I am hoping to buy a secondhand R5 or R7. Could anyone kindly outline the advantages of the R7, (are there any disadvantages?) and is it much larger than the R5 (I have not been able to compare both side by side) Thanks, Margaret.

-- margaret monica (lubyloo@onetel.net.uk), April 15, 2002

Answers

The R7 is about 1cm taller than the R5 (thicker on the baseplate). There are several important advantages to the R7 over the R5:

1. Greatly improved viewfinder display for manual metering has analog display in 1/2-stops either side of "correct" exposure.

2. Mirror pre-release (via second cable release or small object such as straightened paperclip inserted in special socket near lensmount).

3. Provision for TTL daylight fill-flash. In "P" mode camera sets flash to either fill, key light, or no flash depending on light level; in "T" mode flash is regulated at -1/7 stops (all shutter speeds up to 1/100); in manual mode you can set shutter up to 1/100, set manual ambient exposure, then adjust compensation dial to regulate the flash down. (R5 sets shutter to 1/100 when flash is switched on, making balanced daylight fill-in practically impossible).

4. R7 shutter can be set manually in 1/2-stops from 4seconds to 1/2000. (R5 1/2 sec-1/2000 in full stops only).

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 15, 2002.