Minolta 7000 AF (1985–1988)

Name: Minolta 7000 AF
Brand: Minolta

The Minolta 7000 AF - sold as the Maxxum 7000 in North America and α-7000 in Japan - is generally credited as the first commercially successful autofocus SLR. It launched in February 1985. It introduced the Minolta A-mount, a new lens system with electronic contacts. A ROM chip in each lens talked to the camera's CPU to optimize performance. Pushbuttons and LCD displays replaced the traditional dials and levers, and the body used plastic composites throughout. The body-integrated motor drove focus via TTL phase-detection with a CCD sensor array and an 8-bit microcomputer.

It offered program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes, with a top shutter speed of 1/2000s. Continuous shooting ran at 2 fps. The camera weighed 555 g. It ran on easy-to-find AA batteries and used standard 35mm film. A notable quirk: the camera would beep to warn you if your shutter speed, exposure, or focus was inappropriate for a shot. The initial retail price was $329.95, and Minolta launched it alongside eleven lenses, two flashguns, and a full accessory lineup. Production ran from 1985 to 1988.

High5cameras (a period review source) noted that the 7000 AF truly revolutionised 35mm SLR photography and was the first commercially viable autofocus camera. It also said the camera was much more than that, bringing program mode and a fully electronic interface to the non-expert photographer. Its top plate has been described as looking like an 80s-era handheld game. The autofocus system relies on contrast, so low-detail or low-light subjects could make it hunt. There were legal challenges over the "Maxxum" trademark and changes in production, but its success led directly to the 5000 and 9000 bodies and a full AF system of lenses, flashes, and accessories.

Surviving examples are often described as durable and working. A common caveat in listings is "LCD bleed," a deterioration of the display. The 7000i, released later, rounded off the 7000's hard corners, redesigned the controls, and improved AF speed and sensitivity.