Minolta Autofocus Maxxum 7000 Camera with Minolta Maxxum AF 50mm f1.7 Prime Lens and two additional Minolta Maxxum Zoom Lenses

Minolta Maxxum 7000

The Minolta Maxxum 7000 is a historically significant camera that not only ushered in a new age of auto focus SLRs, but it also set the bar quite high for what a modern SLR should be like. The camera was designed well, with good ergonomics, an excellent viewfinder, and an auto focus lens system that was very accurate and much better than many earlier implementations of the technology.

The Minolta 7000 AF was the first popular autofocus SLR camera. Known as the Maxxum 7000 in North America and α-7000 (Alpha 7000) in Japan. The MAXXUM 7000 does what we need, and nothing we don't. It's better than newer SLRs and DSLRs because it has a bigger, brighter finder and it's much faster and easier to set.

This was not just a manual focus camera with autofocus added. It was truly a revolutionary camera in that it redefined what an SLR was with the addition of computer chips in the camera body, lenses, and accessories. These controlled the camera functions for optimal results. For example, when a lens was mounted, its ROM chip would access the camera's CPU to optimize the program for that lens, and on-camera flash heads zoomed automatically with changes in focal length. This level of sophistication had not previously been brought to market. A built in motor drive and other automated features set the standard for other manufacturers.
The Maxxum 7000 has center-weighted metering, a body-integral AF system, and full digital computer control. The AF motor is in the camera and drives the lens through a screwdriver connection poking out of the lens mount.
In addition to autofocus, the Maxxum had manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, and program modes. Knobs and dials were replaced with pushbuttons and internal and external liquid crystal displays (LCD's).
In operation the Minolta X7000 is a delight. As the 'in-house' focusing is so simple it can be found to be slightly sensitive.

When it comes to operating the 7000, having an understanding of modern cameras certainly helps, I’m sure for the photographers of the day; the shift is a radical one. But when it comes to usability, the camera is well designed and laid out. All the main controls, shutter release, push-button controls for selections are all well laid out. The 7000 takes four AAA batteries to power it making it possible to use no matter where you are as you can get the batteries at any convenience store or gas station in the world. Despite being plastic, the camera itself is rugged, while maintaining a decent weight. And finally there’s the lens mount, the Minolta A-Mount is used on modern Sony SLRs in their Alpha line of cameras, which means you can use the old Minolta lenses (which are decent optics) on your modern cameras and vice-versa. Despite this, the cameras and optics are not expensive on the used market.

Film Type: 135 (35mm)
Lens: 50mm f/1.7 Minolta Maxxum AF coated 6-elements
Lens Mount: Minolta “A-type” Alpha Bayonet
Focus: 18 inches to Infinity
Viewfinder: Fixed SLR Pentaprism w/ LCD Readout
Shutter: Vertically Traveling Metal Blade
Speeds (manual): B, 30 – 1/2000 seconds
Speeds (auto): 1 – 1/2000 seconds, stepless
Exposure Meter: Full Program PASM Automatic Exposure
Battery: 4x AAA battery or 4x AA battery w/ optional BH-70L holder
Flash Mount: Hot Shoe with TTL Flash Metering and 1/100 Sync
Weight: 834 grams (w/ lens), 651 grams (body only)


Minolta Maxxum AF 50mm f1.7

Minolta AF 50 F1.7 - usually used as a portrait lens. It is still used in digital and film SLR cameras manufactured by both Minolta and the modern Sony a series.

One of the most compact Minolta AF lenses. The relatively large maximum aperture allows you to take pictures without a flash indoors with ISO values of 100-200. However, for greater sharpness, you need to reduce the aperture, but the best resolution is achieved at f / 5.6 - 2329 and 1903 LW / PH in the center and at the edges, respectively.

Format: 35mm SLR
Type: Fixed focal length (fixed)
Focus: Auto Focus
System: Sony A / Minolta A
Started production: 1985
Year of completion: 2006
Optical design: 6 elements in 5 groups


Specifications:

Focal length 50mm
Max. aperture f/1.7
Min. aperture f/22
Blades 7
Min. Focus (m.) 0.45
Filter Ø (mm.) 49
Weight (gr) 186
Length (mm) 46

Along with 50mm prime lens there are two additional Minolta zoom lenses: Minolta AF Maxxum Zoom 28-85mm +Macro and Minolta Maxxum 70-210, so you will have full range from 18 up tp 210mm, plus Macro feature.

The camera and lenses are in fair condition cosmetically with signs of age and wear, but all of the parts of this set are excellent mechanically and optically.


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