Retire or repair?

[FujiSigmaNolta]

Hi all,

Those pesky gremlins came back again, my 7D is exhibiting what to me looks a somewhat higher than normal number of stuck and hot pixels at speeds of 1/30 and slower. I don't think the famed pixel mapping feature of the 7D is working at all either. In any case, my beloved 7D is getting long in the tooth, even though it has given me great pictures and some published in reputable publications I need to make a decision earlier than what I thought of either retire it or upgrade it. Given that I have some nice Minolta glass and I don't want it to gather any dust nor sell it I am now taking a closer look at Sony offerings (but I really wanna go Nikon , I also own some Nikon lenses).

I am in a bit of a dilemma, should I send my Minolta for repair or should I just retire it and put it in a glass display box with its lenses? The problem is the cost...I am betting the sensor replacement is gonna cost a fortune and the stories of servicing side effects that I hear are a bit off putting.

[Roger_Provins]

Get a Sony a700 - continuing the Minolta tradition but better in every way ....

[FujiSigmaNolta]

Yes, I am considering one with a battery grip (most cameras feel a little awkward without for me now), but as I said my mind was really set for the Nikon D300 (I am a bit indecisive now).I don't want to leave the beautiful Minolta lenses I have to dust. I also have more Minolta lenses than Nikon ones. I have a Dynax 5L which I could use them on but I really like using them with digital.

Just today my 7D switched itself off with the mirror up mid-shot. Would not switch itself on until I removed the batteries and put them back, losing date and time.

I which I could buy both cameras straight off .

[Done_rundleCams]

Hi Luis,

Obviously, the Sony makes (a tad) more sense simply because I believe
your collection of Minolta/Sony mounts lenses is greater than your Nikon
mount lenses, if memory serves ()

However, if you can afford (time w/o a camera) to send your 7D to get a
"repair estimate" to find out how much it will cost to repair your camera (and
for how long). This way, you can make a better informed (fiscally) decision
as whether or not a new camera is in the offing

hope this helps.

Cheers,

Jack

[Gordon_McGeachie]

Get a Sony a700 - continuing the Minolta tradition but better in every way ....

Spot on with that one Rog...........

[FujiSigmaNolta]

Hi Jack,

That is why I am so confused as I really liked the Nikon D300 when I tested it for WDC.
I am gonna contact the Minolta repairers here (Johnson's Photopia) and see what they say, but I am expecting something in the region of £300-£400. I bet they are gonna have to send it to Germany (they have done that with a friends camera a 5D) for an AF problem and he was charged something like £375 if I recall well. The problem is is that a lot of people report that their 7Ds behave strangely after the repairs (black frame problems, AF problems...).
The Sony is looking very tempting though),( it's fast, nice image quality, Minolta like interface, but I was a bit concerned with its overly eager noise reduction at higher ISOs. Having said that, the pictures are pretty much gonna end up in print so it's really a problem.

[Gordon_McGeachie]

The Sony A700 a high ISO is great, these 2 are taken Indoors at ISO 6400, no flash and hand held at 1/30 @f11 in medium Jpeg on the Sony A700 using the Sigma 10-20 EX zoom

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3120/...4f28bdba_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2148/...08412429_o.jpg

And these were taken at 3200 ISO



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3136/...205289410b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/...544ab8c1d1.jpg

[FujiSigmaNolta]

Hi Gordon,

Those are very nice shots, but I can't stop myself from pixel peeping and the Nikon D300 was the most pleasing for me. But that said, the A700 is a very good camera and still the most logical option for me. I will hold on and see what Photokina will bring. September is just around the corner and they may surprise us with something. Sony had proven that it is not to be underestimated.

[MickLL]

Forgive me being 'sensible' but it seems to me (unless I've missed something) that you haven't bothered to discover how much a repair would cost.

Shouldn't you do that before making a decision.

MickLL

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I haven't had the time yet as the last two phonecalls I made I was left hanging for a good while (and I hung up). In any case, I am not a simple single minded individual, nothing stops me from considering all avenues while I am at something. And it is true, September and Photokina are literally around the corner.

[MickLL]

Sorry if I jumped to conclusions but I was getting the very clear impression that your mind was made up and that you had decided to buy another camera.

MickLL

PS When you do get another camera what will you do with the dead KM?

[FujiSigmaNolta]

No problem. I just realised Photokina is near and I will consider all avenues. I do have other cameras, but the 7D was my workhorse. If I end up buying another camera, my 7D will go on a glass display box with the 70-300 silver lens that took my shot that ended up in The Economist. The hood is a bit tatty though...

[FujiSigmaNolta]

....I see what you meant after reading all the posts. Yes I did say "...my mind was set for the D300..." or something o the kind, but what I meant was that that would be the case if I was to go for the new camera option. It will sure be a pity if I have to leave the Minolta with the fault, but if it's not economically viable or sensible, so be it. It still works but I don't think I can rely on it for work anymore.

[Mibron]

Hi
If you have not already checked give the following a call:--
Camera Repair Workshop
Milton Keynes
01908 378 088
They are specialist in K.M.
They did a very good service and added a new focus screen for my Minolta XD7.
Good service and reasonable costs.
Good luck.
Mibron.

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I will do, thanks!

[FujiSigmaNolta]

OK, I phoned Johnson's Photopia today and they quoted me a minimum of £140 but they also quoted the same for my Dimage A1 which turned out had the CCD issue and is also playing up again by the way. The £140 I think, is just to have it looked, but I am sure it will take much more than that. Just today I noticed a low, strange electrical kind of noise coming from inside as the LCD lights up and this after it failed to take a shot after switching on and everytime the camera is switched on and off, time and date is gone.

I will give the Camera Workshop a call tomorrow and see what they say, but it's looking as if I am gonna have to retire it unfortunately, I love that camera.

[FujiSigmaNolta]

I phoned the Camera repair workshop today and they quoted me £150 for a CCD replacement and if it needed more servicing they would send me a quote. I explained what was wrong with the camera (all the issues) and they told me it looks as if it could be a lot of money.

So, I am stuck. I may send the camera in for a quote, but it's looking as if I am gonna retire it.

[mike_j]

Sorry to be a damper on the discussion but as a professional systems engineer the only recommendation I can make is to scrap it. These are all short life items - use them till they fail or don't meet current standards then scrap them. I have had to do this more often than I can remember, once with a pair of 1/4M£ computers that never even got fully commissioned due to shifting goalposts (and yes, it was taxpayers money)