julian sanchez

James,

I looked around the menus but I didn't find such option. I believe the LS443 resets itself everytime you turn it on. I think that's the case because every time I turn it on, color balance and ISO (to name a few) are set on automatic, regardless on whether I specified a particular color balance or ISO before I turned the camera off.

Does anybody know if there is a button combination that may re-set everything for sure?

Thanks

Mark,

Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, the camera is over one year old, and I'm afraid is not under warranty any more. I guess I'll have to send it to Kodak to have it fixed, and pay for it :-(

Thanks again,

Julian

Hello,

<P>

I recently got a chance to play around with my father's digital

camera, a point and shoot Kodak LS443. I've been using it for about

two weeks now, mostly with no problems (well, other than my Maxxum 7

has me spoiled and I'm missing all the features, but it couldn't

make it with me this trip).

<P>

Anyway, about three days ago I started having problems with this

little camera. As you know, every time you turn the camera on, it

reverts to factory settings (i.e. everything automatic) and with

time I've learned to live with it. Every once in a while, however,

it would greatly overexpose the shot. For the last two days the

number of overexposed shots it's been increasing.

<P>

Since you can't override any of the exposure settings, I have no

idea what the camera is doing. I don't know if this is caused by a

mechanical failure (the lens is not stopping down at all, and the

sensor is getting way more light than it should) or just that the

camera simply thinks there isn't enough light for the shot, and ends

up overexposing.

<P>

I have uploaded two of the photographs to my computer so you guys

can examine them, here are the links:<br>

Good Photograph: <a

href="http://foreigneye.net/kodak/good_shot"><img

src="http://foreigneye.net/kodak/good_shot.thumb.jpg" /></A><br>

Overexposed shot: <a

href="http://foreigneye.net/kodak/overexposed_shot"><img

src="http://foreigneye.net/kodak/overexposed_shot.thumb.jpg" /></A>

<br>

<P>

If you look closely, both photographs are virtually the same. The

overexposed shot is just a tad zoomed in than the good shot. I've

noticed that the chances of getting an overexposed shot increases as

I zoom in towards the long end of the lens, although it also happens

when it's set at its widest (just not as often). In any event, for

the first 200-300 shots, I never got a single overexposed like this

one. It's been lately that I only get them for no apparent reason.

What do you guys think? Should I contact Kodak repair service, or

should I just accept that this is just a point and shoot camera, and

many times it doesn't get the exposure right?

<P>

In case this is of any help, the firmware version of the camera is

the latest, version 1.03.

<P>

Thank you very much for your help.<br>

Sincerely,<BR>

Julian

I have a Maxxum 7 and an "inherited" flash unit 3200i that my father

used to use on his Maxxum 7000i.

The other day I was browsing a photography shop when I saw a $70 cable

that connects to the flash shoe on the camera, and on the other end

allows you to connect the flash, thus giving you the opportunity of

moving the flash away from the camera body or even point the flash on

any direction other than straight to the subject (which is great

because the 3200i's head does not move).

My question is, if I use such cable with such flash, and I point the

flash so it bounces off the ceiling (or a reflector), will the camera

be able to come up with the right exposure?

My common sense tells me that if I use TTL mode the camera should keep

the shutter open until enough light has hit the film plane. I don't

have any 'D' lenses, so that option would be ruled out.

What do you think? Does that make sense? has anybody tried this

technique? Would I better off saving those $70 towards a 5400HS? What

are your experiences/thoughts?

Thanks for your help,

Julian

Really good photographs.

By the way, (and I hope this topic hasn't been covered on a separate thread) what do you use to digitize your photographs? Do you scan them yourself or have a lab do the work?

Thanks,

Julian

Neil,

Just wondering...

Doesn't Minolta get a bunch of "rights" over the images you submit to them, giving them the privilege of using them for comercial purposes (or for whatever they want to, for that matter) royalty free?

If the dust is IN the lens, it depends :-)

If it doesn't seem to affect image quality when you look at the negatives through a lupe (because there isn't that much dust), just let it be.

Otherwise, the only way I know is by taking the lens to a reputable camera repair. They'll take the lens apart, clean the lens, and put it back together.

Rumor has it that once you take a lens apart, it never functions the same again since a repairman can't get the elements aligned with the same accuracy than the machine who put the lens together in the first place. I wouldn't know for sure since I haven't had the experience yet (knock on wood).

Another thing to consider is that dust is on the mirror, not in the lens. Therefore when you take a photograph the dust will not appear in the frame.

If a blower doesn't fix it, and a camera repair place charges too much, unless it's hurting focusing or viewfinder brightness *that* much, I would just leave it alone.

Just my .02

Julian

Thanks for your thoughts guys.

I was just wondering if I had missed something :-).

<p>I've been a Maxxum 7 user for about 8 months now, with nothing to

complain. However, ever since I bought this camera (and even before,

when I was debating between the 9 and the 7) I've been wondering

<b>where</b> exactly does the difference in price between the two

(almost double) go. Even in <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-

and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005kRF">this recent post</a> it seems like

it's common knowledge that unless you need a ruggerized body, you get

more features if you get the 7 than if you get the 9.

</p>

<p>But does it really justify that the 9 costs almost twice as much?.

It would seem logical that there are other differences that make that

cost get so high. I'm only aware of

<ul>

<li>100% viewfinder</li>

<li>ruggerized body</li>

<li>1/12000 shutter speed</li>

<li>Faster fps</li>

</ul>

Is there anything else? What about the metering system? Is the

metering system in the 9 better than in the 7?

This thread is getting me very depressed...

...gosh, I think I'm going to be sick...

Stupid question:

Fuji, Sigma, and Kodak make DSLRs, and very good ones!

Is there a reason why their digital bodies come ONLY with Nikon mount?

C'mon, even Sigma makes lenses with Minolta mount. Is it that hard to make their DSLR with a Minolta (or canon, for that matter) mount as well?

I have a 7. I friend of mine has a 10D, and another friend of mine has a D100. I've held both and taken a couple of test shots with both of them.

I literally melt when I see them taking a picture and showing it to me a second after they've taken it. Sometimes we will go out to take pictures during lunch, and right after they would be emailing me their best shots. Me on the other hand, have to wait until my slides are processed (paying money to the lab that my friends are happily saving), and then spend a few hours in front of the computer scaning them. I just can't wait to go digital!!

If I was a professional photographer, I would have dropped my Minolta gear probably back when the D100 (or even the D60) was released, even though I think the 7 is a far better camera than the D100 and 10D (in terms of handling, viewfinder, features, control layout, etc.).

My own "consolation" is that even if Minolta had a ~$1500 DSLR I wouldn't have money to afford it, so in a way I'm glad there isn't one because I would be eating my heart out every day :-)

At this point I have my 7, the 28-70G, the 80-200G, and the 50 f/1.4, producing fantastic images. If I switched to digital I would probably end up with a nice DSLR and a 28-300 zoom. No thanks.

I do hope that whenever Minolta releases a digital SLR it will meet and exceed everybody's expectations just like the 7 did.

Regards,

Julian

Bryan,

I wear glasses (near sided) and have a 7. However, I find it uncomfortable to use the camera with my glasses on. I have no problem viewing the scene in the viewfinder, but I have trouble reding the exposure information that lies at the bottom. Fortunately for me, the 7 comes with a diopter adaptor, so I can set it to my diopter prescription, pull my glasses up before using the camera, and see eveything with no problem. After 10 rolls it becomes habit.

One suggestion I would make is to go to a camera shop and look through the camera (not just the 7, but any other model that interests you) and you will get a better idea of the comfort level.

Good luck, and if you get the 7 (I strongly recommend it) you'll love it to bits :-)

Take care,

Julian

This may be too dumb of a suggestion and you've probably looked at it already, but just in case I'm going to go ahead and say it...

The 7 is famous for swallowing batteries. After 30 rolls or so I have to change them even though the indicator says the batteries are full. I don't have problems rewinding film but I notice it in the autofocus, which becomes incredibly slow (specially with the bulky 28-70 G).

I hope that's what it is.

Regards,

Julian

Everybody around me use either Canon or Nikon, and they are already on the digital boat. I love my Maxxum 7 but I can see the benefits of digital are numerous.

The only reason I haven't dropped my entire Minolta system and switched to another brand is because Minolta seems to please their customers far beyond their expectations...it's just that they do it a little too late.

I'm basing that reasoning on the Maxxum 9, and specially the Maxxum 7. They were released way after Canon and Nikon had released their two high-end cameras, and in my opinion, the Minoltas are far better.

So, I hope that in the next year or so, Minolta will finally release a DSLR, and it will be a magnificent pleasure, truly a drool-generator for Canoners and Nikoners :-)

Anita,

<p>

I've been using a Maxxum 7 since January 2003 and I haven't experienced that behavior. I would try the following:

<ul>

<li>Make sure you are outdoors at daylight. Pointing the camera to a brick wall (or a tree, or a dog) should help.</li>

<li>Set focusing mode (wheel at the front of the camera) to 'S'.</li>

<li>Turn eye-start OFF.</li>

</ul>

If that doesn't help, one last thing that I would try is to reset the camera to factory settings, by pressing the "custom" button while turning the camera on.

<p>

As I mentioned before, I've never seen that behavior, but then again I've never taken pictures in full auto. Maybe you should try to set the camera to aperture priority and see if it helps. I seem to remember that when tried the eye-start feature, the autofocus behaved like crazy, so I turned it off and never used it again.

<p>

If none of this (and whatever else is suggested by other people) doesn't work, I would strongly recommend taking the camera back to the shop where you got it and have it replaced.

<p>

Good luck,<br>

Julian