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News just t hand from a UK-based colleague who is a Minolta fan. His sources inside Minolta (UK) indicate that there is an iminent announcement coming that wil - quote ... push the envelope .... unquote.

As he understands it, the upcoming Pro model has been pushed to the front of the release schedule, now. He's thinking it'll possibly be at least 12-16 MP, with 'AS'!

Don't shoot me, I'm only the messenger.

Cheers,

12-16mp....who cares

Maybe if they release a 24mp camera than that will be ground breaking but I don't really see 12-16mp that much of an achievement.

12-16mp with their inbuilt Image Stabilisation would be impressive. Now if only they would build a range of lenses Interestingly, a mate who works for KM in their photographic section and has for 4 years only just found out they make a 400 2.8, it must be popular

Glen wrote:12-16mp with their inbuilt Image Stabilisation would be impressive. Now if only they would build a range of lenses Interestingly, a mate who works for KM in their photographic section and has for 4 years only just found out they make a 400 2.8, it must be popular

400/2.8, I want it too How big it's?

I won't be surprise. They are the ones who make AF a common feature on SLR. What surprise me was why it took them so long to decide to take Nikon and Canon head on again.

regards,

Arthur

kipper wrote:12-16mp....who cares

Maybe if they release a 24mp camera than that will be ground breaking but I don't really see 12-16mp that much of an achievement.

12-16MP, in a CMOS sensor, will indeed be impressive. Read Sheepshooter's post in conjunction with this which appeared on DPR just a day or two ago.

They will need to back up a decent body with some decent glass though. Minolta have certainly produced some good glass in the past ...

Well isn't the D2X a 12MP cmos sensor? Isn't the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II a 16mp full size cmos sensor? Or am I missing something here?

Kipper, neither have built in VR as all KM Dslr now do. So every lens, including the 20 yr old 500 f4 becomes VR. All usually for a price less than C or N.

kipper wrote:Well isn't the D2X a 12MP cmos sensor? Isn't the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II a 16mp full size cmos sensor? Or am I missing something here?

Yes on the first two counts.

And apparantly on the third one as well.

Minolta have made some quite wonderful cameras in the past; the competition in the SLR market 20 years ago made for a very interesting marketplace, and it would be great to see more players making serious DSLRs.

But please also reread the message at the link I gave, and in so doing, keep in mind who makes the sensor that's in our D70 cameras.

I know Minolta used to make really nice cameras. I have a Minolta Dynax 7000 up in the cupboard collecting dust. Can't remember how much my father spent on it when he bought it, was some stupid amount in pounds.

kipper wrote:I know Minolta used to make really nice cameras. I have a Minolta Dynax 7000 up in the cupboard collecting dust. Can't remember how much my father spent on it when he bought it, was some stupid amount in pounds.

Pounds? Dynax ??? Purchased in Britain?

The Dynax name is a relatively new one in the Minolta range ... perhaps 10 or 15 years old.

gstark wrote:

kipper wrote:I know Minolta used to make really nice cameras. I have a Minolta Dynax 7000 up in the cupboard collecting dust. Can't remember how much my father spent on it when he bought it, was some stupid amount in pounds.

Pounds? Dynax ??? Purchased in Britain?

The Dynax name is a relatively new one in the Minolta range ... perhaps 10 or 15 years old.

Yes, I also had one of them, passed it to my BIL in the US long ago, he's still using it. I remembered I bought some cards for it too, to take portrait, landscape or people, the cards are small similar to today SD card.
I had lot of fun with it, it was in the market about the same time with the Nikon 801.

I think this alliance will have more impact than the Olympus-Panasonic alliance, I'm crossing fingers Nikon will join forces with Fuji. that

Interesting, I wonder what the implication on SONY CMOS Sensors in Nikon Digital SLRs are?

Anubis,

That, certainly, is the question.

I wouldn't necessarily think that Sony would jettison Nikon as a customer - the liaison must be quite profitable for them.

Any R&D from their new relationship with KM might flow through to their "parts" business.

I do think a camera with a top-line sensor and vibration reduction capability in the body, coupled with good glass, would be a winner. From the consumer's perspective, paying once for VR technology in the body, rather than paying several times with lenses purchased, must have some attraction.