The metering is very good!
3 memories
Easy handling

The small door on the right side maybe not so hard.

Since I am a beginner I just took 2 roll of films.The result is
very nice.I use 24-85mm&100-300APO lenses.
Both of them are good enough.Especially for the latter one.
And the VC-700 is also necessory.And 5400HS too.
Those who want to buy a new camera at the beginning should not hesitate to buy it.It's the best among EOS5,F90s and it.
I am sure!!!

Similar Products Used:

None

Powerful built-in flash.
Multi-option bracketting.
Most of the frequently needed controls are easy to get to.
Great results!

Mirror locked numerous times since I bought it almost a year ago. I'd be interested to hear from others who've had similar problems to see if there are any solutions from Minolta. Some features are hard to get to for people with big hands like mine. On the other hand, the grip suits me fine (it may not be so easy for people with small hands).

I love this camera. Not only does it fit in my hand perfectly, I'm able to use it a tool very effectively. A camera in my opinion should be an extension of your eye with your hands controlling different parameters -- this camera lets me do just that. If only it didn't have that irritating mirror locking problem I'd have given it 5 thumbs up!

Customer Service

Bought it from Precision Camera, a local camera shop in Austin. Haven't really made use of their services.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta 400si and Nikon N70

Great metering, fast and reliable AF, especially in low light built in flash is very good,3 memory functions a boon, can fully customise to your own specs and preferences, still the simplest wireless flash setup, performance has been foolproof

Buttons inside door a little inconvenient, wonder what the pic modes are for

Truly impressive, have friends who run top end Nikons and and Canons, and even they feel that the camera is tremendous. The low light AF and wireless flash convenience is top in class, and the camera presents the best value at the price point currently. I have both the 9xi and 9, but use the 9 for a lot of my family shots. I've had it 2 years, and it's been constant as the north star. Recommend it without reservations

Customer Service

Not required

Similar Products Used:

9xi, 9, Contax AX

The built flash, it's very useful when a 5400hs is not needed. It also has the illuminated LCD which is very useful in the dark. Very sleek design and good ergonomics (once you have used it for a while).

The body is not so rugged, it feels less sturdy as 9xi and, especially, the 9ti. I wish it had a mid-rewind index like the 9ti has.

The camera is feature-rich, and it has so many buttons and functions that require me to "study" the camera for a while before I went out and started using it. Sometimes, when I compare the camera to my back-up camera, the 3xi, I feel that the 800si looks more fragile and plasticky. That's minor though, and I am glad that I can get this camera. It's been 7 years wait for me to get my hand on this camera, the day I spot this camera on the store shelf back in Singapore. It was also the day when I got my 3xi, which is very reliable although it's not as pro-minded as the 800si. I hope the Magic Lantern book for 800si will come out sooner in US (currently scheduled for printing in October). This camera might have some "secret functions" if you press some button combinations, like my short experience with 9xi.

Customer Service

I purchased this camera from Focus Camera (NY, focuscamera.com) and they offer me a 7-year warranty from MACK since it's the grey import version (Minolta USA will not honor international warranty for products bought in US). I haven't got any problems so far.

Similar Products Used:

Dynax 3xi, Nikon F70 and Minolta X-700

Light, with easy to understand interfaces. The camera was a snap to figure out if you're even slightly familiar with modern SLRs. Once you try one or two of the special featuires, the rest come easily due to consistent desing.

Performance is great. Customizable auto bracketing lets you experiment with differnt lighting easily, and overall the tuneability lets you go nuts.

Exposure compensation, flash compensation, the Pa/Ps modes are great, allowing you to temporarily override the Program mode to enforce style related habits or preferences.

The pre-programmed functions are quite useful; they allow you to mode switch and pick traditional styles in short order when you need it.

The physical size of teh camera makes it a little difficult for small handed users; this, however, means that the camera fits my large hands quite well.

A terrific camera. A great value for the money, with features that would cost another $300 on any other camera.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

3xi, Connol Rebel 2000

For the most part, the automatic metering system is really reliable. Even though I don't really use the program modes, it's useful when "lending" the camera to someone not keen on photography. I've let my sister used it during her trip to Las Vegas, and when I had the pictures developed(which were all taken automatically or with a special program feature), I was amazed to see how the photos came out, especially the night photos. Before, when using the old 3xi, I always had to use manual settings to get results as good as those pictures. I'm impressed with its' metering system. It has a handy DOF preview button(a feature I desperately wanted with my old 3xi). Since I'm usually wearing glasses when taking pictures, the view-finder is large enough to see through. Even without my glasses, it's got a sight adjustment for those who are nearsighted. The camera body is rugged(but not as heavy-duty as the Minolta 9 or Nikon F5). The viewfinder LCD screen is interesting, it can be changed to a panoramic view to help you preview a scene that way and later crop it to size. The auto-bracketing feature is really nice. I've also played around with the multiple exposure feature, another bonus for artistic results. Other features, an exposure lock button, a second focus lock button and a exposure/shutter settings data retrieval system(capable of saving previous shot settings for a number of rolls...I forgot how many).

None yet so far. But I suspect in the future I will find its' limitations. The side door compartment have button features I frequently change(ie, meter and single/continuous drive settings). I've tried saving various settings into the 3 memory recall buttons outside the camera, so far this is the best way around this side-door problem. The 3-frame per second may just be enough for some people. I've noticed that other cameras have faster drive rates. Minolta has this vertical grip for the 800si, but it's just really that(a vertical grip that allows you to use AA batteries instead of lithium. It would've been nice if Minolta designed the 800si with a faster drive, or have a vertical grip for the camera with a faster motor drive.

It's a really good all around camera with plenty of features many other cameras leave out. I think the camera can be as good as a pro camera(a step down from there but it's sufficient enough for the advanced amateur). 5 stars for its' value, many features and durability for its' price. 4 stars, due to minor disapointments with design.

Customer Service

I haven't dealt with Minolta directly. But when my old Minolta 3xi's aperture ring failed, I had it repaired by a local camera repair shop that specialized with Minolta cameras(I didn't see an "authorized" sticker, although it might have been.) I doubt I'd have any problems with the 800si in the near future, but I'm sure if I did, I wouldn't have a hard time finding a place to have it repaired.

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My first camera was a Minolta 3xi. I also worked with a Nikon 8008. Before going for the 800si, I was looking at sever

A huge advance over the previous series of cameras. I like the flexibility of the program and exposure controls.

It's taking me some time to become familar with the controls, as the last camera that I used extensively was a Minolta SRT 303b.

I've made a huge leap in technology by purchasing this camera. Although it's taking time to learn it, I can't wait to gain proficiency. Sometimes I miss my old 303b which has given up the ghost, because of the total manual control I had. I simply need to learn to use the manual overrides only when necessary.

I compared all of the features of this camera to Canon, Nikon, etc. Nothing could compare in value.

Customer Service

I haven't needed it yet, however, this camera body went out of stock just as I ordered it, and I waited almost a month. I wonder if it is increasingly popular or if Minolta is going to replace it with the funky HT, QT, XT line.

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None really. I can't classify the X-700 or the SRT-303b in the same league. I've also used an Olympus fixed

The 800si feels good in the hand, solid. It has a plethora of features that one can use, whether you are a novice, amateur, or pro, it will do the job. You can start from beginning and grow with this camera. The focus is dependable and accurate, even on shildren in swings coming and going. The meter (honeycomb, center, or spot) is also right on. Built in flash is powerful and performs great giving very excellent flash shots when you need them in a pinch. The controls are easy to use and you can always go right into Program mode very quickly if you need to, with just the touch of a button. Of all the cameras I have owned in the last 15 to 16 years, the 800si has been the best.

No!

The 800si will be in my collection for good, it's a keeper. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great camera with great value.

Customer Service

Never needed it, except when ordering a manual or brochures; then it was just fine service.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta Maxxum 8000i, 600si, 700si, Minolta X570, X700. Canon EOS A2 and A2E, Rebel G. Contax 167MT

Customizable auto-bracketing, exposure memory, 3 programmable memory functions, 16 custom functions, excellent matrix and flash metering, excellent AF performance with selectable AF points, lighted top panel LCD, instant program reset with "panic" button, slow flash sync capability, built-in PC connection for studio flash, DOF preview, excellent optional accessories and add-ons.

None out of three 800si's

Doesn't have the heavy build of the newer Maxxum 9 body, but it is still a rugged, very full-featured pro-caliber body despite the lack of mirror lock up.

Customer Service

Have posted e-mail questions to them with excellent responses.

Similar Products Used:

Canon A2e, Elan IIe, 10S, Nikon N90s, Minolta Maxxum 7000, 650si, and 9xi.

After using a lot of other bodies, I traded in my 9 year ols 7xi for a demo 800si. It was used for one year, as a showroom model. The camera is not as nervous as the xi-series and very feature rich. I recommend everyone to buy a young used body. As a pro, I always do!

My hands are medium sized, but some of the buttons on the body (AF, AEL, depth-of-field) are hard to reach.

This body will serve me well for many years to come.

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I owned a XD7, x-700, 7000i, 7xi and a lot of camera's before that.