clives

I sometimes use my 5200i flash on my 7D and A700. As noted in the FAQ section, there is some work involved ..and caveats. First, the camera has to be set on manual and starting at 1/60 or so you have to select an aperture that will give the correct exposure. This works fine if you have time, but is of little use if firing at random subjects at random distances. The 5200i flash power can be adjusted from full to 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 and 1/32 power...so this assists in the exposure control. And of course you can play with ISO too. It is actually quite easy to get good exposures with the 5200i.

 

I also use the old ring flash from time to time .. same thing .. all manual adjustments. But at least with digital you can see exposure problems immediately.

 

Good luck.

 

Clive

A chap in Japan has one and is posting full-sized images...

http://www.dyxum.com/dforum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29146&PN=1

Thanks. Looks like it is JUST coming out. I also found this:

http://upload.a-system.net/photo/list/lens_id/52

 

Will have to wait a few weeks.

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

1) I went form 7D to the A700 and I have "decent" LD/APO glass, but am of the opinion that my lenses now limit image quality--not lack of pixels. Anyone considering a 24-MP camera will want to have the very best ED glass available to take advantage of the pixels. Francois said it well, "it's not the camera that make the picture but the lens."

 

2) Richard said it first...most people will also need a new computer or MAJOR upgrade. 3GB won't cut it anymore.

 

3) For the majority of us (I've been a Minolta SLR/DSLR user for 40 years now and sell commercially) a FF 24-MP camera is getting to be beyond our needs.

 

A few (damn few) high-end users may find advantages. For the rest of us, a FF 24-MP will merely satisfy an ongoing "pixel envy" weakness. :)

I am getting prices on the SAL-70300 G series--other than at Sony Style Canada.

 

It is not currently available in Canada. Has anyone seen a review or purchased

this lens yet? If so can you please provide a reference or offer an opinion?

 

Thank you.

 

Clive

PS: Could not find anything in a search.

I have a 7D and have made 11 by 14s and they are fine. A Canon (6MP) user and I are doing a show next month and will be doing some 16 by 20s...they will be fine.

 

Lot of truth about distance. I did a shoot for a truck poster a few years ago using slide film. Final image was 2 m tall and (I think) was at 45 dpi..remember this is on the side of a large truck box. At 5+m it is a great shot. Of course up close, the pixels were obvious.

 

Clive

I am told by the KM service agent in Canada that the 7D and flash have to be returned for an adjustment of some sort--presumably a "firmware" upgrade. Most unfortunate and I will not do this until early 2006.

 

If anyone else has relevant information, please feel free to post.

 

Thanks. Clive

Thanks for your interest. Apparently there is a history of some firmware/chip fault. I've a letter into KM international and to the Canadian KM agent. What is strange. I don't do much flash work, but took about 80 flash pictures at a social event last month (100-mm, f2.8 lens) with the second flash and they were all (90 percent) pretty good. Now the results are erratic. The camera in all other respects works flawlessly and I've taken 9,600 images in 14 weeks.

I took three consecutive images in my messy office. Ready light On for all exposures. All at about 2m from camera. P mode. About 50mm focal length. Here is the URL...(will try to hot link this)

http://members.shaw.ca/ocl4/flash3.jpg<div></div>

1.10u

Anyone else have problems using a 2500D flash on their 7D??

 

Purchased 7D in August..taken 9,600 images since. GREAT camera.

Great images. I am a happy guy.

 

However, it came with a 2500D flash and I've not used the flash

much. It did not seem to be working properly (erratic) so my dealer

gave me a new one a few weeks back. Seemed okay at first, but again,

I only used it once or twice.

 

Yesterday, I got it out and took a lot of pictures to test it. It

simply does not work properly. With exactly the same setup and

settings, the images are overexposed and underexposed..all over the

map. (If they were all one way or the other, I could take corrective

action ... but the exposures are all over the place.) Batteries are

fresh. I am NOT using D lenses, but the flash should still work with

Maxxum lenses. Had flash set on TTL and camera is defaulted to pre-

TTL. I've tried all combinations (even without D lenses) including

ADI settings. Nothing works including the recommended settings.

 

I am taking it back to my dealer and going to ask for a discount on

a 3600HS(D) or a 5600HS(D). (KM pulled out of Canada so getting

service is going to be tricky. My dealer is real good tho.)

 

Anyone else have these problems?

 

Thanks,

 

Clive

Thanks all. Glad a possible change is being considered. Whereas there are "definitions" of A and O, we have to work with the premise that folks do not read. And even 'aesthetics' is a toughie...

 

A simple question: How do your rate this picture for overall satisfaction, enjoyment, technical traits, technique, originality, etc etc....

 

David you wrote, "To many, a bird is a bird is a bird." That is apparent here for sure. I have traveled the world a bit and am rather cosmopolitan, yet have chosen to live in small towns for almost 40 years. I live on the prairies which some "city folks" might find boring! There are many OBVIOUSLY good outdoor/wildlife photographers here, but my sense is that there are a lot folks who are not well educated about the environment, geography, geology, and biology, ergo "...a bird is a bird is a bird." Like you, I've posted pictures of "scenics" that I never recall seeing anything remotely similar and generally they get pretty decent ratings...yet there is always someone who rates my 5-6-7 pictures as "3" for O .. because they did not like the A part I guess. Conversely I've posted (what?) twenty pictures of flying geese (zzzzz) and when folks think they are good, they rate a 5, 6 or 7 for A ... and they also give me 6 for O.

 

I am not complaining--we are not after an Oscar here. In fact, I am more than pleased with the ratings given my pictures. This is NOT about me and my pictures. It is about logic.

 

I guess what "bothers" me is that we do not use the systems properly now and are forced to "cheat" in order to maintain overall good ratings for "good" pictures. There ARE some outstand bird images here and I am not going to rate the next GOOD bald eagle image I see as a 3 for ) just because I've seen dozens before.

 

Man, if I see one more fly head, I'll snap. (JOKE!) :)

 

Still .. a one rating system that encompassed all considerations would be more manageable. The technical complexities probably preclude such a move and that is understandable.

 

Whatever the "elves" do is fine with me. Despite my apparent criticism about the rating system, I come here for the entertainment and feedback and it's worth every penny. Thanks to all! Cheers! Clive

Hi Elves.

Two things first.

1) I really like PN despite a few "items" and like the feedback.

Thank you!

2) This is not a rant or complaint. Sort of thinking aloud.

 

I read some of the previous "ratings" threads. This seems a

little "new" but I did not read all of them. Sorry if this is a

repeat.

 

My comment/question is: Why not have one scoring system, say, based

on a 1 to 7 or 1 to 10 scale? We have a 'de facto' one variable

system now in which O ratings follows A ratings. Here's why I think

this way ...

 

1) I randomly gathered 100 pairs of A and O ratings. Here are the

results considering the "spread" between A and O. 68 of the 100

pairs had identical ratings for A and O. 27 pairs were separated by

1 point and only 5 were separated by 2 points. The mean separation

between A and O was 0.37 with two out of three A/O ratings being

identical.

 

2) On a recent POW thread someone said (and I agree) that when he is

rating a great image he will not rate the O low just because he has

seen many similar images below. If it is good he will not rate O

low. See #3 below.

 

3) As an example of the above (and this is not a criticism at all of

insect images) .. there are some outstanding macro insect images

here. Great images. They typically are rated at 6 or 7 as they are

so darned good. They typically get 6 ratings for O, yet they are

clearly not original. They ARE good images.

 

The ONLY conclusion we can draw is that people (me too) really and

truly do not rate "originality" based on a true assessment of

originality. This limited statistical analysis indicate the vast

majority rate O based on A and O is NOT rated independently.

 

As a learning tool then the "O" rating serves no practical function.

There are possibly other rating parameters that could be used

(technique, etc etc) but then that would be cumbersome.

 

I think we'd all be better served with a single rating in which we

assess all things and provide one score because that is really what

we have now. We have a de facto one-variable rating system now.

 

Again, I want to thank the elves and all involved in PN. I find it

entertaining and educational despite the odd gremlin.

 

Best wishes to all.

 

Clive Schaupmeyer

"...Sony and Samsung are rivals."

 

Politics and marketing make strange bedfellows. :)

 

Nothing should surprise any of us in the world of business.

OF COURSE! Like you I just purchased E3 three weeks ago! And I bet there is not an upgrade version from 3 to 4. There should be a 60-day upgrade guarantee with software...if the next version comes out within 60 days you should get a free upgrade. Oh well.

 

Will look for E4 and check it out.

I purchased my 7D at London Drugs (after shopping around). Paid $2089 for the body plus grip (which I am most pleased to have) and the 2500 flash (so so) AND am getting a $200 rebate that was extended to Sept 30 (???). So that works out to about $1450 for the body. I was pleased. I wonder if the $200 rebate applies to the new lower price? PERHAPS ASK!

 

I am assuming (along with many others who know way more about this than me) that they will clear out the 7Ds by spring and annouce thE new model which everyone is speculating will be 10 or 12MP with or w/o a full sensor. Who knows?

 

Editorial ... Again!! I never miss a chnace to stir the pot. :)

 

I am of the humble opinion that 93.6 percent of the users here have no practical need for a 12MP. Ja? The technology is beyond the ability of our eyes. Golly, 35-mm and medium format was the ad agency standard for decades and we have surpassed that quality with digital methinks.

 

The ongoing "Saga of Pixel Envy" continues. :)

It's all been said before. Here's my story. I am 58 and have owned camera/s since I was 12 years. I own a Maxxum 7 and still have my 8000i. (My niece has one old 35mm Minolta.) My first Minolta was an SRT101--in 1968. I've take 120,000 slides and negs and 15,000 digitals with a Nikon Coolpix. That gives some perspective. Here's why ... I got my 7D two weeks ago and here's what I wrote to a friend yesterday, "The new camera [7D]is a whole new world of adventure and I am glad to be living it. I can shoot with all of my old lenses.... The autofocus is fast again and I can shoot just like with film." Yet I am now more in control and the image quality is better than the scans I was getting from slides--I never was into prints very much. (As a part-time commercial photog I was into slides anyway and merely collected stock for sale.)

 

Like others have said, it is your choice. I am glad with the decision I made! The new camera [7D]is a whole new world of adventure and I am glad to be living it.

 

Here's some of the initial images...

 

http://members.shaw.ca/ocl3/BOP.html

 

http://members.shaw.ca/ocl3/grandkids.html

My 2 cents worth....I never even knew about the "safe to disconnect hardware" button with Win XP until recently... for 2 years I merely turned my old Nikon Coolpix on and off and plugged and unplugged it..never any damage. Like you said..it seems okay. (Sure gives you a panic attack when you are dealing with expensive cameras though!!)

 

My 7D is a treat to use. Made two 8 by 12-inch prints today. Nice images. May post here one day. I carefully use the "safe to disconnect hardware" button with the new camera....I used card readers for about two years and started downloading directly from the caneras two years back..I like connecting the camera....seems easier to me. (I did have a cheapo card reader and it was fussy to use.)

 

Hope you like your Dynax 7D as I like mine--we call tem Maxxum 7Ds here in Canada.

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

The 2500 in the 7D "kit" worked "okay" but was SLOW to focus in the dark wedding dance hall. I have an old 5200i and it is a far superior flash...but not compatable with the 7D....however I have tried it (not at the wedding) and it works fine in M mode..just have to take a few images to get the exposure correct for one given situation: light & distance.

 

The 7D has performed rather well so far...logged 1000 images in six days. :)

Thanks. I have the 2500 flash. Had not used in darkness. (Duh!) Will know tonight for sure. Appreciate the advice ... makes me feel more comfortable. Clive

Background: Will be taking pictures in a darkened dance hall this

weekend. I've search photo.net for comments re 7D's low light

focusing...nothing concrete. I tried the focus in low light in the

house and it seems fine. I cam always manually focus carefully if it

is an issue.

 

Question: Anyone have experience in a low lighted dance hall--

wedding reception--with the 7D? How'd it do under pressure?

 

Thanks. Clive

Jay,

 

I just got my 7D this afternoon. Weather is terrible here (wet and DULL) so I could not take the new camera (and my 'old" lenses) out too far. However, I stood on the front stoop and fired a couple of shots with the 500mm mirror lens. The light was terrible....I think the shots were at 1/40 or 1/50 sec or so. I was AMAZED at how sharp the images were. Okay ... they were not spot on sharp, but compared to no AS...well I was impressed. No tripod. And we are dealing with a 35mm lens equivalent of 750mm!

 

Send me an email of you want and I will send you some samples in a day or so...the sun is going to shine soon! :)

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

I just picked up my KM 7D DSLR this afternoon and am pleased with the image quality...NO noise in th dark areas. If it ever stops raining here I hope to get out and field test it soon. (I was somewhat disappointed to see how it ate AA alkaline batteries in the vert grip. Will be getting NiMH batts and charger tomorrow!)

 

Anyway..I purchased the cheaper 2500D as I already have a non-compatible 5200i flash from my original Maxxum cameras. This flash goes back to 1991...now this is a good flash. Of course, it does not provide auto exposures with the 7D. However, I tried my 5200i flash with the 7D and it works ok in manual mode as long as I make exposure adjustments. Clearly this is not an option for fast shooting, but under controlled conditions and where time is not critical, it will work well for me. The 5200i is powerful and throws light along way. I see it as being a useful tool for my new 7D.

 

Cheers!

 

Clive

Thanks John. I do a lot of moving within Explore, so will have to learn to do that within E3. Clive

Thanks to all.

Steve...Will try the free test CS.

Cheers!

Clive