tmorgan

Art:em,

Thanks for the pointer.

This is interesting, I wonder what the Metz strategy is here. If there's an SCA adapter for this

camera, it is hard to see why not sell it wherever the camera is sold.

...Tom M

Jonathan,

Me too, I am a Mac guy, actually.

When I looked into this (maybe 6-8 months ago) the story for Mac support for these

cameras wasn't good. There's a reasonable SDK for Windows machines to write software

to drive them, but there was no such for the Mac, so nothing was out there.

I don't know if this has changed, but then what made sense was to borrow somebody's PC

laptop, put the software on it and do the shoot.

...Tom M

Jonathan,

I used this software:

<br><br>

&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp <a href=http://sabsik.com/Cam2Com/>http://sabsik.com/

Cam2Com/</a>

<br><br>to control a C-5050.

<br><br>

The site lists the software as compatible with an 8080.

<br>

The software worked fine for what I was doing, no problems using it. You do need a PC at

the shoot.

The interval between exposures must be long enough to allow transfer of the image to the

PC between each exposure<br><br>

...Tom M

I have a Metz 54 mZ-3. Looking at the Metz site, I see that an SCA 3302 M5 is needed to

adapt the flash to the Maxxum/Dynax 7D.

<br>

I see European suppliers of this SCA model, but none in the US.

<br>

I called B&H and checked Adorama. Both stock only the earlier M2 (for the film Dynax's --

at least the guys on the phone think so). A couple of inquiries to Metz about US suppliers

have gone unanswered. At first I figured this was just new model delay, but I've checking

off and on now for probably 6 months.

<br><br>

My questions:

<br>

-Does anyone in the US have a Metz flash working on their 7D?

<br>

-Which SCA adapter are you using and where did you buy it?

<br>

-If I wanted to purchase the adapter from a European shop, does anyone have a

suggestion about which shop to buy from?

<br><br>

Thanks.

<br><br>

...Tom M

Just to complete the story of my CF card.

The camera was returned by Olympus repair, arriving on the 21st, and it is now working fine.

The repair and support service was okay: the online status tracking was pretty far behind the

actual progress of the repair; the price of the repair was nearly as much as the going price for

a used 5050 on eBay.

...Tom M

Here is an update on getting the camera serviced.

-I called Olympus service and repair, and that went very smoothly. The rep ran me

through a few sensible diagnostic steps, then provided a repair number. Short wait on the

phone, this part went smoothly.

-I shipped the camera for repair yesterday.

I will finish this posting when the camera is repaired.

...Tom M

Thanks for that info.

Here is an update on my problem

I found a brand new SanDisk card, and it also produces the same symptoms -- camera

won't start/shuts down whenever the card is inserted.

I am pretty convinced now that this a problem with the camera, and that it is a coincidence

that the camera problem occured right after use of the card for another purpose.

Now, to see about getting the camera repaired :-(

...Tom M

Bruce,

Yes, I tried several variations.

1. Pulled it from the 7D, shoved it into the 5050 ==> NG

2. Formatted it on a PC as FAT32, then into the 5050 ==> NG

3. Formatted it on a PC as FAT15 then into the 5050 ==> NG

I am starting to think that the idea of use in the 7D as a cause is a red herring, that the CF

drive in the 5050 happened to croak now.

I am trying to find a 'virgin' CF card and see what happens when I put that in.

Thanks for thinking about this.

...Tom M

Okay, does anyone recognize this one?

I have an IBM 1G compact flash card, that I have used happily in my C-5050Z since I got it.

In a pinch for storage while using my Minolta 7D, I inserted the 1G card from the 5050

into the 7D and shot happily there.

Then, when I re-inserted the 1G compact flash into the 5050, the symptom is pretty

spectacular, the 5050 *will not* start up; no LCD indications, no lens extension, nothing.

If I remove the 1G compact flash, everything is normal.

==

The appearance is that use of the 1G compact flash card in the 7D somehow

'contaminanted' it for the 5050.

I can't make a full set of equipment swaps here, since I don't have a compact flash that's

never been inserted into the 7D.

I checked the cards in a PC reader and it reads fine there.

==

Anybody seen this one before?

Thanks.

...Tom M

Down below is a response from Bogen Imaging, who are the U.S. reps for Metz.

I followed up with two of the suggested suppiers, B&H and Samy's. Neither have the 3302

*M5* model, both have the older 3302 model, which is not compatible with the 7D.

===

That software "M5" is available in the US. Unfortunately, Bogen is

prohibited from conducting direct sales. All purchases must be made

through a retail location. Because prices can vary from store-to-store,

I cant give you accurate pricing or availability.

You can use the dealer locater on our website, at

http://www.bogenimaging.us/dealers/rightscreen.php3 to find your local

camera shops, or call some of these mail order locations listed below.

B & H Photo......(800)947-9950 or www.bhphotovideo.com

Calumet Photo...(800)CAL-UMET or www.calumetphoto.com

Samy's.................(800)321-4726 or www.samys.com

Regards,

Kevin V. Lackey

Technical Operations Supervisor

kevin.lackey@bogenimaging.com

NOTE: Due to the high volume of email received, please include the

original message text to any replies. This will ensure a speedy response

time.

-----Original Message-----

From: Tom Morgan [mailto:tmorgan@acm.org]

Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 4:13 PM

To: info

Subject: Availability of SCA 3302 M5 adapter in the US

Hi, I got your contact info from the Metz photo equipment site.

The Metz site indicates that the 'SCA 3302 M5' adapter is compatible

with the Minolta Maxxum 7D camera.

I see this adapter listed by European sites, but I don't see it offered

by U.S. suppliers.

Can you tell me about the availability of this adapter in the U.S.,

please.

Thanks.

...Tom M

I see the Metz site is listing an 'SCA 3302 M5' adapter as compatible with the 7D.

I don't find any U.S. supplier for this adapter.

Does anyone know about availability of this adapter?

Thanks.

...Tom M

Steven, Will,

Thanks for the advice.

...Tom M

H.C.,

Maybe this will help.

Take a look at this <a href="http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/content/

cam/cam_SupportCenter/ManualResults">URL</a> and scroll down a couple of pages.

<br><br>

You will find parts 1-3 of the manual for an Auto Meter IIIf in PDF formats.

<br>

(I downloaded the manual for the V from this site).

<br>

...Tom M

I was doing some portraits for a model portfolio the other day, and got a request to be

sure to show off the 'abs' muscles (those horizontal ripples in the stomach) of the subject

in some of the shots.

I never tried this before and I found it to be tricky.

Directional from above seemed to make sense and made nice light on the 'abs', but that

spilled onto the face and upper body too much.

I ended up using window light that happened to be available, which came in diagonally

down from the side, which worked out okay, but maybe not as dramatic as wanted.

==

Does any one have any suggestions or pointers for lighting 'abs' as part of a portrait?

Thanks.

...Tom M

Steve,

I use them and find them adequate, the quality of the prints is 'good enough' for everyday

work.

I am local, so their big advantage is the ability to send digital files over the Internet, but

then pick from the store and save postage.

I do use a another lab if I need a very high quality print.

...Tom M

Martijn,

There's a thread here about my experience and other's advice about 'back focus':

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BTV2

In my case, the problem was most obvious at wide apertures, near in.

...Tom M

My gripes:

<ul>

<li>Quality control (I had to send it back to correct back focus problem).

<li>The behavior of the flash compared to the 7:

<ul>

<li>The use of pre-flash TTL preventing auto ratio flash control

<li>The oddity of the 3600 apparently preflashing in manual mode

</ul>

</ul>

...Tom M

Ralph,

There's a comprehensive database of Maxxum lenses <a href="http://www.mhohner.de/

minolta/lenses.php?lang=e">here.</a>

...Tom M

I sent the camera out last Monday, and it is back today.

The problem is corrected.

...Tom M

Ivan,

There's some discussion in <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?

msg_id=00Ahc7">this thread</a> about the differences between the 7 and 7 D flash

systems.

...Tom M

I was just doing some shooting with slave flashes, too.

<br><br>

It looks to me like the 7 D is causing a pre-flash when the 3600 HSD is attached, *even

when* flash is set to manual.

<br><br>

What makes me think so:

<ul>

<li>When the 3600 is attached, I can see the slave discharging (bad sign because the

mirror should be in the way before the flash goes off).

<li>If you watch the 3600 (carefully), you can see the double flash.

<li>If I set the Metz slave to expected a double pulse, exposure is accurate.

</ul>

When the built in flash is used, things are as expected:

<ul>

<li>Slave flash is invisible thru finder

<li>Exposure is as expected

<li>Metz works as expected when set to detect single flash.

</ul>

Here's an update from me on my autofocus issues.

<ul>

<li>I shot a test roll yesterday using the 24mm f2.8 lens that had problems on the 7D,

using a 7 (film) body.

<br>Those images are fine; the spot you tell it to focus on is in focus.

<li>I contacted the KM service center, described my symptoms and was instructed to send

the camera in for service.

</ul>

I'll report back after the service.

<br>

...Tom M

That's good news.

I put the 28mm lens on a film body today, and am trying some exposures at the same

distance that give problems with the digital back.

==

I find this all interesting. It an example which shows what an odd hybrid a digital SLR

currently is.

The fact that 'AF sensors' need to exist, for example. There's a big 'sensor' (the CCD itself)

and a big honking processor which could do all the autofocusing you'd need -- but, the

CCD is behind the mirror.

The whole thing is like a sailing ship with a retrofitted steam boiler.

...Tom M

Telemachus,

<br><br>

It sounds to me like there is Something Really Wrong with respect to 7D autofocus at

wide apertures.

<br><br>

When I hear 'bizarre symptoms' I immediately think 'computer'.

<br><br>

I wonder how the processing of the AF sensors is done on the 7D. I found a <a

href="http://konicaminolta.com/products/consumer/camera-pus/slr/maxxum7/

ope01b.html">page</a> that describes the AF sensor operation for the 7, but nothing for

the 7D.

<br><br>

Good luck with your repairs, please let me know what the resolution turns out to be.

<br><br>

Makes me glad that mostly I shoot with a range finder :-)

...Tom M

Telemachus,

<br><br>

Ahh, thanks, so I am not seeing things.

<br><br>

I took a bunch more pictures of rulers pointing away from me, at various distances away

from the camera.

<br><br>

I did a pretty careful exploration of the variables I could think of. The trouble for me

seems to be concentrated on:

<br><br>

<ol>

<li>This particular wide lens (24mm)

<li>Wide aperature (below 4) (although the increasing DOF muddies things up)

<li>A distance to target of 6 to 8 feet(*)

</ol>

<br><br>

I always used the center focus point.

<br><br>

Item 3 seems like a clue to me. This is the distance on the 24mm where very small

motion of the distance scale has a big effect on the focus distance. It's much touchier

than, for example, the 24-50mm f4 set at 24mm.

<br><br>

I did a bunch of manual focusing in this range, watching the in focus dot as it went on and

off. It looked to me like the 7D was a little 'careless'; the in focus dot would stay on thru a

pretty big range (in feet) in this range of 6 feet on out. In the camera's opinion, 6 feet and

infiinity were both okay as set points for an object at 6 feet.

<br><br>

==

<br><br>

Did KM give you any idea what they were doing to the bodies?

<br><br>

It would seem to me that this could be a firmware fixable thing. Given that it's possible to

focus manually, I'd expect that working on the autofocus algorithms would fix things.

<br><br>

Thanks for the offer to let us know how you make out with your second (ugh) go around.

<br><br>

...Tom M

<br><br>

(*)For reference, the other lenses that I tried, all of which autofocused okay at all the

distances I

tried were:

<ul>

<li>85mm f1.4 (the old one)

<li> 24-50mm f4

<li>70-210mm f4

<li> 35-80 f4-5.6

</ul>