[Eug Wanker]

Konica Minolta Announces Withdrawal Plan for Camera Business and Photo Business

Since July 2005, Sony Corporation (Sony) and Konica Minolta Photo Imaging, Inc. (Konica Minolta PI) have been working on the joint development of digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Sony, Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. and Konica Minolta PI are pleased to announce that they have decided to transfer a certain portion of Konica Minolta PI ’s assets related to digital SLR cameras to Sony, and at the same time, that Konica Minolta PI will consign its customer service operation for Konica Minolta cameras and related products* to Sony. Agreement to this effect was reached today.

Under this agreement, on March 31 2006, Sony will receive certain assets from Konica Minolta PI that are necessary for the development, design, production and so forth of digital SLR cameras compatible with Konica Minolta PI’s “Maxxum/Dynax lens mount system”.** Sony will accelerate development of new digital SLR cameras based on and compatible with the Maxxum/Dynax lens mount system with a view to marketing these models this summer.

On the basis of its ongoing “selection and concentration”, Konica Minolta Group will concentrate on its core “business technologies” field and its strategic “optics and display devices” field and withdraw from camera business*** as of March 31, 2006. At the same time, Konica Minolta PI will partially transfer certain assets related to digital SLR cameras to Sony.

From April 1 2006, Konica Minolta PI will consign the customer service operations for Konica Minolta cameras and related products* to Sony, and Sony will implement service operations from that date onward.

[alphamatrix]

This is a bummer, but I'll be interested to see what Sony/KM come up with. I've got a 5D and a few lenses, its a very nice entry level DSLR. 7D users have been praying for a updated version of the camera or at the very least a good firmware update. Not to mention hopes for the so-called 10MP+ 9D. At-least the Maxxum mount system is still alive.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by alphamatrix

At-least the Maxxum mount system is still alive.

Yeah, but will there be new Konica/Minolta or Sony Maxxum mount lenses?

Or are they gonna all be Sigma or whatever?

The announcement wasn't clear on that.

[alphamatrix]

So I just read the press releases, this is how I understand it. Konica Minolta is transferring its DSLR/ SLR lens development group to Sony, where they will design DSLR under the Sony brand using the Maxxum/Dynax mount system. Konica Minolta will stop making digicams and film camera and focus its development on other things. But Konica Minolta will still be manufacturing DSLRs and lenses, they just won't be branded Konica Minolta or designed under their supervision.
The press release is poorly written, but you can understand it if you pay attention to the footnotes. Its obvious the Konica Minolta is not doing well, so things certainly could be worse.

[jasonsRX7]

That sucks considering I just bought a Maxxum 5D a few weeks ago.