I do trust David more than some anonymous poster. Just check his
info by clicking his name.
So let's just wait. If there's nothing official at PMA, I'll get
D200. I'm sick and tired of waiting and all this un-certainty.
If 7D is out of production and selling out on, that should be a
sign that there is something new coming out. KM does not let their
production lines stand stille for no reason.
I did put this question to my Konica Minolta UK contacts - if the 7D was being 'closed out' because of a new camera.
They then showed me the sales figures for the 5D and 7D, and it's totally obvious why the 7D has been given some special promotions in the UK. The 5D has become a best-seller - phenomenal sales figures - and I would say it has all but wiped out 7D sales for people converting from film Dynax to digital Dynax. I would say the 7D offer here is nothing to do with closeout, or getting rid of final stock, more to do with shifting stock that has stopped moving because the 5D has 'cannibalised' sales.
I have seen the large storeroom entirely packed with Dimage Master software going out free to 5D buyers - more than packed, the boxes of envelopes ready to mail were out into the passageway as well. I had to gather up any spare copies of our Photoworld magazine they had in their offices and carry them back on the flight home, because with the numbers they are sending out, I am going to run out of these magazines for the free 1 year subscription I have added to their promo deals.
Reading between the lines, they are bundling the VC grip free in the UK because they've got a large stock of grips - which are surprisingly expensive to manufacture, no idea why but they are. With everyone buying the 5D they are not going sell those grips in a hurry
. They are giving away the 1Gb card from Kingston because Kingston made they an offer none of us here would refuse - and the card is fully up to to 7D speed specs. As far I can make out, this part of the current offer is just a very generous way of getting people to return their warranty cards. Most buyers never bother. A 1Gb card is a very good bribe and they have worked out they can afford it.
And... it just looks as if Konica Minolta UK hit exactly the right pre and post Christmas season timing for these promotions (5D ended Dec 31, 7D ends Jan 31).
This morning, following up the story about KM and Canon both pulling out of the Focus show in the UK, it seems that KM made this decision last year well in advance while Canon actually planned to be there and paid the money. They pulled out at after committing themselves, rather than build a stand and send staff there. I have no idea what this means, but a KM club member who called into my office this morning suggests it may be Canon putting their budget into TV advertising and pulling the plug on anything else.
It will be a peculiar show without them, because at this show there are two entrances. Canon's stand occupied all the space at one entrance, and KM/Minolta's stand has been at the other entrance for many years. Both have been large, distinctive, walk-through stands and the first thing which hit you on entering the halls.
I certainly don't have information that there will
not be a new DSLR, or that the specs are not likely to match KMSEA's posts, or that Sony may not be doing something separate which is causing Konica Minolta to move in certain directions. All I have is the word that any of the predictions that have appeared on internet sites are not likely to match precisely what does appear, and that we should not be expecting photo shows as the most likely date for launches.
This does fit with my past experience - Minolta used to release products at unusual times, like two weeks before Christmas or in mid-January, and never held them back or rushed a pre-release announcement to 'spoil' the market. Konica Minolta is not the same company and may act differently, but they seem to be saying that at least in the UK, the launch of any product will be determined by the timing of the first shipments manufactured.
David
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