Minolta 7xi

Created April 9, 1999 Last Modified: January 29, 2000

This document is a compilation of my thoughts and opinions about the Minolta 7xi 35mm SLR Camera. This is based on the responses that I wrote to questions from a photographer about the choice of Minolta cameras. Please do not ask me to copy the Owner's Manual.

About the camera itself: I have no idea how much or little you know about photography or about the basic operation of this camera, so I have to start out at the very basic stuff.

The 7xi is an SLR which stands for Single Lens Reflex. This means that when you look through the viewfinder, you are looking through the lens (there is a mirror and a prism that allows that). You see what the film will see. This is important, because on most of the compact cameras, you look through a separate lens so what you see is a little tiny bit different than what the film sees.

The 7xi can be used as a basic point and shoot camera. The film drops in the back, you pull the film out about four inches, you put the film over to the little red mark on the right, and when you close the back, it loads it to the first frame. You can just point the camera at whatever you want a picture of, and it will automatically focus, set the camera up and you can take the picture.

There is nothing wrong with using the camera in the fully automatic mode. Millions of people do. I do sometimes, but I always check the settings to see if it will give me what I want. You can take full (or partial) control of all of the settings on the camera yourself. In my opinion, in order to really become a photographer, (not just some doofus with a camera) you need to learn what all the elements are that go into a picture, and how to control them. But all that comes later (if you want).

When the roll of film is done, the camera will automatically rewind the film.

On the top of the camera there is a data panel that displays a lot of little bits of information that tells you about what mode the camera is in, the battery condition, the camera's settings, what picture number you are on etc.

There is also an LED display inside the viewfinder that tells you the camera mode, some of the camera settings, and information about the flash and the focus.

There is a button on top of the camera that has a P on it. That button sets the camera into the Program mode where it can do all of the thinking for you.

The shutter (the button that takes the picture) is on the top right side of the camera (when you are looking through the viewfinder). If you press that button part way down, the camera comes alive, and it focuses, and it sets the operating parameters based on the light conditions. Pressing the rest of the way down will take the picture. (if it is in focus)

There are numerous other controls, but I don't want to try to cover too much here.

The camera will not take a picture if it thinks that it is not in focus (unless you turn off the autofocus). You can tell when the subject is in focus by the green dot inside the viewfinder, near the bottom left. If the dot is solid, then you are focused. If not, then it won't take a picture, and it will whirr back and forth until it is in focus.

Sometimes the subject you are pointing at is hard to focus on, so the camera will try several times. If that happens, point at a slightly different spot and try again. The autofocus uses the contrast (light-vs-dark) of the subject to help it focus. If you point at a wall that is all one color, the camera sees no contrast, so it has trouble focusing. Point the camera so that the center of the image in the viewfinder has something in it. It works best with either horizontal or vertical lines. (diagonal lines used to confuse autofocus cameras real bad, but the 7xi does okay)

There are tricks to help the camera focus, and ways to override the auto-focus.

The 7xi has a built in flash. When the camera senses that there is not enough light to take a picture, it will automatically pop up the flash and it will try to use the flash. (you can turn this automatic feature off; and I do)

When the flash is charged and ready to flash, there is a little green lightning bolt symbol on the bottom left inside the viewfinder. After you take the picture, if the flash was able to provide enough light to take a properly exposed picture, then the little lightning bolt symbol will flash for a few seconds. This tells you that all is probably okay with the picture you just took.

If that lightning bolt is not flashing, then there was not enough flash, and the picture will turn out dark.

Don't take another picture until the lightning bolt symbol stays on solid again, meaning that the flash is recharged again. (this is a suggestion, not an absolute rule.)

I like the 7xi, and I would recommend it with a couple of cautions. It has a *LOT* of features, and it can confuse some people. (I bought a book to go with it, and I still have trouble remembering how to activate all of the features.) It can be used in fully automatic modes, and function as a point and shoot that even my sister can use, or you can control everything down to the tiniest detail of how it operates. It is a very smart camera, and a tough competitor.

The 7xi is a third generation Maxxum, and it has the top matrix metering system and autofocusing systems that they make. The cameras ability to focus in low light is *SO* much better than the Maxxum 7000 I had been using for *YEARS*, that I gave the old camera away after I bought the new one.

The Dynax 7xi is the same as the Maxxum 7xi, it is just the overseas version. Many manufacturers name their products differently for US shipment than they do for Japanese sales (or other countries) When I first bought my 7xi I found a book that described all about how to use it etc, and it clearly shows that the Dynax is the same exact camera.

Feedback or comments? Mail to: John Schultheis /