Gizmodo: Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta C250 Pimps Your Bizhub

kthompson — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 08:43:27 EST

This is what happens when you give a hippie a screwdriver, a budget and a directive to redesign your office. Konica Minolta claims this prototype bizhub mish-mash will increase productivity and decrease stress levels, but if I had to stare at a psychedelic coffee pot slash retro lamp slash printerscannerfaxmachine every day, I'd throw myself out a window. Is there actually a serious company out there that would consider this affront to eyesight a useful tool? This may fit in with the culture in Tommy Chong's paper supply firm, but this abomination can't be the wave of the future, can it? – Karson Thompson

Konica Minolta C250 Bizhub Prototype [via Tech Digest]

Sony Launches Alpha D-SLR Line

johnb — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 18:20:04 EDT

Thanks to the Konica-Minolta buy-out, Sony has all kinds of intellectual property to sort through. To that end, they're announcing the Alpha series of D-SLR cameras which will be compatible with Alpha, Maxxum and Dynax gear.

This new line essentially throws existing Konica-Minolta users a bone and there should be a number of cameras coming out under this moniker in the summer.

Product Page [Sony via DPReview]

Sony Up to Challenge in SLR Category

tgrumet — Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:08:53 EST

We told you last week about Konica Minolta giving up on camera-making and transferring assets of its SLR business to Sony, but we didn't know how serious Sony was about getting into the SLR game until now. Looks like the company is pointing to the outfield, Kevin Costner style, announcing its aim to pick up a quarter of the SLR market with what it acquired from Konica. With other consumer electronics makers getting into the game (Samsung announced its entry into this obviously lucrative market last week with two SLR cameras) it's no wonder Sony, which is already the number 2 digital camera maker (behind Canon), has high hopes for its SLR business. That's mainly because the company can produce image sensor chips, displays and batteries in-house, as well as use all its other expertise in A/V technology in other consumer electronics products. Look for the first Sony model this summer, based on Konica Minolta's Maxxum/Dynax mount system. And anyone who bought a Konica Minolta lens will be able to use it on this product as well, so don't put that baby on eBay just yet.

Sony eyes big push into high-end digital cameras [Reuters]

Konica Minolta Takes Toys and Goes Home

tgrumet — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 09:16:11 EST

Here's further evidence that camera makers aren't exactly flying high in the new digital age. Looks like the well-known camera maker Konica Minolta is announcing its withdrawal from the camera business on its own, having reached an agreement with Sony last year to jointly develop digital SLR cameras. So, by March 31 of this year, it will "transfer a portion of assets regarding digital SLR camera system to Sony." Not much more information than that, and what we do have is written in a strange, Japanese business manner, without much use of the word "the." Konica will produce paper and film until 2007, but that's about it. Hope they're giving out good packages to employees! Maybe they get two rolls of 35mm film and some Super 8!

Konica Minolta Abandons Photo Industry

Canon, Konica-Minolta, Fujifilm, Sony, Puts Out Service Advisories

gizmogo — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:48:47 EDT

It happened quietly, but Canon, Konica-Minolta, Fujifilm, and Sony, have all published service advisories admitting that certain models of their digital cameras and digital camcorders are defective. Signs that this could be happening are blurry images and unnatural colors on the LCD display when the camera is in camera mode (example pictured above). This affects cameras that were released in the past two years.

Apparently the culprit are Sony CCD sensors that were packaged in epoxy, which is a lower-cost alternative to more expensive ceramic packaging. The epoxy packaging may lead to moisture and the defects don't show up until years later due to heat and humidity. Word is that Sony will be paying for the repairs on all the cameras regardless of manufacturer — which is certainly a credit to them, but considering the sheer number of cameras this defect affects, Sony could potentially be losing a bunch of money over this.

Here's the list of service advisories from the manufacturers:
Canon advisory
Konica-Minolta advisory
Fujifilm advisory
Sony advisory

Defective Digital Cameras: Sony, Fuji, Konica Minolta and Canon [Retrothing]
Digital Camera Failures [Slashdot]

Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6

gizmogo — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 09:00:57 EDT

Konica Minolta has added a new camera to their lineup today; the DiMAGE Z6. It has 6 megapixels, 12x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, an "anti-shaking" system, Rapid AF with predictive focus control, and a short power-on and shutter-release time. The DiMAGE Z6 uses 4 AA batteries, and has a 2 inch LCD. Should come out around September for about $399.

Press Release [Konica-Minolta via DesignTechnica]
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z6 [dpreview]

Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D

johnb — Fri, 15 Jul 2005 17:38:28 EDT

Minolta announced the new Maxxum 5D digital SLR camera. The 5D is a lighter version of their Maxxum 7D camera. What this means for the end user is that Nikon s D50 and Canon s 350D will have a little more competition, hopefully pushing prices down.
Anti-shake stabilizer, 6 megapixel CCD, 2.5 LCD and a glass fiber body are all features that make this gem shine as a low-end DSLR. No price is set yet, but we will keep our fingers crossed for sub-$1000.

Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D, Konica's answer to Nikon's D50 [MobileMag]