Robinson S. (Robin) wrote: ... there is not even a single DSLR for Minolta aficionados to use their existing AF lenses. Everyone (including Minolta’s sales division) is waiting, waiting, wait ...
Peter Blaise responds: The world did NOT take notice when Minolta released their previous 4 DSLRs (video backs for the 7000 and 9000, the RD175 and the RD3000), so I understand Minolta hesitating to do it again. Then the economy tanked while Nikon and Canon barged ahead with their relatively deeper pockets.
In the meantime, Minolta has cornered the market on high quality inexpensive film scanners that not only let you digitize your shooting today, but let you digitize your shooting over the years past, which no digital camera offers!
What are you doing now for getting your pictures into the digital darkroom and digital printing universe? How do you share your images?
I have twin 4x6" prints made and a CD (1083dpi 8 bit 85% JPG) made of each roll, and I have a Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II 2820 dpi 10 bit film scanner. I print to 8.5x11" paper or share at 72dpi over the internet at the moment. When I want to share more and bigger, I plan on rescanning my negatives at higher qualities, or having a local lab blow them up. I can't do that with limited digital originals, only with unlimited film originals.
And compare the price and imaging results of the least expensive 35mm film camera system versus the high price and limited potential image size of even the most expensive digital camera! Ouch!
Minolta's top offering in a film scanner today is 5,400 dpi 16 bit - unbeatable by ANY DSLR. Minolta is all about the image, not the technological toys that get in the way of the image!
So, tell us more about what you ARE doing.
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Steve Beland (Stv) wrote: ... Waiting! I don't even know how Minolta stays in business!! The two largest dedicated camera chains in my end-of-the-pond no longer even stock the Maxxum 7 or 9 in their shops ...
Peter Blaise responds: I'm lucky here in Washington, DC, USA - more than one local shop even has even the 9ti on display along with
the full line of Minolta 35mm SLRs!
Minolta sells to distributors, not to end users (I wish more companies would sell direct and risk and take the direct customer feedback!), and distributors sell to dealers, especially BIG "customers" like K-Mart and B&H and so on. Distributor sales people like the high volume orders and nobody likes to "waste time" in smaller dealers who can't afford to stock lots of Minolta. The business side of photography is tough!
You can buy anything on 14 day return over the Internet to get around this hassle, but few of us want to risk our credit cards just to play with an unfamiliar model. Drive to the nearest city for a day and "shop"?
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Click!
Love and hugs,
Peter Blaise Monahon
Minolta Vivitar Tamron Fujifilm Ilford Kodak Adobe Hewlett Packard et cetera Photographer
peterblaise@yahoo.com
http://www.peterblaisephotography.com/
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