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Konica-Minolta GONE!
#1

Konica Minolta have announced their complete withdrawal from the camera and photo market! Their DSLRs will now be made and sold as Sonys. Announcement here:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0601/060119...ltaout.asp

So, this may also be bad news for Nikon as presumably once Sony is marketing its own DSLR it won't be so keen to sell sensors to the competition.

Pentax have already joined forces with Samsung so that probably won't be an isssue for them, though with both current Pentax cameras now available as rebadged Samsungs maybe they will go the way of KM - and we'll lose two old names and gain two new ones (Sony and Samsung). The only thing that makes me think Pentax will continue to produce DSLRs themselves is their presence at both PMA and Focus on Imaging 2006 at the end of next month. Surely this must be because they intend staying in the business?

Jan
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#2

It's sad to see an alternative to the big two fail; they had some interesting ideas.

K-M withdrew from Canada last October, leaving the market to Canada, so I suppose we finally get to be first in something. Rolleyes

[Image: KM-Stop-5330.jpg]

matthewpiers.com • @matthewpiers | robertsonphoto.blogspot.com | @thewsreviews • thewsreviews.com
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#3

Wow, that's shocking news indeed! Another blow to the virtues of competition and choice...

That's quite a pity - I think they had a pretty good thing going with the Anti-shake. Perhaps they didn't promote or push it hard enough. I mean to get VR/IS equivalent on every single lens in your arsenal sounds pretty attractive to me...
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#4

Yes, bad news indeed, but Sony have apparently been desparate to get a foothold in he DSLR market. Still not sure how successful this will be though as I'm sur a lot of those who want DSLRs would never buy one with a Sony badge (like the rebadged Samsungs ..... the cameras will be fine,but the names have no credibility in that market). Marketing power and aggressive pricing, however, may change all that.

As to the IS on all lenses: that's something I'd love. As you know, the original patents on all forms of IS belong to Pentax and we Pentaxians are hoping for some kind of IS on the replacement for the D, though that may not come until autumn.....If the same thing doesn't happen to them that happened to Minolta. Minolta originally signed up to collaborate with Sony and have been swallowed up by them very rapidly.Pentax is currently collaborating with Samsung and at the moment all current Pentax DSLR bodies are available as Samsungs. There's nothing that's exclusively Pentax....Must admit I'm a bit worried about this.

We could well end up with only two traditional camera manufacturers left: Nikon and Canon, with the rest of the market split between Sony and Samsung.:o

Jan
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#5

Pentax... lenses? I suppose even though the cameras have been rebadged as Samsungs, the design still comes from the Pentax stable. But I agree - I hope they remain a player in the market.

Actually the more I think about it, the more I'm saddened by the loss of Konica Minolta. I consider them one of the true photographic companies (although they're into photocopiers and other commercial electronics, like Canon). The Sonys, Panasonics, Samsungs, even though they may make some good cameras - they're originally electronics who've just happened to move into this domain. Part of their R&D will have to be split between their other divisions making plasmas, toaster, microwaves and whatever else. I think for companies such as Nikon, Pentax, Olympus and Canon (well mostly), their entire business and reputation is built on cameras and photographics, and as such would be more inclined to push the envelope, innovate and forge ahead. Other electronics companies would rather play the me too game and service the consumer mummy and daddy point and shoot market.
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#6

Oh Sad though I'm not a KM user, I think their cameras looked very nice, coming out with the huge screen on the back of the DSLRs.
*remembers when they merged* and now *gone*

I also saw about the Samsung DSLRs.... mmm, all the old-ish camera names disappearing, but at least pictures can still be taken.
I'm sort of scared of Sony things Tongue
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#7

Yes, K-M and Sony were only meant to be "collaborating" - now Sony have eaten them! That's where Pentax and Samsung are now, just "collaborating". For the moment Pentax are still an independent company, but can't help wondering if the same will happen to them. I'm so concerned I might even go over to "the dark side"Sad
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#8

noisynoodle Wrote:Yes, K-M and Sony were only meant to be "collaborating" - now Sony have eaten them! That's where Pentax and Samsung are now, just "collaborating". For the moment Pentax are still an independent company, but can't help wondering if the same will happen to them. I'm so concerned I might even go over to "the dark side"Sad
Have you seen the "new" Samsung camera, a rebadged DS2 no less, it may be interesting to see if the new "Samsung" lenses will be compatible with the "old" Pentax cameras. Will also be interesting to see if Pentax/Samsung bring out something approaching the Nikon D200 spec, I just might be interested in a few years.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein
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#9

Peted Wrote:Have you seen the "new" Samsung camera, a rebadged DS2 no less, it may be interesting to see if the new "Samsung" lenses will be compatible with the "old" Pentax cameras. Will also be interesting to see if Pentax/Samsung bring out something approaching the Nikon D200 spec, I just might be interested in a few years.
Hi Pete,

This is exactly why I (and quite a few others) are worried. The "new" Samsung lenses are rebadged Pentaxes and the Samsung DSLRs will have the K mount. That's just what happened with K-M/Sony.....Now it seems Sony have the K-M mount and K-M have ceased to exist.

My concern is that the same will happen here. Pentax aren't doing well financially from the camera market. Samsung want to get in on it, but haven't the DSLR expertise so have agreed a collaboration with Pentax, but I can see Pentax being swallowed up just the way K-M were and a little way down the road there won't be any Pentax DSLRs in the APS-C sector - only Samsungs. If Pentax stay in the game at all it may well be only at the pro end of the market with the 645D. Don't forget that for many years prior to digital Pentax didn't have a pro level 35mm body. All their pro gear was 645 and 67. Even if they do bring something out along the lines of the Nikon D200 it won't be until at least next autumn - way too late to be profitable imho.

At present I have an *istD and while it's a great camera I'm concerned that there's still no upgrade available to me and that if my camera were to break down tomorrow there isn't even an equivalent replacement for it. If the future of K mount is going to be Samsung then I'd rather go now as I don't expect them to produce a higher end body...they're known for selling in huge volumes to the masses.

The biggest issue (for me) has been Pentax's refusal to speak at all about future plans for bodies. With the Samsung deal I'd be concerned even if a good upgrade was announced because until 2 days ago K-M users thought they'd be getting an upgraded body and had no idea the brand would disappear and be relabelled Sony!

I'm going to wait 'til PMA and if there's no firm news by then I'll probably sell the lot and buy Canon - I need to know there's a long-term future for my lenses and with Pentax that's been far from certain for far too long!

Jan
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#10

I wonder when Canon and Nikon will merge.... perhaps a sign of world peace? haha

I also wonder what new things the new-sony-company will release, hopefully something good!
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#11

Well the latest from the rumour mill regarding Penax-Samsung is that they are releasing two new bodies under the Pentax name. A 6MP based on the *ist series, but with AS, and a "more serious" body with 10MP and AS. The undisclosed source claims to also know the pricing for these (though he hasn't revealed it). If that's true we should expect announcements at PMA. If nothing's announced then I'd assume these are nothing more than guesswork/pipedreams and will continue my plans to switch brands.
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#12

Oh and regarding Sony? Rumour has it that they're aiming squarely at the low-end consumer level.
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#13

noisynoodle Wrote:Well the latest from the rumour mill regarding Penax-Samsung is that they are releasing two new bodies under the Pentax name. A 6MP based on the *ist series, but with AS, and a "more serious" body with 10MP and AS. The undisclosed source claims to also know the pricing for these (though he hasn't revealed it). If that's true we should expect announcements at PMA. If nothing's announced then I'd assume these are nothing more than guesswork/pipedreams and will continue my plans to switch brands.
I would have hoped for at least 12MP, I wonder who's sensor it will have, Sony I guess? I am just looking at a new standard zoom, Pentax 16-45mm but I think I will try and stay with Pentax for now so will go ahead and get it. It certainly adds uncertainty to our upgrade path though!!

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm
not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein
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