Rating: 
Summary: Intuitive Controls so you can use all the Technology
Review: This is an excellent contemporary high-tech camera. I tend to shoot in aperature controlled mode, and it is very easy to change aperatures, to bracket exposures so you get three to seven shots in rapid fire with slightly different settings, and to see differing depths of field. Depending on the lens, it can also be relatively easy to modify the auto focus (so, for example, you move the center of the focus in front of or behind your subject to get the right part of the scene in focus), but note that some lenses will clutch and not be able to be hand-manipulated, leading to a need to switch to manual focus with those lenses in some cases. What really sells this camera, though, is the wireless flash. Do not underestimate how much this can improve your flash pictures. It is very easy to use -- I literally have shown my 3 year old, who was very curious, how to do, and got some good shots of him in the process. If you buy this camera, you should buy at least one of the Minolta "D" flashes. As you take bracketed shots in continuous focus mode, the camera does a good job of remaining in focus. For those of us with glasses, there is a diopter adjustment in the viewfinder that adjusts the viewfinder to our own current prescription. On manual focus, this has a real impact on my photos, where my focus was previously a bit soft much of the time. I end up with a couple of minor complaints -- the selector button that lets you choose which sensor to use in focusing is placed right where my nose can hit it, and I've had to learn to take care not to accidentally change the setting with my nose. Also, I'd like to see the new anti-shake technology that is being incorporated in Minolta's new digital 7 incorporated into the 7. I suspect it is just time until this happens. All in all, an extraordinary camera.
Rating:
Summary: Intuitive Controls so you can use all the Technology
Review: This is an excellent contemporary high-tech camera. I tend to shoot in aperature controlled mode, and it is very easy to change aperatures, to bracket exposures so you get three to seven shots in rapid fire with slightly different settings, and to see differing depths of field. Depending on the lens, it can also be relatively easy to modify the auto focus (so, for example, you move the center of the focus in front of or behind your subject to get the right part of the scene in focus), but note that some lenses will clutch and not be able to be hand-manipulated, leading to a need to switch to manual focus with those lenses in some cases. What really sells this camera, though, is the wireless flash. Do not underestimate how much this can improve your flash pictures. It is very easy to use -- I literally have shown my 3 year old, who was very curious, how to do, and got some good shots of him in the process. If you buy this camera, you should buy at least one of the Minolta "D" flashes. As you take bracketed shots in continuous focus mode, the camera does a good job of remaining in focus. For those of us with glasses, there is a diopter adjustment in the viewfinder that adjusts the viewfinder to our own current prescription. On manual focus, this has a real impact on my photos, where my focus was previously a bit soft much of the time. I end up with a couple of minor complaints -- the selector button that lets you choose which sensor to use in focusing is placed right where my nose can hit it, and I've had to learn to take care not to accidentally change the setting with my nose. Also, I'd like to see the new anti-shake technology that is being incorporated in Minolta's new digital 7 incorporated into the 7. I suspect it is just time until this happens. All in all, an extraordinary camera.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best cameras PERIOD
Review: This is by far the best camera I have ever owned in my life, be it point and shoot, film or digital. I'm in the Marine Corps and took this camera with me in Iraq and countless other places and it went through some of the most extreme weather imaginable and kept on working. The camera is not labeled as splash-proof, but it should be -- I accidentally dropped this camera in a puddle of water and pulled it out and it was still working. I never had it fail on me one time. The LCD display on the back is huge and amazingly informative. The backlight on the LCD is very handy as well. The autofocus is also amazingly fast and accurate. It's a professional quality camera with beginner level accessibility.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best cameras PERIOD
Review: This is by far the best camera I have ever owned in my life, be it point and shoot, film or digital. I'm in the Marine Corps and took this camera with me in Afghanistan and Iraq and it went through some of the most extreme weather imaginable and kept on working. The camera is not labeled as splash-proof, but it should be -- I dropped this camera in a dirty puddle and I pulled it out and it was still working. I never had it fail on my one time. The autofocus is also amazingly fast and accurate. It's a professional quality camera with beginner level accessibility. Considering this is the body that Minolta is using for their new Maxxum Digital SLR, I know I'll be buying that camera as well.
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