Minolta Maxxum/Dynax 7 honeycomb display

neilt3 wrote:

That's just the way it works , and it's not awkward at all .

When looking through the viewfinder the AEL button is where it belongs , and is pressed by the thumb after half pressing the shutter button to set focus and metering .

While its pressed and held it's easy to move your head ( if the cameras on a tripod ) or the camera ( if handheld) to look at the screen , then press the display button .

.

It's very easy to do , and quick .

Does it also work that way if you switch the AEL Button from hold to toggle in the menu?

And in your scenario how do you adjust the back dial without lifting your finger from the AEL Button and losing the exposure read?

neilt3 wrote:

1. panther fan wrote:

neilt3 wrote:

That's just the way it works , and it's not awkward at all .

When looking through the viewfinder the AEL button is where it belongs , and is pressed by the thumb after half pressing the shutter button to set focus and metering .

While its pressed and held it's easy to move your head ( if the cameras on a tripod ) or the camera ( if handheld) to look at the screen , then press the display button .

.

It's very easy to do , and quick .

Does it also work that way if you switch the AEL Button from hold to toggle in the menu?

And in your scenario how do you adjust the back dial without lifting your finger from the AEL Button and losing the exposure read?

Yes , if you have the AEL button set to toggle in the menu rather than hold , you can press the button , let go , and then press the display button and the metering screen will come on .

.

Regarding your second question , it doesn't matter .

When you take the reading , you look at the data and decide if you want to increase or decrease exposure to make sure the part of the scene important to you is exposed how you want it .

The display on the screen isn't a live view display if that's what your thinking .

As soon as you alter either the aperture or shutter speed the readout on the LCD is then incorrect for your "old" meter readings are now irrelevant .

It doesn't change as you change things .

Thanks for the help

According to this video (Timestamp included) https://youtu.be/eReO4YCbimQ?t=2659 the display shows the updated settings regarding the reading at least for the exposure compensation. I thought it does that as well in M mode if you change aperture or shutter speed.

And I know this is my obsessiveness but since the camera doesn't show values between -1 and +1 I will probably always adjust it up or down until it displays +/-1 and then one stop back, so I know it's "exactly zero". Even if that is just to satisfy my inner demon

You need to take another meter reading to recheck your new exposure , if your unsure if you've set it right .

neilt3 wrote:

panther fan wrote:

neilt3 wrote:

1. panther fan wrote:

neilt3 wrote:

That's just the way it works , and it's not awkward at all .

When looking through the viewfinder the AEL button is where it belongs , and is pressed by the thumb after half pressing the shutter button to set focus and metering .

While its pressed and held it's easy to move your head ( if the cameras on a tripod ) or the camera ( if handheld) to look at the screen , then press the display button .

.

It's very easy to do , and quick .

Does it also work that way if you switch the AEL Button from hold to toggle in the menu?

And in your scenario how do you adjust the back dial without lifting your finger from the AEL Button and losing the exposure read?

Yes , if you have the AEL button set to toggle in the menu rather than hold , you can press the button , let go , and then press the display button and the metering screen will come on .

.

Regarding your second question , it doesn't matter .

When you take the reading , you look at the data and decide if you want to increase or decrease exposure to make sure the part of the scene important to you is exposed how you want it .

The display on the screen isn't a live view display if that's what your thinking .

As soon as you alter either the aperture or shutter speed the readout on the LCD is then incorrect for your "old" meter readings are now irrelevant .

It doesn't change as you change things .

Thanks for the help

According to this video (Timestamp included) https://youtu.be/eReO4YCbimQ?t=2659 the display shows the updated settings regarding the reading at least for the exposure compensation. I thought it does that as well in M mode if you change aperture or shutter speed.

And I know this is my obsessiveness but since the camera doesn't show values between -1 and +1 I will probably always adjust it up or down until it displays +/-1 and then one stop back, so I know it's "exactly zero". Even if that is just to satisfy my inner demon

You need to take another meter reading to recheck your new exposure , if your unsure if you've set it right .

I'll double check when I get home from work later .

I only checked in aperture priority , as that's what I tend to shoot in , and while the aperture is changed the meter display doesn't alter .

Possibly the shutter speed is also being altered , and I didn't notice .

The meter values would have stayed constant .

In Manual exposure or exposure compensation , the values should change as well .

I will get back to you later .

Thank you, I appreciate it

neilt3 wrote:

I've checked again .

Ok , so the camera is set to "M" , manual exposure mode .

You point the camera at the scene you want to take a shot off and press the AEL button .

The exposure is now locked .

You press the display button and the honeycomb metering screen comes on showing what point is metered or is over or under .

.

Now you turn either wheel to adjust aperture or shutter speed and because you pressed the " exposure lock " button , if you open the aperture up , the shutter speed increases to keep the exposure the same .

.

So the meter display remains unchanged , as does the exposure .

.

.

O.k. so now you turn the exposure compensation dail to say +2 .

The honeycomb meter display will now show you what the measurements are taking into account an extra 2 stops .

.

However , your exposure remains the same because your in manual mode and you haven't changed the aperture or shutter speed .

The cameras metering system is there for you to take advice from or ignore , it's up to you , that's what manual exposure is.

Unlike some modern digital cameras , this is film , and there isn't an "auto ISO" setting .

.

If your shooting on manual anyway , you take a meter reading of a certain spot , and set your exposure to suit , the cameras 15 point metering isn't what your using .

.

If you want to use the cameras evaluative metering then you would be in S or A mode anyway .

In these modes , when the honeycomb metering display is on and you've applied AEL .

If you turn the exposure compensation dial , then the display will change to show what the new measurement will now be .

In aperture priority , tuning the exposure compensation dial will result in the shutter speed changing . Etc .

.

.

So to sum up .

As soon as you press the AEL button to lock exposure in M mode , and put the display on .

All it does is give information .

In manual mode , you have to change the shutter speed or aperture to change the exposure .

.

In aperture priority mode or shutter priority mode , when the AEL button is pressed and the meter display is on , exposure is locked .

Adjusting one parameter will automatically adjust the other , but exposure remains the same .

Adjusting the exposure compensation dial will both change the displayed metering pattern and change one of the parameters to match the new required exposure .

.

Hope this helps and makes it clearer .

Best advice is if you shoot landscapes , use aperture priority mode .

If you shoot sport , wildlife or waterfalls ( but don't meter off white water ) , use shutter priority.

In a very contrasty scene , take a spot metering off a mid tone , and use that information so set shutter and aperture in manual exposure mode .

Thank you so much for your help.

The behaviour in M-mode seems really backwards, but I think I can work around that. A and S mode seems to work as I expected. I have two other questions if you don't mind.

1. The Maxxum/Dynax 7 works with all SSM lenses, even the new ones like the Zeiss 50mm F1.4 right?

2. There seem to be two ways to enable "back button focus" on the camera

-The way most often described on the internet is putting the camera into manual focus mode and then the AF/MF button on the back becomes kinda an AF-ON button.

But the manual states that used this way the AF/MF button also triggers the metering, which would overwrite the exposure locked with the AEL button. Is that true?

-There seems to e another way in the custom menu, with "custom 23" you can deactivate AF on the shutter button. How do the AF/MF button and the Spot-AF button behave in this mode? Do they also trigger a new meter reading?

neilt3 wrote:

• panther fan wrote:

Thank you so much for your help.

The behaviour in M-mode seems really backwards, but I think I can work around that. A and S mode seems to work as I expected. I have two other questions if you don't mind.

1. The Maxxum/Dynax 7 works with all SSM lenses, even the new ones like the Zeiss 50mm F1.4 right?

2. There seem to be two ways to enable "back button focus" on the camera

-The way most often described on the internet is putting the camera into manual focus mode and then the AF/MF button on the back becomes kinda an AF-ON button.

But the manual states that used this way the AF/MF button also triggers the metering, which would overwrite the exposure locked with the AEL button. Is that true?

-There seems to e another way in the custom menu, with "custom 23" you can deactivate AF on the shutter button. How do the AF/MF button and the Spot-AF button behave in this mode? Do they also trigger a new meter reading?

Minolta , Sony and CZ SSM & SAM lenses work fine on these cameras .

The only one I heard someone had a problem with was a CZ 24-70mm f/2.8 .

But the only way to know 100% is to try it on the camera . These lenses were made a long time after the cameras , they follow the same protocols but won't have been tested on a film camera at Sony .

Not sure what the issue was , or if it was with just one Len sample .

Sigma HSM lenses would need to be tested as they backward engineer their lenses , so all bets are off .

Either method for back button focussing will work .

The first methods better as you don't need to go into the custom functions to revert back to normal .

If you have the AEL button set to toggle rather than press and hold , exposure is locked at whatever it was on when you pressed the button .

Irispective of the shooting mode (S,A or M) or how your focussing .

.

What is it your planning on doing with the camera ?

It seems like your making things far more complicated than they need to be .

Thank you so much for your help.

I am not doing anything special. I am just a gear freak, that is obsessed with little usability quirks. I am one of the few that actually likes the Sony interface and ergonomics but then is upset by little things like the fact that you can assign AutoISOminSS to a costume toggle button, but not to a MyDial custom hold button. So don't worry about me I'm just a maniac and wanted to make sure the camera works the way I want it.

Seems like the Minolta Dynax 7 is the perfect camera. I hope I can get one soon