Minolta Dimage 7i 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom

Minolta Dimage 7i  5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom

Minolta Dimage 7i 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom
Manufacturer: Konica Minolta
Product Type: Photography

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com Review
For advanced digital photographers, Minolta's large and powerful Dimage 7i offers a broad range of features and tools for any type of still photography. With a 5-megapixel resolution, images can be outputted at poster sizes. And the excellent 7x optical zoom gets you extremely close to your subjects.

It's definitely not a camera that you're going to be slipping into a pocket. The Dimage 7i is professional class in terms of both performance and size, weighing in at over a pound without batteries. That said, its heft is comfortable and can actually be handled with one hand.

The color electronic viewfinder knows when you put your eye up to it, turning itself on and turning off the bright 1.8-inch LCD, which saves on battery life and makes for a nifty party trick. It even has a diopter lens so glasses-wearing users can adjust it to their eyesight.

Captured images were downright impressive--with bright, lifelike colors, and very sharp details. The Dimage 7i sports a long list of advanced features, including a variety of movie capture modes (including low-light), a real-time histogram that lets you adjust your aperture and other settings before snapping a photo, and continuous auto-focus on moving subjects.

You might think that a camera of this level would be a bit imposing to use, but Minolta has laid out the buttons and wheels appropriately, letting you adjust between modes easily and including an LCD panel on top of the camera that keeps you informed of the settings.

It's not the kind of camera you'd want to buy your teenager for a birthday, but if you're looking for a digital camera that can hold its own against top film cameras, the Minolta Dimage 7i definitely deserves a look. --J. Curtis

Pros:

Cons:


Amazon.com Product Description
The Minolta DiMAGE 7i succeeds the DiMAGE 7 and offers several key improvements. The DiMAGE 7i ratchets up the speed, with a 1/4,000 top exposure and ultra-high-speed (UHS) continuous drive bursts up to seven frames per second at 1.280 x 960 pixels. It also features new controls for brightness, contrast, and saturation, as well as improved audio and video recording capabilities.

Optics and Resolution
The Minolta DiMAGE 7i is built around a high-precision electro-optical system designed to maximize image quality. The system contains a 5.24-megapixel, 2/3-type interline primary color CCD with 4.95 million effective pixels for fine high-resolution images. The pixel resolution of the CCD will produce 13-by-17-inch, 150 dpi prints on an inkjet printer.

The Minolta GT Lens featured in the DiMAGE 7i is an optical jewel cut in glass. With enough resolution to produce a fine image on a 7-million pixel CCD, this lens employs AD glass and aspheric elements to ensure sharp, contrasting images with no chromatic aberration at any focal length. In addition, the Minolta DiMAGE 7i's optical zoom lens accepts standard 49mm filters.

With a focal range of 7.2-50.8mm, the DiMAGE 7i's fast 7x zoom apochromatic (APO) lens is equivalent to a 28-200mm 35mm zoom lens. Your shooting options range from wide angle for expansive landscapes and confined interiors to telephoto for intimate portraits. The fast f2.8 to f3.5 aperture easily permits natural light shooting without a flash.

More Features
The DiMAGE 7i is the first Minolta digital camera to incorporate direct manual focus (DMF). DMF is found in professional-level film cameras like the award-winning Minolta Maxxum 7. It allows the focus to be fine-tuned manually, after the AF system has focused and locked on the subject.

The DiMAGE 7i has two displays for critical composition: grid and scale. Usually found in large-format view cameras, the grid makes aligning the camera with vertical or horizontal elements within the image simple. The grid confirms that the horizon or buildings are straight. The scale can be used in close-up photography to judge the relative proportions of the subject. The DiMAGE 7i is fitted with a new 1.8-inch low-temperature high-contrast color LCD monitor, which has an extended color gamut, contrast, and dynamic range.

For low-light situations, you can use the DiMAGE 7i's built-in flash, or use compatible external Minolta flashes. A wireless-remote flash function gives even more control over flash photography by allowing multiple off-camera Minolta flash units to be fired simultaneously by the camera, without cables.

You can record audio along with still images with the voice memo feature, allowing a 16-bit audio track of up to 15 seconds to be attached to an image after it has been captured.

Movie Mode
In movie mode, the DiMAGE 7i produces digital videos in multiple creative formats, including standard QVGA (320 x 240) color movies and monochrome night movies up to 60 seconds with 16-bit audio. The night-movie mode can record movie clips under extreme low-light conditions, while the interval function can produce a series of still images taken at regular intervals, or it can combine the images into a time-lapsed movie at any image size.

The limited resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

Storage and Transfer
Images are stored on CompactFlash memory cards, and the memory slot is compatible with CompactFlash Type II cards as well as Microdrives. The included 16 MB card holds approximately eight images at 2,560 x 1,920 pixel resolution (standard mode, high). CompactFlash cards are reusable, but you will definitely want a bigger card. A 128 MB card is a good starting point, but we recommend a 256 MB card to get the full benefit of the DiMAGE 7i.

To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera--your computer should automatically recognize the camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.

Power
The camera is powered by four NiMH rechargeable batteries, which are included along with a battery charger.

Size
At 4.6 by 3.6 by 4.4 inches and 18.5 ounces, the DiMAGE 7i is definitely not an easily pocketable point-and-shoot camera.

Contents and Recommended Accessories
The package includes the DiMAGE 7i camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, four NiMH rechargeable batteries, battery charger, neck strap, lens hood, lens cap with strap, USB and video cables, CD-ROM with DiMAGE Image View Utility software and drivers, and printed camera manual.

Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we recommend additional NiMH batteries and a higher-capacity CompactFlash card.

Minolta Dimage 7 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • THIS PRODUCT IS ABOVE AND BEYOUND
  • Not for the Amature
  • Behind the times
  • Excellence for creative photography
  • 2 years after purchase - and loving it more everyday
Minolta Dimage 7 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom

Manufacturer: Konica Minolta
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Accessories:
  1. SimpleTech STI-CF/512 512MB CompactFlash Card
  2. Ceiva Advanced Digital Photo Receiver
  3. Viking PC Card CompactFlash Adapter (CF-ADAPT)
  4. Viking 64 MB CompactFlash Card
  5. Viking 128 MB CompactFlash Card (CF128M)

Product Features:
  • 5.24-megapixel sensor creates 2,560 x 1,920 images for prints at sizes up to 13-by-19 inches
  • 7x optical plus 2x digital zoom lens with autofocus
  • Included 16 MB CompactFlash memory card holds up to 12 images at default resolution
  • Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
  • 12-bit A/D conversion provides excellent tonal range

ASIN: B00005MA7J
Release Date: 2001-07-24

Amazon.com Review

The first consumer-oriented 5-megapixel camera to hit the market, Minolta's DiMAGE 7 leapfrogged the competition by coming out at a time when other camera manufacturers were just introducing their 4-megapixel models. The DiMAGE 7 offers an ultrahigh resolution 5.24-megapixel CCD sensor that delivers excellent images for prints as large as 13 by 19 inches. A high-performance, all-glass, 7x zoom lens (equivalent to 28-200mm on a 35mm camera), with a 2x digital zoom, ensures maximum flexibility when composing your shots. Add to this a host of creative controls stacked into a unit with the size and feel of an SLR, and you have a digital camera with the type of functionality typically found only in professional models.

Three controls provide access to the camera's primary adjustable features. Digital subject-program selection allows you to set aperture and shutter speed for superior results in five popular formats: portrait, sports action, sunsets, night portraits, or text. A function dial allows adjustment between four modes of pixel resolution, five modes of data compression, four modes of exposure control, five modes of drive options, seven modes of white balance, and five levels of ISO. The digital-effects controller allows image manipulation by compensating for exposure, contrast, and color saturation before the image is saved. As insurance, Minolta provides a fourth control that instantly restores the camera's automatic settings. Changing most settings is a two-handed operation: one hand selects the feature you're adjusting, while spinning a second dial actually changes the setting. The system is reasonably intuitive, but don't plan to make any adjustments with one hand.

To preview and review images, the DiMAGE 7 features a digital viewfinder that pivots for comfortable close-ups or tripod shooting. An eye-sensing switch (triggered when you put your eye up to the camera) automatically turns off the TFT LCD viewscreen to conserve battery power.

In manual-focus mode, the camera also has an electronic magnification feature. At the push of a button, the center of the image is blown up to 4x original size in the viewfinder so you can check the fine details and ensure the image is in focus before snapping the shutter. In autofocus mode, a flex-focusing option allows the focal point to be moved to any part of the image for off-center shooting.

The DiMAGE 7 is so packed with features that it would be impossible to list them all, but here are some highlights:

  • A supermacro mode allows images to be captured from as close as 5.1 inches.
  • Four modes of data imprinting with up to 16 characters help you keep track of your work.
  • Movie provides up to 60 seconds of lower-resolution moving images.
  • The built-in flash has two selectable metering options and three flash modes. An accessory shoe for optional flash units adds even more varied shooting scenarios.
  • A quick-view or instant-playback button that allows you to view the image you just captured and decide whether or not you want to save it to your CompactFlash card without switching out of the shooting mode.

    Despite its ultrahigh resolution and extensive set of features, the DiMAGE 7 has a few flaws. To compose shots traditionally, it uses an electronic viewfinder (EVF), which offers far less detail than a traditional optical viewfinder. The 16 MB CompactFlash card provided with the camera holds only 12 images at the default resolution (or a single uncompressed image). Like many manufacturers, Minolta supplies the camera with a set of inadequate AA alkaline batteries (use of rechargeable Ni-MH batteries is recommended, even by Minolta). Though the image sensor is at the cutting edge of technology, the rest of the circuitry can't quite keep up; saving an uncompressed image to the memory card requires a 40-second wait. In addition, we found the multitude of control buttons that must be manipulated simultaneously to be somewhat awkward and initially intimidating. Finally, zooming the lens is a manual-only operation requiring a twist of the barrel--unlike many cameras, the Minolta lacks a pushbutton zoom.

    These minor gripes aside, the manual zoom is actually faster than an electronic zoom and easy to get used to; larger capacity CompactFlash cards are readily available; and the control systems are easy enough to learn even for the novice. Moreover, since the EVF is a tiny monitor, you can view camera settings while composing your shot--something you can't do with a traditional optical viewfinder. Though some controls may be awkward for beginners, the camera operates in fully automatic mode by default, allowing users the opportunity to manually adjust settings as they become comfortable with the controls.

    The camera comes equipped with a lens cap, lens shade, neck strap, video cable, USB cable, accessory-shoe cap, 16 MB CompactFlash card, four AA alkaline batteries, and a CD-ROM for DiMAGE image processing software. --Brett M. Nunn and Walt Opie

    Pros:

    Cons:

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars THIS PRODUCT IS ABOVE AND BEYOUND .......2007-03-11

    Having decided to visit China............I was told,by other world travlers, " do not take anything big, as far as camera's along" .to much weight, size, just to much ---- explained like this------ no dammaged film,-digital ,has finally arrived....etc. . no inspection and on and on....so as such, I was convinced .So, I went looking for "Digital"... with luck I chose Minolta Dimage-7 and with out any reservation,I could not have made a better choice.the zoom could not be greater for me the close up.wow wow wow, and over all wow .............I have printed 20x30,s that look like they belong a museum... When I had my showing, ...with 30 pieces in all, ..... and placed on display, in the Hospital for Special Care a hospital in New Britain Ct. where people that are checked in may never leave out due to severe condition, auto accident, skiing accident, or even swimming accident or a stroke. Having hung my works, I had people that had not been out of their beds and in the hall or in their wheel chairs for a long while, , going up and down the halls admiring my display and thanking me for my presentation. Thank you Minolta, you made my life works....."work" ......like never before....... My greatest reward of my career, came when this wonderful wonderful happy lady wheeled up to me.......she thanked me personally.

    5 out of 5 stars Not for the Amature.......2006-11-18

    I've had many digital cameras and this is by far the best out of all of them. Although it's only 5mp it gives out great quality pictures, this is due to the size of the lens. I've taken several award winning photographs with it, and carry it everywhere I go.
    When I first got the camera I realized it was geared towards people who are knoledgable about cameras, there are many differant setting in many differant places and to be quite honest, you need to know them because the auto feature sucks. The autofocus is slow, the auto light meter tends to read on the dark side and the auto shutter is a bit slower than I like. If you put it into manual mode and focus yourself, set the light meter yoursself and make sure the shutter speed is appropriate you will be very happy with the results. It also sucks batteries like no other camera I've ever seen it you use the viewfinder alot. My suggestion is to get a few good sets of lithium batteries and keep the viewfinder off, then you will get a good 50-75 picts out of a set of batteries.

    [...]

    2 out of 5 stars Behind the times.......2003-12-30

    While this camera boasts lots of features, and for the most part that is true, it is not easy to use. There is so many buttons to change to get the right photo, it is time comsuming and awkward.

    Battery life- none- batteries are only good for about 20 pictures then, new ones must be put in.

    Quality of pictures are variable and enhancements need to be done on almost all pictures taken.

    Eye piece and other connected plastic pieces seem to fall off easily and permanently

    The worst is the video, the quality compared to lesser priced camera is poor and WIHTOUT SOUND. What good is that.

    Overall I would go with another camera and I will. Most people don't need 5+ megapixels anyway.

    5 out of 5 stars Excellence for creative photography.......2003-11-18

    The uniqueness of this camera, as compared to many of its analogs, is the availability and quality of the black-and-white mode for serious creative photographers. The results are comparable to the real film but with digital manipulation, the camera provides a more versatile and efficient application. The examples of black-and-white images taken by this camera can be seen at:http://pathology2.jhu.edu/shihlab/index.cfm. The only things need to be improved for this camera are: 1) the autofocusing function is too slow and sometimes not accurate especially in the dim light; 2) the range of aperture is relatively limited. Overall, this camera is probably the only digital one for photographers who are seeking taking black-and-white images.

    5 out of 5 stars 2 years after purchase - and loving it more everyday.......2003-05-02

    This is my second digital camera, and at first I hated it because it was not a point and shoot, which was the only camera I had ever known. It was just too complex for a meathead like me to use. If I'd have reviewed this camera a year ago I would have given it a 2 star rating.

    Over the last year I have really gotten to know the camera and have upgraded the firmware, and I now take great shots with this camera, using a 512mb CF and (usually) 3 sets of rechargable NMH AA batteries. The firmware fixed alot of the bad issues with the camera, and most importantly sped up the drive rate for multiple shots. I would say that the firmware was the most important thing here. It truly makes the camera great.

    This camera has phenominal picture quality without the firmware update and will teach a meathead like myself to take better pictures just by the trial by fire approach. It only gets better as you learn to use it. That being said - if you don't like a steep learning curve challenge and are used to point and shoots, this is not the camera for you.

    I purchased the 7i for my father in law and I can tell you that its a much easier camera to use than the 7, but with all of the great features. You may want to go that route if you want the great image quality without as steep of a curve.

    Minolta Dimage 7i  5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Zoom Lens Fell Off
    • Dimage 7i
    • 5 stars doesn't say enough...
    • A Mixed Performer
    • Dimage 7i
    Minolta Dimage 7i 5MP Digital Camera w/ 7x Optical Zoom

    Manufacturer: Konica Minolta
    ProductGroup: Photography
    Binding: Electronics

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    Accessories:
    1. Konica Minolta Dimage Accessory Kit for the 7Hi, 7i, 7, 5, S414, S404 & S304
    2. Minolta RC1000L Remote Shutter Cord for Dimage 7i, A1, A2, 5D & 7D Digital Cameras
    3. SimpleTech STI-CF/512 512MB CompactFlash Card
    4. Minolta 2500HS (D) Maxxum Flash with Case for Dimage A1, Z1, 7Hi, 7i, 7, 5, 5D & 7D Cameras
    5. Ceiva Advanced Digital Photo Receiver

    Product Features:
    • 5.24 megapixel (4.95 effective megapixels) sensor creates 2560 x 1950 images for prints at 13 by 17 inches and beyond
    • 7x optical plus 2x digital (14x total) zoom lens with autofocus
    • Included 16 MB CompactFlash card holds 5 images at default resolution
    • Movie mode captures up to 60 seconds of video with audio
    • Powered by 4 AA NiMH rechargeable batteries (charger included); connects with Macs and PCs via USB connector

    ASIN: B000067DKI
    Release Date: 2002-05-03

    Amazon.com Review

    For advanced digital photographers, Minolta's large and powerful Dimage 7i offers a broad range of features and tools for any type of still photography. With a 5-megapixel resolution, images can be outputted at poster sizes. And the excellent 7x optical zoom gets you extremely close to your subjects.

    It's definitely not a camera that you're going to be slipping into a pocket. The Dimage 7i is professional class in terms of both performance and size, weighing in at over a pound without batteries. That said, its heft is comfortable and can actually be handled with one hand.

    The color electronic viewfinder knows when you put your eye up to it, turning itself on and turning off the bright 1.8-inch LCD, which saves on battery life and makes for a nifty party trick. It even has a diopter lens so glasses-wearing users can adjust it to their eyesight.

    Captured images were downright impressive--with bright, lifelike colors, and very sharp details. The Dimage 7i sports a long list of advanced features, including a variety of movie capture modes (including low-light), a real-time histogram that lets you adjust your aperture and other settings before snapping a photo, and continuous auto-focus on moving subjects.

    You might think that a camera of this level would be a bit imposing to use, but Minolta has laid out the buttons and wheels appropriately, letting you adjust between modes easily and including an LCD panel on top of the camera that keeps you informed of the settings.

    It's not the kind of camera you'd want to buy your teenager for a birthday, but if you're looking for a digital camera that can hold its own against top film cameras, the Minolta Dimage 7i definitely deserves a look. --J. Curtis

    Pros:

    Cons:

    Amazon.com Product Description

    The Minolta DiMAGE 7i succeeds the DiMAGE 7 and offers several key improvements. The DiMAGE 7i ratchets up the speed, with a 1/4,000 top exposure and ultra-high-speed (UHS) continuous drive bursts up to seven frames per second at 1.280 x 960 pixels. It also features new controls for brightness, contrast, and saturation, as well as improved audio and video recording capabilities.

    Optics and Resolution
    The Minolta DiMAGE 7i is built around a high-precision electro-optical system designed to maximize image quality. The system contains a 5.24-megapixel, 2/3-type interline primary color CCD with 4.95 million effective pixels for fine high-resolution images. The pixel resolution of the CCD will produce 13-by-17-inch, 150 dpi prints on an inkjet printer.

    The Minolta GT Lens featured in the DiMAGE 7i is an optical jewel cut in glass. With enough resolution to produce a fine image on a 7-million pixel CCD, this lens employs AD glass and aspheric elements to ensure sharp, contrasting images with no chromatic aberration at any focal length. In addition, the Minolta DiMAGE 7i's optical zoom lens accepts standard 49mm filters.

    With a focal range of 7.2-50.8mm, the DiMAGE 7i's fast 7x zoom apochromatic (APO) lens is equivalent to a 28-200mm 35mm zoom lens. Your shooting options range from wide angle for expansive landscapes and confined interiors to telephoto for intimate portraits. The fast f2.8 to f3.5 aperture easily permits natural light shooting without a flash.

    More Features
    The DiMAGE 7i is the first Minolta digital camera to incorporate direct manual focus (DMF). DMF is found in professional-level film cameras like the award-winning Minolta Maxxum 7. It allows the focus to be fine-tuned manually, after the AF system has focused and locked on the subject.

    The DiMAGE 7i has two displays for critical composition: grid and scale. Usually found in large-format view cameras, the grid makes aligning the camera with vertical or horizontal elements within the image simple. The grid confirms that the horizon or buildings are straight. The scale can be used in close-up photography to judge the relative proportions of the subject. The DiMAGE 7i is fitted with a new 1.8-inch low-temperature high-contrast color LCD monitor, which has an extended color gamut, contrast, and dynamic range.

    For low-light situations, you can use the DiMAGE 7i's built-in flash, or use compatible external Minolta flashes. A wireless-remote flash function gives even more control over flash photography by allowing multiple off-camera Minolta flash units to be fired simultaneously by the camera, without cables.

    You can record audio along with still images with the voice memo feature, allowing a 16-bit audio track of up to 15 seconds to be attached to an image after it has been captured.

    Movie Mode
    In movie mode, the DiMAGE 7i produces digital videos in multiple creative formats, including standard QVGA (320 x 240) color movies and monochrome night movies up to 60 seconds with 16-bit audio. The night-movie mode can record movie clips under extreme low-light conditions, while the interval function can produce a series of still images taken at regular intervals, or it can combine the images into a time-lapsed movie at any image size.

    The limited resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.

    Storage and Transfer
    Images are stored on CompactFlash memory cards, and the memory slot is compatible with CompactFlash Type II cards as well as Microdrives. The included 16 MB card holds approximately eight images at 2,560 x 1,920 pixel resolution (standard mode, high). CompactFlash cards are reusable, but you will definitely want a bigger card. A 128 MB card is a good starting point, but we recommend a 256 MB card to get the full benefit of the DiMAGE 7i.

    To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera--your computer should automatically recognize the camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.

    Power
    The camera is powered by four NiMH rechargeable batteries, which are included along with a battery charger.

    Size
    At 4.6 by 3.6 by 4.4 inches and 18.5 ounces, the DiMAGE 7i is definitely not an easily pocketable point-and-shoot camera.

    Contents and Recommended Accessories
    The package includes the DiMAGE 7i camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, four NiMH rechargeable batteries, battery charger, neck strap, lens hood, lens cap with strap, USB and video cables, CD-ROM with DiMAGE Image View Utility software and drivers, and printed camera manual.

    Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we recommend additional NiMH batteries and a higher-capacity CompactFlash card.

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars Zoom Lens Fell Off.......2006-09-28

    I own two Minolta Dimage 7i cameras. The first one took beautiful photographs. I had it only nine months when the manual zoom adjustment started acting up. Within a week the lens fell out in my hand. Calling a few camera shops I was quoted average $300+ for parts and labor to repair it. I could buy a used one for less. Since I had recently gotten a TTL flash, and had several lenses and wired remote for the 7i, and was quite happy with the quality of the photos, I decided to buy a used one to replace the broken one.

    The first photos I took with the replacement camera were very noisy, washed out color, and not true-color. I attributed it to low light, it was evening, and maybe I hadn't adjusted somthing right. After taking more photos over the next week I came to realize that this camera just took bad photos. Very noisy, the auto focus rarely focused correctly like my first one had, it took terrible photographs. I even upgraded the flash rom to the latest one available on the Minolta web site. This didn't help. Then I started noticing there were small differences in the two camera bodies, so checked their serial numbers. My first one that took beautiful photos has a serial number in the 290,000 range, the replacement camera serial number is in the 94,000,000 range. A much newer camera and obviously made with inferior cheaper parts than the older one.

    I had owned the newer one about two months, and hadn't taken that many photographs with it because they come out terrible, most are unusable photos, when the manual focus ring started acting up just like my first one had. My heart sank into my stomach. I know what it means.. it won't be long before the lens falls off this camera too. I havn't taken many photos with it since because I know it's life isn't long.

    I don't know when I'll be able to afford to buy another camera to replace it. But I know one thing for sure... it won't be a Minolta.

    Don 'Duck' Landes

    4 out of 5 stars Dimage 7i.......2003-12-04

    I have just had the camera a few days now. As for all the gadgets, its gonna take a while to pick up on all those. Right now I am using it mostly on automatic and casually venturing from that to different settings and comparing to my other digital cameras.

    First, I love the 5 mp setting, the camera was very easy to pick up and start right out using .. (like most guys do)

    I am impressed with the quality of the pictures. I like the fact that everything is pretty much straight forward. The camera fires up quickly. I tested it with a romote flash sorta like a fill in and it worked flawlessly. The compact flash memory cards are fairly inexpensive and small so you can have a few backups for those multi picture extravaganzas.

    The one thing I would love to see addressed on the camera is the batteries... it would be nice to see minolta come with a battery, rechargable, rather than tring to keep up with two or three sets of AA s ... The instruction book... (guess I will have to read or at least review sooner or later ) looks like it covers pretty much anything you can run accross.

    Would I recommend this camera? Yes I would but not for the inexperienced guy... when you first look at this camera... there seems to be a lot to digest... but all in all... Love it!

    5 out of 5 stars 5 stars doesn't say enough..........2003-03-14

    I have heard bad reviews that this particular camera eats batteries, but I have not had any problems with batteries being used up fast. My last camera, which was only 2.2 Megapixels ate batteries much faster than the Dimage 7i. The picture quality is excellent. When the camera is taking pictures in it's best quality, you can see those minute blemishes that you don't usually notice in pictures. This camera is by far the best that I have ever tried. Highly reccommended to buy if you are in the market for a 5.0+ megapixel camera.

    3 out of 5 stars A Mixed Performer.......2003-03-11

    The good:
    Great zoom range. It's the only ZLR that goes as wide as 28mm (35mm equivalent).

    The bad:
    Very poor focusing, especially in low light.

    The ugly:
    More noise than you'd expect. A better alogarithm is need. A digital camera is only as good as its programming.
    The electronic viewfinder is virtually useless. The low pixel count and distorted viewfinder optics do it in.

    5 out of 5 stars Dimage 7i.......2003-02-20

    I was very hesitant to buy a digital camera being an avid SLR fan.But I'm pleased to say the 7i has exceeded my expectations & I can say goodbye to conventional film. I've discovered it is a power hog but I've overcome this obstacle by purchasing 2 sets of Monster batteries(note the battteries that come with the camera are useless).I can shoot around 300 pictures w/flash no problem plus I have the ac adapter for home use when I'm snapping pictures of the kids.I can blow up my pictures to any size and the clarity is awesome! You lose no resolution.In fine I find I can take good action shots, when you get into superfine or RAW it takes the camera a few seconds to catch up to you. This camera is not for amateur's. It's too complex, but if you are an advanced photographer you will find this camera to be a thrill! You will need to purchase a flashcard a minimum of 256mb.I ordered a 256mb card because the 16 mb card that comes with this camera is a joke! You can take 1 picture in RAW or Superfine and maybe 8 in fine. I'm looking to get at least a GIG for vacations probably 2.Another important consideration is that this is compatible with Minolta Vectis SLR lenses & flash units a huge mark to its favor.

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