Originally posted by fruitybix
hi all,
anyone can advise on how the Dynax 9xi perform? quite interested in knowing the picture quality, the AF speed, the ease of use and built quality.
The picture quality will of course be dependant on the lenses more than the body, but for light metering, it offers 14-zone metering, center-weighted and spot -- in other words, the same as current Minolta models. The matrix meter algorithm seems to be tweaked to give somewhat darker pictures than newer models, though.
The AF speed is good, but its focus tracking (especially in wide-area focus mode if it needs to switch between the four sensors) is really bad. It can't be compared to newer models.
The viewfinder is a little dark, because of the LCD overlay which presents some information directly in the picture.
The eye-start is somewhat annoying, but can be turned off with a small "hack"; just tape over the grip sensor with electrician's tape or something similar. A camera repairman can also cut the wiring inside the camera, disabling the function permanently.
Build construction and general "feel" is very good. The grip is extremely good. It is also, in my opinion, one of the best-looking cameras Minolta has ever made.
Fatal drawbacks: Features are missing in large numbers. There is no vertical grip or release, no flash exposure compensation, no built in flash (for wireless flash control you need the external controller, it's actually the only Minolta which *must* use the controller). It is not as well sealed as the 9, or even the 9000. It resets to AF when mounting a lens. The battery pack is hard to find and expensive. The Custom XI card, which lets you program the custom functions, is even rarer. Lastly, the interface is quirky and awkward, with some design decisions obviously made by people who have never used a camera in their lives. Vital functions are hidden behind the card door, which in turn is inconveniently located in the grip, which means you have to release the camera from your grip and fiddle with it.
The 9xi, to me, is an exercise in good
design, but bad
user interface design. It is unfortunate, as some things could have been great with a little tweaking; many of the concepts, for example the programmable quick button and the double-click function of the FUNC button, are still revolutionary. Anyway, the camera definitely takes some time to get used to. After that time, some people love the 9xi, and some people -- the majority -- just still hates it. I am a little unsure if I like it or not. It's my least used camera for sure, but I could still never sell it. Love/hate relationship -- I guess I don't really like it, but I like what it could have been, and I applaud Minolta for trying to market such a futuristic design. Maybe future photographers, who have grown an extra arm or two, can learn to like the interface.
If you have the additional finances, I would strongly suggest you to take a look at a used 7 instead. It is more expensive, yes, but is much, much better than the 9xi in everything except survivability. The 9xi is really well built, this needs to be repeated.
I always recommend people thinking of buying this camera to first try it out for a week if possible. If they don't hate it by then, they can probably learn to live with it.
Hope this helps!
