There is a reference here in The Japan Times of a Minolta 7 or 700 model, to be introduced that has the world's fastest autofocus module with dual CPU's greatly increasing focusing speed. Looks a lot like a Dynax 7, from the accompanying small picture.

Anybody have any more on this?

-- Mani Sitaraman (bindumani@pacific.net.sg), October 04, 2000

Answers

It's probably the Dynax/Maxxum 7; it's called the alpha (rendered in the Greek letter)7 in Japan.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), October 05, 2000.

The October '99 Popular Photography has a multipage article on it (pps 20-29). I want it.

-- Ed Nicholson (thenicks@prodigy.net), October 05, 2000.

It is the October 2000 issue that has the article on the Minolta 7.

-- Henry Richardson (hrich2@bigfoot.com), October 05, 2000.

So that's why I've had trouble balancing my check book. You're right, of course.

-- Ed Nicholson (thenicks@prodigy.net), October 05, 2000.

They're being regularly advertised in the Toronto papers as proof of Minolta's tech prowess.It confirms again Minolta's status as long- time maker of "sleepers" whose sophistication is often far ahead of Nikon and Canon(e.g.,early meter coupling systems, fast IR autofocus, flash metering, specialty optics, and meters).The Maxxum 9 is, to my paws, vastly more ergonomic than any other high-end body I've seen.The 7 sounds like more of the same.

-- Gary Watson (cg.watson@sympatico.ca), October 11, 2000.