The Minolta A-mount camera system was a line of photographic equipment from Minolta introduced in 1985 with the world's first integrated autofocus system in the camera body with interchangeable lenses. The system used a lens mount called A-mount, with a flange focal distance 44.50 mm, one millimeter longer, 43.5 mm, than the previous SR mount from 1958. The new mount was wider, 49.7 mm vs. 44.97 mm, than the older SR-mount and due to the longer flange focal distance, old manual lenses were incompatible with the new system. Minolta bought the autofocus technology of Leica Correfot camera which was partly used on the a-mount autofocus technology. The mount is now used by Sony, who bought the SLR camera division from Konica Minolta, Konica and Minolta having merged a few years before. The Minolta A-mount system was at first marketed as Maxxum in North America and α (Alpha) in Japan and the rest of Asia. In Europe, early Minolta A-mount cameras were initially identified by a 4 digit number followed by AF. The name Dynax was introduced later with the "i" cameras, the second generation of Minolta A-mount camera. It was originally based around a selection of three 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) bodies, the 5000, 7000 and 9000. The system also included an extensive range of auto-focus lenses, flashes, a motor drive and other accessories. Compatible equipment was made by a number of third parties. The mount itself was both electronically communicating with the lens as well as used a mechanical arm to control aperture and a screw-type drive to control focusing. In the following years, many different cameras and accessories were added to the range. The last film-based AF SLRs produced by Minolta were the Maxxum 50 (a.k.a. Dynax 30 and Dynax 40) and the Maxxum 70 (a.k.a. Dynax 60 and α-70). The Dynax/Maxxum/α branding was also used on two Konica Minolta digital SLRs, prior to the acquisition by Sony (7D, 5D). When Sony acquired Konica Minolta's camera technologies in 2006 they chose the "α" brand name (already in use by Minolta in Asia) for their new "Sony α" digital SLR system. The Dynax/Maxxum/α lens mount (which was retained from the old cameras) is now officially part of the "α mount system".
Film SLR bodies
Timeline
First generation
7000
The Minolta 7000 was the first successful auto focus SLR using a motor integrated in the camera body. It was released in 1985 together with 11 lenses, 2 flashguns and a complete lineup of accessories. The 7000 featured one AF-sensor, shutter speeds of 1/2000 to 30 seconds, flash sync speed of 1/100s, exposure compensation of +/-4EV in 0.5 exposure steps, center-weighted light metering mode and two frames per second film advance. The Maxxum 7000, when first released had the crossed x's in the name Maxxum. Exxon had a registered trademark for the crossed x's and sued Minolta, forcing Minolta to change the way the name was shown.
9000 The Minolta 9000, a camera aimed at professionals, was released later the same year, and featured shutter speeds of 1/4000 to 30 seconds, center-weighted and spot lightmetering, exposure compensation of +-4EV in 0.5 exposure steps and a flash sync speed of 1/250s. Unlike the 7000, the 9000 had no internal motordrive and thus holds the position as the world's only autofocusing SLR with manual winding, but with the addition of the motor drive MD-90 a photographer could get up to 5 frames per second. The 9000 had a very extensive range of accessories, including several different backs, winding options and screens. The 9000 had a unique function in that, if combined with the Minolta Data Receiver DR-1000 and the Minolta Flash Meter IV, readings could be made on the flash meter and transferred wirelessly to the camera, and the camera then triggered from the flash meter.
5000 The Minolta 5000, Minolta's entry level camera and essentially a downscaled 7000, was released in 1986. It featured shutter speeds of 1/2000 to 4 seconds and BULB, center-weighted lightmetering, exposure compensation of +1EV, flashsync speed of 1/100s and fully automatic programs.
Second generation
7000i
This camera had the usual Program automatic exposure, Shutter priority automatic exposure, Aperture-priority automatic exposure and metered manual exposure modes (standard on the 7000), TTL autoflash (like the 7000) and added a newer faster and more sensitive AF system, faster film advance, new flash hot-shoe that was incompatible with the older flash system (although an adapter was available and the 7/8000i supported the x000-era CG-1000 "flash handle" for backwards compatibility). The 7000i supported the Maxxum lens system, and other previously introduced accessories such as the remote cords. Perhaps more innovative and unusual than any other improvement was the expansion card system. While also used in other models in the i-series, some models in the xi-series, and the 700si, the Minolta Creative Expansion Card System debuted on this model. The expansion card system provided a way to add features to the camera, such as multi-spot metering, or re-program the built-in AE modes to favor faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures, such as the sports action card. While most of the cards' functions and effects could be duplicated by a technically knowledgeable photographer using the camera without the expansion cards, the card system was handy for less technically skilled users who just wanted to photograph their child's soccer/football team for example, without needing to learn about exposure settings and the effect they might have on how a picture "looked". These cards were the forerunners of today's "picture/creativity modes". This camera was aimed at the same market as the 7000.
5000i
Built-in flash with a zoom head, programmed AE and metered manual exposure out of the box, adding the A/S expansion card provided two additional AE modes, Shutter-priority and Aperture-priority. A fairly direct replacement for the earlier 5000.
8000i Essentially added a PC flash-sync terminal, ME capability, spot metering and faster shutter to the 7000i feature-set. This camera was not a direct replacement for the earlier 9000, and lacked some features such as depth-of-field preview, but offered some additional features that were not on the 7000i. This camera was available in white as well, together with matched white 35-105 lens and 5200i flash.
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