Konica-minolta Quits!!

[mdmc]

Looks like Sony is going into SLR game.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/news...MINOLTA-DC.XML

[payn817]

No prob Minolta shooters. Supposedly, the new Sony DSLR will be compatable with all the AF/maxxum mount lenses. Sony is to take over customer service operations in March 2006, and will be servicing KM products.

[Michael Fanelli]

Looks like Sony is going into SLR game.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/news...MINOLTA-DC.XML

Another one bites the dust. Goodbye Minolta, what a surprise. I wonder what will happen to their film cameras; I doubt Sony will be interested in outdated technology.

As the old falls, the new takes its place. Panasonic! Sony! Samsung! Who is next to fall? My guess is Leica, stuck in the past and doing little new on their own.

[randyennis]

My guess is that Pentax will be the next ones out. I wondered about the Samsung-Pentax deal when it was announced. I was quite surprised at KM throwing up their hands, but in retrospect it shouldn't have been such a surprise. It should be interesting to see the direction Sony takes in picking up their digital product line. From what I've read, KM will still produce camera bodies for Sony, so it looks more like a rebranding of the line rather than an end of life. Film is probably pretty much dead as far as new cameras are concerned. Except for larger formats, I don't think anyone wants to introduce new film cameras, since the public has really jumped on the digital bandwagon much faster than the industry anticipated. We'll see how it all plays out...

[Franglais]

My guess is that Pentax will be the next ones out. I wondered about the Samsung-Pentax deal when it was announced. I was quite surprised at KM throwing up their hands, but in retrospect it shouldn't have been such a surprise. It should be interesting to see the direction Sony takes in picking up their digital product line. From what I've read, KM will still produce camera bodies for Sony, so it looks more like a rebranding of the line rather than an end of life. Film is probably pretty much dead as far as new cameras are concerned. Except for larger formats, I don't think anyone wants to introduce new film cameras, since the public has really jumped on the digital bandwagon much faster than the industry anticipated. We'll see how it all plays out...

Looking at the tendencies - everyone is getting out of film. Nikon are making 98% of their sales in digital and I guess it's the same for everybody. I guess that Canon will also get out of film quite soon.

The camera companies are being bought out by the consumer electronics conglomerates. Minolta-Sony, Pentax-Samsung, Leica Panasonic probably. I have heard that Nikon already belongs to an electronic conglomerate but I can't find anything to confirm this.

So this leaves Canon magnificently alone. They even have their own sensor manufacturing plant, rather than using the Sony sensors like everyone else. Some questions I ask myself:

- will the camera manufacturers continue to use the Sony sensors, or will Samsung start making sensors for Pentax, etc. (I think the answer is yes)
- will Canon start using the Sony sensors as well as profit margins slip and their own fab is too expensive and falls behind the latest technology? It's what happened with the point-and-shoots (G3=Canon CMOS, G5=Sony CCD)

Charles