Konica Minolta finally enters DSLR wars

Minolta announced a digital version of their excellent Maxxum/Dynax 7 SLR. It is a 6MP APS sized sensor similar to the size of the Nikon or Canon consumer products and is a CCD. Availability is slated for Fall.

One of the interesting things about this camera is that it has the Image Stabilization built into the body instead of in the lenses. In theory it's like automatically having all your lenses be IS.... Let's see how it works out in real life!

-J

Juan, I think you are thinking of the Dimage A2 high end digicam. I see nothing in the press release about the in camera IS on the Maxxum 7 DSLR announcement.

I got the info from Phil Askey/DPReview

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0402/04021 ... igital.asp

He may be mistaken... but he has the info in multiple places so I am not sure.

-J

Wow, looks like a really great camera. The intgrated IS is a great idea!

From a long time Minolta user I can only say Hallelujah! If it eventually ends up with 8MP so much the better, but the AS in the body and a layout similar to my M7 makes it a winner and must have in my book. What shocks me is that Minolta isn't just doing a "me too." This actually looks like a well thought out move. Who'da thunk it? :roll: ><>

It's so much fun to see all this new technology introduced. It matters not to me who comes up with the stuff. The competition and innovation can only benefit everyone in the long run!

In-camera image stablization are, iirc, both in A1 and A2. It is not surprising it is not in the new DC.

Speculations:

1. Will there be a histogram in review mode? Oly and Pentax both miss in ths department.

2. The most outstanding "feature" on the camera, from the pictures posted, is the label -- "Konica / Minolta"! Arrgh!

3. Is "Dynax 7" the same as "Alpha-7" sold in Japan?


Griffin.

I've shot Minolta since the beginning. Their Dynax 7 and 9 cameras are some of the absolute best out there. They've done very well digitally with their hig-end digicam series, and I know many professionals in Norway that prefer Minolta for productshots, food, still life and portraits. I am confident they'll be introducing a good dSLR. I still have a bunch of Minolta lenses, so maby I won't convert to Canon after all... In the end it will all depend on the sensor for me... Canon's almost noise free images are going to be tough to beat!

I used to be a Minolta fan also. I still am a proud owner of the first ever AF SLR, the Maxxum 7000. Still works like a charm!

Good to see Minolta doing well. Having another serious competitor in the market can only help us all.

-J

I gotta admit, the Maxxum 7 Digital looks interesting - AS/IS built into the body is very intriguing. Couple that with the apparently optically outstanding (if slow-focusing) Minolta 400/F4.5 and 1.4 TC would yield a 560/F6.3 that will (apparently) still AF on this body. With a 1.5-1.6 multiplier, that's around 840-900mm equivalent from a relatively light, luggable kit that may very well (depending on the price of the body) come in at under $4k for the body and lens (the lens is less than $2k, and just over 4lbs). I will be very curious to see reviews of the body when it comes out.

The next few months should determine a lot about the direction I go in the future - Canon doesn't really offer a decent upgrade path for me at the moment, as the 10D doesn't AF any better than my 300D (and that's my only real complaint about my current body), and I can't get a longer lens with IS for less than $4-5k. The 1DmkII is a great camera, but too rich for my blood at the moment.

The most outstanding "feature" on the camera, from the pictures posted, is the label -- "Konica / Minolta"! Arrgh!

All of their distributors and retailers now refer to them as "Monika" - could a corporate name change be in the works?

"KonicaMinolta" is the official name change. The original concept after the merger was to have all cameras carry the Minolta badge, but the company recently decided that brand recognition and identity made more sense (sort of like realizing why photocopiers and cameras carry the Canon name. So, everything is now, or will be, KonicaMinolta.

Now, on to more meaningful matters. What's this? Favorable comments about a forthcoming Minolta camera on this forum? Wake me up!

The AS in the Maxxum/Dynax/Alpha 7D (as us "Minoltians" are calling it until told otherwise) was expected after the release of the A1, which was the first camera to feature it. By all accounts it works as well as IS/VR, although comparing the operation of AS in a compact 5MP digicam vs. an SLR/DSLR is not quite like comparing apples to apples. The big issues are how well it will work with the larger APS-C sized sensor in the DSLR, and the extent to which heat created by the system might have an adverse affect on the camera's noise characteristics.

However, being able to upgrade my 600/4 Maxxum lens to an image stabilized lens (not to mention every other lens in my arsenal), by simply buying a $1500 or so camera (estimated/speculated price), seems like a pretty nice opportunity. However, Minolta has not released a lot of details about the new camera (e.g., shooting speed/FPS and memory/buffer capacity), and the camera is not expected to be in production until around the time of the Photokina show in September. Hopefully the wait will be worth it.

For those unfamiliar with Minolta cameras, and the Maxxum 7/9 in particular, they are excellent cameras. Minolta's G lenses are the equivalent of Canon's L and Nikon's best offerings. Minolta even has started introducing ultrasonic-type focusing in new 70-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 lenses.

What should perhaps really attract some attention from this group is, as already noted, is Minolta's optically excellent 400/4.5 lens (which is only 1/3 stop slower than Canon's 400/4 DO lens, relatively close in size and weight - I think, and at a price about 1/3 that of the DO lens). Although one person described it as slow focusing it is not that slow, although it is not necessarily up to USM/SW standards. But if you add to the equation the AF delay when IS is activated, it probably is just as fast or faster. With an assumed camera crop factor of 1.5x, the 400/4.5 becomes equivalent to a 600/4.5. The modest weight and size of the lens, and the addition of AS, would seem to make it eminently handholdable, at least for things like birds in flight (although it admittedly is not yet clear how well AS will work in panning situations). The lens is about $1800-$1900 (less if you can find one used), and if the camera comes in around $1500, for less than the cost of a Canon or Nikon 300/2.8, you could get a 6 MP camera with an effective 600/4.5 lens. Add a 1.4x converter (less than $200 used) and you now have an equivalent 840/6.3, which will AF (unless KM makes some drastic negative changes to the camera's AF system from the Maxxum 7). It seems to me that might attract a lot of potential shooters looking to get into long telephoto photography.

Much remains to be seen about the new camera (Michael Reichman noted on his Luminous Landscape site overhearing some Minolta reps speculating that by the time the camera hits the market it might have an 8 MP sensor given how fast technology is advancing, although I personally don't think it likely, but would love to see it). High end Minolta G lenses are available for relatively low prices in the used market (Minolta's stagnation in recent years in the higher end of the market has led many to switch to Canon or Nikon, and resulted in an excess of supply over demand in the used market, resulting in a buyers market). It will be interesting to see if the camera lives up to expectations (hopefully it will), and how it may impact the market.

And no, I am not a paid spokesman for KonicaMinolta, although sometimes I think I should be. But if you saw my posts on the yahoo Minolta users group, you would know there's no way that's even remotely possible.

Eventhough I am a Canon user now, I for one would love to see KonicaMinolta suceed. Like stated in a previous post, I used to be a Minolta user and still have my Maxxum 7000.

However the "truth will be in the pudding" as they say. We have to wait and see the quality of the files/images that come out of this system. Will they offer a RAW format and what software will be available out there to process them?

One of the HUGE advanatges that Canon has over MOST other competitors is that they manufacture their own imaging sensors and do not have to rely on a third party to produce them exactly the way they want them as fast as they want them. I truly beleive this is the major reason for Canon's dominance in the DSLR market.

Just my $0.02 worth.

vbpholaw wrote:What should perhaps really attract some attention from this group is, as already noted, is Minolta's optically excellent 400/4.5 lens (which is only 1/3 stop slower than Canon's 400/4 DO lens, relatively close in size and weight - I think, and at a price about 1/3 that of the DO lens). Although one person described it as slow focusing it is not that slow, although it is not necessarily up to USM/SW standards. But if you add to the equation the AF delay when IS is activated, it probably is just as fast or faster. With an assumed camera crop factor of 1.5x, the 400/4.5 becomes equivalent to a 600/4.5. The modest weight and size of the lens, and the addition of AS, would seem to make it eminently handholdable, at least for things like birds in flight (although it admittedly is not yet clear how well AS will work in panning situations). The lens is about $1800-$1900 (less if you can find one used), and if the camera comes in around $1500, for less than the cost of a Canon or Nikon 300/2.8, you could get a 6 MP camera with an effective 600/4.5 lens. Add a 1.4x converter (less than $200 used) and you now have an equivalent 840/6.3, which will AF (unless KM makes some drastic negative changes to the camera's AF system from the Maxxum 7). It seems to me that might attract a lot of potential shooters looking to get into long telephoto photography.

Mark,

Thanks for the great overview and for confirming my initial impressions. When I mentioned the "slow" focusing of the 400/4.5, I was only noting what I found at Photozone.de . It would be lovely if KM added SSM to the 400/4.5 by fall, though

You've certainly summed up my initial impressions very well (from a "Minoltian" POV), and have backed up exactly why the announcement of AS in the body is very, very intriguing to me. While I love my Canon kit, they've left me no upgrade path for my style of photography (handheld nature) that doesn't come with massive cost/weight issues. If it came down to it, I'm certain I could sell the Canon kit (taking a loss on the body, but not too much on the lenses) pretty easily.

Time will tell whether the KM system lives up to its assumed potential, but if it does, I could get very excited *very* quickly.

Rick

Thanks Rick. I think you're right. One of the "big" issues lying in the path of success for this new camera is Minolta's historic failure to market its products, or to market them well. This is particularly true for products aimed at the professional or serious/advanced amateur market. Minolta is a late entry to the DSLR sweepstakes, and it will likely require some agressive efforts to get accepted in the market. Of course, having a product that lives up to expectations is the first requirement.

Now that it is KonicaMinolta, it remains to be seen if any changes for the good have occurred in the marketing department.

Much remains to be seen, but there is some reason for optimism.

They've got me intrigued about this camera and lens! Without much marketing at all, other than internet hubbub.

I hope the product is excellent and that Minolta succeeds, even though I am a Canon user and see no prospect of changing. I'd hate to see Canon become so dominant that they feel no need to compete on price or new technology. And being a late entry to DSLRs may have saved Minolta a lot of coin without hurting them much if they can come in now with a quality product.

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if the anti-shake feature works well only handheld, or does it apply to tripod use also? May be too early to tell.

Mike,

I have raised the issue of tripod use and AS in a Minolta users group forum. My understanding is that Minolta recommends turning AS off when the A1 (the only camera now on the market with AS) is mounted on a tripod. However, I don't think that's necessarily an indication of what will happen with a DSLR. The A1 is small and light, so when mounted on a tripod, if it is stable, there should be virtually no movement. Thus, it makes sense to turn off AS. However, put a DSLR on the end of a 600/4 and there still can be some movement, which is why IS works well with Canon's big glass mounted on a tripod. Thus, I think (but don't know) that it will depend on the specific situation as to whether or not AS will work with a tripod mounted camera/lens. The proof will be in the pudding, whenever the pudding is finally made and ready to be tasted.

By the way, one other "issue" is how will the user know when the AS has fully engaged and stablized the image? With IS/VR, you see the effects through the viewfinder. With the new Minolta system, and a DSLR's optical viewfinder (as opposed to the EVF of the A1 and forthcoming A2), because the stabilization is on the chip, you will not see it through the viewfinder. My assumption is that Minolta will provide some kind of viewfinder confirmation when AS is activated and fully engaged. But that is speculation on my part. Just another little thing we will have to wait and see how it works.