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07/30/2002 09:42:37 PM · #1 |
My Minolta Dimage 7i has a Minolta hotshoe.. does that mean I can only buy a Minolta flash? or can I buy a standard flash unit? are there clones or convertors?
Any advise appreshiated.
Regards,
Jeremy |
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07/30/2002 09:53:34 PM · #2 |
Thanks you read my mind... I need info to buy a flash for mine (dimage 5).
Also need recommendations on filters - if you were to only own one or two - which to get?
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07/30/2002 10:12:17 PM · #3 |
I was reading steve's digicam reviews today...skimmed over something about the flashes not working well...might want to go read that. :)
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07/30/2002 11:24:51 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by TerryGee:
Thanks you read my mind... I need info to buy a flash for mine (dimage 5).
Also need recommendations on filters - if you were to only own one or two - which to get?
I've been researching filters for my camera as well... Thinking about a polarizer for sure, and perhaps a ND filter... but not sure what kind yet. Also have been looking at the lens extenders.. Macro vs Telephoto vs Wide Angle. Hmmmm. Magnetic gave me a good hint about Macro, so I think Tele or Wide.... But is the 1.4X tele worth it? I think it only increases to 200 mm. Is this that much better than the given 140 mm on the camera, or should I just save for the big'un? ;-)
What are the applications for wide angle - effective equivalent to 28 mm - ? Hmmmmmmmm.
Filters, lenses and printers, OH MY! (you know.. the yellow brick road...) tee hee.
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07/31/2002 12:21:53 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by jeremya:
My Minolta Dimage 7i has a Minolta hotshoe.. does that mean I can only buy a Minolta flash? or can I buy a standard flash unit? are there clones or convertors?
I've been monitoring the Minolta forum on dpreview.com for awhile as I'm considering the D7i. The Minolta 5600 flash comes highly recommended and second best is the 3600. You can use a non-dedicated flash, but you need an adaptor that sells for around $80. Sorry, but I don't remember the Minolta part number for the adaptor. It is used to connect with studio lights. From what I hear, results are marginal with a non-dedicated flash, but very good with either Minolta flash.
My gut feeling is that the Minolta performs just as well as any other camera with a non-dedicated flash. The problem is that unless it is a dedicated flash, you are not getting through the lens metering for the flash. An experienced photographer can still get good results, but probably more throw away shots than with a dedicated flash. However, if you plan on doing studio work, you will need the adaptor and probably a good light meter too.
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07/31/2002 07:37:21 AM · #6 |
Thanks for that Gene I will have to get onto it fast as I might be taking the student group photos at work and the popup unit ain't going to backfill 30-40 peoples faces. One of the students (and good friend) has some old studio flash units. I haven't seen them yet though, they might be studio lights.
Terry I have been looking at filters also.
I recommend a standard UV filter if you haven't got one and
keep it on your camera all the time... it's a nz$30 filter and
it protects my nz$300 fixed lens.
(well thats what the guy in the shop said it was worth..)
I am looking at geting a polarizer, since I live next to a lake and a major (very senic) river. I might get a ND filter but I want to play with the exposure effect a bit more first as I suspect it does the same job.
I am still paying for my camera (only got it a few weeks ago) so I will have to wait tell I get some more money before I can buy anything else..
I did manage to grab a second hand Remote cable cheap today, I didn't
realizes that the Dimage used a standard minolta Remote cable until I saw it sitting in a local pawn shop. Handy for me as I love night photography and my next entry *might* be a long exposure.
Also I see a teleconverter in the distant future... |
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07/31/2002 08:34:34 AM · #7 |
| Jeremya,do you know if the Minolta 7i can be used for infrared pix? I don't remembed reading about its infrared capabilities. |
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08/04/2002 03:41:49 AM · #8 |
Digipixer...
I havent seen any IR photo''s .... hang on.....
... I just turned off all the lights and turned a sony handycam in nightshot mode towards my Dimage and I could clearly see the invisable IR torch beaming out towards my camera... so my guess would be Yes!
Dimage 7i 4sec exposure looking at IR torch.
This link should work now...
On to my problem...
I just borrowed a program 3500xi flash of my mate (who owns a Olympus E-10 and a Minolta Film camera with a broken AF.. Hmmm I wounder if he will ever fix it :-)) )
Anyway the flash works great mounted on the camera... however I would like to use it in wireless mode...
What I have tried so far...
1) put the 3500xi flash on the camera, power everthing on , set flash mode to wireless... Wireless lamp on 3500xi flash unit lights up.
2) remove 3500xi flash unit from camera... red (charged?)lamp on front of 3500xi flash unit starts flashing...
3) raise built-in camera flash.
4) hit "spot" button, Camera flash fires... 3500xi does not :-(
5) try wireless channel 1,2,3&4 settings on camera... 3500xi still wont fire :-((
Help, any idea''s people?? I would love to try some 45deg flash portriats etc.... any idea how to check/change channel on 3500xi??
The manual doesn''t say... hmmmm...
Also, any idea on how to hook studio flashes up to Dimage 7i?? is it possible??
Regards,
Jeremy
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/4/2002 5:35:41 AM.
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/4/2002 5:42:31 AM.
* This message has been edited by the author on 8/4/2002 6:12:28 PM. |
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08/05/2002 09:53:21 AM · #9 |
Hmmm....
FYI a Minolta PROGRAM 3500xi flash fires at full power everytime on a Dimage 7i.... this is handy to know before you point it at some unsuspecting bystanders.... :-O oooppppssss SRY!!!
Setting the apature to two stops under does wonders.
As for studio flash's there is a pc sync cable adaptor ... Minolta part number PCT-100 but at $90us I might "hack" my own together if I can get my hands on a broken minolta flash unit.. I have seen Nikon users doing simlar to run Metz Mecablitz flash units... Anyway I like the idea of an optocupler between my Dimage and some 1970's Mecablitzers :-|
But I suspect the Minolta Adapter does exactly that...
I'm starting to relize that the CF card gets quite hot when you are constintly shooting with the DiMAGE 7i.... |
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08/05/2002 11:02:15 AM · #10 |
that is a shortfall of the dimage 5 & 7.. whole camera gets quite hot.
I guess its something they did not fix with the 7i
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08/07/2002 05:08:14 AM · #11 |
Nup, she gets mighty hot if you start firing them off!!
My guess is that they decided to place the power supply/control unit as far from the ccd unit as possible (smart move)... which also happens to be where the CF card is.... and where your hand is, with all that nice rubberized plastic insulation... and with such a light wieght metal frame there is not much to sink heat into... unlike a 35mm sized DSLR (E-10 etc.).
Does the nikon suffer the same problem I wounder? Though I think Li-Ion batterys supply a much more favorable, also writing speeds to card?? may be a factor.
(less power regulating/switching/multiplying)
Also I found it only gets hot when you are taking a lot of photo's sequentually. When I was working with EEPROMS for microprossesors you used a higher (27volts?) voltage to write to the card... if CF is the same then they would need to switch/multiply the voltage from 4-6v up to the required voltage. I suspect that the minolta circuits for this arn't too efficent and are generating the heat. It's very hard to make an efficent voltage switch at half the size of the minolta camera so don't give them to much greif about it. It may also be a trade-off between speed and heat and minolta choose high speed (= lots of heat)
Anyway, I am removing my card from the camera after heavy photographing on warm days, hopefully to make it last a little longer.... I think the CF card is still within' standard operating temperature though?? anyone??
At least they didn't put thier little toaster oven next to the CCD ... buying a new CF cards a little bit sooner is a heap better than trying to buy a new CCD .. actually it could be the ccd generating the heat but I doubt it as it's a sony CCD ....
hmmm..... maybe a heatsink with a tripod screw as an accsesory Minolta?
LOL |
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