By Hiker “Gray Goat” (Montana)

It was one of the saddest days of my life when Minolta went out the camera business. This is one really great camera. I hope Sony is able to continue the Minolta tradition.

By Grant Brummett

I bought this camera because I have owned several Minolta Maxxum film cameras over the years including the origional Minolta Maxxum 7000 from the early 80s. Since I already had several lenses I thought it was a no brainer purchase.Until I went with a friend and shot photos at the Arizona Reinsanance festival. He was there with his Canon 20D.

We both shot photos of the bird show and I compared photos later with what he had taken and what I got.

Then he let me borrow his camera and take some shots.

Let me tell you!!!

The auto focus on a Canon camera IS LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF ANYTHING MINOLTA HAS!!! His Canon with a 70 - 200 F4 L USM lens can focus from minium distance to infinity and take dozens of photos while I’m still trying to get my Minolta 5D to focus with any lens at any distance. Since then I have tested a new Canon 30D with a Canon 400mm USM L 5.6 against my Minolta Maxxum 75 - 300 Lens. The Canon lens can focus in micro seconds even faster then my 50mm Minolta Lens!!!! You don’t even want to hear how slow the 75 - 300 lens is not only can you not track birds in flight with the Minolta lens you are lucky to get the shot at all.

Then when comparing the shots taken in darker areas with higher ISO his shots at ISO 1600 looked better then mine at 400!!!

I ended up buying a Canon 400D Rebel XTi and what a shock.

I have tested my Minolta 5D and several of the new Sony Maxxum lens mount cameras back to back against my Canon and it’s no contest.

Bottom line, if you want a camera that can focus on and track a bird IN FLIGHT! then get a Canon DSLR with USM focusing and forget the Minolta non-sense with their body driven focusing motor in the camera body.

My daughter had been using my Minotla 5D for awhile we were shooting some birds her with the Minotla and me with the Canon. I handed her my Canon with a 70 - 200 2.8 L Lens and she aimed the camera out and focused and took her first shot. She looked at me in disbelief!! She said what the heck, how can it focus so FAST!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!!!

If I had never compared I would have never know how much better a camera can be.

Go to any store and try a new Canon XTi Rebel or Canon 30D or 40D and see for your self!!

I have since put up my Minolta cameras and lens for sale.

Good luck Sony, you will need it.

• Read more about Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D

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