Bought 7i thought it had Auto Zoom

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom. Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

--
RLJ

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

--
RLJ

Click to expand...

hi raymond:

when i was replacing my kodak dc290 with a new 7i in april of the last year, i was also surprised by no auto zoom. i had even post a stupid (?) question about it on this forum.

but now, from the time perspective, i love it. forget about auto zoom. you should feel more professional now, not like weekend photographer in nyc central park. unless you like to be "a weekend photographer"......

best regards

jack

Jack D. said:

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

One very important difference that you will like. Less battery drain because you are not using the batteries to zoom in and out. And it is quicker to use a manual zoom ring than a auto zoom. It takes a little getting used to, but as stated by the earlier poster, you will feel more like a pro with this feature.

Good luck!

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

Click to expand...

Well, I will take the bait, in case you might be serious.

Zooming is going through the range from wide angle to tele setting and back. You have to choose yourself, what setting you will use to frame your picture: To have your subject filling the frame or to see more of the surroundings. The motor driven zoom follows your wish slowly, and the manual zoom has no delay while you turn the zoom ring.

When the angle is set, the focus has to be adjusted, the camera does that for you, unless you have it set on manual, just as you wish.
Happy shooting
Hans

Hans said:

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

Click to expand...

Well, I will take the bait, in case you might be serious.
Zooming is going through the range from wide angle to tele setting
and back. You have to choose yourself, what setting you will use to
frame your picture: To have your subject filling the frame or to
see more of the surroundings. The motor driven zoom follows your
wish slowly, and the manual zoom has no delay while you turn the
zoom ring.
When the angle is set, the focus has to be adjusted, the camera
does that for you, unless you have it set on manual, just as you
wish.
Happy shooting
Hans

Click to expand...

so early. my god, you should still be in a bed......well.....with two exceptions:
1. i need to go to bathroom.
2.i need to check minolta's forum.

LOL

best regards

jack

Hans said:

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

Click to expand...

Well, I will take the bait, in case you might be serious.
Zooming is going through the range from wide angle to tele setting
and back. You have to choose yourself, what setting you will use to
frame your picture: To have your subject filling the frame or to
see more of the surroundings. The motor driven zoom follows your
wish slowly, and the manual zoom has no delay while you turn the
zoom ring.
When the angle is set, the focus has to be adjusted, the camera
does that for you, unless you have it set on manual, just as you
wish.
Happy shooting
Hans

Click to expand...

On second thought: There are lots of cameras, wich have to be motordriven because the lens has to be extended, even before you can take any picture. The Minolta is ready at the moment you turn it on.
Hans

Raymond75 said:

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it?

Click to expand...

My friend, many digital users love manual zoom rather than automatic zoom. Manual is more PRECISE and easier to use than automatic because it is zooming with your own hand. Automatic zooming seems like a toy and sometime zooms not exact where you want the frame (composition) to be. When using manual, you set the framing of the picture by just adjusting the zoom lens and the camera auto-focuses for you. Professionals always use manual zoom because they were trained to be that way.

Raymond75 said:

I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

Click to expand...

It's your choice to return it, but I guarantee you will be DISAPPOINTED in doing so. Just imagine two photographers side by side, one with manual zoom while the other with a automatic zoom. A beautiful car comes by and both wanted to take the picture. The photographer with the manual zoom quickly frames the picture just right and takes the picture, whereas the one with automatic zoom uses the automatic zoom and could not get the picture in the frame. The automatic zoom photographer was disappointed because the automatic zoom takes too much time and was not fast enough. If I were you, I'd keep the manual zoom. Really......the choice is up to you, not anyone of us. Good luck.

---everything digital! - Han

i would consider buying it rather than you returning it, i mean, if you really think that the manual zoom thing is a bad thing......... thats one feature i really liked about the D7i........ i would really hate to see you miss out on such a nice camera just because of the non motorized lens, but i would really like to see me get a nice camera ;-) ........but hey, some like chocolate, some vanilla.

If Some Is Good, More Is Better, And Too Much Is Just Right.
I live in my own little world. But it's OK ... they know me here
Pbase supporter http://www.pbase.com/shayfah

Manual zoom...

Pros (in decreasing order of importance):

• faster to frame
• more precise
• faster camera power-up
• less power drain

Cons: none.

I'm curious: What advantage do you see to a motorized zoom?

That's right, it was a very important reason for me to get the D7.

I have mine two years now, and I love it. Many other cameras don't have manual zoom, so I can't yet switch to another camera.

Jack.

colby said:

Manual zoom...

Pros (in decreasing order of importance):

• faster to frame
• more precise
• faster camera power-up
• less power drain

Cons: none.

I'm curious: What advantage do you see to a motorized zoom?

Click to expand...

Raymond75 said:

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.
--
RLJ

Click to expand...

Althought my dad had taken photographs about twenty years ago, and have film SLR. I hadn't photographed because film isn't free, but with digicam you don't have worry about that. So I was newbie to photography when I bought 7i. (We chosed it because of it's 28mm wideangle and manual zoom)

Now after five months there's no way I would buy digicam with button-zoom and settings which could be done only through menus, at least if it would have to be my only cam. (same with 28mm wide angle)

Manual zoom is fast to use and silent. (in fact some electrical zoom cameras I've seen are ridiculously noisy) I think it should be easy to get used to manual zoom if you have used buttons-zooms but after that there's no return to button-zooms.

If you don't like manual zoom and sell the camera you would at least be left missing great wide angle. At least you should try it few days, before you decide to throw the axe to the well.
--
Esa 'E.T' Tuunanen

manual zoom is much faster and much more precise.

I still can hear my Oly C700 auto zoom.... ziggg ziggg ziggg ziggg...and a minute later, darn I went to far...ziggg..ziggg..z...you got the idea.

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

--
RLJ

Click to expand...

--
Daniella
http://www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=26918
http://www.pbase.com/zylen
C7OO FORUM: http://www.c700uz.com

c7OOuz, Dimage-7, Tcon14tele, C210tele, Cokin-173, Grad-ND, Hoya-red-Intensifier, Hoya_R_72.

colby said:

I'm curious: What advantage do you see to a motorized zoom?

Click to expand...

There is one: you buy a camera with more pieces (although, they got damaged faster...).

Honestly, I'm "high tech" kind of person, loving everything that has an LCD on it, even if the machine is only to make a simple coffe... but we must really quetion ourself if "high tech" stuff is REALLY the best...

Even before I knew that many love the manual zoom (reading this forum), and not having experience with manual zoom cameras before, I decided to go 7Hi route thinking that manual zoom is IN FACT better than motorized. I didn't even knew that SLR were manual...

Just try to use continuous advance mode with motorized lens ajusting the frame to that car passing by!

Loving 28mm and manual zoom,

JP
Lisbon, PORTUGAL

I think one of the main advantages of the 7-series is the manual zoom. There is no electronic zoom that can compete in speed and accuracy. I can think of only one situation when electronic zoom is better : When you are forced to regulate the zoom and shoot using one hand only, for instance holding the camera outside the car and shooting, or if you are the driver shoot through the window with your right hand while your left hand is on the steering weel. I doubt however you will get any good shots from this with any cam, nor that you will get any life-insurance if you tell them about it.

The 717 will require both hands to regulate the zoom and shoot anyway. With the 602 you may pull it off.

Regards

HAL

colby165873 said:

I'm curious: What advantage do you see to a motorized zoom?

Click to expand...

May be will be useful when shooting in motion picture mode?

The transition when zooming will be smoother than manual control. Just a idea from camcorder.. I'm SLR user

However, Fuji 602 doesn't allow zooming when capturing in motion picture mode either.

one of the reasons i bought the 7i was the manual zoom - i hate fly by wire zoom. if they are on the back of the camera you end up shoving your thumb tween your face and the camera unless using lcd to frame (double yuk!) if they are on the lens barrel then they seem to be where you want to rest some part of your hand.... and on top of the camera seems to be gettting rarer. either way manual is for me.

i reckon in the car example that you would indeed zoom faster on the 7x's but that the autofocus wouldn't catch up.... it's fast but it ain't that fast imho.

--
Minolta D7i
http://www.pbase.com/ukbuckeye
http://www.nickyandjeff.dsl.pipex.com/weather/weather.htm

The response of manual zoom is just the best - It blows away any powered zoom I've used. Complete control and fine adjustments are just fantastic!!!

If the D7i didn't have manual zoom, I would not be nearly as happy with it as I am now.

Ed

Manual zoom is Minolta Dimage 7xx best feature.
Next to it is 28 mm.

Raymond75 said:

Just bought the 7i after reading Reviews and forums and somehow
missed checking out the Zoom feature. I presumed it had an Auto
Zoom like the Fuji S602 and Sony DSC-717 I was comparing it to. I
feel dumb!

Tonight I noticed on the forums, that some prefer the manual zoom.
Why is it manual and is it something you like or just get used to
it? I am considering returning it, but like all the other features.

--
RLJ

Click to expand...

A power zoom is about as useful as an electric fork, and let's not forget size and weight (my favorite D7 attributes).
A cam like the 717 is always fully extended and front-heavy.

Even if they do develop an affordable dslr, I'll never go back to lugging all that stuff.
--
Z-Man

Randy Z said:

A power zoom is about as useful as an electric fork, and let's not
forget size and weight (my favorite D7 attributes).
A cam like the 717 is always fully extended and front-heavy.
Even if they do develop an affordable dslr, I'll never go back to
lugging all that stuff.
--
Z-Man

Click to expand...

Hi,

The other day were a big feast in town here in France for the revolution date. It was just so great to zoom in and out so quick to get some captures. Take a whole scene of a theatra piece and a cool portrait of a nice actress just took a few seconds to change

Don't give your Minolta back, you will regret it. You must be feeling like being in a Minolta forum

Regards, Rainer
--
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/rainer.pawellek