Minolta gone?

dolande · Jan 19, 2006

I started photography about 20 years ago with a Konica Autoreflex TC that I still keep (but havent use in more than 10 years). At the time I fetished the Nikon F3 but I couldnt understand why my cheap camera had a higher flash synch (1/125) and, friendlier to beginners, shutter speed priority than the Nikon. I also bought an used maxxum 7 last month that Im enjoining very much.

Dave Parker · Jan 19, 2006

You guys are mixing things up here...

the Konica TC and the Minolta SRT are TWO completely different camera companies...

Konica bought out Minolta about two years ago to save the Business Machines division, Konica pretty much scaped cameras many years ago

But the company that announced it was getting out of cameras is nothing to do with Konica or Minolta...

In the whole scope of things, this is little more than a blip that should have happend two years ago, Konica is a Business Machine company now a days for the most part, the film division was really an after thought in the whole scope of things

When it comes down to it, the demise of Minolta cameras, actually should have happend two years ago, and Konica stepped in and gave us two years more...

Dave

ajuk · Jan 19, 2006

kunihiko said:
Good-Bye Konica PAN

First time I have herd of it! I thought KM only makes colour neg and one Chromagenic these days, no?

Andy K said:
I'll miss the Konica/Minolta VX100 colour film.

It looks to me like the way things are going we will be left with the majority of bw materials coming from Ilford, maybe Efke and also Lucky, while the only player looking strong in the colour market is Fuji.

I think I have about 16 rolls of it, I find it to be too slow for general use, I have yet to have one developed, only got it because it was so cheap, about 17p a roll!

Kevin Roach said:
STEVE!

Never been a user of Minolta SLRs, although when I did once try one of the SRTs I was impressed by its quietness and feeling of refinement.

That is the first time I ever heard an SRT referred to as quiet. I'll agree with the refinement but my SRT101 is the loudest SLR I ever heard.

Ever herd an OM30?

roteague · Jan 19, 2006

As much as I prefer a modern camera, if I can't get one then I will take an old, used one instead. As long as I can keep pressing the shutter, and as long as I can continue to run film through it.

firecracker · Jan 19, 2006

Lee Shively said:
So, when does Taco Bell get into the digital imaging business?

I think Taco Bell should spare its burrito-making technology and low-wage operation skills to the film manufactures.

magic823 · Jan 19, 2006

Satinsnow said:
What does that accomplish???? you move to Canon and then Canon decides they are getting out of film? Are you going to ditch them and go to .....What????

Crips I am on the point and don't have nothing to shoot!

Dave

Its about the fact that I've been waiting for better lenses (SSM), which I'll never see now and in 7 years I won't be able to get repair parts for my two Maxxum 7. Canon at least has a shot of surviving. Minolta's gone, Pentax is next, Olympus probably gone as well and I wouldn't bet that Nikon will survive either.

I shoot my serious stuff on 4x5, but I still need dig for a few things. Won't be buying Sony (Minolta) for it.

kunihiko · Jan 19, 2006

ajuk said:
First time I have herd of it! I thought KM only makes colour neg and one Chromagenic these days, no?

There are PAN 100 and PAN 400
http://konicaminolta.jp/products/consumer/film/lineup/monochrome/pan100.html
http://konicaminolta.jp/products/consumer/film/lineup/monochrome/pan400.html

Andy K · Jan 19, 2006

ajuk said:
I think I have about 16 rolls of it, I find it to be too slow for general use, I have yet to have one developed, only got it because it was so cheap, about 17p a roll!

This, this, this, this and this were all shot on konica/Minolta VX100. I have many more great colour shots from this film, I will miss it a lot.

Mark Feldstein · Jan 19, 2006

I'm not particularly big on conspiracy theories, but I think all the manufacturers, Konica-Minolta included, are trying to force consumers (including us) into going digital and then systematically discontinuing support of the equipment purchased in order to sell newer, soon to be outmoded and unsupported equipment. Digital is better than the emperor's new clothes. Whaddya think?
Mark

roteague · Jan 19, 2006

Mark, no. Manufacturers are only looking out for their best interest, and trying to figure out how to outdo other manufacturers. People just aren't buying film cameras any more, go to any WalMart and watch and see.

Andy, great images. I'm surprised to see such fantastic color come from the Konica film, if you had not told me, I would have suspected you used Velvia.

Andy K · Jan 20, 2006

roteague said:
Andy, great images. I'm surprised to see such fantastic color come from the Konica film, if you had not told me, I would have suspected you used Velvia.

Thanks Robert, coming from a regular colour user I take that as a compliment indeed!
They were shot using an Olympus OM-10 (sadly now deceased) with a linear polarising filter. I think the filter may have enhanced the colour.

Steve Roberts · Jan 20, 2006

Kevin Roach said:
STEVE!

Never been a user of Minolta SLRs, although when I did once try one of the SRTs I was impressed by its quietness and feeling of refinement.

That is the first time I ever heard an SRT referred to as quiet. I'll agree with the refinement but my SRT101 is the loudest SLR I ever heard.

OK !!! I suppose that at the time my judgment was probably in the context of having just moved up from a Zenit E to a Praktica Super TL ! A pal of mine had just been on holiday to Oz and bought an SRT in a duty free shop somewhere for a very good price. He came back into the UK with it strung around his neck thinking he'd get one over on Customs, but an eagle eyed official spotted him and clobbered him for the duty and a bit more for trying to pull off a scam. However .... at the time (1974?) I couldn't have been more envious if he'd turned up with a Rolls Royce!!!

Steve

Brac · Jan 20, 2006

sanderx1 said:
There is a independent MD mount camera here - http://www.braun-phototechnik.de/E/Products/Cameras/sr2000/2000md.htm Given that they just announced a similar yashica mount camera (only on the german page as of yet), I would say they are likely to be commited. This is also probably the future shape of amateur 35mm cameras.

They seem to have a Pentax K mount version too with identical looking body. My guess would be these are cosmetically reworked versions of the Chinese SLR which surfaces as Vivitar, Centon, Phenix and no doubt other names.

sanderx1 · Jan 20, 2006

Brac said:
They seem to have a Pentax K mount version too with identical looking body. My guess would be these are cosmetically reworked versions of the Chinese SLR which surfaces as Vivitar, Centon, Phenix and no doubt other names.

Upon some surfing, it appears to be based on Seagull DF-200A body. Based on as seagull by standard only makes PK mount bodies, sp the others woudl be custom runs to some extent and not just rebandings. Braun is - or at least used to be - fairly well regard so in principle there is no reason they might not come out with higher speced cameras made by themselves or a subcontractor. Note I don't have any yashica or minolta or pentax lens.

Dave Parker · Jan 20, 2006

magic823 said:
Its about the fact that I've been waiting for better lenses (SSM), which I'll never see now and in 7 years I won't be able to get repair parts for my two Maxxum 7. Canon at least has a shot of surviving. Minolta's gone, Pentax is next, Olympus probably gone as well and I wouldn't bet that Nikon will survive either.

I shoot my serious stuff on 4x5, but I still need dig for a few things. Won't be buying Sony (Minolta) for it.

Magic,

could you define what a SSM lens is? I am curious, and have shot Minolta for the last 25 years, as well as being on their pro staff and am not familer with that term to describe Minolta lenses, I know Canon has the SSC lenses, but again have never heard the Minolta Lenses described in that manner.

Thanks

PS, Minolta and Sony have never sold a 4x5, and I don't anticipate them ever doing it. Although, Minolta did sell some TLR's cameras that were very good...

roteague · Jan 20, 2006

I'm wondering if this announcement affects other product lines as well. I was on Calumet's site yesterday, looking for the Minolta DiMage 4500II Elite film scanner, they listed it as being out of stock, but due today. Today, I went to the site, and it isn't listed at all. I see I can order one direct from Konica Minolta, but a cost of $100 more than Calumet, Adorama, etc.

Has anyone heard anything?

magic823 · Jan 20, 2006

Satinsnow said:
Magic,

could you define what a SSM lens is? I am curious, and have shot Minolta for the last 25 years, as well as being on their pro staff and am not familer with that term to describe Minolta lenses, I know Canon has the SSC lenses, but again have never heard the Minolta Lenses described in that manner.

Thanks

PS, Minolta and Sony have never sold a 4x5, and I don't anticipate them ever doing it. Although, Minolta did sell some TLR's cameras that were very good...

SSM is where the motor is in the lens (faster and quieter). They make 2 of them now 80-200/2.8 and the 300/2.8. I was hoping that they would do it for most of their lenses.

Yes, I know that they don't and never have done 4x5.

Steve

Dave Parker · Jan 20, 2006

Steve,

I have the most current model of the 300 f/2.8 and the 80-200 f/2.8 as well as the 200 f/2.8 and they still use the motor in the camera to focus, there is a reduction gear in the lens that allows faster focusing, with less battery draw, but there is no motor in the lens...I am sorry, we have been asking Minolta to do this for years now, but they never responded and I have been shooting on their pro staff for almost 20 years now and shot the Olympics in the AU..so now you have confused me, if you have a lens with the motor in the lens, could you provide pictures and let me know how you got something that the rest of us have not?

Dave

Jersey Vic · Jan 21, 2006

A Minolta x700 was and is my 1st camera. It was given to me by my father for Christmas in 1984 and I have never had a single problem with it, even after numerous downpours, blizzards, college, and a lens shade shattering drop onto the cobblestone in Portsmouth. It's tiny, very light weight, has a fantastic metering system, 3 exposure modes, and really super lenses. I even bought an NOS 50mm 1.4 a couple of years back-I ALWAYS wanted one. Tell me I'm going away for a year and only can bring one camera and it goes in my backpack without a 2nd thought.

magic823 · Jan 21, 2006

Satinsnow said:
Steve,

I have the most current model of the 300 f/2.8 and the 80-200 f/2.8 as well as the 200 f/2.8 and they still use the motor in the camera to focus, there is a reduction gear in the lens that allows faster focusing, with less battery draw, but there is no motor in the lens...I am sorry, we have been asking Minolta to do this for years now, but they never responded and I have been shooting on their pro staff for almost 20 years now and shot the Olympics in the AU..so now you have confused me, if you have a lens with the motor in the lens, could you provide pictures and let me know how you got something that the rest of us have not?

Dave

Afraid you don't have the latest versions of the 300/2.8 and the 80-200/2.8 because they are both SSM (supersonic motor). PM sent with more info. SSM only works with the 7, 9 (with firmware update), 70, 7D, and 5D.

Steve

Dave Parker · Jan 21, 2006

Hi Steve,

Got the information and have replied, thanks again for the information.

Dave

Chuckiesinluv · Jan 23, 2006

Schlapp said:
Did I dream this? I thought I heard on the the radio that minolta are out of the film market. No more Konica films and no more film cameras. Please tell me this is not true

thIS IS TRUE!! i MANAGED TO FIND A LARGE CAMERA DEALER in NYC that had two Minolta AF NEW bodies in stock. He told me that Minolta had been "going out " of 35mm quietly for a good while. But managed to keep it mostly quiet.
TO HELL WITH THEM!! Evan though I did purchase one of only two Minolta 70's stocked . They are also lowering their stock of film, telling me that even in NYC that it just was not selling.
Chuck ( Still mad -not at B&H but at the betrayal of camera manufacturers)

Chuckiesinluv · Jan 23, 2006

Canon Out!!

FrankB said:
R.I.P.

Is anyone running a sweepstake for the date Canon dump their film cameras too? (Sorry, gallows humour...)

It is planning to drop the great little REBEL 35mm soon.

Dave Parker · Jan 23, 2006

Chuckiesinluv said:
thIS IS TRUE!! i MANAGED TO FIND A LARGE CAMERA DEALER in NYC that had two Minolta AF NEW bodies in stock. He told me that Minolta had been "going out " of 35mm quietly for a good while. But managed to keep it mostly quiet.
TO HELL WITH THEM!! Evan though I did purchase one of only two Minolta 70's stocked . They are also lowering their stock of film, telling me that even in NYC that it just was not selling.
Chuck ( Still mad -not at B&H but at the betrayal of camera manufacturers)

I am still trying to figure how getting mad does anything, as I have said, I have shot and shot for Minolta for many years now, and I am not mad, even with the amount of money I have invested in their gear over the years...

Convince you friends to stop buying digital and maybe the camera companies will re-consider! but for the near future, I don't see how anything else could happen....getting mad at the camera company is not going to do anygood. And as far as what the camera salesman in the store says, it is worth about what you pay for it....nothing..get over it, get on with it and get shooting.

Dave

Mark Layne · Jan 23, 2006

Kevin Roach said:
STEVE!

Never been a user of Minolta SLRs, although when I did once try one of the SRTs I was impressed by its quietness and feeling of refinement.

That is the first time I ever heard an SRT referred to as quiet. I'll agree with the refinement but my SRT101 is the loudest SLR I ever heard.

On the other hand the XE-7 and its brother Leica R3 are quieter than many current rangefinders.

Those of us who like glass and brass and detest plastic accept that the best cameras are already made and people will now give them to you (well maybe not a Contarex).

Minolta gone?

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