7D and lens compatibility (28-70/2.8)

[TRS]

Just got back from short vacation and my wife was shooting 7D exclusively. 90% of the time, she had 28-70/2.8G lens on the camera. It happened couple times before we left for vacation and couple more times during the vacation.

As you are working with it, camera thinks there is no lens, F-stop mark is --.
Few times, switching off/on worked, but other times, had take the lens out and put it back.

Anybody experience? Other than that, joy to use the camera.

Just sharing our experience.

Thanks.
TRS

[-7-]

Originally Posted by TRS Just got back from short vacation and my wife was shooting 7D exclusively. 90% of the time, she had 28-70/2.8G lens on the camera. It happened couple times before we left for vacation and couple more times during the vacation. As you are working with it, camera thinks there is no lens, F-stop mark is --. Few times, switching off/on worked, but other times, had take the lens out and put it back. Anybody experience? Other than that, joy to use the camera. Just sharing our experience. Thanks. TRS

Hi there,

Welcome to CS-Minoltian Grp.
Yupe, experienced such situation a couple of times as well. To me, this is not really a new thing as my Dynax5 also gives such condition before. And, verbally I heard from a user of an older version of Dynax 7 (prob. 700si, not too sure) also faced this problem before. But we get used to it already

[Flare]

happened to me a few times, was wondering what was the reson until I noticed that my fingers (left right finger to be exact) keep hitting the lens release button when manipulating the buttons on the left of the screen e.g. preview etc.. Once I noticed, i have grown to avoid it...

Perhaps this is same reason for your problem?

[Magnus Wedberg]

Originally Posted by Flare happened to me a few times, was wondering what was the reson until I noticed that my fingers (left right finger to be exact) keep hitting the lens release button when manipulating the buttons on the left of the screen e.g. preview etc.. Once I noticed, i have grown to avoid it... Perhaps this is same reason for your problem?

Seconded -- I do this all the time. Very frustrating.

I have had the problem with my 200/2.8 too, but that's because the lens was broken

The third alternative is that contacts on the lens are dirty. Try cleaning them!

[yeocolin]

Originally Posted by TRS Just got back from short vacation and my wife was shooting 7D exclusively. 90% of the time, she had 28-70/2.8G lens on the camera. It happened couple times before we left for vacation and couple more times during the vacation. As you are working with it, camera thinks there is no lens, F-stop mark is --. Few times, switching off/on worked, but other times, had take the lens out and put it back. Anybody experience? Other than that, joy to use the camera. Just sharing our experience. Thanks. TRS

28-70G has many good reviews. How do you find it, especially with Minolta's new 28-75 D and Tamron's 28-75? Especially when the price difference between the latter 2 vs the G lens is so stark.

[TRS]

Thanks for all the hints. Cleaning the contacts may the trick. I woulld have to try. As far as pressing the lens release button goes, it is probably not the case, but I will try to reproduce that too if it is the case (in a way I hope that is the case). We never had problem with any other film cameras we own (600si, 800si, 7alpha, and 9), it seems to be just 7D that is having probem. Since we know how to make it work again, it is not a big deal since we are casual shooters, but in critical shooting time , this could be problem.

As for the quality of the lens, it is fantastic. The range 28-70 range itslef is little limiting, but quality is fanststic. It's worth the money. It is very sharp which hobbyist like my wife and me seem to notice first. However, I can not compare to 28-75 since I don't own one. It blows away all other lens I have in the same range (28-105MZ Minolta, 28-70/2.8Sigma, 70-210/4 Minolta).

From the 7D I have yet to see since I stitll have not downloaded the pictures from my portatable to computer yet.

Again, thats for all the hints.

-TRS

[dannynys]

Hi TRS,

Glad to find another 28-70G Len user. I'm just curious to find out how does this lens goes with the Dynax 7D and the new flash 5600. Apparently, the 5600 operates together with D lens to fully utilize the flash functions. If you are using the 28-70G lens which is non-D, does the flash performs normally? I am wondering why Minolta is relectant to provide full compatibility with the 5400.

[TRS]

Unfortunately, I don't have neither flash (5400 or 5600). With film cameras, I used my 3500. So, I don't know how it will work.

Thanks.
TRS

[dannynys]

No problem TRS,


Anyone here tried the 5400HS with a non-D lens like the 28-70G Lens? The picture quality of this lens is excellent. Unfortunately, this lens hunts when it's at night. I wonder when Minolta will add the SSM feature on this lenses...

[UY79]

Originally Posted by dannynys No problem TRS, Anyone here tried the 5400HS with a non-D lens like the 28-70G Lens? The picture quality of this lens is excellent. Unfortunately, this lens hunts when it's at night. I wonder when Minolta will add the SSM feature on this lenses...

You mean 5400 with 7D? It fires only when camera's in manual mode with manual flash power ratios. So lenses do not matter here.

It's common for cameras to hunt at night. Even when you are using f1.4 lenses. But whether it gives you focus lock is something else.

Cheers!

[dannynys]

Thanks for the reply, UV79

Ops, guess I was confused. I was trying to say about non-D lenses with D flashes. Does it fire in the A and S mode ? Apparently, D lenses are supposed to work with D flashes to function correctly. What if the non-D lenses are use now, D flash don't work properly? Will that means we have to buy the D flash and D lenses together with the new body? It's really quite a huge investment. Don't know why is it so critical the flashes need to be "D" to be compatible with the 7D. I have heard about brand like Canon also have dedicated flash models for digital bodies.

Ya, I agree cameras does hunt at night. But with this lens, it's really worrying to see it focus slowly compared with other lenses. The focus lock is often off from what I see in the viewfinder. Usually I will have to resort to zooming in and lock on someone before zooming out again. I think the mechanism inside the lens might be hard to drive, hence it's so slow. I have tried to switch the AF mode to slow in the customise function, it didn't even improve the focus accuracy and of course even slower!

[UY79]

Originally Posted by dannynys Ops, guess I was confused. I was trying to say about non-D lenses with D flashes. Does it fire in the A and S mode ? Apparently, D lenses are supposed to work with D flashes to function correctly. What if the non-D lenses are use now, D flash don't work properly? Will that means we have to buy the D flash and D lenses together with the new body? It's really quite a huge investment. Don't know why is it so critical the flashes need to be "D" to be compatible with the 7D. I have heard about brand like Canon also have dedicated flash models for digital bodies.

5400HS does not have (D) function. It fires only in 1/1 in A and S mode on the 7D and only do preflash metering on the film 7.

If you have compatible setup, like 5400 or 5600 on film 7 or 5600 on 7D, it doesn't matter which mode the camera is in, it'll fire and expose the same. If both flash and lense have D functions, it'll be in ADI flash metering. If one or both do not have D function, the camera will automatically switch to preflash metering. This all is if the camera is set to ADI. Otherwise, it will use whatever metering you have set the camera to.

Both preflash and ADI metering are quite reliable, with ADI having a better edge over preflash.

The 7D, requires a (D) compatible flash unless you want to shoot in totally manual mode. Lenses would be better if it has distance chip in them. But if they do not, should not affect that much as you can chimp to check the result.

Originally Posted by dannynys Ya, I agree cameras does hunt at night. But with this lens, it's really worrying to see it focus slowly compared with other lenses. The focus lock is often off from what I see in the viewfinder. Usually I will have to resort to zooming in and lock on someone before zooming out again. I think the mechanism inside the lens might be hard to drive, hence it's so slow. I have tried to switch the AF mode to slow in the customise function, it didn't even improve the focus accuracy and of course even slower!

Usually when the flash's AF illuminator is used, it's relatively accurate and faster compared to the body's. So far I've relied on it to take such shots. But sometimes it does have misses.

Cheers!

[yeocolin]

Actually, I always assumed G lens to have D function, since its KM's top grade lens.

[Drudkh]

Originally Posted by yeocolin Actually, I always assumed G lens to have D function, since its KM's top grade lens.

http://konicaminolta.com/products/co...ns/lineup.html

Here's the full lineup of all the Minolta lenses.

[yeocolin]

Originally Posted by Drudkh http://konicaminolta.com/products/co...ns/lineup.html Here's the full lineup of all the Minolta lenses.

Thanks. Its just that it was only when SSM came about before I saw
G(D) lens. Before that, it was either G or (D) lens, so I thought G should have D function. Haha....

[TRS]

Just getting back on track (had not checked in for while). D lens are fairly new. I have not acquaired any lens KM released D lenses. Previous G are definitely non-D. I've got 3 of them and all are without D.

Well, KM gotta make money some where else since they put the AS in the body .

-TRS

[yeocolin]

Wow! 3 G lens?? That's rare. Finding an owner of 1 G lens is already hard to come by, let alone 3. Care to share what G lens do you own and how do you find them? Thanks.

[TME]

Originally Posted by TRS Thanks for all the hints. Cleaning the contacts may the trick. I woulld have to try. As far as pressing the lens release button goes, it is probably not the case, but I will try to reproduce that too if it is the case (in a way I hope that is the case). We never had problem with any other film cameras we own (600si, 800si, 7alpha, and 9), it seems to be just 7D that is having probem. Since we know how to make it work again, it is not a big deal since we are casual shooters, but in critical shooting time , this could be problem. -TRS

I get too with my Dynax 7. It happens only with the lens I use the most often - Tamron 24-135mm SP. It's a contact problem most of the time and the rest of the time as Magnus has mentioned, u tapped the lens release with one of your fingers... it's pretty sensitive. U really dun have to switch off the camera. Just twist the lens gently into place until the camera detects the lens again. Works for me every time. I just shot 38 rolls on my hols and it acted up in the cold (about 9oC) (probably due to dirty contacts already there and the cold maybe causes some contraction and reducing the contact between the metal contacts between lens and body). Not a big issue.