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View Poll Results: If Sony kept Konica Minolta's name would it be more appealing?

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5. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes the Konica Minolta's name would make me love there dslr's a lot more!!

    1 20.00%
  • I don’t think the name makes much of a difference

    4 80.00%
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Senior Member LightBright's Avatar
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    Question What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    I love Alpha cameras and how they kept the heritage of Konica Minolta alive. But what if Sony kept the name Konica Minolta, do you think it would be more appealing? So instead of having “Sony” on all the slr's it would say Konica Minolta instead. This is a hypothetical question of course and I know that the business of things probably won’t allow such, but I can’t stop wondering. That name has such a nice ring to it ….
    Last edited by LightBright; 09-26-2009 at 11:12 PM.
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  2. #2
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    Re: What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    No, keep Sony (that's not an option, your poll is biased !)
    Minolta produced the A1, pretty good.
    Konica Minolta produced the A2, higher resolution, flawed in several areas.
    Every Sony camera I've used, even the floppy disk Mavica, has worked well, with great AF and colour.
    They have a good reputation for quality on their other consumer products, I'm still using a 25 year old trinitron TV that will probably survive the digital switchover.
    PAul

    Scroll down to the Sports Forum and post your sports pictures !

  3. #3
    Senior Member OldClicker's Avatar
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    Re: What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    'Other' (Very biased options.)

    I think the name is very important and that it should be Sony. I love the old Minolta glass, but think that the name would be a mistake. Sony cannot build market share by just building another Canikon and competing head to head on models and that is what they would have to do as Minolta. Sony has to win over the new DSLR user by being different with their entry models. They can then build on the brand. I think that their strategy of building two models (A100 & A700) to keep the old Minolta users (though I think they now feel abandoned because the new models aren't 'Minolta'-like), developing the cheapest full frame (now even cheaper - $2k - with the A850) and then concentration on the new buyer was the way to go to develop the Alpha line. They are pushing over 10% market share after only 3-4 years and I see their share continuing to grow.

    TF
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    I am no better than you. I critique to teach myself to see.
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    Sony/Minolta - way more gear than talent.

  4. #4
    Senior Member LightBright's Avatar
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    Re: What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    Sorry I didn’t intend it to be biased, I couldn’t think of another wording for the third option that didnt feel to repetitive so I posted it thinking I could change it later. I couldent change it lol...
    Last edited by LightBright; 09-27-2009 at 02:01 PM.
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  5. #5
    Senior Member Anbesol's Avatar
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    Re: What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    Yes Biased options. It might have been a good idea though - so that people would know the roots of Sony's system. Their cameras have been hugely influenced and affected by Minolta design, and all that Minolta engineering is still being used today (particularly in their optics). It would also probably clear up the confusion that some people have thinking Sony is 'new' to the industry, when in fact they are rooted in the manufacturer that designed and developed the first ever Auto-Focus mechanism and IR compulsory flash strobing.

    However, Sony to the broad census is a much more recognizable name than Minolta. Sony has been a leading competitor already in professional grade video cameras, for decades even. They also have their OEM finger in just about every camera companies pie. Perhaps the better choice would have been to keep the names Maxum and Dynax in the respective regions, rather then broadening the Japanese name 'Alpha'. I'm sure they have put a lot more thought into it than I did though. Meh

  6. #6
    Senior Member LightBright's Avatar
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    Re: What If they kept the name Konica Minolta?

    If anyone wants to make your own thread/poll with the same intent but without the extra "biased” be my guest. I agree, I should have put Sony as a 3rd choice but we all get writer's block sometimes….
    No need to rub it in… hehe

    Yup many pro's including most of my teachers think Sony can’t possibly be good at producing dslr's. Now there probably reconsidering it because of its growing popularity. It makes them so upset when you say some Nikon cameras use Sony sensors... Not long ago the schools photography magazines were only sponsored by Nikon or canon. Now Sony! So I think the younger photographers are happy there are more options. That’s why I went with it in the first place because I felt it was either Nikon or Canon.

    Back to Konica Minolta name. I think it’s just a better name to go on these cameras. Since Sony has been established in the dslr market for about 2 years, it’s hard to imagine what it might of changed if the names were different. I’m pretty sure with the a700, a850 and the a900 models with the KM label would have been a little bit more popular, that’s all. Im not all that into the economics of things though. Im into the visual representation of things including symbols and names. And the KM name for me makes it more fun.
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