Hey it's Minolta we are talking about Shutter speed Depth of field preview Big selection of accesories Many options for those who know nothing about manual operation Auto focus offers different modes such as "evening" "portrait" "landscape"

Polymer coating. Camera's body surface feels like it shouldn't feel. Makes camera a little bit cheeper than it is really worth.

It is a small aparatus and yes polymer coating feels somewhat cheap, but once you press the exposure button Man it feels quality. In comparison to Nikon 65 or 75 in which shuter feels like point and shoot single use cameras. Never the less Minolta has a lot of options in fact exposure compensation and shutter speed is the best in its class. It is a little bit tricky to operate the "apperture" and "depth of field preview" buttons while looking through the eye piece.(On Nikon N55 and N65 it isn't better) If you have big fingers it might even be a chalenge. Well if you are not planing in continuing excell in photography the Maxxum 4 is your best choice. However for extra $40 bucks you get Maxxum 5 which is twice as good. Someone mentioned the strap is in a wrong place it makes it harder to open and close while loading the film. Yes but there are many different straps which attachemnt doesn't do that.

Customer Service

Haven't used yet. I hope I never will.

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Fed-3 Zenit

Fast autofocus, continuous autofocus for tracking the subject while moving, fast 3fps drive. Once it is set up, it is fool proof. Every feature you could want and many you won't need. Easy controls to understand. Fully automatic, fully manual capable. Smart flash, auto loading. Eye start capable. You can override every function.

You can not use infra red film or self prepared film with more than 40 exposures. The camera neck strap was very poorly designed, the neck strap catches on the film door when reloading almost every time. I can't believe Minolta could think up EVERYTHING else and screwed that up. It's a small concession to make for the finest, lightest, most professional, hard working camera in its class. Batteries are expensive, but last a long time.

Excellent for police work. I use a Tamron 75x300 telephoto AF lens. I evaluated models from all the big manufacturers and the MAXXUM 5 is the best camera for the money hands down. This camera is as professional as you want to be. Can autofocus through glass making it great for surveillance/police work and sporting events.

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Cannon Eos Rebel, Rebel2000, Nikon N65, N70. Old AF Minolta, Kodak Advantix. Manual SLR Olympus.

After reading the manual I found most of the camara's functions very easy to use. Easy to switch between manual and AF. Good low lighting photos. Good moving in the car photos too.

I dont'nt know enough to know what features are missing. The spot focus button is harder to reach than other function buttons.

I knew next to nothing about photography. We were planning a trip to New Zealand and I needed a camara. I read some reviews and decided that this was the best camara for my money. I also baught a Tamron 70-300mm AF lens. After reading the 120p manual I experimented with each function before my trip. I took 20 rolls of 200 speed film. About 9/10 pictures turned out great. Some of my friends wanted copies [said they looked like postcard or calendar pictures]. The 10% poor pictures we all my fault. I am very pleased with the results.

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none

-80 per cent of the features of Dynax 7, 30 percent of the price. -Fast shutter speed for the price, spot metering, 7 AF points, Minolta's highly accurate 14 honeycomb-segment metering, metal lens mount, loads of after-market and used lenses available if you want to experiment, did I say FAST autofocus? -Full remote control capability if you want to spend the bucks -Minolta's famous wireless off-camera flash capability, just like the 7 and the 9.

For the price, none really. I would have kept it a bit longer if it had better build-quality and weight, but all that would have added to the cost, and I also wanted a good cheap camera. The build is adequate, and certainly I had none of the problems one reviewer mentioned (battery cover opening up, etc). The build quality is no different to other SLRs in it's class, so I can't really complain too much. Try them side by side in your local retailer (Nikon n65, eos300, some kind of Pentax and some kind of Sigma being your other options) and you will see what I mean. To me the Minolta felt slightly more solid than the others, and it was certainly faster in focus and shutter speed.

A really great modern entry-level SLR. I have used it in all sorts of situations, from deserts to mountains, always with good results (or if they were bad it was the photographer, not the camera). I have never been held back by the camera's abilities itself. I agree with another reviewer - the supplied lens is a bit limited and you will probably quickly want to get another. If you can, just get the body, plus the sigma 28-135mm, and a used Minolta 50mm f1.7 prime (one of the best made by Minolta and dirt cheap), and you will be able to take great pictures with a very versatile set of lenses. I particularly found the control in low-light situations excellent, very accurate metering indeed. Out of interest, I upgraded to a Dynax 7 after 6 months. In terms of features the 5 and the 7 are not as different as the price may suggest. The 7 is better built and has lots more exciting buttons, plus a bit faster shutter speed, a bit faster motordrive, rear flash sync, and some other stuff like mirror lock-up which you don't need on an entry level SLR. But the 5 is a really great, versatile entry-level SLR. One other reviewer, who hated this camera, said that it doesn't compare to older manual cameras. I agree completely with this - pick up a used Nikon FG (lower-end manual camera from the 80s, much cheaper than a new modern SLR) and you are in a different world, in terms of quality and general feel. It is a revelation. That said, the modern ones do have advantages in terms of speed, ease, versatility, and weight, and even in simple things like autofocus and preset picture settings, until you get used setting up a picture manually on an SLR. The 5 is a good camera, go for it!

Customer Service

E-mail service is fast, reliable and accurate. I have never needed any other type.

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Dynax 7 Nikon FG (OK it is not that similar) Nikon FM (as above)

Ease of use Auto focusing is sharp(rarely have to adjust it manually) Quick Light

Like everyone else the strap and case back

Kind of cracks me up reading the reviews of the 2 that gave this camera a 1. Sounds more like the photographer not knowing how to take pictures not the camera. This camera is great. The lens line up is progressing every year and this is a great way to start. Every function on the camera works flawlessly. I highly recommend the maxxum 5 to anyone starting out.

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Pentax K1000 Maxxum 7 TLR

High sync speed 1/125; 14 custom settings; spot meter; bright view finder;

too much plastic; too small; expensive battery pack (BP-200); Not easy to load a film especially the back cover could easily mess up with the strap. Be careful!!!

I bought the Maxxum 5 QD with 28-80mm D lens about 2 months ago. Love it very much. Comapared to its competitors, N65 and Rebel Ti, 5 has faster highest shutter speed (1/4000) and higher sync speed (1/125). N65 doesn't have spot meter. 5 also has very fast AF and high fps (3fps). I have taken several rolls of picture, so far I am very pleased with it. I got a Tamron 70-300mm LD Macro and a minolta 50mm F1.7 too. I am going to enjoy more with these lens.

Customer Service

N/A

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Seagull DF-2ET SLR

Good pictures for the price...

None

My main cameras are the Canon EOS 3 and Elan 7 as a backup. I've purchased the Maxxum 5 mainly for those days when you don't feel like carrying a camera but don't want to miss an opportunity to get a great shot. I use this camera in the rain, in the deep cold and the extreme hot and humid weather. I treat this camera as if it were a disposable point and shoot and it hasn't failed me yet. I agree with some of the reviews about this camera being too light or too plasticky. But so what ? For the price, I didn't think it would have been a magnesium alloy body top of the line camera. And as far as the backdoor being a problem, I don't use a strap so I've never had that problem. For the people who have had bad experiences with this camera... read the manuals before complaining about it.

Customer Service

None

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Entry level cameras: Pentax PZ10, Nikon N50, Canon Rebel G and a few point and shoot 35mm cameras

Loads of features, you can blame this camera for nearly all your poor pics.

Controls, "D" series lenses are truly horrible.

This has been the most over-hyped piece of crap I've ever bought. Great if you want a pointy-shooty thing so you can blame the camera for all your crap pictures. The battery cover opens when it wants, dumping two expensive lithiums god-knows-where in open country. D*** near impossible to operate quickly in manual mode. Top-notch for those once in a lifetime moments because it takes a lifetime for the shutter to fire after you press the release. Built in game is great. The viewfinder shows a little red light where it is focussing to. You then have to guess where it has REALLY focussed to before you get your blurry prints back. Looks like a toy, feels like a toy, built like a toy. One good knock and you've got a very expensive paperweight. I changed the "D" series lenses I bought for the bottom of a Budweiser bottle and got better definition. I have an 18 year old manual Cosina with a standard lens that I paid 15 pounds for that takes much better pics. Got rid of it and traded for a second hand manual Nikon.

Customer Service

n/a

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Wouldn't touch ANYTHING of Minolta's again if you paid me.

-fast, accurate AF -bright viewfinder -easy to use and handle -great photos so far -high performance electronics & features -flexibility---big lens ability or the ultimate light p&s with 50mm lens. - 3 frames/sec autowind---wow! - people pick it up, try it love it. - best specs in its class - smooth, precise, accurate operation - programmable functions are great.

-CAREFUL closing the film door---you'll pinch the strap.

Wanted the best for my Christmas bonus $, so I read every comparison/review on Maxxum 5, Canon Rebel 2000 Ti, and Nikon N65. Came down to N65 and the Minolta. I chose Maxxum for features and on the recommendation of experienced camera shop salesmen (2 of which were staunch Nikon guys). The Rebel didn't feel right to me (it seemed flimsy, too) and the N65 lacked a couple features I wanted (ISO override, spot focus). The Maxxum felt great in my hands (didn't seem too small to me at all)and the layout made more sense. I purchased the body and a Sigma 28-135mm IF Macro zoom (at $129 a great lens) and added a used Minolta 50mm f1.7 fixed lens ($40) as a light, fast, sharp lens for people & special events. The camera works very well with both of these lenses, and I feel I have great flexibility right off the bat. I highly recommend this route rather than buying the kit. This camera is a blast to use, and I got amazing shots on my first roll using b&w film. Great exposure & focus, shooting mostly in auto modes. I began pushing fast (1600) b&w film right away for indoor action w/o flash---nice results. AF is fast, and Eye-Start is not a gimmick---it will get some shots others will miss. Camera feels good in my hands and has quality build, though the N65 felt a little more solid. With the 28-135mm lens it has nice mass, and with the 50mm it feels as nimble as any point & shoot. My 12-year-old shot a roll of color film at a basketball game (in about 5 minutes!) and got some excellent shots. I obsessed on trying to choose a camera and feel like I got the right one. No regrets at all. I think this camera is tops in its class.

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Handling, compact size and lightweight. Excellent spec for camera in this price bracket.

Awkward door on back of camera fouls the strap when trying to close - annoying

I bought the camera as a lightweight holiday travel SLR but I am extremely impressed with the handling and specification of the camera. I read the reviews and new that it was compact and lightweight but it still surprised me just how small the body is. I use other cameras for much of my photography but have found myself using this camera far more than i intended and will purchase additional lenses. The camera is a joy to use and is probably the best value for money camera I have ever bought

Customer Service

not used

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