Only the Human Eye Focuses Faster
Check out this blast from the past: it’s a 1986 commercial for the Minolta Maxxum 7000.
The Minolta 7000 was the first successful auto focus SLR using a motor integrated in the camera body. It was released in 1985 together with 11 lenses, 2 flashguns and a complete lineup of accessories. The 7000 featured one AF-sensor, shutter speeds of 1/2000 to 30 seconds, flashsync speed of 1/100s, exposure compensation of +-4EV in 0.5 exposure steps, center-weighted lightmetering and two frames per second film advance. [#]
The AF system was marketed as Maxxum in North America and Alpha (α) in Asia. When Sony acquired Konica Minolta in 2006, it kept the Alpha brand name for its new DSLR system, which used the old Minolta lens mount. Hence, Sony Alpha DSLRs.
