I have read a lot of info regarding Canon vs Nikon, and from what I understand it seems to be a wash. I am interested in the new Minolta Maxxum 5 (lots of bells and whistles, including Eyestart Automation) and the Canon Rebel 2000. The price seems to be equal, and the Minolta has a metal lense frame, whereas the Canon is plastic. Does anyone have any comments or suggetions. In the future it would be nice to beable to rent a lens for the Minolta, can that be done in a major city? Seattle or Dallas?? Thanks for any advice you can give.

-- Douglas Pollock (dmpeuless@yahoo.com), September 25, 2001

Answers

I'm a big fan of Minolta gear. So, from a purely emotional standpoint I'd recommend the Minolta.

Nitty gritty:

Will you ever want/need to rent lenses? Aside from clubs, I have yet to find a shop that rents Maxxum lenses.

Metal lens mounts are a very valid consideration if you plan on using lenses that are heavy and/or have a tripod mount so the body is hanging off the end. A composite mount will work fine if not abused, but the extra little bit of insurance the metal gives you is worth it. Ask me how I know. ;-)

Personally, I hate eye start. It can usually be turned off. Just a gimmick.

Metering and such is where Minolta shines. The 5, 7, and 9 all have kick-butt metering systems, and great programs. I've recently converted back to manual focus Minolta gear, where I'm constantly having to tweak the exposure from what the meter says. Never had that issue with my 7xi (which is 2 generations behind the bodies you're considering!)

Image is also a real consideration. Even though Minolta makes excellent equipment, it doesn't have the "prestige" factor that Canon or Nikon have. If you're thin skinned, stick with the Canon. (Though you may want something other than a Rebel... "Pros" I've talked to consider it a toy camera. Total hogwash. A camera is a camera is a camera...)

I usually recommend that folks PICK UP the cameras they're considering. Usability and handling are going to be the most important features of any camera.

Don

-- Don Tuleja (durocshark@photo.net), September 25, 2001.

I'd choose a lens system first, and between Minolta and Canon lenses, the choice for me is obvious. Canon. I'm sure minolta are perfectly capable of making some nice lenses, but they don't have what I want:

They have no pro-quality 70/80-200 F4. I don't want to carry an F2.8, because I don't need the extra stop, nor do I wish to pay for it.

They have no IS. I love my 300mm F4L IS

It's not jsut about the camera body, but rather the entire system. I personally think that Canon have the most sorted system at the moment, because pretty well everything works with everything (eg EOS 1V works with the earliest EF lenses will FULL functionality (ie you don't loose this or that metering mode etc), or an EOS 600 (the first EOS) works with FULL functionality with the latest 70-200 F2.8L IS) whereas in both nikon and minolta systems you have earlier lenses that don't report distance information, or later lenses with no aperture ring, or powerzoom lenses that only work with some bodies, or whatever. Of course Canon are not immune to such things; there's the E-TTL system, which requires both body and flashgun to be E-TTL compatible, and IS doesn't work with teleconverters at lower apertures on pre-1994 bodies.

Pros use the cameras they use for good reasons. When was the last time you saw a pro using minolta? Maybe there are some, but vastly outnumbered by the hoardes of Nikon and Canon pros.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), September 27, 2001.

While I wholeheartedly agree with the previous poster about the importance of considering the overall systems rather than the cameras alone, I question the popular practice of pointing to what the professionals use as a rallying cry for doing the same. While it is obviously true that pros choose the systems they use for good reasons - such as an extensive range of premium-quality lenses, availability of rugged models, etc., those reasons are not necessarily critical or even important to all SLR buyers, particularly those buying entry-level cameras such as the Rebel or Maxxum 5. For example, how many buyers of a Rebel or Maxxum 5 as their primary SLR are looking to couple it with a premium telephoto lens? A definite minority I would say. Much more likely, such buyers are looking for an all-purpose zoom or two to fulfil their needs, and through their lifetime of use of that camera are unlikely to purchase more than two or three low to mid-range lenses. To such buyers, many of the reasons that professionals have for selecting their particular camera systems are irrelevant. If you were to fit that profile, I would say that both the Minolta and Canon systems are equally apt to meet your needs.

Having said that, I would put in one word for Canon, which is in the area of digital SLRs. Photography is on the verge of becoming predominantly digital, and I think one needs to be mindful of that when looking to purchase an SLR system now. Canon and Nikon have been introducing digital SLRs in the last two years which use the same lens system as their film SLRs. They appear to have committed to preserving compatility between their digital and film SLR systems. On the other hand, Minolta has yet to introduce a interchangeable-lens digital SLR and it is unclear if they would preserve compatibility when they finally do introduce one. Even if they do, which is likely to be the case, it seems that they are quite far behind Canon and Nikon in terms of digital SLR development. So if I were to build an SLR system now and look forward to the time when I will convert to digital by simply buying a digital body, I would feel more comfortable going with Canon than Minolta.

-- Wing Poon (wlpoon1@yahoo.com), September 27, 2001.

Dimage 7

Minolta's got one too. :-)

Don

-- Don Tuleja (durocshark@photo.net), September 27, 2001.

I stand corrected.. Minolta does have an interchangeable-lens digital model, the RD-3000. But it uses Vectis lenses (from their APS cameras) which are different from the Maxxums.

-- Wing Poon (wlpoon1@yahoo.com), September 27, 2001.

Hi!

Many of he pros that think EOS 300 /Reb 2000 is "a toy camera. Total hogwash" might be afraid beginners will be taking good photos to!!

They have likley never used one either!!!

If you choose beetween Canon and Minolta choose a system not a camera or a lens.

-- Peter (peter.e@emaila.nu), September 30, 2001.

Here's my $0.02.

I work in a repair facility that handles both the Canon and Minolta, and we don't sell any products we don't believe in.

Everyone is correct in mentioning that you are buying into the system, not the camera/lens/whatever.

The Canon lensmount is completely electronic. No mechanical levers= No friction wear to components necessary for proper operation.

The Minolta(+Nikon) use an AF "Drive Pin" that engages on most lenses and mechanically drives the lens. Also present is a stop-down lever for operating the diaphragm. Not too much of a problem in the nikons (save for the FA- notorious for habitually breaking), but if you have seen as many Maxxums needing the "Aperture Base" repair as myself, you wouldn't recocmmend the Minolta, at least not to friends.

So why do we stock the Maxxums?

Those that are already locked in need them. That's why. However, more than a few ditched their lenses on consignment and went to a more reliable system, EOS.

P.S.- this is a lot coming from a Nikon(MF) user, But these are my truly unbiased opinions/observations.

-- Mike DeVoue (karma77@att.net), September 30, 2001.