Minolta Maxxum 5 35mm SLR Kit w/ 28-80mm Lens

by Konica-Minolta

Product Details

Product Manual [2.80mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 2.4 x 3.4 inches ; 12 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005QDSG
• Item model number: 2163-903
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,186 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 17, 2005

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

If you want the total creative control an SLR offers, but don't like lugging around a cumbersome kit, Minolta's Maxxum 5 is worth a look. It's one of the world's smallest and lightest autofocus SLRs, and its extensive array of high-performance features adjusts to offer something for everyone from beginners to advanced amateur photographers.

Design
Measuring just 5 by 3.4 by 2.4 inches and weighing in at around 12 ounces, the body of the Maxxum 5 is about the same size as many point-and-shoot cameras--of course, the lens adds to this size and weight, but it's still an extremely compact design. To save weight, much of the body is made of high-impact plastic, with a metal lens mount and tripod mount for durability. The camera uses Minolta A-mount lenses, and a 28-80mm Minolta AF zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f3.5 to f5.6 is included.

Key Features
Primary features include spot-metering and spot-focusing, depth-of-field preview, a built-in multimode flash, 7-point autofocus system, a maximum shutter speed of 1/4,000th of a second, 3 FPS rapid-fire shooting, and 14-segment metering. A powerful processor and speedy motor combine to provide one of the fastest autofocus systems available.

Additional Features
In addition, the Maxxum 5 features "eye-start automation," a performance enhancer that senses when you put your eye to the viewfinder and starts preparing to take a shot immediately. If you're planning to use the camera in the studio, the wireless flash setting communicates with Minolta off-camera flash units.

Contents
The kit comes with the Maxxum 5 body, 28-80mm AF zoom lens, shoulder strap, lens cap, and a pair of CR2 batteries.

From the Manufacturer

So, you know about the high performance and superior image quality you can get with a Minolta Maxxum AF SLR camera, but you say that all SLR cameras are too big and bulky to carry around? Well, Minolta heard you.

Introducing the Maxxum 5 – the world’s smallest and lightest 35mm AF SLR. It’s easy to pack, carry, and handle, so you can instantly react on your creative impulses anytime and anywhere. Plus, the Maxxum 5 houses a powerful array of high-performance features that will quickly satisfy beginner photographers and yet be valuable tools for photo hobbyists. If you want a true take-anywhere SLR, the little Maxxum 5 is the big winner.

Highest performance in its class

7-point AF system indicates focus area in use

High-speed 1/4000 sec. shutter freezes action

Continuous film advance at 3 frames per second

14-segment metering plus ADI flash metering

Film chamber lock protects loaded film

Eye-start automation provides a split-second response

Built-in flash with wireless off-camera flash control

Features:

World's Smallest and Lightest 35mm AF SLR
The Minolta Maxxum 5 measures only 5 x 3.42 x 2.38 inches and weighs in at 11.8 ounces without batteries. It's the AF SLR camera you'll want to (and be able to) take along wherever you go.

Fastest Autofocusing in its Class
The Maxxum 5's high-response autofocus system makes sure your once-in-a-lifetime moments will be razor sharp. This new-generation Maxxum features an improved high-power AF drive motor and high-speed microcomputer for quicker and more precise AF control. It tracks even fast action and random movements effortlessly, right up to the moment the shutter releases.

7-Point Autofocus System with Wide Focus Area
The Maxxum 5 uses Minolta's new 7-point AF system. The focus sensors are laid out in a wide area to the "rule of thirds," so you have the creative flexibility of positioning your subject anywhere within the focus frame. The center crosshair sensor keeps the focus sharp regardless of vertical or horizontal subject contrast.

Selected Focus Area Indication
When using the wide focus frame, you'll always know exactly what your Maxxum 5 is focusing on. Minolta's LED-illuminated superimposition technology highlights the focus sensor being used.

Selectable Focus Areas
For creative image compositions, you may want to switch between the wide focus area and the local focus areas to single out an off-center subject without recomposing the shot. No problem with the Maxxum 5 - its local focus areas can be individually selected.

Selectable Autofocus Modes
For maximum autofocus control, the Maxxum 5 has three AF modes: single-shot, continuous/predictive, and automatic. Single-shot AF locks focus on stationary subjects. Continuous/predictive AF tracks moving subjects right up to and during the moment of shutter-release. Automatic AF determines whether the subject is moving or still, and automatically selects single-shot or continuous/predictive AF.

Eye-Start Automation
Sometimes a perfect photo opportunity happens in the blink of an eye. The Maxxum 5 is ready when you are -- with Eye-Start Automation. Eye Start saves precious seconds and activates autofocus and autoexposure the instant you bring the camera to your eye. With one quick action, the camera starts working so you won't miss a split-second moment.

High-Speed 1/4000 Sec. Shutter & 1/125 Sec. Flash Sync
The Maxxum 5 is all about speed, precision, and power. That's why it features a top shutter speed of 1/4000 second, which can stop fast action or let you take beautiful portraits using large apertures under strong light. The Maxxum 5 also features a maximum flash sync speed of 1/125 second.

3 fps Continuous Film Advance
For capturing action as it unfolds, set the Maxxum 5 for continuous film advance. The film advances at 3 frames per second as long as you hold the shutter-release button down.

Film Chamber Lock
This security feature prevents the camera back from being opened while there is usable film in the chamber, thereby protecting your film from accidental exposure.

Depth-of-Field Preview
This professional feature lets you check the zone of sharp focus at a given aperture before taking the picture. DOF preview is especially useful to check subject and background sharpness when using small apertures, or to see the extent of sharp detail in macro photography.

14-Segment Honeycomb-Pattern Metering
The Maxxum 5's state-of-the-art metering system delivers accurate exposures under a diverse range of lighting and subject conditions. It measures light levels from 13 segments in a honeycomb pattern across the viewfinder frame, plus the background area. And much like a professional photographer, this intelligent metering system emphasizes the meter segments surrounding the focus sensor in use.

Spot Metering
When you want to bias the exposure according to a very small section of your subject or scene, use the Maxxum 5's spot metering mode. This concentrates the meter's sensitivity into the center segment.

Exposure Compensation, Bracketing, and Multiple Exposure
Maxxum 5's advanced exposure technology can be combined with a variety of creative exposure controls. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-3 Ev in 0.5 increments. And to ensure the optimum exposure for high-contrast scenes, three brackets can be made in 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1.0 Ev increments. Also, a multiple exposure mode overrides film advance to allow an unlimited number of exposures on a single frame.

Advanced Distance Integration (ADI) Flash Metering
Minolta's ADI creates a new level of flash metering precision by using the distance encoders in Minolta's D-Series lenses to calculate flash exposure. With the camera's built-in flash, ADI combines the distance information with TTL (through-the-lens) multi-segment flash metering. When using Minolta's powerful D-Series flash units, ADI uses a pre-flash to minimize the influence of background and subject reflectance. All this technology adds up to one thing -- better looking flash pictures, time after time.

High-Speed Synch (HSS) - 1/4000 sec.
When using Maxxum HSS flash units, the Maxxum 5 is able to use flash sync shutter speeds up to 1/4000 second. High-Speed Sync allows much more control between the ambient light exposure and the flash exposure, particularly under bright light conditions. HSS is a valuable asset when taking portraits outdoors because it lets you select large apertures to create a shallow depth-of-field, which makes the subject stand out from the background.

Built-In Flash
The Maxxum 5's built-in flash covers lenses as wide as 28mm, and puts creative flash control at your fingertips with auto, off, fill-flash, red-eye reduction, and wireless remote flash control modes. For greater flash output and versatility, high-powered Maxxum flash units are available as optional accessories.

Wireless/Remote Off-Camera Flash
This exclusive Maxxum feature lets you use multiple Maxxum program flash units off-camera without cords or connectors. The flash control signals are sent from the Maxxum 5's built-in flash. Using the built-in flash as fill light, the ratio flash function controls the flash units to give a lighting ratio of 2:1. With off-camera Maxxum Program Flashes 5600HS(D) and 3600HS(D), the flash can synchronize to the maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 second.

P/A/S/M Exposure Modes for Unlimited Creative Power
There's no holding back on creativity with the Maxxum 5. The camera can either take over control or hand over control with a full selection of exposure modes. In Programmed AE the camera does all the work -- it analyzes subject movement and distance, lens focal length, plus subject and background brightness, then sets the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed automatically. In Aperture-priority, you select the lens aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. In Shutter-priority, you select a shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture. And in Manual mode, you select the aperture and shutter speed in any combination.

Subject Program Selection
Subject Program Selection gives beginner photographers the ability to control the camera according to the subject, without a working knowledge of apertures and shutter speeds. Five modes are available, each ideally suited for a specific type of shot. Choose from portrait, landscape, close-up, sports action, or night portrait.

Fully Automatic Film Operation
Loading film is a snap with the Maxxum 5. All you do is insert the film cartridge and position the film leader. The camera sets the film speed then threads, advances, and rewinds the film automatically. You can activate power rewind anytime.

14 Custom Functions
The Maxxum 5 is the only camera in its class to offer 14 custom functions so you can custom-tailor your camera to suit your style or preferences.

Full Line of Maxxum Accessories
The Maxxum 5 is a camera you can grow with. It is part of the Minolta Maxxum AF System and accepts all Maxxum lenses plus other accessories like Maxxum HS and Macro flashes, remote cables, Maxxum camera case, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

86 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice SLR camera, November 18, 2001

By 

Gregory Lazarou (Dexter, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Minolta Maxxum 5 35mm SLR Kit w/ 28-80mm Lens (Electronics)

My wife wanted to get into photography - so when she broke her latest Olympus point-and-shoot I decided to get get her a "real camera". We've had the Minolta Maxxum 5 for about a month now, and it has proven to be a very nice choice. I got it with a couple of lenses: the Minolta 28-80 AF and the 70-210 AF.

It is small and light in your hand (not quite like a point-and-shoot, but definitely so for an SLR) and the automatic mode works very well. Out of the box it comes in the autofocus mode where as you bring it up to your eye it starts focusing; interesting in the first couple of days but I eventually took it out of that mode... I like it focusing when I press the button lightly.

That is one of the nice things about the camera... how configurable it is. You can select among tons of options and configure it to behave just as you'd like. Because of all the options I'd highly recommend some quality time with the manual :-)

My only dissatisfaction so far (and the only reason for the 4 and not 5 stars) has been not with the camera, but rather the Minolta lenses - actually something I did not think about ahead of time; don't get me wrong they are nice lenses but I have the following problem: focusing turns the front of the lens and this makes using certain filters (for example the Cokin system) problematic. It is fine for the typical circular filters like Tiffen and Hoya.

Overall I'm very happy with the Maxxum 5. I wanted to add that Amazon is an excellent place to buy it. Much cheaper than the stores, maybe not the cheapest on the internet (I found it for a little less), but they are trustworthy, fast shipping and reliable!

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great buy, October 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Minolta Maxxum 5 35mm SLR Kit w/ 28-80mm Lens (Electronics)

I'm new to the photography scene. I'm taking a photo 101 class and have never used a manual camera. The Maxxum 5 is an excellent camera. It's manual modes are numerous and all user friendly. But, if things get sticky you just hit the "panic" button and it goes into autofocus. Every photo is perfect. It's a great camera at a great price. I'm glad I made this buy. :)

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great features...great deal., January 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Minolta Maxxum 5 35mm SLR Kit w/ 28-80mm Lens (Electronics)

Taking the step to my first slr took some searching. All arrows pointed to the Maxxum 5. Believe what your read this camera is awesome. Full auto mode is great and ready to shoot strait out of box. The manual is very informative and user friendly. I have shot 8 rolls varying films, conditions, subjects and setting so far very hard to take a bad piture.
Those of you looking to step up to an slr camera dont hesitate. The creative modes and options are fun to work with, the hardest part is waiting to see the results while film is being developed!
The deal on amazon is competitive with all other sellers (better than 95% out there) service and shipping was great. Also look at the great deal on the 210 lense and tiffen filter kits, i have not found better prices on either. enjoy!