«

Hi ,

I have a Minolta Maxxum 7xi . Now , 14 yeras after I purchased it ,
I am looking to find instruction sheets for the creative expansion cards
that it uses. I am seriously considering skipping to the Minolta Maxxum 7D
( digital ) sooner rather than later . Can anyone tell me if the nice
functions of those expansion cards on the 35mm 7xi are already built in to
the Maxxum 7D ?

Also , as far as the 35 mm 7xi goes I would really like to get instruction
sheets for some of the cards I plan on purchasing from eBay(?) . Any ideas
where I may be able to find them ?

All I have is the Hove publication on the Maxxum 7xi -- which writes about
the cards but not in detail ...

Thanks in advance ..

veritas wrote:
> Hi ,
>
> I have a Minolta Maxxum 7xi . Now , 14 yeras after I purchased it ,
> I am looking to find instruction sheets for the creative expansion cards
> that it uses. I am seriously considering skipping to the Minolta Maxxum 7D
> ( digital ) sooner rather than later . Can anyone tell me if the nice
> functions of those expansion cards on the 35mm 7xi are already built in to
> the Maxxum 7D ?
>
> Also , as far as the 35 mm 7xi goes I would really like to get instruction
> sheets for some of the cards I plan on purchasing from eBay(?) . Any ideas
> where I may be able to find them ?
>
> All I have is the Hove publication on the Maxxum 7xi -- which writes about
> the cards but not in detail ...
>

TRY:

http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/americas/

If anyone out there is short of cards, I have a pallet of the things new
and packaged. Mixed. No idea exactly what, probably all outdated types.
A few hundred of them. Since I don't think they are worth anything at
all I have not even tried to sell any.

Some of the cards add functions - like exposure bracketing - not present
in the original camera. Others do clever stuff which even the Dynax 7
called for human control to reach, like auto Depth of Field calculation.
Some do stuff which no human can manage, like the Fantasy card which
operates a power zoom during a short time exposure to produce a halo
blur. But others just switch to a Sports mode or a Close-up mode, easily
found in later cameras as a picture style function.

The unique ones remain unique and we will probably never see anything
like them again. I keep a 35-200mm lens, 7xi and Fantasy card just as a
record of what they thought could be possible.

David

"David Kilpatrick" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2_WdnQS-(E-Mail Removed)...
> veritas wrote:
>> Hi ,
>>
>> I have a Minolta Maxxum 7xi . Now , 14 yeras after I purchased it
>> ,
>> I am looking to find instruction sheets for the creative expansion cards
>> that it uses. I am seriously considering skipping to the Minolta Maxxum
>> 7D
>> ( digital ) sooner rather than later . Can anyone tell me if the nice
>> functions of those expansion cards on the 35mm 7xi are already built in
>> to
>> the Maxxum 7D ?
>>
>> Also , as far as the 35 mm 7xi goes I would really like to get
>> instruction
>> sheets for some of the cards I plan on purchasing from eBay(?) . Any
>> ideas
>> where I may be able to find them ?
>>
>> All I have is the Hove publication on the Maxxum 7xi -- which writes
>> about
>> the cards but not in detail ...
>>
>
> TRY:
>
> http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/americas/
>
> If anyone out there is short of cards, I have a pallet of the things new
> and packaged. Mixed. No idea exactly what, probably all outdated types. A
> few hundred of them. Since I don't think they are worth anything at all I
> have not even tried to sell any.
>
> Some of the cards add functions - like exposure bracketing - not present
> in the original camera. Others do clever stuff which even the Dynax 7
> called for human control to reach, like auto Depth of Field calculation.
> Some do stuff which no human can manage, like the Fantasy card which
> operates a power zoom during a short time exposure to produce a halo blur.
> But others just switch to a Sports mode or a Close-up mode, easily found
> in later cameras as a picture style function.
>
> The unique ones remain unique and we will probably never see anything like
> them again. I keep a 35-200mm lens, 7xi and Fantasy card just as a record
> of what they thought could be possible.
>
> David

I might be interested in the cards you have if they're OK . I am just
familiarizing myself with the many types( after 14 years of being slack with
my photography ) . I only have a 7xi with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom .Is this
enough to fully utilize their potential ? Or do I have to buy extra
accessories ? Also , all those cards seem desirable , but as you say some
are exceptional and unique . I like the multi-exposure and fantasy card .
Can you think of others ?I like the artistic side of things e.g. portraits ,
multiple exposures , child --any others (?). It would help if I had the
instruction sheets that come with the packs that contain the cards -- since
I really don't know how to use them offhand then I will probably miss
important features ( the Canadian Minolta website you recommended doesn't
have the manuals for the creative expansion cards -- I tried looking ) and
it will take me ages to work it out and even. Can you recommend any other
cards that will be useful ?But I definitely need the instructions .

Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D out
of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm and
digital-SLR together .

veritas wrote:
> "David Kilpatrick" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:2_WdnQS-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>veritas wrote:
>>
>>>Hi ,
>>>
>>> I have a Minolta Maxxum 7xi . Now , 14 yeras after I purchased it
>>>,
>>>I am looking to find instruction sheets for the creative expansion cards
>>>that it uses. I am seriously considering skipping to the Minolta Maxxum
>>>7D
>>>( digital ) sooner rather than later . Can anyone tell me if the nice
>>>functions of those expansion cards on the 35mm 7xi are already built in
>>>to
>>>the Maxxum 7D ?
>>>
>>>Also , as far as the 35 mm 7xi goes I would really like to get
>>>instruction
>>>sheets for some of the cards I plan on purchasing from eBay(?) . Any
>>>ideas
>>>where I may be able to find them ?
>>>
>>>All I have is the Hove publication on the Maxxum 7xi -- which writes
>>>about
>>>the cards but not in detail ...
>>>
>>
>>TRY:
>>
>>http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/americas/
>>
>>If anyone out there is short of cards, I have a pallet of the things new
>>and packaged. Mixed. No idea exactly what, probably all outdated types. A
>>few hundred of them. Since I don't think they are worth anything at all I
>>have not even tried to sell any.
>>
>>Some of the cards add functions - like exposure bracketing - not present
>>in the original camera. Others do clever stuff which even the Dynax 7
>>called for human control to reach, like auto Depth of Field calculation.
>>Some do stuff which no human can manage, like the Fantasy card which
>>operates a power zoom during a short time exposure to produce a halo blur.
>>But others just switch to a Sports mode or a Close-up mode, easily found
>>in later cameras as a picture style function.
>>
>>The unique ones remain unique and we will probably never see anything like
>>them again. I keep a 35-200mm lens, 7xi and Fantasy card just as a record
>>of what they thought could be possible.
>>
>>David
>
>
> I might be interested in the cards you have if they're OK . I am just
> familiarizing myself with the many types( after 14 years of being slack with
> my photography ) . I only have a 7xi with a Minolta AF 28-80 zoom .Is this
> enough to fully utilize their potential ? Or do I have to buy extra
> accessories ? Also , all those cards seem desirable , but as you say some
> are exceptional and unique . I like the multi-exposure and fantasy card .
> Can you think of others ?I like the artistic side of things e.g. portraits ,
> multiple exposures , child --any others (?). It would help if I had the
> instruction sheets that come with the packs that contain the cards -- since
> I really don't know how to use them offhand then I will probably miss
> important features ( the Canadian Minolta website you recommended doesn't
> have the manuals for the creative expansion cards -- I tried looking ) and
> it will take me ages to work it out and even. Can you recommend any other
> cards that will be useful ?But I definitely need the instructions .
>
> Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D out
> of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm and
> digital-SLR together .
>
>

If you can afford the Canon 5D, it's much better, yes - and I say this
as a Minolta user. However, you need to be able to afford the right
lenses (the 5D is quite picky about which exact lens types you use,
producing bad results in the corners from some zooms and wides) and
ideally, a couple of image stabilised lenses. The cheaper 70-300mm IS
USM really isn't up to the 5D - or any - digital standards, it was soft
even on our 300D and is probably softer on our new 400D, will know soon.
Bonus, however, is that the cheap Canon 50mm f1.8 and 28mm f2.8 lenses
are both star performers of the 5D.

To make the most the Fantasy card you must have an xi Power Zoom lens. I
don't think any of the others need a special lens, but many are quite
limited if you only have 28-80mm, as they can program effects or
settings for a much wider range (20mm to 300mm).

I have:

Exposure Bracketing card
Data Memory Card - this is a model 1 card, and most people want the type 2
Auto Program Shift 2
A-S Mode card
Flash Bracketing card

All are new, unused, shrink wrapped in some cases. I have LOADS of
Bracketing cards. I'll mail one free to anyone subscribing to our
Photoworld magazine (UK Minolta Club mag) in addition to any other offer
we are making, on request. They hardly add anything to the weight.

David

In article <45290d69$0$5106$(E-Mail Removed)>, "veritas"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D out
> of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm and
> digital-SLR together .

Veritas-

Don't kid yourself. Once you start shooting digital, you will find
yourself shooting less and less film, and eventually none. The film I
shot was of the Space Shuttle Columbia's last launch, and only because
that was the body that worked with the Minolta 500mm AF Mirror lens.

I have the Minolta 9xi body. I think I have the "Child" card for it, but
don't recall for sure. There were two auto-zoom cards, and I got the
cheaper one. I have a 28-105mm power zoom lens that is required for the
auto-zoom feature of the card to work. If your 28-80 is mechanical zoom,
neither auto-zoom card will work with it.

If price is important, look for a good used or new-old-stock
Konica-Minolta 7D. If you can afford it, I suggest you go for the Sony
Alpha 100 with its higher pixel count. I got mine when it first appeared
at a Ritz store and have not regretted it. It works with all of my old
Minolta lenses including the power zoom lens and the 500mm f/8 AF mirror
lens. (I used the 500mm to shoot the most recent Shuttle launch from my
front yard, and you can see the solid rockets separating.)

With either body, get it with the kit lens. It is unlikely that any of
your existing 35mm lenses will provide the wide angle coverage of the kit
lens. Because of the digital sensor's 1.5X "crop factor", your 28-80 zoom
lens will provide the equivalent coverage of a 42-120mm lens on a 35mm
film body.

The Canon EOS 5D is a fine camera. It has a full frame sensor, so there
is no crop factor to worry about. But it is not the "end-all" camera
body, and will likely be replaced by a newer model within the next six
months. If you choose to get one, it means all new lenses and
accessories, as you probably realize. The KM 7D or SA 100 will allow you
to use most of your existing 7xi accessories, and will be a lot less
expensive way to break into digital photography.

Fred

"Fred McKenzie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fmmck-0810061817130001@172.130.12.185...
> In article <45290d69$0$5106$(E-Mail Removed)>, "veritas"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D
>> out
>> of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm
>> and
>> digital-SLR together .
>
> Veritas-
>
> Don't kid yourself. Once you start shooting digital, you will find
> yourself shooting less and less film, and eventually none. The film I
> shot was of the Space Shuttle Columbia's last launch, and only because
> that was the body that worked with the Minolta 500mm AF Mirror lens.
>
> I have the Minolta 9xi body. I think I have the "Child" card for it, but
> don't recall for sure. There were two auto-zoom cards, and I got the
> cheaper one. I have a 28-105mm power zoom lens that is required for the
> auto-zoom feature of the card to work. If your 28-80 is mechanical zoom,
> neither auto-zoom card will work with it.
>


I presume the lens I have is an auto-zoom with a switch to go from manual
focus to auto-focus . It writes " ZOOMXi AF 28-80/4-5.6"Is this the Power
Zoom you mean ?

and here
:http://support.sony-europe.com/DIME/...SLR-A100#km_xi

it says "Xi Lens can use a power zoom function with a built-in motor" but
then it has a particular lens listed as Power Zoom under the Xi category :

AF PZ 35-80/4-5.6

I am confused . Is the lens I have Pwer Zoom or Not ?



> If price is important, look for a good used or new-old-stock
> Konica-Minolta 7D. If you can afford it, I suggest you go for the Sony
> Alpha 100 with its higher pixel count. I got mine when it first appeared
> at a Ritz store and have not regretted it. It works with all of my old
> Minolta lenses including the power zoom lens and the 500mm f/8 AF mirror
> lens. (I used the 500mm to shoot the most recent Shuttle launch from my
> front yard, and you can see the solid rockets separating.)
>
> With either body, get it with the kit lens. It is unlikely that any of
> your existing 35mm lenses will provide the wide angle coverage of the kit
> lens. Because of the digital sensor's 1.5X "crop factor", your 28-80 zoom
> lens will provide the equivalent coverage of a 42-120mm lens on a 35mm
> film body.
>
> The Canon EOS 5D is a fine camera. It has a full frame sensor, so there
> is no crop factor to worry about. But it is not the "end-all" camera
> body, and will likely be replaced by a newer model within the next six
> months. If you choose to get one, it means all new lenses and
> accessories, as you probably realize. The KM 7D or SA 100 will allow you
> to use most of your existing 7xi accessories, and will be a lot less
> expensive way to break into digital photography.
>
> Fred

veritas wrote:
> "Fred McKenzie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:fmmck-0810061817130001@172.130.12.185...
>
>>In article <45290d69$0$5106$(E-Mail Removed)>, "veritas"
>><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D
>>>out
>>>of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm
>>>and
>>>digital-SLR together .
>>
>>Veritas-
>>
>>Don't kid yourself. Once you start shooting digital, you will find
>>yourself shooting less and less film, and eventually none. The film I
>>shot was of the Space Shuttle Columbia's last launch, and only because
>>that was the body that worked with the Minolta 500mm AF Mirror lens.
>>
>>I have the Minolta 9xi body. I think I have the "Child" card for it, but
>>don't recall for sure. There were two auto-zoom cards, and I got the
>>cheaper one. I have a 28-105mm power zoom lens that is required for the
>>auto-zoom feature of the card to work. If your 28-80 is mechanical zoom,
>>neither auto-zoom card will work with it.
>>
>
>
>
> I presume the lens I have is an auto-zoom with a switch to go from manual
> focus to auto-focus . It writes " ZOOMXi AF 28-80/4-5.6"Is this the Power
> Zoom you mean ?
>
> and here
> :http://support.sony-europe.com/DIME/...SLR-A100#km_xi
>
> it says "Xi Lens can use a power zoom function with a built-in motor" but
> then it has a particular lens listed as Power Zoom under the Xi category :
>
> AF PZ 35-80/4-5.6
>
> I am confused . Is the lens I have Pwer Zoom or Not ?
>
>

Yes, you've got an xi power zoom, you can use the Fantasy card and
auto-zoom card.

David

"David Kilpatrick" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2u-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Fred McKenzie wrote:
>
> The KM 7D or SA 100 will allow you
>> to use most of your existing 7xi accessories, and will be a lot less
>> expensive way to break into digital photography.
>>
>
> That would also be my advice, except - don't buy a 7D, get the Alpha 100
> two-lens kit (18-70+75-300). Service support for the 7D is patchy right
> now, I'm unaware of any remaining on sale new, and I would be suspicious
> of any 7D being sold used. Anyone who has a good one (free from specific
> known problems) is probably going to hang on to it.
>
> But since you have no Minolta 7xi accessories, and only one very cheap
> standard lens, and could afford a Canon 5D at three times the price of an
> Alpha 100... expense does not seem to be an issue!
>
> David

No , the Canon EOS 5D is definitely wishful thinking at the moment . I would
have to budget for it and save .

But the Minolta 7D looks attractive . I am hesitant because of the potential
lack of firmware( i.e newer than 1.10 issue )
spare parts etc . Will Sony service it ? How can you tell that the 7D you
purchase is free of problems( without trying it out ) ?

Take a look here , what do you think of this ? :
http://www.costelectronics.com/komima7d61me.html does this look OK ?

Will the Sony lenses( you noted above ) work on the 7xi I have if I chose
Sony ( since I like the artistic creative cards and the artistic side of
things) ?
Also , are the lenses built in-house by Sony ( like Minolta's were ) ?

Regarding the A100 , will there be a newer version soon -- in which case I
could wait a little ? Or maybe an evolved 7D ( instead of the 5D which looks
very mush like a A100 ) ?

Lastly you magazine looks interesting . Is it a quarterly( is it still in
print ?) ? Are you planning on changing the name to something like
Minolta-Sony photoworld now ?

In the meantime I will buy a good used xi 100-300 AF ZOOM and other
lenses(?) and work with my 7xi ( and the creative cards I will get ) until I
can get the digital camera issue sorted . Its a toss-up between the 7D and
the alpha-100.

"Fred McKenzie" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fmmck-0810061817130001@172.130.12.185...
> In article <45290d69$0$5106$(E-Mail Removed)>, "veritas"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> Do you think the Canon EOS 5D is better than the Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7D
>> out
>> of interest ? I'm not giving up on film and will probably use both 35mm
>> and
>> digital-SLR together .
>
> Veritas-
>
> Don't kid yourself. Once you start shooting digital, you will find
> yourself shooting less and less film, and eventually none. The film I
> shot was of the Space Shuttle Columbia's last launch, and only because
> that was the body that worked with the Minolta 500mm AF Mirror lens.
>
> I have the Minolta 9xi body. I think I have the "Child" card for it, but
> don't recall for sure. There were two auto-zoom cards, and I got the
> cheaper one. I have a 28-105mm power zoom lens that is required for the
> auto-zoom feature of the card to work. If your 28-80 is mechanical zoom,
> neither auto-zoom card will work with it.
>
> If price is important, look for a good used or new-old-stock
> Konica-Minolta 7D. If you can afford it, I suggest you go for the Sony
> Alpha 100 with its higher pixel count. I got mine when it first appeared
> at a Ritz store and have not regretted it. It works with all of my old
> Minolta lenses including the power zoom lens and the 500mm f/8 AF mirror
> lens. (I used the 500mm to shoot the most recent Shuttle launch from my
> front yard, and you can see the solid rockets separating.)
>
> With either body, get it with the kit lens. It is unlikely that any of
> your existing 35mm lenses will provide the wide angle coverage of the kit
> lens. Because of the digital sensor's 1.5X "crop factor", your 28-80 zoom
> lens will provide the equivalent coverage of a 42-120mm lens on a 35mm
> film body.
>
> The Canon EOS 5D is a fine camera. It has a full frame sensor, so there
> is no crop factor to worry about. But it is not the "end-all" camera
> body, and will likely be replaced by a newer model within the next six
> months. If you choose to get one, it means all new lenses and
> accessories, as you probably realize. The KM 7D or SA 100 will allow you
> to use most of your existing 7xi accessories, and will be a lot less
> expensive way to break into digital photography.
>
> Fred

Is the AutoZoom creative expansion card called " autozoom" ? I don't see
that on the list I have .

What exactly does it do that the camera without it can't do ?

veritas wrote:
> Hi ,
>
> I have a Minolta Maxxum 7xi . Now , 14 yeras after I purchased it ,
> I am looking to find instruction sheets for the creative expansion cards
> that it uses. I am seriously considering skipping to the Minolta Maxxum 7D
> ( digital ) sooner rather than later . Can anyone tell me if the nice
> functions of those expansion cards on the 35mm 7xi are already built in to
> the Maxxum 7D ?

No. The cards applied to cameras of that era (xi and a few others).
Many of the cards depended on the lens being xi with electic zoom and
AF. (For example the "Child" card would automatically zoom to "fit" the
subject into the frame. This actually worked reasonably well).

One cool function was the "soft focus" card which would drive the AF
during exposure to achieve soft focus. (I didn't have this card, but it
was a cool effect in the brochure...) No reason it could not be
replicated in DSLR firmware... but it isn't.

Most of these functions were controlled with the FUNC key and changing
the front and/or rear dial to different settings. (eg: not soft, a bit
soft, soft and really soft = 0,1,2,3). So absent a manual you might be
able to figure them out.


> Also , as far as the 35 mm 7xi goes I would really like to get instruction
> sheets for some of the cards I plan on purchasing from eBay(?) . Any ideas
> where I may be able to find them ?

Google away, somebody may have scanned them or may have them up for sale.

The Maxxum 7xi manual is (was) on the Minolta site. e-mail me (without
the Freelunch) and I will e-mail you the manual (in 3 pdf parts).

Cheers,
Alan


--
-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm
-- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm
-- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin
-- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch.