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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / March 2005Maxxum 7D rebate
Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a 7D between 3/14/04 and 7/30/05. Darn, I purchased mine in November 2004. Fred  SignatureWe're Fulltimers and proud of it! View our photos online at: http://community.webshots.com/user/famueller > Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a 7D > between 3/14/04 and 7/30/05. Darn, I purchased mine in November 2004. > > Fred Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent product. <shrug> Signaturejer email reply - I am not a 'ten' >> Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of >> a 7D between 3/14/04 and 7/30/05. Darn, I purchased mine in November [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent > product. <shrug> Slow sales? SignatureSlack > Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent > product. <shrug> It came out in Sept. It's now 6 months into it. Similar price cuts and rebates happened to Canon and Nikon, IIRC, whether officially or on the street. Further, I have a feeling that the 7D is moving slowly (if steadilly) as K-M users have been trained to be patient by K-M's long march to the line with the 7D. Now that the initial bunch of buyers has dried up, they need to reach out to the holdouts. Per dpreview, K-M have reported pretty bad financial results (in the black, but not black enough) although this is pinned to a different entitiy than the camera group. This may put pressure on reducing inventories across the board. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >> Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent >> product. <shrug> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Cheers, > Alan Well, as Slack pointed out and your own post, slow sales (slower than KM likes) would seem to make the most sense, not that I've kept up with them. I suppose one could say I'm a contributing factor to that angle. Now that a rebate has entered the ring, coupled with all this KM glass I still have (along with the film backs), I'll admit I may help them turn things around by a count of 1. Signaturejer email reply - I am not a 'ten' > I still have (along with the film backs), I'll admit I may help them > turn things around by a count of 1. Given my experience with the camera with esp. the 100 f/2.8 and 80-200 f/2.8 you won't be sorry. I'm not totally enthuses with the 28-70 /2.8 results so far, but this ain't bad: http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/BirchBarkSnow.jpg Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >> I still have (along with the film backs), I'll admit I may help them >> turn things around by a count of 1. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > results so far, but this ain't bad: > http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/BirchBarkSnow.jpg Thanks for the followup, Alan, looks as though you and I have had similar tastes in glass. I also have a 135 f/2.8 that has a lot of portrait miles on it, so my curiosity will be adding a few more. I'll have to see if my local shop has a 7D available for adoption this week. Signaturejer email reply - I am not a 'ten' >>> I still have (along with the film backs), I'll admit I may help them >>> turn things around by a count of 1. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > portrait miles on it, so my curiosity will be adding a few more. I'll > have to see if my local shop has a 7D available for adoption this week. Shooting portraits with the 100 f/2.8 (on the 7D) is difficult at best in my small studio (living room), unless you have lots of room the 135 is going to be quite difficult. Is that 135 the STF? A lens long on my lust list. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. I just purchased the 28-75/2.8 D using my rebate ($150 since I bought it in Dec). It should arrive in a few days. Would you happen to know, other than FL, what the difference between this new lens and your 28-70 is? I would have thought it was the G optics, but Adorama lists the 28-75 as a G lens also. Could be a typo I suppose. B&H only says it's a D lens. Also, I'd think the 85/1.4 would be a good portrait lens for the 7D. Of course, KM lists it as discontinued, so finding one... Mike > I just purchased the 28-75/2.8 D using my rebate ($150 since I bought > it in Dec). It should arrive in a few days. Would you happen to know, > other than FL, what the difference between this new lens and your 28-70 > is? I would have thought it was the G optics, but Adorama lists the > 28-75 as a G lens also. Could be a typo I suppose. B&H only says it's a > D lens. G (in Minolta) refers to their professional glass in the last few years (See Minolta text below). Usually APO, The "D" refers to ADI (flash integration using focus distance as a strong weight in the flash exposure (rather than reflected light)). So a lens can be both G and D. The new 28-75 f/2.8 is NOT designated "G" in the Konica-Minolta 7D guidebook. The older 28-70 f/2.8 is a "G". > Also, I'd think the 85/1.4 would be a good portrait lens for the 7D. Of > course, KM lists it as discontinued, so finding one... Do they? It's in my 7D catalog (Guidebook, I'll e-mail the pdf to you if you like, it's a nice resource to have). Minolta "G" definition: "G-Series Lenses G-Series AF lenses stand out for the distinctive level of image quality and photographic performance they provide serious photographers. Circular aperture design, double floating and floating focusing systems, AD (Anomalous Dispersion) glass, aspherical lens elements and a focus-hold button, are advanced G-Series design features that help produce a unique soft and natural defocusing effect, as well as enabling you to take truly high quality photos with the sharpness and vividness you expect." Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. I knew that the G optics referred to their professional glass, and assumed that at the price of 409.00 that the 28-75 wasn't in that category. This is why I was somewhat startled to see Adorama list it as a G lens, thus leading to my question. As far as the guidebook, if it came with my 7D it must have been on the CD (which is presently hiding somewhere.) But Minolta's website (http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/Content/cam/cam_Attachments/Maxxum _Lenses) lists several lenses as being discontinued, the 85/1.4 being one of them. And it seems that most online stores have that item listed as back-ordered. Of course, I have no clue when KM last updated this list. And yes, if you'd be so kind I would like it if you would email a copy of the 7D catalog to me. Thanks, Mike > I knew that the G optics referred to their professional glass, and > assumed that at the price of 409.00 that the 28-75 wasn't in that > category. This is why I was somewhat startled to see Adorama list it as > a G lens, thus leading to my question. It would not be the first time that Adorama made an error. > As far as the guidebook, if it came with my 7D it must have been on the > CD (which is presently hiding somewhere.) But Minolta's website No, it's something I found somewhere in MinoltaSpace on the web... > (http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/Content/cam/cam_Attachments/Maxxum _Lenses) > lists several lenses as being discontinued, the 85/1.4 being one of > them. And it seems that most online stores have that item listed as > back-ordered. Of course, I have no clue when KM last updated this list. > And yes, if you'd be so kind I would like it if you would email a copy > of the 7D catalog to me. Done. (Guidebook, incl. list of accessories). Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > (http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/Content/cam/cam_Attachments/Maxxum _Lenses) Thanks for the link. Hard to believe they discontinue the 85 f/1.4 but come out with a new version of the 600 f/4... Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > Hard to believe they discontinue the 85 f/1.4 but > come out with a new version of the 600 f/4... Sometimes you have to wonder about the Mind Of Minolta, even though I wouldn't trade my equipment. And thanks for the guide. Mike > > (http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/Content/cam/cam_Attachments/M axxum_Lenses) > Thanks for the link. Hard to believe they discontinue the 85 f/1.4 but > come out with a new version of the 600 f/4... > > Cheers, > Alan http://konicaminolta.com/investors/pdf/fr/konicaminolta/2005_h17/revision_200503 17.pdf Any wonder why K-M is in last place? Minolta always suffered from bad marketing! > http://konicaminolta.com/investors/pdf/fr/konicaminolta/2005_h17/revision_200503 17.pdf > Any wonder why K-M is in last place? Minolta always suffered from bad > marketing! The current financial results at K-M, (in the black, if lighter than expected) are mainly a result of low returns in the information systems group. The photo group is also performing less than expected, but is not the main source of woe. The "price deterioration" they are facing is the same at the other camera companies. As to "last place", I seriously doubt they are anywhere near last when you consider companies such as Pentax, Olympus, Contax, Sigma and others. As a result of the K-M merger, they were quite slow in releasing the Max 7D and they will be late in releasing lower end versions. It will be interesting to see if they release a higher end version. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > > (http://kmpi.konicaminolta.us/eprise/main/kmpi/Content/cam/cam_Attachments/M axxum_Lenses) > Thanks for the link. Hard to believe they discontinue the 85 f/1.4 but > come out with a new version of the 600 f/4... You need to read the rest of the chart. The 85/1.4 was only "discontinued" in the sense that was no longer offered in that version. It was replaced with the 85/1.4 G(D), which is optically identical. > You need to read the rest of the chart. The 85/1.4 was only > "discontinued" in the sense that was no longer offered in that > version. It was replaced with the 85/1.4 G(D), which is > optically identical. Whoops! There it is! I thing the "[RS]" in the box fooled my scanner (Mk I EB). Thanks, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >> You need to read the rest of the chart. The 85/1.4 was only >> "discontinued" in the sense that was no longer offered in that [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Whoops! There it is! I thing the "[RS]" in the box fooled my scanner > (Mk I EB). Whoops again. Not even that one. But I do see the G (D) version further down. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >>>> I still have (along with the film backs), I'll admit I may help them >>>> turn things around by a count of 1. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Is that 135 the STF? A lens long on my lust list. Yup, dat be da one. Yes, a bit long for indoor portraits, but outdoors has been my amateur film use. Signaturejer email reply - I am not a 'ten' >> Is that 135 the STF? A lens long on my lust list. > > Yup, dat be da one. Yes, a bit long for indoor portraits, but outdoors > has been my amateur film use. Color me envious... Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent product. <shrug> It's a good camera, and the recent lens announcements make it even more attractive. But it is compared against the Canon 20D, and even with the integral anti-shake, the 7D was perceived as being overpriced. The 20D is around $1200 on sale, with the kit lens. The 7D was around $1500, with the kit lens. So it was perceived as being overpriced, especially by people that didn't see the value in the anti-shake feature. With the rebates, you can get the 7D, with the 28-100 lens, for $1270 (see "http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=30-126-022&depa=0"). This is a very good deal, if you're not already committed to the Nikon or Canon system. >>Seems odd a rebate would already be offered for a relatively recent > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > with the kit lens. So it was perceived as being overpriced, especially > by people that didn't see the value in the anti-shake feature. I would hazzard the guess that 80% or more of 7D sales go to people with $1,000 or more in Minolta lenses. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >I would hazzard the guess that 80% or more of 7D sales go to people with $1,000 or more in Minolta lenses. Which is probably why Konica-Minotla is effectively dropping the price to the level of the 20D. Selling mainly to previous KM SLR owners is not going to be sufficient. To a buyer that looks only at features, it could be an effective ad campaign for KM to compare the 7D against 20D, focusing (no pun intended) on the anti-shake feature, and how on Canon you need to buy expensive lenses to get that feature. > intended) on the anti-shake feature, and how on Canon you need to buy > expensive lenses to get that feature. ... that's been their approach since the A1 days... it was close to 100% certain that the A-S would be in the digital body whenever it appeared. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a 7D >between 3/14/04 and 7/30/05. Darn, I purchased mine in November 2004. > >Fred Judging by some reviews, it's going to take more than that to make it sell against better product from Canon and Nikon. -Rich >>Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a >>7D [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Judging by some reviews, it's going to take more than that > to make it sell against better product from Canon and Nikon. It does appear they need to get well under $1000 to have a chance with those customers who do not already have KM lenses. Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not better results. They need to release a truly competitive product to even have much appeal to the Minolta community. I am not excited about spending $1300 (after rebate), just to see my $600 85mm portrait lens turn into a cheap 135mm APS appendage. And the 6MP resolution! Pocket digicams do better these days! > It does appear they need to get well under $1000 to have a chance with those > customers who do not already have KM lenses. > Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not better > results. > They need to release a truly competitive product to even have much appeal to > the Minolta community. I am not excited about spending $1300 (after rebate), > just to see my $600 85mm portrait lens turn into a cheap 135mm APS > appendage. And the 6MP resolution! Pocket digicams do better these days! Nice trolling, if complete BS. A-S (like VR or IS) is up to the photog to use or not use as may be appropriate to the situation). Detail? http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/ColBill_SM.U.jpg Full size: (2.5 MB) http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/ColBill_FD.U.jpg be sure to view at 100%. (Or a smaller crop from same: http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/ColBill_FD.U.C.jpg ) 100 f/2.8 macro @ f/8. Pocket cams? With tiny sensors? I can only conclude that you have no idea what you're talking about. Cheers, Alan. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >> Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not better >> results. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] >Cheers, >Alan. How's the Minolta for this; One thing that really bugs me is the control of lack of control over chromatic aberration that most cameras still exhibit. Whether it's due to the CCD (doubtful) or the lens design, it's a pain. In Paint Shop Pro 9 there is a function that removes it, and it works pretty well, but you can only compensate for that bright-dark edge chromatic aberration that sees the purple fringe attached to the edge. When it bleeds over into the dark areas of the image (tree branches against the sky) there isn't much you can do. Until they really start using a lot more fluorite or fluorite-glass composites (like FPL-53) in lenses (expensive, in any case) this problem will keep showing up. -Rich >>>Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not better >>>results. [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > well, but you can only compensate for that bright-dark edge chromatic > aberration that sees the purple fringe attached to the edge. When it I've had one strange aberation to date. A thin, OOF branch against overexposed snow. The color of the branch is a deep red. (I didn't work these over, just a resize and light sharpen with USM): Blownout version (green in branches): http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/PICT0981X.jpg Exposure corrected: http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/PICT0982X.jpg > bleeds over into the dark areas of the image (tree branches against > the sky) there isn't much you can do. Until they really start using Here's a shot against the sky. JPG save was at large size, but lowest res as RAW was on too... http://www.aliasimages.com/images/KM7D/PICT0958X.jpg > a lot more fluorite or fluorite-glass composites (like FPL-53) in > lenses (expensive, in any case) this problem will keep showing up. So far no real problems, but I'm still under 100 frames... Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. >>>>Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not better >>>>results. [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] >Cheers, >Alan The second snow-branch shot looks fine, detail is restored to the snow. The tree against the sky shows no aberrations. -Rich >>> Anti-shake is nice, but a $20 monopod accomplishes the same, if not >>> better results. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > lenses (expensive, in any case) this problem will keep showing up. > -Rich I've run some 4000 shots on my 7D with several different lenses and have yet to see an obvious example of chromatic aberration; used to get it fairly frequently on my older Sony CD1000. The thing I'm having problems with (also saw it on my film 9xi's) is that adding a polarizer often results in profound image degradation. Almost like the filters are not threading properly and sitting at an angle other than perpendicular to the light path, but they don't appear to be off kilter when eyeballing them on the lens. Tiffen circulars all, not sure what to do other than buy a couple new ones to see if I just got a bad batch back in 1993. Also considering a Cokin polarizer since I already have a Cokin P system - any thoughts from folks on the Cokin polarizer? Thanks, Bob ^,,^ > And the 6MP resolution! Pocket digicams do better these days! The 7D's pixels are much larger than the pixels in a pocket digicam. This makes for less noise and greater dynamic range. ISO 400 is as high as the Olympus 8080 goes, and it's quite noisy. I haven't used a 7D, but I would guess that ISO 400 images from it look a lot better, even with 2 few megapixels. SignatureBen Rosengart (212) 741-4400 x215 Sometimes it only makes sense to focus our attention on those questions that are equal parts trivial and intriguing. --Josh Micah Marshall > Judging by some reviews, it's going to take more than that > to make it sell against better product from Canon and Nikon. ? This camera is more camera than the D70 in several respects, and despite the 6 MP, compares favourably to the 20D. See the dpreview review. This camera will not make converts of Nikon or Canon users who have a lot of lenses. It won't attract many new customers due to the high price. The camera is aimed principally at Minolta glass owners like myself. K-M will likely introduce a pared down version as a "5D" or something similar. A-S might get sacrificed in that version. In short, they need a sub $1,000 (incl kit lens) if they are to break in new sales. I don't know if they have the balls to do a 9D in full frame. I suspect not. But if they could at least increase the pixel count to the 10 - 12 MP range and improve the sync speed, in a couple years, I would be happy. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. > Konica Minolta is now offering a $200 mail-in rebate on the purchase of a 7D > between 3/14/04 and 7/30/05. Darn, I purchased mine in November 2004. > > Fred I bought the camera just before the rebate. No rebate in Canada yey, in any case. I've written K-M Canada but gotten the "thanks for your loyalty and your money, but there's nothing we can do." OTOH, I shot the equivalent of two rolls of film yesterday (of real photography as opposed to the test crap I've been doing) so that's already $40.00 (CAD) saved in film+processing. Cheers, Alan Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch. |
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