In theory the AF algorithm in the D7u will be much like that of the D7i. Meaning that it won't hunt (apparently the D7i never hunts) and will operate, overall, more quickly than the D7 (Minolta's specifications suggest that the D7u will have AF performance half way between the D7 and D7i).
Still, it will never be as quick as the D7i. I use my D7 fairly hard (12000 pix in 11 months) so I have had plenty of chances to experience the D7's focus failure modes. I for one would much prefer something that was less error/failure prone (incorrect focus found or no focus obtainable). In theory the D7u will make me a lot happier in this respect.
The ergonomics of the D7i have been tweaked - some of these tweaks relate to the function dial, and can be considered quite important. The function dial on the D7i no longer has Image Quality and Image Size options (they are now in menus). Instead it now has Memory retrieve/store and Metering mode (multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot). This is pretty nice (sweet, in fact), but it isn't going to make the D7 unusable. The D7's ergonomics are very well-like by people who use it.
If you read the review and go through the instructions on how to use the camera then go to a shop and try the camera, you'll find it pretty easy to do everything you want. Depends, ultimately, on your level of experience with digicams already.
There are few features of the D7i that are not going to make it into the D7.
Also bear in mind that the D7 has no infra-red filtering which means that a lot of colour is spoilt by infra-red disturbance. Many clothes show as brown (instead of black) or purple (instead of blue) for example -
some synthetic fibres reflect lots of IR. This can't be fixed by the upgrade (which is software only).
Also, in my view, the D7i produces better pictures:
- the D7 has a "lop-sided" tonality, the balance between shadow and highlights is such that pictures have a too-shadowy look, whilst also being high in contrast. The D7i has slightly higher overall contrast, but it looks better balanced, in my view (I dare suggest that -1 contrast on the D7i matches contrast 0 on the D7, in terms of the range from black to white - even though the tonal curves of the two are different)
- the D7's colour space is not sRGB. DIVU converted images from the D7 are too-saturated and have a worse tonality than original picture. DIVU pix are, overall, not well liked. Comparing D7-DIVU images to D7i images, the D7i images always look better to me.
I doubt very much that the D7u will produce pictures more like the D7i's. I suspect Minolta will leave this part of the camera untouched.
Bear in mind that there's prolly 2 months to wait before the D7u will be possible. Also, do you want to purchase a D7 new? Maybe you'd be better off buying a second-hand one.
In my view, unless you can get a D7 for less than $400 then it aint worth it. If you're going to do this properly then you need to research the press release for the upgrade to the D7 and assess which functional/ergonomic-improvements of the D7i seem unimportant to you.
I intend to upgrade to the D7i, not the u.
If you were my
friend I'd say "save some more and buy the D7i - it's worth it". If you merely wait another 2 months, the price will have dropped anyway, I expect!
Jawed
