The Maxxum 7D will be the first interchangeable lens digital SLR to feature in-camera anti-shake technology, which is achieved by shifting the entire CCD image sensor to counter the effects of camera shake. This will apparently allow anti-shake with all Maxxum AF lenses except the AF 16mm Fish Eye and Macro Zoom 3x – 1x, which the company says will yield a 2 - 3 stop improvement in the shutter speeds which can be handheld (when active). The Maxxum 7D will feature a 6.1 megapixel (effective) image sensor, compatibility with all Minolta A-mount AF lenses, 9-point phase detection autofocusing, a 2.5" LCD display with 207,000 pixels, eye-level fixed pentaprism viewfinder with 0.9x magnification and 95% field of view, CompactFlash Type-I or Type-II, in a magnesium alloy (front and base) body. Other features include a choice of either RAW or JPEG, plus simultaneous RAW+JPEG recording formats, 5-step control over sharpness, contrast, color saturation and hue, six white balance presets, the ability to directly dial in a color temperature from 2500K to 9900K in 100K increments, and sRGB and Adobe RGB color modes.

The Maxxum 7D will also offer user-selectable long-exposure noise reduction, 14-segment multi / center-weighted / spot metering, built-in flash with a guide number of 12 at ISO 100, flash sync at 1/160 second, shutter speeds from 30 - 1/4000 second plus bulb, and a three frames-per-second burst mode for nine RAW or 12 JPEG frames at the highest resolution / quality. Power will come from a single NP-400 Lithium Ion battery or an optional VC-7D battery grip with space for two NP-400 or six AA NiMH batteries. Connectivity includes USB 2.0 High-Speed for PC / Mac, and NTSC / PAL video output.

Pricing and availability have not been announced at this time. Courtesy of Konica Minolta, we have the following "backgrounder" document, along with full specifications and product photos from a variety of angles, and finally the official press release.

New Konica Minolta Digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) Camera: The Maxxum 7D

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc.'s new Maxxum 7D is the world's first* 1 digital SLR to be equipped with a body-integral, CCD-shift camera-shake compensation Anti-Shake technology that supports all Maxxum AF lenses* 2 .

Product Highlights

• Body-integral CCD-shift Anti-Shake technology reduces blur caused by camera shake and supports all Maxxum AF lenses.

• A large, easy-to-view 2.5-inch high-definition, 207,000-pixel color LCD monitor that combines menu navigation with image and data display.

• Stunning picture quality derived from a high resolution, 6.1-million-pixel (effective) 23.5mm x 15.7mm size CCD and exclusive Konica Minolta CxProcess™ III image processing technology.

• Incorporates a central, cross hair type, 9-point and 8-line autofocus (AF) sensor array providing high-precision AF and high performance subject tracking of moving subjects.

• Combines simple operation in a stylish, compact package inheriting the product ideals of the Maxxum range of film SLR cameras. Upgraded, high-end shooting and versatile imaging functions designed to satisfy any photographer's needs, whether they are amateur or enthusiast.

• Excellent system back-up and accessories to cater to a broad range of shooting styles and conditions.

Features:

Anti-shake Technology and CCD Shift Mechanism
The world's first^*1 digital SLR with body-integral CCD-shift Anti-Shake technology, including compatibility with Minolta A-Mount optics and allowing all Konica Minolta interchangeable AF lenses to be used.^*2

The award winning Konica Minolta Anti-Shake technology was selected as “European Photo Innovation of the Year 2004 – 2005” by EISA^*3 and provides the equivalent correction effect^*4 with a shutter speed 2 - 3 steps slower.

Konica Minolta's Anti-Shake technology makes it possible to reduce blur caused by camera shake, even when taking photos in dimly lit or twilight scenes, in natural light with a telephoto lens, as well as macro shots – without relying on a higher ISO setting or the aid of a flash or tripod. Anti-Shake responds quickly to both broad, slow-swaying motion of the camera body and the higher frequency shaking typical of camera shake caused by the photographer's hands.

The Anti-Shake technology can be switched on or off via a dedicated switch on the camera's back and when active, an Anti-Shake indicator is displayed on the viewfinder to keep the user informed when it's active.

Easy-to-View 2.5-inch High-Definition LCD Monitor
Centrally mounted on the camera's back-plate is the large, easy-to-view 2.5-inch, high-resolution, 207,000-pixel color monitor. It quickly and clearly displays captured shots for fast image appraisal. Image histogram data can be overlaid without obscuring the displayed image and thanks to its large size, it can display up to a 16-frame thumbnail index display.

Intuitive Operation with Dial-&-Lever System
The new Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D inherits the dial and lever operation system from the highly-regarded Maxxum 7 35mm SLR camera. This similarity allows intuitive operation for Maxxum 35mm SLR users moving up to the new digital Maxxum 7D.

Menu and Navigation Display
The LCD monitor works as a Navigation Display allowing seamless operation with clear and concise camera settings displayed with comprehensive shooting information, indicated with large, easy to read text. Aiding ease of use further, the display automatically switches from horizontal to vertical format when shooting in the upright “portrait” format.

Advanced LSI Image Processing Engine
A newly developed Advanced LSI image processing engine for the Maxxum 7D enables high-speed processing of large quantities of data and designed to improve image processing at high-sensitivity settings ensuring reduced image noise while retaining high picture quality. This combination also helps ensure easy handling similar to the smooth-shooting rhythm associated with 35mm film SLR cameras.

Konica Minolta's CxProcess™ III
Consistently high picture quality is ensured by the 6.1-million-effective-pixel CCD, the unique CxProcess™ III image processing technology, and a combination of Konica Minolta's expertise in photosensitive materials and exposure control technologies. Each is integrated here in the new Maxxum 7D to ensure superb picture quality and to help make the most of any attached AF lens.

CxProcess™ III is an original, image processing technology designed to provide impressive and natural-looking images. CxProcess™ III, achieves these stunning, natural-looking images by integrating a broad range of photographic technologies gained from Konica Minolta's long years of experience in this field. It ensures clear and crisp pictures, natural skin tones and packs in detail, ideal for shooting landscapes or macro subjects.

High-Performance, High-Speed Autofocus (AF)
The new Maxxum 7D incorporates a central, cross hair type, 9-point and 8-line AF sensor array providing high-precision AF and high performance subject tracking of moving subjects within the frame. The AF system enables both Predictive Focus Control and Subject Tracking for high-speed focus adjustment of moving subjects, making it ideal for fleeting moments or sports photography.

High-Speed Continuous Advance and Image Processing with Large Capacity Image Buffer
The new Maxxum 7D allows high speed continuous shooting of up to 9 consecutive frames at up to 3-frames per second in both RAW or RAW+JPEG modes thanks to a large image buffer. Additionally, it allows continuous shooting of up to twelve 3008x2000 JPEG images at the extra-fine image-quality setting and 15 JPEG images the same size at the fine image-quality setting. These high-speed shooting capabilities are ideal for capturing momentary expressions, sports or fleeting action shots while retaining high picture quality throughout.

RAW+JPEG Simultaneous Recording
Photographers can choose to shoot either JPEG or RAW images or both combined with the simultaneous RAW + JPEG dual-format capture mode for improved, post-shoot workflow.

Easy-to-View, High-Performance Viewfinder
A spherical acute matte focusing screen is used in the viewfinder for accurate, bright critical focusing assessment. The new model incorporates an optical glass pentaprism viewfinder with a 0.9x magnification factor and 95% field of view for easy scene assessment and composition.

Highly Durable and Reliable Magnesium-Alloy Body
The new camera is sturdy, compact and stylish featuring a magnesium alloy front body panel and base.

Comprehensive Image Adjustment and Control for Creative Picture Capture

• Image correction: 5-step fine control adjustment for sharpness, contrast, color saturation and hue.

• White balance (WB) setting: In addition to the auto mode, the new camera has six presets for WB plus a custom mode for precise white balance settings in difficult lighting conditions. This model also features numerical settings for color temperature, which gives photographers a higher degree of color temperature matching. Fine-tuning is possible over a range from 2500K to 9900K in 100K increments, providing a broader range than with the auto white balance or preset white balance alone.

• Zone Matching: New technology that allows the precise reproduction of tonal gradations in highlights and shadows, essential in difficult shooting conditions with predominant highlights and helps ensure noise-free low-light images. The camera's Zone Matching system permits effective control of high and low key tone capture; the former important for highlight capture in shots such as a white wedding dress, the latter for low light situations.

Maxxum System Accessories
Konica Minolta has also introduced two new zoom lenses , each designed to provide optimum image quality when used with the new Maxxum 7D digital SLR – the Konica Minolta AF ZOOM 17 – 35 mm f/2.8 – 4 (D) and the Konica Minolta AF ZOOM 28 – 75 mm f/2.8 (D) .

A broad range of existing Maxxum-system accessories is also available for use with the Maxxum 7D including D-series flash units, remote cords and an angle viewfinder. The D-series flash and D-series lenses, which include built-in focus distance calculations, when used in combination with the new Maxxum 7D, provide improved exposure accuracy. Combined with high-precision ADI flash metering, the camera provides high-precision lighting control that answers the most demanding and diverse needs.

The new dedicated VC-7D Vertical Control Grip for the new Maxxum 7D connects to the camera body and provides a secure grip on the camera while enhancing easy, vertical camera control and overall ease of use, particularly when shooting upright, portrait-format shots.

The VC-7D's sure-hold grip provides confident handling characteristics and features a dedicated shutter-release button, front and rear control dials, autofocus (AF)/manual focus (MF) control button, auto exposure (AE) lock button and AF area selector button, thereby delivering comfortable and reassuring handling characteristics to the camera in either horizontal or vertical shooting situations.

The VC-7D allows two lithium-ion batteries to be used simultaneously for an extra power supply. This allows photographers to take advantage of shooting many more images before worrying about recharging the batteries. Adding still more versatility, standard AA Ni-MH batteries can also be used.

Konica Minolta's new DiMAGE Master is optional software to improve creative workflow for advanced users. Diversified tools for classifying and comparing images boost work efficiency of selecting the best shots. Newly developed RAW processing program enables more accurate color reproduction.

NOTES:

*1) As a lens-changeable digital SLR camera

*2) With the camera's AF macro-zoom 1x – 3x specialty lenses and Anti-shake function turned off.

*3) The European Imaging and Sound Association, publishing 50 major photography and AV magazines in 20 European countries

*4) Anti-Shake picture blur correction effect amount varies with shooting conditions and lenses used

# # #

Konica Minolta Maxxum 7 Digital
Camera Type	Interchangeable-lens digital SLR camera
Lens Mount	Minolta A-type bayonet mount
Image Capture	Total pixels: 6.3 million, Effective pixels: 6.1 million CCD size: 23.5mm x 15.7mm, Interline primary color, interlace scan Sensitivity: Auto and 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600,and 3200 ISO equivalents Aspect ratio: 3:2
Recording	Recording Media: Type I and Type II CompactFlash Cards, Microdrive, SD Memory Cards and MultiMedia Cards with optional CompactFlash Adapter SD-SF File format: JPEG, RAW, RAW+JPEG (DCF 2.0 compliant, DPOF (supported by printing functions in version 1.1), Exif 2.2) Storage capacity: Approximate storage capacity of a 256MB: 3008 x 2000 2256 x 1496 1504 x 1000 RAW 26 frames - - RAW + JPEG 19 frames 21 frames 23 frames Extra fine 41 frames 72 frames 157 frames Fine 81 frames 141 frames 292 frames Standard 138 frames 235 frames 463 frames Color mode: Natural: sRGB, Natural +: sRGB, Adobe RGB Image quality mode: Standard, Fine, Extra-fine, RAW, RAW+JPEG (Fine) Image correction: Contrast, Color saturation, Sharpness, Hue (5 levels) Noise reduction: Available (at shutter speed longer than 1 second, ON/OFF selectable) Delete function: Single frame, Marked frames or All frames in a folder in card can be deleted.
White Balance Control	Automatic, Preset (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash), Custom, Color temperature setting available
Playback	LCD monitor: 2.5-inch TFT color Total pixels: 207, 000 Navigation system: (Enlarged display, Automatic rotate function) Number of frame(s) displayed: 1, Index (4, 9, 16 selectable) Display mode: Image only, Image + text, Image + text + histogram, Enlarged playback (Up to approximately 5x), Luminance limit Display, File browser, Slideshow, Instant bracket playback
Autofocus System	Type: Through-the-lens (TTL) phase-detection system Sensor: CCD line sensors (9 points, 8 lines with center cross-hair sensor) Sensitivity range: EV-1 – EV18 (ISO 100) Autofocus area: Wide focus area, any local focus area is selectable from 9 point sensors. Focus mode: Autofocus/Manual focus can be selected. Autofocus mode: Single-shot AF, Continuous AF, Automatic Autofocus (DMF is selectable in menu). Predictive focus control for moving subjects. Auto-tracking focus point display Focus lock: Available (by pressing the shutter release button halfway down) AF illuminator: Available (with pre-flash) 3.3-16.4 ft. (1.0-5.0m)
Autoexposure System	TTL metering using 14-segment honeycomb-pattern SPC (14-segment Honeycomb-pattern / Center-weighted / Spot metering) Metering range: EV 0 - 20 (EV 3 - 20 in spot metering) * at ISO100 with f/1.4 lens Exposure modes: P/Full-auto program (Programmed AE with program shift), A (Aperture priority), S (Shutter priority), M (Manual) Exposure compensation: +/– 3 EV in 1/2 increments +/– 2 EV in 1/3 increments AE lock: Automatically activated with AF lock, Available with AE lock button
Flash	Flash metering: ADI, Pre-flash TTL, Manual flash control Guide number: 12 (in meters at ISO 100), 17 (in meters ISO 200) Coverage: 24mm Recycling time: Approximately 3 seconds Control: Manual switchover. Lift-up for Fill Flash, push down for Flash Cancel. Flash modes: Fill Flash, Flash Cancel, Red-eye Reduction (pre-flash), Wireless / Remote Off-camera Flash, Rear Flash Sync., High Speed Sync. Flash compensation: +/– 2 EV in 1/2 stop increments
External Flashes	Program Flash 5600HS(D), 3600HS(D), 2500D, Macro Ring Flash 1200* with flash sync. terminal * Macro Flash Controller is necessary.
Shutter	Type: Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane Shutter Range: 30-1/4000 second, Bulb Flash sync speed: 1/160 second (with Anti-shake OFF), 1/125 second (with Anti-shake ON)
Drive	Drive modes: Single, Continuous, 10 seconds / 2 seconds self-timer, Single bracket, Continuous bracket Continuous advance: Approximately 3 frames per second Approximate number of frames that can be captured at one time: 3008 x 2000 2256 x 1496 1504 x 1000 RAW 9 frames - - RAW+JPEG 9 frames 9 frames 9 frames Extra fine 12 frames 14 frames 20 frames Fine 15 frames 19 frames 30 frames Standard 19 frames 26 frames 43 frames Exposure bracketing: With 0.3 / 0.5 EV increments, 3 / 5 frames Interval recording: Interval time: 30 seconds / 1-10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60 minutes, 2 - 240 frames. Start timer is equipped. (Setting: 0.5 to 24H, in 0.5 increments) Other functions: Instant playback, Customizing, Zone matching
Anti-Shake	CCD-Shift Anti-shake system with LED indicator in viewfinder Anti-shake effect: Equivalent to 2 – 3 steps in shutter speed (Actual effect varies depending on shooting conditions and the lens used.)
Viewfinder	Type: Eye-level fixed pentaprism Focusing screen: Spherical Acute Matte (G-type as standard) Field of view: Approximately 95% Magnification: 0.9x (with 50mm lens focused on infinity) Diopter control: –3.0 to + 1.0 m-1 Eye-relief: 25mm from the eyepiece, 21mm from the eyepiece frame in -1 m-1 Eyepiece cup is removable. Interchangeable focusing screen is available (type M, L, ML) at service facilities.
Video Output	NTSC / PAL
Audio Signal	Yes
Printing Output Control	Exif Print, PRINT Image Matching II, PictBridge
PC Interface	USB 2.0 High-Speed
Remote Function	Remote data storage: available. (Remote-storage function software 'DiMAGE Transfer' for Maxxum7D is available as a free download. It will be released in January 2005.
Power	Battery: One NP-400 Li-ion battery Battery condition indication: 4-stage indicator appears when the camera is turned on. External power source: 6V DC (with specified AC adapter AC-11), Vertical Control Grip VC-7D
Battery Performance (with Fresh Batteries)	Number of recorded images: Approximately 400 frames. (CIPA measurement*1) Conforming to CIPA standard test method with a compact flash card and an NP-400 lithium-ion battery. Approximately 600 frames (Konica Minolta measurement A*2) Approximately 2000 frames (Konica Minolta measurement B*3) Conditions: Anti-Shake: ON, Recording media: 512MB CompactFlash Cards, Battery: Li-ion Battery NP-400 *1:CIPA: Camera & Imaging Products Association *2: Flash: OFF, other conditions are same as CIPA measurement. *3: Drive mode: 5 frames continuous shooting, Flash ;OFF, Instant Playback: NO
Dimensions (W x H x D)	5.91 x 4.17 x 3.05 inches (150 x 106 x 77.5mm)
Weight	26.81 ounces (760g) (without batteries and recording media)
Operating Temperature	32-104 °F (0 - 40 °C)
Standard Accessories	DiMAGE Viewer CD-ROM, Li-ion Battery NP-400, Li-ion Battery Charger BC-400, Wide Strap WS-4, Shoe-Cap SC-1000, Eyepiece Cap II, Eyepiece Cup EC-1400, Body Cap BDC-1000, Remote Cord Clip, LCD Monitor Protect Panel MPP-1000, USB Cable USB-2, Video Cable VC-500
Optional Accessories	Vertical Control Grip VC-7D, Camera Case CS-7D, AC Adapter AC-11, SD-CF Card Adapter SD-CF 1, Remote Cord RC-1000S, Remote Cord RC-1000L, DiMAGE Master Software
Compatible computers	IBM PC/AT compatible computers: Windows 98* / Me / 2000 (Professional) / XP (Home / Professional) Macintosh OS 9.0 - 9.2.2 / OS X v10.1.3 - 10.1.5 / v10.2.1 - 10.2.8 / v10.3 - 10.3.5
More Photos
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The computer and operating system must be guaranteed by their manufacturers to support USB interface. Problems may be encountered depending on what other USB devices are being used in parallel with this product. Only a built-in USB port is supported. Problems may be encountered when the camera is connected to a USB hub. Normal operation may not be possible even when all the system requirements are met. Users with Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition operating system must install dedicated driver software included in the DiMAGE viewer CD-ROM.