolution choices are 6 megapixels (3008x2008 pixels), 3.4 megapixels (2256x1496 pixels) and 1.5 megapixels (1504x1000 pixels). Quality levels include Extra fine (1/2 compression), Fine (1/4) and Standard (1/8). The Maxxum 7D’s Anti-Shake system moves the image sensor rather than lens elements. Of course, image quality is more than a matter of pixel count. The Maxxum 7D employs Minolta’s CxProcess III image-optimization technology and Advanced LSI image-processing engine to maximize image quality and speed up camera operation. In a nutshell, they seem to do their jobs very well. You can adjust sharpness, contrast, color saturation and hue in five steps each via the Digital FX monitor menu. There’s an auto white balance setting (which worked quite well) plus six presets, a mode that lets you set a specific color temperature, and a custom mode that lets you determine white balance for a specific lighting situation. You can choose among Natural sRGB and Natural Plus sRGB (with increased contrast and sharpness) color space, or the popular Adobe RGB color space. There’s also Zone Matching, which improves high-key and low-key images. The Custom Menu is similar to custom functions with film cameras, allowing you to tailor the camera to your tastes by changing functions of some of the buttons and displays. One especially nice feature is that you can store up to three sets of camera settings, and return to them at any time merely by rotating the mode dial to 1, 2 or 3. That huge 2.5-inch LCD monitor is a delight for reviewing images and setting the camera, yet leaves plenty of room for controls and the right thumb. In Use That Anti-Shake system really works. I was able to get sharp shots hand-holding the AF 100–300mm f/4.5–5.6 D zoom at 300mm (effective focal length 450mm with the camera’s 1.5X crop factor) at shutter speeds down to 1¼60. At 230mm (345mm equivalent focal length), I got sharp results down to 1¼15, and with the 17–35mm f/2.8–4.0 wide-angle zoom Konica Minolta introduced with the camera, at the 17mm setting (25.5mm equivalent), got sharp images at speeds as long as 0.3 second. Shots made at these shutter speeds with the Anti-Shake switched off were noticeably less sharp. The camera has a solid traditional-SLR feel. That big LCD monitor is easy to read, and made it easy to evaluate images right after shooting them, as long as direct sunlight wasn’t falling on it—as with most LCD monitors, the images are harder to see in bright light. The LCD monitor menus are easy to navigate via tabs at the top. The shooting display and just-shot images (but not the actual menus) automatically rotate with the camera when you change between horizontal- and vertical-format shooting. And it’s wonderful to be able to set a lot of stuff without going to the LCD monitor menus, thanks to all the well-positioned dials and buttons. With the AF system set to wide focus area, autofocusing in dim light was quicker and more accurate than with other digital SLRs we’ve used (selecting one of the peripheral AF areas resulted in lower performance). With action subjects in good light, autofocusing was competitively quick and accurate (when activated, the Anti-Shake system slows focusing a bit, since the camera must focus, then stabililize). Autofocusing isn’t as silent as with, say, Canon’s Ultrasonic lenses, but overall performance is excellent. With some lenses (including the 100–300mm zoom I used in our tests), there’s drag on the manual focusing ring in manual focusing mode. The instruction manual gives a procedure to work around this, but warns that doing so can reduce metering accuracy and Anti-Shake performance. Hopefully a firmware or other “fix” is in the works for this. The 14-segment honeycomb metering was “bulletproof” with one exception: it tended to overexpose white subjects in harsh sun, no matter what the background tone, and even when they nearly filled the frame (this could be more an image-sensor matter than a metering issue). Tonality in white subjects in softer light was excellent; in hazy sun I even photographed a white duck next to a near-black coot in direct sun, and the image recorded detail in both (enough to pull out with Photoshop). Sharpness, color and noise are excellent at lower ISO settings, surprisingly good at ISO 800 and not bad at ISO 1600. ISO 3200 should be reserved for emergencies, as image quality does deteriorate noticeably at that setting, but it’s nice to have that capability when it is needed—I used to keep a roll of Konica’s now-defunct ISO 3200 color-print film in my camera bag for just that sort of emergency. Image quality is good at ISO 1600. The EXIF metadata indicated the exposure for this hand-held shot was 2.5 seconds at f/5.6 with a 17mm focal length and Anti-Shake on. As mentioned earlier, the quick start-up and wake-up times are a real blessing, not just for my quick and erratic bird subjects, but for any photography. Few things in photography are more annoying than seeing something great happening and having to wait one second, two seconds or longer while the camera wakes up. That’s not an issue with the 7D. That big easy-to-read LCD monitor made setting the camera simple—it was great not having to dig out my reading glasses every time I wanted to change something. And the Recording Mode display puts it all right there in front of you. I also appreciate being able to set frequently changed camera adjustments via dials and buttons, without having to scroll through monitor menus. The camera comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and charger (we got 375 and 383 shots per charge, with the camera switched on the whole time, Anti-Shake active for around 90% of the shots, and continuous AF mode used for more than half of the shots, but no flash), a nice wide neckstrap, a USB cable, a video cable (to connect to a TV set), DiMAGE Viewer software and manual, a very clear all-English camera instruction manual, and a handy (but multi-language) pocket reference guide that really does fit in a pocket. Bottom line: If you’re a Maxxum film SLR user with an investment in Maxxum lenses, the 7D is your ticket to serious digital photography. If you don’t already have a bagful of Maxxum lenses and are in the market for a good digital SLR, you still should consider the 7D for its Anti-Shake, quick start-up and wake-up, big LCD monitor, and excellent performance and image quality. Camera: Minolta Maxxum 7D Category: AF Digital SLR AF Performance * * * * Metering Performance * * * * Feature Set * * * * * Ease of Use * * * * * Ergonomics * * * * * Value * * * * 1/2 Specifications CAMERA: Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D TYPE: AF digital SLR LENS MOUNT: Minolta A bayonet FOCAL-LENGTH CONVERSION FACTOR: 1.5X IMAGING ELEMENT: 6.3-megapixel 23.5x15.7mm CCD sensor; 6.1 effective megapixels IMAGE RESOLUTIONS: 3008x2000 (RAW); 3008x2000, 2256x1496 and 1504x1000 (JPEG) pixels IMAGE FILE TYPES: RAW, JPEG, simultaneous RAW and JPEG capture STORAGE: CompactFlash cards Type I & II, Microdrives; SD/ MMC cards w/optional adapter FOCUSING: TTL phase-detection AF with 9 AF points; AF range EV –1 to 18 (ISO 100); single-shot AF, predictive continuous AF, automatic AF (automatically selects single-shot or continuous) plus manual via focusing ring on lens METERING: TTL 14-segment honeycomb, center-weighted and spot metering EXPOSURE MODES: Full auto, shiftable program AE, shutter- and aperture-priority AE, metered manual SHUTTER: Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter with speeds from 30 sec. to 1¼4000 plus B ISO SETTINGS: 100–3200 ADVANCE MODES: Single-frame and continuous (3 fps for up to 15 shots in JPEG or 9 shots in RAW at 3008x2000 pixels) FLASH: ADI pre-flash TTL auto flash with built-in pop-up autoflash and optional shoe-mount dedicated Minolta Program Flash 5600HS(D), 3600HS(D), 2500D, Macro Ring Flash 1200, Macro Twin Flash 2400 and Controller on hot-shoe; PC terminal for studio flash; built-in flash has ISO 100 GN of 12/39 (meters/feet), covers angle of view of 24mm lens; maximum flash-sync shutter speed 1¼160 with Anti-shake off, 1¼125 with Anti-shake on VIEWFINDER: Fixed eye-level pentaprism type shows 95% of actual image area, 0.9X magnification with 50mm lens at infinity; 21mm eyepoint; built-in eyepiece correction from –3.0 to +1.0 diopters; optional service-center-installed focusing screens available VIEWFINDER INFORMATION: AF points (active point glows red), spot-metering circle, Anti-Shake scale, flash-compensation, flash status, high-speed sync indicator, wireless remote flash indicator, focus status, AE lock, shutter speed, aperture, exposure scale, camera-shake warning, frames remaining LCD MONITOR: 2.5-inch TFT color LCD displays exposed images, setting info SELF-TIMER: Electronic, 10- or 2-sec. delay (cancelable) POWER SOURCE: One rechargeable lithium-ion NP-400 battery pack, AC via optional DC coupler DIMENSIONS: 5.9x4.2x3.1 in. WEIGHT: 26.8 oz. STREET PRICE: $1599 body only; $1689 w/AF Zoom 28–100mm f/3.5–5.6 (D) lens DISTRIBUTOR: Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc.; www.konicaminolta.us