Minolta 9xi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Minolta |
| Type | 35mm SLR |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | Minolta A-Mount |
| Focusing | |
| Focus | TTL phase detection autofocus (4 sensors) |
| Exposure/metering | |
| Exposure | 14-segment honeycomb evaluative metering |
| Flash | |
| Flash | External flash |
| Shutter | |
| Frame rate | 4.5 frame/s |
The Minolta 9xi was, when released in 1992, an advanced 35 mm single-lens reflex camera design. According to the company, it incorporated the world's "fastest autofocus system", had a maximum shutter speed of 1/12000 of a second, and had a 14-zone metering system. It has a shooting speed of 4.5 frames per second without the additional motor pack, a shutter speed of 1/12000 of a second due to carbon-reinforced shutter blades, a pentaprism, and it is compatible with xi zoom lenses having a "power zoom function".
The Minolta 9xi has smoothed contours with buttons that were largely hidden or placed directly by the fingers controlling them.
Technology
The Minolta 9xi records at 5 frames per second without an external motor or battery pack, coupled with the four-sensor autofocus system that could continuously track not only horizontally but vertically and diagonally—even when an object came towards the camera. The autofocus system could focus at light levels of −1 eV and up to 19 eV (at ISO 100). It also used a 14-segment light metering system, variations of which have been used for many years in most Minolta cameras. It featured a 1/300 of a second x-sync flash synchronization with stepless shutter speeds from 1/12000 of a second to 30 seconds in Program and Aperture Priority mode.[1]
The camera could, without any external backs, bracket three exposures, each 1/2 a stop different (each way). It could control a wireless flash system. The 9xi was capable of detecting if the photographer had their eye placed against the viewfinder; it was named "eye-start".
