Minolta
"From the mind of Minolta" came so many important advances in cameras.
Auto-focus. Pentax brought out the first auto-focus 35mm SLR camera, but it was Minolta who popularized it. The Minolta 7000 set the 20 year standard for what we have come to think of as autofocus. Minolta stuck with screw drive mechanical focus systems longer than other companies while implementing in-lens ring motors on some of their higher-end telephotos. (In-lens motors have become prevalent now and will most likely replace the screw drive systems of yesterday - but not for all good reasons.)
Other Minolta "firsts":
- TTL OTF metering - for accurate flash light metering
- Sensor-based anti-vibration system - making every lens "VR" or "OS" without the expense
- The Minolta Maxxum AF 500mm f8 reflex - the world's first and only f8 lens WITH autofocus.
Minolta ultimately merged with Konica and the Konica-Minolta camera division (at least parts of it) was sold to Sony. Sony uses the same lens mount and retained compatibility between Minolta Maxxum auto-focus lenses on their Alpha dSLR system. Sony also features the same type of body-based vibration reduction system. Konica-Minolta called the technology, "Anti Shake" or "AS" where as Sony calls it, "Super Steady Shot" or "SSS".
Minolta Maxxum Lenses & Cameras is a good site to check out for recommendations and mini-reviews of Minolta lenses and cameras.
