From: yz@broca.acc.virginia.edu 
Subject: Re: Minolta Maxxum 7xi or Cannon EOS Elan
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 20:15:49 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.175943.24776@clark.edu> gsnow@clark.edu (Gary Snow)  
writes:
> Being an owner of both, that is hard for me to say, I like them both for
> diferent reasons.
> 
> They are both really user friendly in their controls.
> 
> I like manual focusing with the Elan/EOS line of lenses better then the
> Minolta lenses (especially the xi lenses).
> 
> The Elan has some features that the 7xi doesn't have, like Flash Exposure
> compensation that the 7xi only gets by having certain hot shoe flashes.
> 
> The 7xi's autofocus system is first rate (great for action photography).
> At the cameras max winding rate of 4 frames per second, the autofocus
> system doesn't even slow it down.  Not so with the Elan, where you usually
> only get 2fps when in continuous focusing mode (even with a fast focusing
> USM lens).
> 
> The 7xi has a REALLY wide focusing area, and you can turn the individual
> focusing points (there are 4 of them) on or off. The Elan has only a central
> focusing cross (its both a horizontal and vertical focusing point).
> 
> The 7xi has a higher flash sync speed then the Elan (1/200sec vs 1/125).
> 
> The Elan will do auto exposure bracketing (its built into the camera), with
> the 7xi, you need to by a $20 card to get it. Although the card gives you
> more flexibility.
> 
> 7xi has a max shutter speed of 1/8000sec vs the Elans 1/4000sec.
> 
> The Elan has an infra-red remote that you can buy for it, and is also
> programable via a bar code scanner.  The 7xi only has the expansion cards,
> and a corded electronic shutter release.
> 
> The 7xi is approximately $75-$100 more expensive then the Elan.
> 
> Cannon EF lenses tend to be a bit more expensive then their xi counter parts,
> although they also tend to be better optically.
> 
> Elan will do mutilple exposures automatically, the 7xi needs a card.
> 
> The Elan is both quieter in focusing and winding then the 7xi.
> 
> As you can see, there are differences in both, and trade offs in both. It
> all depends on what kind of shooting you are going to do with it.
> 
> Gary
A better choice for a EOS camera is the EOS 10S. It has more feature than the  
Elan, yet in most mail order stores it is only about 20 dollars more than the  
Elan. The 10S has a built in 5fps motor. It has three widely spaced AF sensors  
which in my opinion is better than few big sensor bunched around the middle  
like in the 7xi. The camera (10S) will pick the AF sensor to use or allow you  
to pick the sensor. This way you don't always have to keep the main subject in  
the center. The central AF sensor will focus on both vertical and horizontal  
lines. It also has a built in flash, although without red eye reduction. It  
doesn't have Elan's quiet belt drive but it is still quieter than most AF  
cameras. It has most of the other Elan feathers including the infra-red remote  
and the bar-code programming. It also have additional features like a interval  
timer, mirror lockup and depth of field preview (which the 7xi doesn't have). 
The 10s is also easier to use than the 7xi. The only really bad thing about the  
EOS is it's lens are usually more expensive than other AF lens but that is also  
starting to change. 
YZ