Minolta 5000

image by leecoatesPICS (Image rights)

The Minolta 5000 (called Maxxum 5000 in the USA and α-5000 in Japan) was a "budget" version of the Minolta 7000. Many of the more advanced features of the 7000 and 9000 were left out on the 5000.

The Minolta 5000 uses Minolta A mount lenses and has both Program and Manual exposure modes. A remarkable fact is that this camera seems to have been sold together with a Minolta AF 50mm 1:1.7(22) lens, probably an autofocus relative of the famous 50mm 1:1.7 Rokkor. Most later autofocus SLR models where sold with zoom lens.

A special feature of this AF Minolta is that it can be switched to a manual focusing mode in which additional red LED indicators in the viewfinder assist setting correct distance. Correct distance of the image centre is indicated by the green autofocus confirm LED that also works in autofocus mode.

A weak point of some of these old Minolta AF bodies is the locked rewind switch which sometimes can't be brought into effect any more so that a darkroom would be needed to save enlighted film out of the camera.

Links

• Minolta 5000 AF on www.collection-appareils.fr by Sylvain Halgand
• manual at Konica Minolta