Minolta Maxxum 70
In 2004 Minolta released one of their last 35mm SLR film cameras: the Maxxum 70 (also known as the Dynax 60 or Alpha 70). Perhaps there is some poeticism to the Maxxum 70 closing the loop that started with the Maxxum 7000. Like its ancestor, the Maxxum 70 was a bit of a departure from earlier conventions and stereotypes. Historically Minolta had designated there Maxxum 9-series as their professional cameras, the Maxxum 7-series as their advanced amateur, and the Maxxum 5-series as budget consumer. But the Maxxum 70 is probably best thought of as straddling the divide between the Maxxum 7 and 5 camera lines. It borrows many of the features of the previous Maxxum 7 camera but in a more compact and less expensive body akin to the Maxxum 5. When released it even won the EISA - European SLR Camera of the Year Award for 2004-05.
The Maxxum 70 is loaded with features. It offers several different exposure modes including the usual PASM nicely arrayed on an easy-to-use command dial. In addition to these four modes, the camera has a selection of creative modes as well including: Portrait (settings lean toward shallower depths of field), Landscape (maximizing depth of field while preserving fast shutter speeds for sharp images), Close-Up (shutter and aperture choice are optimized for closer focusing distances), Sports Action (uses fastest possible shutter speed while continuously tracking autofocus), and Night Portrait (camera balances ambient exposure with fill flash so subject and background are exposed best possible). All of this is governed by a 14-segment honeycomb, silicon photocell TTL light meter that has an EV range of 1-20. There is also a spot metering mode with EV range 4-20. The Maxxum 70 accepts DX-coded films or film speed can be manually set between ISO 6-6400. Autofocus is done via means of TTL phase detection and works quite well for its era. The built-in motor drive is capable of single or continuous film advance with speeds up to 3 fps.
But the Maxxum 70 isn't done yet. There is also the typical built-in, pop-up flash that has a few modes for controlling it (nothing too fancy here). The camera also offers AF and AE lock features, electronic self-timer and multiple exposure capabilities. And just in case this wasn't enough, there are 15 custom functions one can dig into that offer choices such as leaving the film leader out of the can when rewinding, tweaking the behavior of the shutter button, or changing how the flash meters. It is a heady mix of features that will keep any camera geek satisfied. But as we mentioned starting out, the Maxxum 70 aims to avoid intimidating its users. These features are largely hidden under easy command dials and it only takes a twist of a dial and press of the button to get the camera going for those who don't want to mess with all the Maxxum 70 has to offer.
As a last hurrah camera the Maxxum 70 succeeds. It is a sneaky good camera and leaves one wondering how film cameras might have kept evolving had the digital revolution not supplanted them with newer technology.
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