Dimage 7 - Weird Camera

I just received a Dimage 7 that I won on Ebay for A$61, and was scratching my head tonight.

Firstly, it's very good for cold weather - as the handle gets quite warm.

I took some shots outside in cloudy weather this morning, and when I finally checked them tonight they were highly desaturated - nothing like the nice colours from my Dimage 7i, but looking more like the colours from my Z6. Maybe the AWB was out?

But then I checked Phil Askey's review and saw there was an issue with colour space, and how all the photos need to be resaved in Image Viewer to get better colours. And he noted the warm handle as well.

The notes that came with the camera say that one should get 200 shots from a set of 1600mAh batteries. Yet using 2500 mAh batteries, the indicator quickly goes to the red low battery level. Turn the camera off for a few hours, and starting it up again shows full batteries - which suddenly get very weak by the indicator after taking a few more shots. Then I took lots of flash shots, and it kept showing weak batteries. But when I checked the batteries with a battery checker, they are still at near full charge.

I can imagine some people getting exasperated with this camera when it first came out, when all they had was lower powered 1600mAh batteries - which used to be quite expensive.

I think I'll apply some De-Oxit on the terminals and see if it improves things.

I just applied the firmware update, the camera I had was two updates out of date. And I've ordered an 850 IR filter from Ebay for it (which was the main reason I bought this unit, when I already had the 7i from a few months ago).

Has anybody else who used the Dimage 7 found any other quirks and fixes that would be handy for me to know about?
Regards,
Renato

It's actually a great little camera. I still have mine and use it for IR work.

Re the color space issue: Minolta had it's own MinoltaRGB color space. If you open a file from the D7 with Photoshop or Lightroom or any software that manages color space, the software will assume that the image was shot with sRGB color space and will assign it to sRGB. The result is dull flat colors. To solve the problem you have two choices: 1. Open the image with the Minolta DiMAGE Viewer software (if you have it) and then save the image in either sRGB or AdobeRGB color space. or 2. Open the image in Photoshop and use the Assign Profile command to assign the image to the Minolta color space. In my color profiles folder it is called DiMAGE 7 mod (Minolta 2002). It's probably still available from Minolta. Here, I just found the link, http://ca.konicaminolta.com/support/americas/digital_cameras/dimage-7/dimage-7/software_drivers/drivers/icc_win.html

After assigning the image color profile to Minolta, I would recommend then converting it to either AdobeRGB or sRGB.

Re the hot grip: The microprocessor generates quite a bit of heat. Minolta used the hot grip as a safe way to cool the processor.

Re the Battery issue: Try the new Enerloop type rechargeable batteries. They give much longer life than the older quick discharging batteries. The D7 has a higher cut off voltage than most other cameras. So batteries that would be good for another 100 shots in other cameras appear to be dead in the D7.

I assume you have upgraded to the version 2 software. It offered many advantages over any of the version 1 variations.

Enjoy the camera,

****

Are you using Energizer 2500 by any chance? I thought I was doing the right thing buying these for my D5 and it was unusable. Apparently these are notorious. I was going to throw the camera away until someone here suggested Eneloops and now it is fine. You would need to read up about the physics of it all (check out my thread a few months back).

Version 2? The latest I found was version A1v123e.

Thanks for all your other tips, I shall explore later tonight.
Renato

No, another brand of 2500 ones - which have worked very well in my Canon A710IS.

I shall invesitigate these Eneloops - never heard about them till today.
Renato

The Sanyo Eneloop batteries hold their charge much longer (lose less than 10% after sitting in your bag for a year) than most AA rechargeable batteries (the 2500s loose half their charge in a month).

The version 2.00 was offered for about $50. It wasn't a bug fix but a major upgrade of the features of the camera. It improved the speed, the focusing, added features such as a live histogram. There was also a version 2.01 which just allowed the camera to use flash cards greater than 2 GB in size. The upgrade also included a new version (2.37) of the DiMAGE Viewer software. I would highly recommend it. I think it's available from a Minolta user group on Yahoo if you can't find it anywhere else.

****

Agreed that installing the V2 upgrade is worth the hassle. It is a major improvement. Files are on Yahoo:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dimage7/files/

You'll probably have to sign up for this user group, but its free anyway.

With the upgrade and modern CFII cards a RAW file write is down to 8-9 sec or so, from 24sec in the review. Not fast, but perfectly usable if you use the camera for landscape IR stuff.

Also: batteries, yes, I have the same experience. Get the new 2000 NiMH batteries that come precharged and are labeled as "can be recharged 100s of times." The Eneloop are popular and I think the originals. I have the duracell version of these, and these are good too. Everyone who gets the D7 seems to run into the same battery issue and gets it solved by getting these newer style batteries.

Just making sure that you ordered the filter as 62mm or bigger. Smaller will vignet.

I downloaded the upgrade, and will install it after I give the batteries a good charging.

Just curious - was there also a similar upgrade for the 7i ? I'd be interested as that camera is in better shape than the 7 - the image in the EVF is useable, but sharp on the left hand side and out of focus on the RHS (something's out of position).

Regards,
Renato

I ordered the 49mm filter - but it was cheap!
Renato

Thanks - it is veritably amazing what one learns around here.
Regards,
Renato

Bummer that you ordered the 49mm. You will only be able to use the camera for approx. 50mm (equiv) or greater with that filter. Wider will give you black corners because of the shading of the filter ring. My recommendation would be that if the order wasn't shipped yet to cancel it and order a 62mm with a 49-62mm step-up ring (but it would be more expensive).

Thanks Andre,
But I just got the email confirmation that it has shipped.
Oh well - if I feel the need, I'll get a bigger one later.
Cheers,
Renato

Thanks once again to you and **** for the information, and to you for the links.

I didn't realise I had to put Version 2.00e in first, and then version 2.01e next. I got nowhere putting the latter in first.

The only thing missing from that site was exactly how to do it, so I used the instructions from the KM site for version 1.23e.

It's fun having DMF and a Live Histogram.
Regards,
Renato

There was no similar upgrade for the 7i. Also, the 7i, 7Hi and A1 suffered from the bad batch of Sony sensors. So when buying one of these models used you need to know if the sensor has been replaced. I don't think Sony is doing free replacements any more.

Re the vignetting with the 49mm filters. It generally seems to be at it's worst at the 35mm setting. The 28mm setting shows less vignetting. It's easy to correct in Photoshop. Just shoot a gray card or gray wall. The image will show the darkened corners. Invert this image in Photoshop. It will now have lighter corners. Save this image. Then whenever your regular images show darkening in the corners, just add this image as a top layer and change the blend mode for this layer to Overlay. That will cancel out the darkening.

****

Thanks ****,

That technique also is news to me, much appreciate it. Unfortunately, I probably won't get a chance to try it soon, as I'll be in Europe on vacation in two weeks time - which typically is when the filter usually arrives here.

I'm especially interested in comparing IR shots taken with the Dimage 7 to those I take with my camera of the same vintage - my Coolpix 4500 - only I actually paid full price for that camera back then.

I have read about the bad sensors here before, but I decided to risk it as the prices are so cheap.
Renato

Digital **** said:

There was no similar upgrade for the 7i. Also, the 7i, 7Hi and A1 suffered from the bad batch of Sony sensors. So when buying one of these models used you need to know if the sensor has been replaced. I don't think Sony is doing free replacements any more.

Re the vignetting with the 49mm filters. It generally seems to be at it's worst at the 35mm setting. The 28mm setting shows less vignetting. It's easy to correct in Photoshop. Just shoot a gray card or gray wall. The image will show the darkened corners. Invert this image in Photoshop. It will now have lighter corners. Save this image. Then whenever your regular images show darkening in the corners, just add this image as a top layer and change the blend mode for this layer to Overlay. That will cancel out the darkening.

****

Click to expand...

Thanks once again for all your suggestions.

I've bought the Eneloop batteries and am looking forward to testing out the camera tomorrow.

I also bandage fixed the slightly out focus EVF screen, by opening it up and shoving a piece of tooth pick in there - the diopter adjustment doesn't work now, but the screen is nice and sharp compared to before.

And I'm still amazed by what happened to the camera in the upgrade.

Renato

The Minolta EPB-100 , if you can find one - ebay ?, it takes 2 x 7.2v li-ion which should allow all day(s) use and the freedom from being loaded down by aa cells or restricted by the number you can fit in your pockets to give ample time.
AA's may/should last longer if you turn off the evf.

Thanks Russ,
I'll keep a look out for that unit.

I loaded the Eneloops the other day, and used the camera briefly yesterday and all worked well - which was better than with my 2500mAh batteries.

You have me intrigued though. I would have thought that the EVF used less power than the LCD, but you suggest the opposite. Is that another weird thing about this camera?
Renato

RussFlynn said:

The Minolta EPB-100 , if you can find one - ebay ?, it takes 2 x 7.2v li-ion which should allow all day(s) use and the freedom from being loaded down by aa cells or restricted by the number you can fit in your pockets to give ample time.
AA's may/should last longer if you turn off the evf.

Click to expand...

The EVF definitely uses a lot less than the LCD. The LCD and the flash are the battery killers.
****