Why Sony / Minolta at all?

[Uksnapper]

Don't forget the ill fated Contax N digital AND the Digiflex body which takes digital backs. The Dimage 7 series has been a success I would guess but in the digital arena time is a precious commodity and new cameras announced by Sony and Fiji will impact those sales. I believe The Olympus E1 is doomed to failure as the sensor is too small at 5mp should have been at least 8 or 10 to place itself on serious users buy list at the money they are asking. Perhaps a "Pro" body with bigger sensor is in the wings waiting to see how it goes Michael ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Posted by Robinson S. (Robin) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 2:37 pm: > > I don't know whether Mr. Paul Genge is aware or not that both the > Canon EOS 1Ds (11.1 mega pixels) & Kodak DCS Pro 14n (13.89 mega > pixels) have full 35mm frame CMOS image sensors (no more magnification > factor on > the focal length of the lens and a drop in optical quality ). These > two pro digital cameras were introduced in September 2002, at > Photokina.

 

[iberger]

>I don't think the sensor size will be a problem for the E-1, because sensors have been getting denser. I am sure there will be 10-, then 20-pixel sensors that size. Maybe denser (I don't know what the ultimate design constraints are). >

Frankly, I would have been happier to have it the size of my 7i.

 

[Uksnapper]

Ivan it IS the size of the 7i, that really is my point.Their entry level is going to cost 3 times as much as the 7 for no real gain exept interchangeable lenses. Whilst sensor density will increase what is the point in introducung a camera of that sort which is already ecipsed by the Sony828.I hope Minolta do not make the same error Whilst my 7 is adequate for a lot of jobs I would like better at a reasonable cost as, for me, they are now in the realm of disposables ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Posted by Ivan Berger (Iberger) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 5:30 pm: > > >I don't think the sensor size will be a problem for the E-1, because > sensors have been getting denser. I am sure there will be 10-, then > 20-pixel sensors that size. Maybe denser (I don't know what the > ultimate design constraints are). > > > Frankly, I would have been happier to have it the size of my 7i.

 

[kalimeris]

Hi! I recently sold my dimage7 after 3 years of happy use. So i began to search what DSLR should replace my Minolta.Nothing less (that means something). A CANON 300D? A NIKON d100? A SIGMA sd9-10?. I allready own a NIKON FM3 and some good NIKON lenses.I spent night after night surfing the net, searching informations, tests, picture galleries, prices, user comments. After a month or so i did the move that was obvious from the begining: I ordered on-line my new MINOLTA A1 tonight!!! Why??
1.Because it offers what i would need.
2.The cost is affordable.
3.The lens is exceptional.
4.The noise is acceptable.
5.The vibration control system really works.
Did you ever wonder whow match does an IS CANON lense cost?? More than a new A1! With A1 and a tele X2.5 adaptor i will have a 500mm focal length Image stabilised lense for my occasional birding.
6.The flash works fine and it has a pc connector
7. I can not imagine myself changing lenses over an uncovered sensor in a boat with the salt wind blowing, or in the marsh waiting for that damn heron to land, or in a enduro event with a hell of a dust!
8.The color spaces: adobe RGB and SRGB cover my needs when working in photoshop and the raw format will be my 'negative' to work with without spend a fortune.
8.Really i think sensors DO HAVE limits in density.That is a question of the techology they are made with. CANON G5 is worse than G3 in the matter of purple fringe and noise just because it has a more dense sensor made with the technology they made the old 4MP one!(whitch works fine!) So the 5MP sensor in the A1 is perfectly equilibrated for the 2/3" dimensions it has. The future is the FOVEON and the CMOS technology.
The SONY828 has exactly this problem, at least in the pre production models that were tested. This may be the reason why we did not see anyone around.

 

[Uksnapper]

I presume you are happy with the significant barrel distortion on the Ai as it uses the same lens as the 7 /7i / 7Hi. I have to say that the only reason Ive not "upgraded" to the A1 having owned all 3 of the 7s is that it fails to address the distortion problem .. michael

 

[Siimt]

Not really topic of this thread but since you're talking about it here anyway. DPreview.com published rather thorough and interesting full review of A1 just today.

Short summary - excellent camera on all aspects but image quality, time performance and buffer size.

Here's the link: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0311/03111101dimagea1review.asp

Cheers,

Siim

 

[Travis]

"Excellent camera except for image quality". Bit like saying: great car, except for transporting people.

The Ai falls way short of Canon, Fuji and Nikon DSLRs. It is NOT a pro spec camera. Just saw a whole set of images by wildlife photographers shot on DSLRs with interchangable lenses, it seems they have no problem with using them.

Writers in photo magazines are now advising against buying Dynax 7 and Minolta 9 because Minolta has not produced a digital SLR and there is no upgrade route. YOu can bet they are saying the same in the camera shops.

Wake up Minolta!

 

[zeevk]

Yes, a 1.2K$ camera falls way short of 6~8K$ DSLR, though it has a = combination of features and flexibility beyond most DSLR's (see dpreview = beneath...). It is NOT a pro spec camera, neither claimed to be, neither = is it's price! DiMAGE Ai is a prosumer camera, as the entire DiMAGE 7 = series was! BUT it is a hell of a camera for a digital enthusiast and = hobbyists! In summary, it is one of the best 5MPxl digi-cams, with set = of features that makes it extremely attractive to many people.

With dpreview own words:

Here's my rating of the Minolta DiMAGE A1: (5 megapixel prosumer) Detail Rating (out of 10)=20 Construction 8=20 Features 10=20 Image quality 8=20 Lens / CCD combination 8=20 Ease of use 7.5=20 Value for money 7.5=20

There's little doubt that the DiMAGE A1 is the most feature rich and = flexible prosumer digital camera currently available. Indeed it has a = range of flexibility beyond that of most digital SLR's. It's a camera = designed as a photographers tool, and one which can fit a wide variety = of roles with the ability to deliver output suited to almost any = specific photographers requirements.

Build and design are excellent, control placement is very good and you = can access the majority of camera settings from buttons on the outside = of the camera (so no shuffling through the menus to set ISO or white = balance), additionally the CUST position on the function dial can also = be customized. Minolta has proven that it listens to owners and = reviewers and has implemented several fixes and new features which was = clearly based on that feedback.

The DiMAGE A1 is also unique in its Anti-Shake implementation, the = novel ideal of stabilizing the CCD sensor instead of a lens element = means that the camera is no larger or heavier and that the lens design = can remain the same. And it works, Minolta's Anti-Shake system provides = you with at least a stop (sometimes two) of slower shutter speeds in a = hand held situation.=20

As a package the DiMAGE A1 is hard to beat, a high quality wide angle = zoom lens, Anti-Shake, a strong metal body with good ergonomic design, = powerful Lithium-Ion battery, excellent feature set, fully customizable = and yet smaller and lighter than any digital SLR with an equivalent zoom = lens. On this basis alone the DiMAGE A1 would cruise to one of my = 'Highly Recommended' ratings.

Unfortunately it's not as easy as that, I put a lot of weight for my = final conclusion on image quality. And that's where this otherwise = unbeatable package is let down, the DiMAGE A1 delivers just average (or = below average depending on your opinion) resolution with a good = smattering of moir=E9 at resolution limits and some other artifacts = which are clearly issues with the camera's internal processing, as they = don't appear in RAW converted images. I truly hope that Minolta can = address these issues and improve resolution either in a firmware update = or in their next camera and receive the Highly Recommended rating such a = package would deserve.

With Complements, Ze'ev Kantor http://www.angelfire.com/art2/kantor_z

 

[zulu6334]

I've about had it with Minolta. I've owned three Minolta film cameras and three of their digital cameras. I currently have the Minolta 8000i, and the Dimage S414 and 7Hi.

On October 1 I sent my seven month old Dimage 7Hi in to the Minolta repair facility (in NJ) in for repair (via $38 next-day air). (The zoom was frozen.) Three weeks later I call to check on it and they inform me that they did not have the part and I could expect to wait another three or four weeks while they wait for Minolta to send them one, ostensibly from Japan.

During the first week in November I underwent spinal fusion surgery and was in the hospital for five days. During that time my answering machine recorded a message that since my camera has been in repair for over 30 days they would replace, and to please call them back to discuss getting a new camera. I called them back on Thursday, November 8, but was told that I had to talk with a senior tech and they would not be available until the following Tuesday. Finally, this morning, I finally get to speak with a senior tech and he tells me that my camera was repaired on the 10th (yesterday) and to forget about getting the camera exchanged.

My first question is: Why does it take three weeks to one month to get a part that should be already on hand at the single repair facility in the States;

My second question is, how in the world can they afford to close down their facility (or at least become incommunicado) for four days while they are attending a meeting.

My third question is, what kind of product are they producing at Minolta that it breaks after seven months of not-too-heavy use.

Finally, I am incensed at Minolta for their failure to produce a DSLR. I've literally got thousands invested in their lenses.

This is one hell of a way to run a business.

Joe

 

[hung]

>Hi, my experience with Minolta camera gear is all positive. None of my Minolta gear breaks down. Not even my 20 year old firts owned X700. Nor my 1.5 year old Dimage 7i (have shot close to 8,000 pictures so far)