Minolta stock low in shops?

[dannynys]

I was looking through Cathay and John 3:16, seems that they don't stock much Minolta lenses. Very difficult to find stuffs if we want to buy something off the shelves. I am wondering if Minolta is harder to sell for the shops. Anyone share similar experiences?


Hope the situation will improve, man..

 

[yeocolin]

you are right. I was already mentioning this fact in the other threads- its difficult to get Minolta stuff from elsewhere, unless its the common stuff like flash, 24-105, 50, 24 etc. Uncommon lens such as the G lens are considered too expensive and shops just don't stock them. You'll have better luck buying them 2nd hand (not easy either) or buy it from overseas such as B&H, Hong Kong, US, where its cheaper than locally for some items.

 

[TME]

I was looking through Cathay and John 3:16, seems that they don't stock much Minolta lenses. Very difficult to find stuffs if we want to buy something off the shelves. I am wondering if Minolta is harder to sell for the shops. Anyone share similar experiences?


Hope the situation will improve, man..

AP is ont of the authorised dealers.... they get stock first from Minolta. And they told me that Minolta stuff move slowly in S'pore due to S'poreans' attitude..... people perceive Canon and Nikon as more pro or better (which is hardly the case). and so AP stores only the minimum stock of equipment due to their contractual obligations.. think it's the same throughout the island lar...... if u hold stock for too long it depreciates and u have lots of money tied up in a few items that u can't move...

Anyway, it's a typical S'porean attitude..... go for brand first then function...... the blind leading the blind.....

 

[deslim27]

Well, that is just norm anywhere lah. Minolta really need to improve it marketing and PR skill. Even I'm so pai sei to recommend any Minolta product although I know its good, ppl will thought I'm Minolta Die Hard Fan..

 

[TME]

Well, that is just norm anywhere lah. Minolta really need to improve it marketing and PR skill. Even I'm so pai sei to recommend any Minolta product although I know its good, ppl will thought I'm Minolta Die Hard Fan..

yeah I agree... it's all in the marketing sadly enough.... the Dynax 5 is really very good..... but no one takes a look at it cos Nikon blasts its F-55 all over ST and Canon does the same for the EOS66........ and these are priced the same as the Dynax 5 but have less features...... duhz.....

 

[dannynys]

Well, I am really not sure what's Minolta is up to. I guess the copier business is better for them in Singapore. Either that, they must be concentrating on the digital cameras. I doubt they are really into attracting business for the prosumer or the professionals. It's really a cycle. If Minolta don't promote well, business is no good, why should anyone stock them. I really hope that some good things happen next year, the merger of Konica and Minolta should be a positive one. Both are in the same industry, the current realease of digital cameras are some plans they have before the merger. I hope their R&D will be faster with more resources now. I do see Canon as the most aggressive brand in Singapore and Malaysia. Minolta is very weak in marketing and Minolta in Malaysia is even worse.

It's not doing any good if people are not getting their lenses or accessories when they want it. The Christmas season is near, I'm sure people are willing to spend more during year end when they got their bonus. If Minolta no stock, other brands will do. Let's just hope I am putting the eggs in the right basket. I have seen so many people on Clubsnap switching brands, not very encouraging. I still believe they got what it takes but lacks aggrressive promotion.

:nono:

 

[deslim27]

I do see them coming back after the merger. Notice the advertisement on TV, they even sponsor for weekday movie on Channel 5.

Hope they do good

 

[forbytes]

I agree that Minolta SLR and lens market seems to be moving slow. We die hard supporters will have a hard time finding the lens. We have to let others find the strength of Minolta cameras. Great value for money. No offence to Nikon shooters but in terms of pricing and features and ergonomics and feel, Dynax 7 is better than the F100 (both are in the same class meaning they are only 1 step below the pro. bodies). Yet people are getting F100. Well, that boils down to the point that people with status wants to drive B&W and not drive Audi. Since so much people getting Nikon and Canon, no wonder the lens for minolta are not coming in.

Look at the number of post in the Clubsnap forum. Canon > Nikon > Minolta. means that either canon has more user base and more regular writers in the forums than the others. When 1 day the case is Minolta > ??? > ???, I will be glad, 1 staff in CP call me "The Minolta Man" to a Canon Shooter. Haahaa :blah:

On the other hand, the digital sales seems to be quite ok. Advertisements on Z1, XT and such are appearing and shops do hold on to some Minolta digital camera.

 

[deslim27]

To turn the table around.. Minolta simply need DSLRs.. not just one, it won't work. Like Pentax, even though *ist D is good (I like it ), they aren't going to attract new comers, when they compare Pentax against N & C.

Also, M need more lens than marked with "G" and at a low price! People just like glasses marked as "pro".

 

[dannynys]

forbytes ,

I can only pray hard that the day the number of Minolta users will jump! It's all boils down to promotion and more promotion. Looking from majority of the products released for this year, how many professional products are out? I can only count SSM lenses, and the irony is they are not even out yet. I think the summer released has taken a long time, maybe Japan is always in winter! I can only complain and complain. The fact is Minolta is so much smaller than the others like Nikon and Canon, I reckon product development & research department is even smaller.

The only comfort I get from all this fustration is at least their new product is worth the wait. I was very impressed when they got the Anti-shake for the Minolta A1. I hope this is incoporated into the DSLR they gonna released next year. I'm not hoping for bigger CCD size, just hope for value-for-money and good design.

As for deslim27,
I think DSLR is really the key for the future, I am doubtful they are gonna release a whole lot of DSLR suddenly. It really depends on the demands and I don't even know any pros in Singapore using Minolta! G lens are comparable with any pro lenses the other brands are having. I don't think they will lower the price. If the pro market is not their main market, they wouldn't be releasing more pro lenses. Konica always give me the impression that a lot of their products are OEM from some other companies, anyone can correct me on this thing? I hope they are serious into digital imaging and will see more innovative products. This year the merger is probably taking up much of their time, everything needs to be restructured. I hope next year stand a better chance of seeing a product out of this merger.

 

[forbytes]

But the bottom line is the lens setup. Minolta have limited lens but in my opinion they are sufficient for most and even up to the pro shooters. Secondly, someone and somehow people must come up to prove that the 'G' lens are equal to or better than 'ED' and 'L' lens.

I have spoken to a few pro shooters using DSLR. they always complain about dust stuck to the CCD or CMOS. and they are really expansive and dangerous to clean. With interchangable lens, the chances of dust getting into the sensor is relatively high when compared with A1 or 7hi or 7, perhaps they are also coming up with another ingenious way of preventing dust from getting to the sensor, currently there are the vibration shield and electronic wiper. Wonder what Minolta will come up next?

Oh no, OT liao. :bsmilie:

 

[deslim27]

Hi Dannynys,

Hmm. I've many doubt too, but after reading this new below. I do think that KM has some big plans coming up next year. The CEO said "KM will be the world largest supplier for DSLR" :bigeyes: . No way to achieve that with just one DSLR into the market. They need "Big Bang" approach.. do or die may be


【王秋燕╱綜合外電報導】專業攝影師與攝影愛好者客源不斷增加，單眼數位相機市場成長爆發力十足，今年全球出貨量可望大幅提高至100萬台。看好此商機，柯尼卡美樂達（Konica Minolta）宣布，明年推出可轉換鏡頭的單眼數位相機，社長岩居文雄更發下豪語，指柯尼卡美樂達將成為全球最大供應商。


Original Post:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1024&message=6624031

Translated:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1024&message=6624759

News from apple daily:
http://www.appledaily.com.tw/templa...c=TP&showdate=20031110&sec_id=8&art_id=486303

 

[TME]

I thought I read somewhere (might be my fertile imagination - another die hard Minolta supporter albeit a very new one) that Minolta will release 3-4 DSLRs into the market..... I think it was roughly targetted at the current Dynax series markets..... that is an entry level one corresponding to the Dynax 5, a semi-rpo one corresponding to the Dynax 7 and a pro body corresponding to the Dynax 9. Also there might be an in between body either between the Dynax 5 & 7 or Dynax 7 & 9....... if no one has read this before... then take it as my delusional imaginations lar...... :bsmilie:

Anyway, the way Minolta is lagging behind, they have to release really a few cutting edge cameras with cutting edge prices and all at one go with a huge splash on PR....... it will make people sit up and take note.. the Pentax istD is a good example..... it made a splash but bec not enough momentum (one camera how heavy only??).. so fizzle off... ;p

But I heard that Minolta is very represented in Europe and Japan...... S'pore as usual gets the scraps.....

 

[deslim27]

But I heard that Minolta is very represented in Europe and Japan...... S'pore as usual gets the scraps.....

Yap, heard from my colleague who used studied in UK. He said Minolta is quite popular there. SG? Why would they ship their best stock here for clearance sale? haaa

Ok!! Seriously! Anyone is selling your G lens because you want to jump ship? I kind enough to take in at 1/4 of the original price

 

[dannynys]

But the bottom line is the lens setup. Minolta have limited lens but in my opinion they are sufficient for most and even up to the pro shooters. Secondly, someone and somehow people must come up to prove that the 'G' lens are equal to or better than 'ED' and 'L' lens.

I don't think there is no need for comparisons. Minolta has the capabilities , consider that they are in other optics business such as astronomy and onimax theathre projectors. What they need is not prove, but more aggressive marketing. BTW, the "G" Lens prices are in the same range as the "ED" and "L" lens. People are like that, if you get some pros to use your products, you will get followers that will do the same.

 

[dannynys]

Yap, heard from my colleague who used studied in UK. He said Minolta is quite popular there. SG? Why would they ship their best stock here for clearance sale? haaa

Ok!! Seriously! Anyone is selling your G lens because you want to jump ship? I kind enough to take in at 1/4 of the original price

Wah seh, desilm27. 1/4 of the original price too low lah.., you are offering what's the 2nd hand shop is offering. heehee...

 

[deslim27]

Wah seh, desilm27. 1/4 of the original price too low lah.., you are offering what's the 2nd hand shop is offering. heehee...

Wah sei! okie.

1/3 of the original price.. how about that? :think:
Too bad that there isn't much G lens floating around in SG market. There are plenty in ebay, but can't trust those guys. Must try to grab some good deals before any official DSLR news.

 

[YuHsuan]

Come on, if someone buys a 80-200 G or a 17-35 G for almost 3K, you seriously think he will sell it off at less than a grand?

Try imagining yourself as a seller and offer say... the best camera in your collection for 1/3 of the price you paid.

The reason why there aren't many minolta G lenses around in the used market is because unlike Canon and Nikon lenses which are bought and used frequently by professionals using company funds, minolta lenses are usually bought by enthusiasts using their own money.

Wah sei! okie.

1/3 of the original price.. how about that? :think:
Too bad that there isn't much G lens floating around in SG market. There are plenty in ebay, but can't trust those guys. Must try to grab some good deals before any official DSLR news.

 

[yeocolin]

I thought I read somewhere (might be my fertile imagination - another die hard Minolta supporter albeit a very new one) that Minolta will release 3-4 DSLRs into the market..... I think it was roughly targetted at the current Dynax series markets..... that is an entry level one corresponding to the Dynax 5, a semi-rpo one corresponding to the Dynax 7 and a pro body corresponding to the Dynax 9. Also there might be an in between body either between the Dynax 5 & 7 or Dynax 7 & 9....... if no one has read this before... then take it as my delusional imaginations lar...... :bsmilie:

Anyway, the way Minolta is lagging behind, they have to release really a few cutting edge cameras with cutting edge prices and all at one go with a huge splash on PR....... it will make people sit up and take note.. the Pentax istD is a good example..... it made a splash but bec not enough momentum (one camera how heavy only??).. so fizzle off... ;p

But I heard that Minolta is very represented in Europe and Japan...... S'pore as usual gets the scraps.....

You are right that Minolta is more popular in Europe and Japan than in Singapore or Malaysia, although Canon and Nikon are still the predominant forces in these markets. The fact that B&H stocks most of Minolta's product almost all the time, the market in America is probably not too small either. 1 good example is looking at the reviews on www.photographyreview.com. There are users of Dynax 7, 9 or the Minolta lenses who are actually converts from other systems!!

Personally, I feel that Minolta is working better this time in their promotion of their prosumer digital cameras. Although I take the reports by Minolta's president about getting a lion's share of the DSLR market with a huge fistful of salt, but deep in my heart, there's of course this hope that its not just all hot air.

As for professionals using Nikon and Canon, do realise that Canon is so aggressive that they are offering super low prices for their wares to famous photographers to convert from Nikon. Nikon themselves are already suffering from Canon's aggressive film SLR sales and are reeling more from Canon's recent digital campaigns. Some of the Nikon amateurs have already converted to Canon. From my armchair, I look on with interest how these companies fight it out in the battlefield, on many fronts (sponsorship, buying over their famous users, advertisements).

 

[deslim27]

Come on, if someone buys a 80-200 G or a 17-35 G for almost 3K, you seriously think he will sell it off at less than a grand?

Try imagining yourself as a seller and offer say... the best camera in your collection for 1/3 of the price you paid.

Yo Bro, relac lah.. just kidding.

But if lets say a damn rich seller most willing to let go cheaply (like donation) to me. Why not?