News!!! Minolta DSLR finally!!
- Thread starter deslim27
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I had been asking Minolta about DSLR for more then a year (well, they had that news about 2 years ago) before I finally decided it is not worth the wait and get a Canon 10D.
The last mail Minolta sent to me was something like they MIGHT be releasing something about a DSLR in June (last June) ..... I waited until end of June and get a Canon 10D. I cannot believe their PR any longer.
I would not be very optimistic with their announcement, they had let me down for far too many times.
I am still hanging on to my Trusty 700si though .... still a good workhorse. The last servicing was done only in January. Slight leak in the Viewfinder, but would not disrupt the photograph output.
The last mail Minolta sent to me was something like they MIGHT be releasing something about a DSLR in June (last June) ..... I waited until end of June and get a Canon 10D. I cannot believe their PR any longer.
I would not be very optimistic with their announcement, they had let me down for far too many times.
I am still hanging on to my Trusty 700si though .... still a good workhorse. The last servicing was done only in January. Slight leak in the Viewfinder, but would not disrupt the photograph output.
blurblock said:
hahaha......... Minolta does not seem to have a PR department at all judging by the way the company is going...... I only hope they won't collapse or drop the SLR side of business since the consumer side is a lot more lucrative especially with digicams......... sighz..............
At least now is in their blue print.. pg 37
notice "DSLR" and "SLR type" difference?
http://konicaminolta.net/investors/pdf/fr/km/2004/2004ifr_ps.pdf
Thanks to the eagle eye of José from dpreview..
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1024&message=6695289
notice "DSLR" and "SLR type" difference?
http://konicaminolta.net/investors/pdf/fr/km/2004/2004ifr_ps.pdf
Thanks to the eagle eye of José from dpreview..
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1024&message=6695289
TME said:
Tat is precisely the point .... if they keep on making Fixed lens DSLR like the Dimage 7Hi series, you will need to keep on purchasing "New" system from them.
Making it interchangeable will hurt their sales, just think, I make a body and sell for $1700, then the user can have almost unlimited lens from third party ..... noticeably third party lens sells better because of price and economy of scale, more vesatile to mass public .....(I wonder when the user will purchase another body?) just think a Sigma Lens is a Sigma Lens with different mount, Canon, Minolta, Nikon .... etc etc, Sigma can afford to create lenses. Minolta only create lens for it's own camera. The market is alot smaller.
Unlike Nikon and Canon who are pretty well established in the line of "Professional" photography, and their lenses are pretty much targeting the pockets of Professional Photographer. Minolta has always been targeting Advanced Users group, the highly priced lenses will not sell ... at all.
With the same $1700 buck .... I might as well sell 2 7Hi and the user will, hopefully, buy the next version of "upgraded" Dimage camera. Even if they do not buy the next version, there is no lost to them. However, when they sell a body, the body can really last .... 5 years - 6 years or more .....
That makes simple economic sense but that may not always be the objective of the company... Minolta may want to re-establish its name in the pro/advance segment.... anyway it's usually a matter of prestige to have a high end DSLR.... it would be a step down if they stepped out of the high end SLR market... but they do need money to promote their pro range as well as put out new products....... 
I have learn not to trust Minolta in whatever they say especially in exhibition or their PR dept. Imagine when Dimage 7 is out I ask if it work with the flash in wireless mode and the answer is YES. Luckily I checked and ultimately get the 7i when it is out. When ask when the A1 will be out in S'pore during one of the exhibition, I was told Dec 2003 (when it was already on sale in the US).
When the A1 is out I ask if they will make a wide angle adaptor for it and again the answer is YES in around Oct 03 (even have date) even when I try to tell them that they may be wrong. Now I know never to trust them, sometimes I wonder does people working in Minolta knows their stuff ??. Maybe now if you ask them about DSLR release date it will be Jun 2004.
When the A1 is out I ask if they will make a wide angle adaptor for it and again the answer is YES in around Oct 03 (even have date) even when I try to tell them that they may be wrong. Now I know never to trust them, sometimes I wonder does people working in Minolta knows their stuff ??. Maybe now if you ask them about DSLR release date it will be Jun 2004.
Hiya blurblock,
Sorry but can't agree with you..
they keep on making Fixed lens DSLR like the Dimage 7Hi series, you will need to keep on purchasing "New" system from them
Minolta called A1, 7Hi etc as "SLR Type", notice that they have 2 boxes - "Digital SLR" and "SLR Type" in their diagram?
http://konicaminolta.net/investors/.../2004ifr_ps.pdf
Camera system often refering to body + lens + flash + other accessories. In the case of fixed lens camera like A1, consumer can always switch to another brand anytime as they like, as long as they get rid (or cold storage) the existing one via ebay, clubsnap blah blah blah..
To switch a camera system is totally different story, you have to sell the lens, flash, body plus other accessories. There are plenty of examples in the "Buy/Sell" forum, "Can't sell all the lens? Stick to the brand.."
Most people hang on to Minolta, waiting for its DSLR are probably due to their lens collection, be it Minolta, Sigma, Tamron ... blah.. blah.. They are all Minolta Mount! You can't simply attachment them into Canon or Nikon DSLR and make it works.
However, when they sell a body, the body can really last .... 5 years - 6 years or more .....
I got a Dimage V (640 x 480 pixel) that is about 5 years old.. you wanna buy?
Unlike film camera that will last like forever. Digital camera will be replace every few years. To ensure customer always buy your camera (although they are really so-so only), make they lock to your lens mount. :devil:
Just my 0.02, no offense
Sorry but can't agree with you..
they keep on making Fixed lens DSLR like the Dimage 7Hi series, you will need to keep on purchasing "New" system from them
Minolta called A1, 7Hi etc as "SLR Type", notice that they have 2 boxes - "Digital SLR" and "SLR Type" in their diagram?
http://konicaminolta.net/investors/.../2004ifr_ps.pdf
Camera system often refering to body + lens + flash + other accessories. In the case of fixed lens camera like A1, consumer can always switch to another brand anytime as they like, as long as they get rid (or cold storage) the existing one via ebay, clubsnap blah blah blah..
To switch a camera system is totally different story, you have to sell the lens, flash, body plus other accessories. There are plenty of examples in the "Buy/Sell" forum, "Can't sell all the lens? Stick to the brand.."
Most people hang on to Minolta, waiting for its DSLR are probably due to their lens collection, be it Minolta, Sigma, Tamron ... blah.. blah.. They are all Minolta Mount! You can't simply attachment them into Canon or Nikon DSLR and make it works.
However, when they sell a body, the body can really last .... 5 years - 6 years or more .....
I got a Dimage V (640 x 480 pixel) that is about 5 years old.. you wanna buy?
Unlike film camera that will last like forever. Digital camera will be replace every few years. To ensure customer always buy your camera (although they are really so-so only), make they lock to your lens mount. :devil:
Just my 0.02, no offense
TME said:That makes simple economic sense but that may not always be the objective of the company... Minolta may want to re-establish its name in the pro/advance segment.... anyway it's usually a matter of prestige to have a high end DSLR.... it would be a step down if they stepped out of the high end SLR market... but they do need money to promote their pro range as well as put out new products.......
Basically I see it in a marco economic view
.... hehehe .... basic information .... Sigma has SD 9/10, Fuji has Fuji-S2 pro, Pentax has *ist D, Canon has the XXD series, Nikon has DXX series, Olympus has E1, Kodak having DCs Series, users are spoild for choices in Interchangeable DSLR ....What will make me different from the rest of the world???? Be unique. I come out with mainly DSLR with FIXED lenses (technically, it is still DSLR, Digital Single Lens Reflex mah ... I am not lying). I provide outstanding Aperture, mainly super fast picture taking..... I provide accessories to enhance this model "Wide angle attachment", Marco Attachment, Underwater Casing, Anti Freeze protector (if there is such thing), I set it at a price similar to competitor with very much better feature... and compare to it's nearest competitor in this category, G5, coolpix and Olympus series, I provide the pictures with the least noise.
When people get used to "BUY PROSUMER ....? BUY MINOLTA" I will have meet my target .... notice they are promoting their Consumer and Prosumer camera aggressively recently ..... after Konica took over the company.
blurblock said:
That's really news to me.. I only heard ppl complaining Minolta refused to acknowledge that they are planning for a new DSLR. You are the very first one Minolta promise for one. :bigeyes:
Anyway, Minolta never lied to you.. they do have a DSLR
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=48486
You wanna buy?
deslim27 said:Hiya blurblock,
Sorry but can't agree with you..
they keep on making Fixed lens DSLR like the Dimage 7Hi series, you will need to keep on purchasing "New" system from them
Minolta called A1, 7Hi etc as "SLR Type", notice that they have 2 boxes - "Digital SLR" and "SLR Type" in their diagram?
http://konicaminolta.net/investors/.../2004ifr_ps.pdf
Camera system often refering to body + lens + flash + other accessories. In the case of fixed lens camera like A1, consumer can always switch to another brand anytime as they like, as long as they get rid (or cold storage) the existing one via ebay, clubsnap blah blah blah..
To switch a camera system is totally different story, you have to sell the lens, flash, body plus other accessories. There are plenty of examples in the "Buy/Sell" forum, "Can't sell all the lens? Stick to the brand.."
Most people hang on to Minolta, waiting for its DSLR are probably due to their lens collection, be it Minolta, Sigma, Tamron ... blah.. blah.. They are all Minolta Mount! You can't simply attachment them into Canon or Nikon DSLR and make it works.
However, when they sell a body, the body can really last .... 5 years - 6 years or more .....
I got a Dimage V (640 x 480 pixel) that is about 5 years old.. you wanna buy?
Unlike film camera that will last like forever. Digital camera will be replace every few years. To ensure customer always buy your camera (although they are really so-so only), make they lock to your lens mount. :devil:
Just my 0.02, no offense
Ummmm.... SLR = Standard Flim SLR = Dynx, Maxxam, si series ....
DSLR = Digital SLR = A1, 7Hi .....
I read that PDF files ... that's why hit my head against the wall lor ....
Page 34 .... Our Digital carm... tell you is fixed lens already.
Page 36 .... Finished Products unique to Konica Minolta and outside sales of lens units .... tell you they may be creating Printers that is unique to their camera ... ie ... no compatible with existing standard.
I sure hope I am wrong ..... believe me .... I do .... I love my 700si .... been with me for 7 years :cry: ..... now trying to sell away because ganna fly aeroplane by them too many times.
Further more the whole damned PDF files revolved around their current Digital Camera Product ..... if I were they I will continue to milk this cow.
deslim27 said:That's really news to me.. I only heard ppl complaining Minolta refused to acknowledge that they are planning for a new DSLR. You are the very first one Minolta promise for one. :bigeyes:
Anyway, Minolta never lied to you.. they do have a DSLR
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=48486
You wanna buy?
hehehe .... think Ruthbaby once published one of the mail of Minolta to me here once, somewhere in May ..... the one that pissed me off about new "relvolutionary DSLR" product coming out in June ....whahahaha..... (My question to them was, when one earth are they going come out with a respectable DSLR with Interchangeable lens) .... in the End ... they come out some stupid Compact Digital Camera.... whahahahaha .... ;(
Have some patience lar...... anyway it's no secret that Minolta has been in financial trouble and this probably hindered their R&D in the DSLR segment..... actually I think they have all the ingredients for a quick launch of a DSLR... with a lot of experience with the Dimage series and also with a suitable body using the Dynax 7..... in addition Konica Minolta has chosen to retain the Minolta name and logo for all imaging products.. that's the brand name they are trying to leverage on..... so they do have something to buildupon, they won't let go the good will and brand name so easily.. Minolta has always been associated with good value for money and innovation....... so I think DSLR with interchangeable lenses and more features than the rest would be in line with their philosophy...
TME said:
There must be real advantage compared to the rest, Minolta DSLR to survive the race since it already late for the competition. Other than the AS technology, I suspect the viewfinder will be very different and exciting (a EVF?)
But fix the noise issue in the A1 first..
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