Minolta Maxxum 7000 - Landmark AF camera

<p>I have a different lens to that of JDM and Andy's Maxxums; a 35-70mm constant aperture f/4 zoom.</p><div></div>

<p>Sadly no inbuilt shutter, and I didnt even get a lens cap with it! It did come with a Skylight filter so its ok I guess :) As mentioned before this has a macro mode; one needs to push the switch away fro oneself to allow the zoom to move into the blue macro range.</p><div></div>

<p>And the more observent of readers might have noticed the Data Back 70 manual - Yes indeed this has a rather rudimentary data back (It didn't come with the original, I can only pray its in a decent home). IIRC, the manual states it keeps an automatic calendar up to <strong>31/12/2009</strong> - I wish the engineers had been <em>slightly</em> more forward thinking!</p><div></div>

<p>The even more observant would have noticed I dont have the standard AAA battery holder.</p>

<blockquote>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="434">

<tbody>

<tr>

<td colspan="2" width="147"><strong><br />Maxxum 7000 & 5000 battery holders</strong></td>

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<tr>

<td> </td>

<td>4 AAA batteries</td>

<td>BH 70S</td>

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<tr>

<td> </td>

<td>4 AA batteries</td>

<td>BH 70L</td>

</tr>

<tr>

<td> </td>

<td>1 2CR5 lithium</td>

<td>

<p>BH 70T</p>

</td>

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</tbody>

</table>

</blockquote>

<p>Instead I have the BH-70L, though it still somehow manages to fit into the ever-ready case. Figure that out!</p>

<p>Great info and pics, Swaroop. The data back looks pretty cool, even though it's days of automatically keeping track of time are apparently done.</p>

<p>According to <a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/maxxum7k/index5.htm">this site</a>, the data back calendar is good to 2079 - happy shooting, Swaroop! (I have just bought a Super Back 90 for my 9000 and that has the same date limit.)</p>

<p>The more the merrier. This camera is historically one of the all-time significant cameras, and deserves wide exposure, especially to people who hand out here.</p>

<p>The only catch is that the prime lenses are, like the older EOS lenses in Canon world, still very usable on the latest Sony cameras, so there are fewer bargains to be found.</p>

<p>I didn't mean it was ugly to me, just that it doesn't make it up there with my very "prettiest." That kawaii lens of mine, however, is another story, as I siad.</p>

<p>Swaroop, the 35-70 f4 is actually a pretty good lens. It even has an aspherical element. By and large it is superior to the later 35-70 f3.5-4.5. Like its more expensive siblings (the 28-85 f3.5-4.5 and 35-105 f3.5-4.5) it has a lot more metal in its construcition as well.</p>

<p>Well I'd hate to contradict a site like Photography In Malaysia, but...</p><div></div>

<p>Interesting. Canon's Date Back of ca. 1987 is still good up to 2029. Thanks.</p>

<p>I did order the two alternative non-AAA battery holders, one on eBay the other from KEH. Here is the 2CR5 lithium holder (BH 70T) from KEH. It does not appear to be a Minolta original (has no Minolta markings on the inside like the AAA holder, anyhow), but I tried it with a lithium battery and it works fine. We had wondered how a lithium 2CR5 battery could be squeezed into the same space as the small AAA batteries-- well it doesn't. At least on this one, the new holder extends out beyond the camera body proper as shown in the picture below. Interestingly, this does not detract from the 'feel' of the camera for me, but may actually make the grip rounder and more comfortable. Well, that's me anyhow.</p>

<p>By the way, there are rechargeable 2CR5 batteries, but as is so often the case, one gets a little shorter life per charge than is the case with the non-rechargeable versions.</p><div></div>

<p>Interesting that on the Minolta the lithium battery holder was the rare & bulky extra. On the slightly newer Pentax SF series, lithiums were standard but they also offered a rare AA grip (took me a while to score one) that would take 4xAA but like this design for the 7000 was a bit bulkier.</p>

<p>Thanks for sharing; as always, I love these posts.</p>

<p>Addendum:<br>

My local camera store is closing (sob), but I did manage to score another Maxxum 7000. This one was the original crossed-x version that proved to be the start of grief for Minolta. It came with a Kalimar AF Zoom Macro 75-200mm f/4.5 which is no treasure, but the camera does work (or seems to with batteries in it). <br>

So I will be doing the inevitable "redux" report one of these days. That's a threat or a promise, depending on how you feel. :|</p>

<p>The 'redux' report is at http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00cotw</p>