Minolta Dynax 8000i
The Minolta Dynax 8000i, also sold as Maxxum 8000i for the North-American market and as the α-8700i for the Asia/Pacific market, was launched as an improved version of Minolta Dynax 7000i. Both 8000i and 7000i share a lot of common features. The main improvements over the 7000i are:
- faster maximum shutter speed, 1/8000 (vs. 1/4000 for the 7000i)
- faster flash synch speed, 1/200 (vs. 1/125 for the 7000i)
- high-eyepoint viewfinder
- improved LCD screen
Minolta α-8700i "Mir" special edition
In late 1989, a Japanese reporter, M. Toyohiro Akiyama, was invited on the Mir international space station. Minolta provided him with a special kit that comprised:
- a white α-8700i camera body
- a regular (i.e. black) 3200i flash
- a regular 24-35mm f/4 zoom lens
- a regular 35-105mm f/3,5-4,5
- a regular 100-300mm f/4,5-5,6
As M. Akiyama was the first Japanese ever to stay on the Mir space station, Minolta issued in 1990 a limited edition of the α-8700i, known as the "Mir" version. This kit comprised:
- a white α-8700i camera body
- a white 35-105mm f/3,5-4,5
- a white 5200i flash
This kit was sold in a specific box that also comprised a leaflet on this limited edition camera. It was also sold in the North American and European market, under the respective names for these markets (Maxxum 8000i and Dynax 8000i).