Konica Minolta Announces Withdrawal Plan for Camera Business and Photo Business

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/06011901konicaminoltaout.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/06011901konicaminoltaout.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Konica Minolta has long been a leading company in photo imaging business covering wide range of imaging from input to output. In addition, we have provided inspiring products and services by fusing our unique technologies. In camera business, we have expanded picture-taking opportunities by developing innovative technologies such as the world’s first autofocus cameras. In 1962, our camera, well-accepted for its high reliability, boarded on the US’s first manned spaceship “Friendship 7.” Also, ever since introduction of the world’s first body-integral autofocus SLR camera, Maxxum/Dynax series, in 1985, SLR cameras have become more popular among picture-takers, and we have succeeded in selling 16 million units of interchangeable lenses since then. However, in today’s era of digital cameras, where image sensor technologies such as CCD is indispensable, it became difficult to timely provide competitive products even with our top optical, mechanical and electronics technologies."</i><br /><br />The short version? Konica Minolta is getting out of the digital camera market, and Sony is buying their assets. This is definitely surprising given that at CES I stopped and visited with their representatives. This is likely a surprise to the people I spoke with. :? Any Konica Minolta owners out there that have a take on this?

[Ed Hansberry]

i'd puke if I had purchased the minolta that I was looking at when I went ultimately with a panasonic. no way i'd own a sony product, even this way. it'd be on ebay.

man I hate sony. can you tell? :)

[flooder]

This blows. I always feared this since Konica entered the picture.

[Vincent Ferrari]

I'm speechless. I have my dad's 1971ish Minolta SRt-101 and I myself, when not using my Rebel XT, use a Konica Minolta DiMage X50.

It's a sad day and I had a feeling this was gonna start happening, though. If Nikon can leave the film business, anything is possible.

I'll miss Minolta, but the truth of the matter is Konica did nothing with the brand.

Shame.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

It's certainly the end of an era. Minolta had engineers and designers who likely were photographers as well, as seen fromthe impressive UI of their cameras. I'm not sure how Sony will handle the new Dynax-mount SLRs, given their lack of experience in producing high-end still cameras. On top of that, there is little on what direction the Dynax lens line-up will take. Will Sony partner with Zeiss (given the ZF announcement) to produce AF Dynax lenses? Or will rebranded Sony lenses in the Dynax mount be produced instead?

[Jonathon Watkins]

My first camera was a Minolta X-700. A sad day. :(

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Heh, looks like I was right with both questions. And so far it's just an updated and rebranded Dynax 5D...

[FBL]

June 2004. The Dimage A1, a fun, DIGITAL SLR-LIKE camera, came into my life (feature-rich with 7X optical zoom, image stabilization, and a leader in low-light, in medium+ size package.) ~$650.

~June 2005. Then the press release that Minolta had flooded its cameras with bad CCDs. But don't worry. Because if your CCD fails, no matter when the failure happens, they'll fix it, free of charge.
Not much thought about it. Those things happen to the other guy.

July 06. I'm am the OTHER GUY!
While shooting a humming bird through a window, the veiwfinder displayed a washed-out magenta image with no shooting information -- just a static image that doesn't respond.

I just emailed them (Sony) yesterday for a CCD fix. Sony's website had a $221 price for any fix, but no mention for the CCD fix.
On DPReview.com, One post mentioned their camera had been at the service center for over 2 months --and they hadn't heard from them.

I feel violated. Stunned at the moment.
Will I have to use my Wife's Canon A95 for the next 3 months? Ouch! But that would be the cheaper option. And use funds for an MP3 player.

Do I move on to another camera? What are my options?

How did Minolta get stuck with all those bad CCDs? That must've been a big factor in putting them out of the digital camera business.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

1) A1 isn't a DSLR.

2) It wasn't Minolta's fault. All camera manufactures, including Canon and Nikon, who used Sony's CCDs are were hit with the problem.

[FBL]

1) A1 isn't a DSLR.
OOPS, my ignorance. The A1 is a DIGITAL SLR-LIKE camera.

Better? (My next attempt would be a compact camera thingie.)

It's proper name was purged from my gray matter, when I tried to remember a neighbor's name.

2) It wasn't Minolta's fault. All camera manufactures, including Canon and Nikon, who used Sony's CCDs are were hit with the problem.
What manufacturers are safe? Are they shipping/using good CCDs now?

Lee, what do you recommend for a replacement for the A1, and maybe even a step up?

Thanks

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Yup, the problem is pretty much resolved.

Eh, you're in a bit of a snag. The market for such cameras is shrinking, as manufacturers focus on making budget SLRs.

If you want a direct replacement, I think the Fuji S9000 or the Panasonic FZ30 is the closest. The Panasonic has two dials like the A1, as well as some form of image stabalisation, but the sensor is noisier than average (borderline acceptable in my opinion), and the wide end of the lens is only 35mm equivalent. You get a little more reach though. The Fuji lacks stabalisation and offers only one dial, but has very nice high ISO capabilities.

The Sony R1 is another, but at its price and the fixed-lens, you might as well get a DSLR.

Cheapest DSLR now is probably the Nikon D50 or the Olympus E500. If you want to retain the two-dial control system of your A1, the Nikon D70 is your only budget choice. No other budget DSLR offers a two-dial control system.

Hope that helps.