My concerns of lack of any Sony announcements.

Since information has lately only been coming from KM with no information about Sony's intentions I feel as of now, both companies are working independent of each other, which is not good for us.

I have confident in Sony's ability to pull this off, but never-the-less, the lack of information coming from Sony is disheatening.

I wanted to buy the 50mm f1.7 lens, but that is almost impossible right now, my other concern is I want the 5600HSD flash which is still available, but for how long, I do not know.

My two concerns is with the 'D' lenses and the 5600HSD flash since they all communicate with each other. It was one of a number of reasons I went with the Maxxum 5D. I was planning on waiting until mid-year to buy the 5600HSD, but now since accessories are disappearing and the flash is still in stock in some places, I wonder if I should get the 5600HSD now and not take a chance that Sony may make some adjustments to their flash that would not work as good with my 5D as the existing 5600HSD.

I know this is all guess work, but I wonder what some of you other forum members think about this?

I think it would relieve all of us if Sony would start to communicate with us Minolta owners so we can adjust and plan our shopping without worrying that Sony's accessories my not be 100% compatible with our 5D or 7D DSLRs. I just hope we don't have to wait until PMA before we hear from Sony.

our socks off April 1, 2006!

Fingers crossed.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

I am an optimist, but I would still like to have some detailed information from Sony. I know they will do a good job, but will their future accessories be 100% compatible with our 5Ds and 7Ds? I want to know now about their flashes because I can still get a 5600HSD until they vanish. At least I know that flash is 100% compatible with my system and handle wireless flash setup. Not knowing makes me nervous.

digitalshooter said:

they will blow our socks off April 1, 2006!

Click to expand...

I think so too.

digitalshooter said:

Fingers crossed.

Click to expand...

Me too.

i'm so happy i bought a canon eos 350D over the maxxum 5D!
sucks to be u!

--
HairForceOne, may the force be with you

Actually it would suck if I had a camera that fit my hands like a toy and felt like cheap plastic...now that would really suck.

HairForceOne said:

i'm so happy i bought a canon eos 350D over the maxxum 5D!
sucks to be u!

Click to expand...

Sucks to NOT have image stabilization on every single lens you own.
Sucks to miss all those shots that would have been possible with a 5D/7D.

Sucks to own a camera that looks and feels as if it were included in a McDonald's Happy Meal.

I have to agree. I did not like the way the Canon felt in my hands. It just didn't feel right for men not comfortable. It may be a nice camera, but I felt the 5D had the features I wanted, the feel, and the price that was right for me. I don't regret buying the 5D, but I do hope that Sony will make some type of announcement soon. Like I said, I want to add a wireless flash to my system and I am concerned if Sony will make their DSLR flash 100% compatible with my camera. For now that is my main concern.

I'm not concerned about the few posters who think it's smart to come onto our site and dig in a little. That's the way some people are and we just have to live with it. In the meantime I am very happy with my 5D. I have the kit lens and the KM75-300D lens that I am very happy with.

I will probably sweat it out until PMA to decide on when to buy a wireless flash for my system. I don't care whether it says KM or Sony, I just want it to be 100% compatible. I already have a Sony flash that works on my V1 and would work on the R1. Having the Sony F32x flash has shown me that when it comes to flashes, Sony could learn a lot from KM. Well for now I'll hope for the best.

codimac2 said:

Actually it would suck if I had a camera that fit my hands like a
toy and felt like cheap plastic...now that would really suck.

Click to expand...

hahahahahaha, ok ok now i apologize for my rudeness! Sorry!

anyway, the 5D is a great camera. sony should have supported konica minolta not to withdraw from the digital camera business. just a few days ago they took down a big plaquard near my house with the unSHAKEable advertisement on it~ i was quite sad to see it go!

--
HairForceOne, may the force be with you

It would be entirely ridiculous for Sony to make new gear that is not compatible with the 7D and 5D. It would probably screw them over more than us. Let's be confident that Sony has everyone's (especially their own) best interests in mind.
--
dt
http://www.davetavani.com

Hi Hair Force One

I am writiing to ask you to demonstrate some degree of civilization here. I have read what you wrote here. Well I have to coclude that it is typical of a person who was not well educated.
Regards

Do you believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Clause too?
Oh, and I have a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn.

digitalshooter said:

our socks off April 1, 2006!

Fingers crossed.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Click to expand...

--
mcl

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

...

Unfortunately it looks like we'll have to wait till PMA for knowing some of Sony's plans towards Minolta users ( I hope! ).

IMHO with Minolta's A mount, Sony's cameras will be compatible with Minolta's and made for Minoltas lenses as well as Minolta's bodies will accept Sony's ( or made for Sony ) lenses! I'm not so sure about Flashes, though. I don't think Sony will adopt the Minolta shoe, I hope they ( or somebody ) make an adapter ...

... Lucas

--
Always having fun with photography ...

happyme said:

digitalshooter said:

they will blow our socks off April 1, 2006!

Click to expand...

I think so too.

happyme said:

Fingers crossed.

Click to expand...

Me too.

Click to expand...

Surely, it can't only be me who's rolling their eyes at that possibility ;-0

Methinks KM had a sense of humor, reflecting the fact that Sony don't really get KM's real assets, the patents, copyrights and so on, just a lease on the use and a stake in the (lossmaking? ) factories. No-where in the information given to date is any detail of how Sony has locked - up these rights, or even if they are exclusive. There are cannier things afoot, even if nothing is of import to photographers for the forseeable future.

• kirbs

I don't know about Japanese accounting, but in the UK, when you cease to majority control a company, it is no longer required to consolidate those accounts. Hence selling 51% of a lossmaker, and possibly loading that subsidiary with related debt, immediately improves the balance sheet, assuming there are no guarantee liabilities assumed by the holding co. If that's the actual case, that alone might explain the bump in KM Holding share price on the TSE, if it wasn't another TSE trading glitch

--
====================
From The Minolta. Never Mind
====================

Why would any company make any announcements now anyway? PMA is February 26 through March 1, --beginning just 4 weeks from now. It's the OK Corral for the KM shootout/execution. I know who the winner is already, it's you my friend. Your KM body would be dead or obsolete in 5 years or so anyway. All that matters is your glass. If there is any 7D replacement by KM or Sony it'll pop up there and that is all that interests me about the PMA show. Next year is what really interests me, this one is bloody already.

Got glass?
Get some!
--
Shercando

Shercando said:

Why would any company make any announcements now anyway? PMA is
February 26 through March 1, --beginning just 4 weeks from now.
It's the OK Corral for the KM shootout/execution. I know who the
winner is already, it's you my friend. Your KM body would be dead
or obsolete in 5 years or so anyway. All that matters is your
glass. If there is any 7D replacement by KM or Sony it'll pop up
there and that is all that interests me about the PMA show. Next
year is what really interests me, this one is bloody already.

Click to expand...

Have you considered that during PMA, Sony will not with certainty have yet obtained any rights in respect to the transfer agreement? At the same time, would KM make an announcement just as they exit, about a product that will not bear their name?

I forget where i read this, but i'm quite sure one Sony exec nixed a PMA announcement already. Reasons are quite obvious, to me at least.

I'm going to sleep until April!

--
====================
From The Minolta. Never Mind
====================

I just think it would be nice if Sony would announce that "they will be supporting the 5D & 7D DSLRs and their accessories. More details will follow in the coming weeks leading to our takeover April 1, 2006. We will have some announcements at the PMA show in February". So all I'm after is reassurance, I don't think that is too much to ask.

I am not worried about the glass. Sony and other third parties will take care of new and better A Mount lenses. It is just accessories designed for the Maxxum DSLRs that concern me. It only takes a minor change in electronics like the flashes to lose 100% compatibility. Even things like the Vn Angle Finder, 'D' type lenses for accurate flash exposures, wireless compatible flash systems, etc., could go by the waist side. That is where I am looking at Sony for reassurance. I have every confidence in Sony's ability to be successful with their DSLR and the A Mount. It is just that the things that Sony may consider minor, that I may consider major. In the meantime I will try to remain optimistic.

I think Sony would be looking at everything that's happening and trying to do this right (who wouldn't?). I don't think they need to send a message to current Minolta customers, as they've got more of a customer base in place (so to speak) and less of something that's going to start them off with a bang for their existing digicam customers and those who are ready to move to dSLRs.

I do think they've got to be careful, and I'm wondering how much of a pre-emptive strike Olympus' announcement was (if Sony was considering live preview, it's just been trumped as a "first" - and it looks as though Olympus put in features to try counter KM (high and low zones and ersatz image stabilization (even if it's not real stabilization, there are probably many who will be happy with the idea) come to mind right away)). I also think that if they don't come out strong at PMA, the new offerings from others - Canon and Olympus especially - will hobble them. So let's hope for a good show.

Rich

As far as I have heard, Sony will not be showing a DSLR at PMA. That may or may not be accurate. I would think this is where Sony wants to have plenty of hype about it's summer release of their DSLR and give some type of acknowledgement to the many Minolta DSLR loyalist and that they, Sony, will be supporting them and their (KM) equipment. That means compatiblility of Sony's new DSLRs with the Maxxum DSLR system and accessories.

Sony has been hyping and showing their PS3 at all the trade shows since last year at E3 and they still don't have a working model. I think they are far enough along to show prototype DSLRs and possible specifications at PMA. Whatever backward compatibility to the Maxxum system should be announced before or at least at the PMA Show in February.

That is what shows like this is for. It is where they line up customers to handle their products and find third parties to support their innovations. More details can follow in April when Sony takes over.

RichV said:

I think Sony would be looking at everything that's happening and
trying to do this right (who wouldn't?). I don't think they need to
send a message to current Minolta customers, as they've got more of
a customer base in place (so to speak) and less of something that's
going to start them off with a bang for their existing digicam
customers and those who are ready to move to dSLRs.

Click to expand...

I don't agree. I think 16 to 17 million Minolta lenses is a very large customer base to tap. They need us, their P&S following, and new customers. I think Sony knows this.

RichV said:

I do think they've got to be careful, and I'm wondering how much of
a pre-emptive strike Olympus' announcement was (if Sony was
considering live preview, it's just been trumped as a "first" - and
it looks as though Olympus put in features to try counter KM (high
and low zones and ersatz image stabilization (even if it's not real
stabilization, there are probably many who will be happy with the
idea) come to mind right away)). I also think that if they don't
come out strong at PMA, the new offerings from others - Canon and
Olympus especially - will hobble them. So let's hope for a good
show.

Click to expand...

I agree with you here.