Difference between revisions of "Minolta"

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'''Minolta''' was a Japanese company manufacturing cameras from 1931 to 2003. They produced cameras for virtually any and all film formats, even for their own 16mm miniature film format. In the 1950s Minolta expanded its businesses beyond production of cameras and binoculars into business services, especially photo copiers. Most branches of the company were related to optics, like the copiers branch, the exposure meters branch, etc. Minolta was succeeded by '''[[Konica Minolta]]''' after the merger with [[Konica]] in 2003.
 
'''Minolta''' was a Japanese company manufacturing cameras from 1931 to 2003. They produced cameras for virtually any and all film formats, even for their own 16mm miniature film format. In the 1950s Minolta expanded its businesses beyond production of cameras and binoculars into business services, especially photo copiers. Most branches of the company were related to optics, like the copiers branch, the exposure meters branch, etc. Minolta was succeeded by '''[[Konica Minolta]]''' after the merger with [[Konica]] in 2003.
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== Minolta History ==
 
== Minolta History ==

Revision as of 14:03, 7 May 2006

Minolta was a Japanese company manufacturing cameras from 1931 to 2003. They produced cameras for virtually any and all film formats, even for their own 16mm miniature film format. In the 1950s Minolta expanded its businesses beyond production of cameras and binoculars into business services, especially photo copiers. Most branches of the company were related to optics, like the copiers branch, the exposure meters branch, etc. Minolta was succeeded by Konica Minolta after the merger with Konica in 2003.


Minolta History

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Minolta, although once counted among the big five, has often been thought of as a second-rung camera manufacturer in the photography world, a step below Nikon and Canon. This has not always been the case.

Minolta - World's Best Sellers - 3 Times in a Row!

The Minolta SRT 101 was the world's best selling camera of its type in its time.

The Minolta X-700 was the world's best selling camera of its type in its time.

The Minolta 7000 was the world's best selling camera of its type in its time.

In fact, for five years beginning in 1985 Minolta was the biggest seller of SLR cameras in the world. The reason for this dominance was the release of their Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum system; the world's first 'in body' Autofocus SLR. Before this time manufacturers had dabbled with lenses that focused themselves but that fitted to their existing, manual focus SLR cameras. Minolta was the first manufacturer to put the mechanism and electronics for the autofocus system into their SLR camera bodies and so the modern SLR was born. (By the way, Konica was the first to put auto focus into a 35mm camera, but it was a fixed lens "compact" camera, and Polaroid was the first to put auto focus into an SLR camera, but it was neither 35mm nor interchangeable lens design.)

In the beninning ...

This huge success was not foreseeable when Kazuo Tashima founded Nichidoku Shashinki Shôten (日独写真機商会) in 1928, that means Nippo-German Camera Shop (called Nichidoku). Indeed Kazuo Tashima got support from the German camera technicians Billy Neumann and Willy Heilemann (see Neumann & Heilemann), and the first cameras needed parts and lenses from German manufacturers. In 1929 they had managed to produce the first models of their Nifcalette camera series.

In 1931 the company was transformed into a stock corporation named "MOLTA" (モルタ合資会社, Molta Gôshi Kaisha), an abbreviation of the German equivalent of "M_echanism, O_ptics and L_enses from TA_shima". In 1933 was first used the brand name "MINOLTA" (with added "IN" for IN_struments), on the Minolta I, a copy of the Plaubel Makina I. The company name and the brand name would differ until 1962. In 1934 the Minolta Vest was the first Minolta which differed from average camera designs. In 1936 Minolta's first reflex camera appeared, the Minolta Flex for 60x60mm film.

The company name was again changed in 1937 to CHIYODA KOGAKU (千代田光学精工株式会社, Chiyoda Kôgaku Seikô K.K., means Chiyoda Optics and Precision Industry Co Ltd), sometimes abbreviated CHIYOKO. The same year 1937, they began manufacturing their own lenses. During the world war Minolta also produced cameras for aerial photography, which were used by the Japanese air force. Minolta's first big innovation after the war was a quite little one, the first camera for their own 16mm miniature film format, the Konan-16.

In 1957 Minolta began to produce planetariums, great optical machines which project all the visible stars of the night sky onto the ceilings of planetarium halls. In 1958 Minolta took the first step towards their success with SLR-cameras in the mid-80ies by introducing their first 35mm SLR-camera SR-2, which was the first one to combine several of the modern SLR-cameras' features like pentaprism viewfinder, smooth mirror mechanics, easily exchangeable lenses, easy film transport etc. In 1959 Minolta started to produce photocomposing machines, copiers, and special projectors. Some of these activities (like copiers) are kept up nowadays by Minolta's succeeding company Konica Minolta whilst it has given up photo business. In 1962 the company name became Minolta Camera Company (ミノルタカメラ株式会社), unified with the brand name.

Cooperation with Leica

Before the great times of the Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum SLRs, Minolta had a new phase of cooperation with German experts, and signed a cooperation agreement with Leica in 1972. The first products resulting from that cooperation appeared in 1974. They were the Minolta XE SLR and the Leica CL rangefinder camera, sold in Japan as the Leitz Minolta CL. The XE was the basis for the 1977 Leica R3. The final result of the association with Leica was the Minolta XD-11 (same as XD-7, and basis of the Leica R4). It was the first 35mm SLR camera combining both aperture priority and shutter priority automatic exposure modes. Many Rokkor-lenses of the new MD series, usable in both automatic modes, were produced for this exciting camera.

In 1981, Minolta launched the CLE, a rangefinder camera with M-mount, the first one to have an aperture priority automatic exposure. The metering system was of the TTL OTF type (through the lens off the film), first introduced by Olympus in 1975 on the OM-2 SLR camera. The CLE was also the first Minolta camera to have through the lens flash automation, together with the X-700 SLR introduced the same year.

Minolta Leads the Rush to Automate EVERYTHING!

The Minolta 7000 camera remains an iconic symbol of the 80's, however, Minolta did not hang on to their technological lead for long and Canon and Nikon fought to regain their positions as market leaders. By the 90's Minolta was back to its former underdog-brand status. Minolta offered a large line of products covering the gamut from the most basic to the most 'serious' of cameras. Among camera intelligentsia Minolta are known for their amazingly competitive price/performance ratio. What does that mean to you and I? When you buy a Minolta you get a lot of camera for your buck.

Minolta continued to innovate. After popularizing the plastic bodied, push button controlled SLR with the AF 7000, they made a move towards a more traditional user interface in the mid-90's with the 600si Classic. The Classic insignia indicates a move back to knobs and dials and away from buttons and menus - as had always been on the Minolta 9000, by the way, even in 1985, the height of cumputerized push-button camera introductions. Photographers applauded this return to a logical control layout that allowed us to directly see what were our camera settings on clearly visible knobs, and didn't require us to memorize pages and pages from our camera's manual before we could take a shot. This interface was carried forward into their popular pro-level Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 9 and later 7 and similar control layouts were adopted by other manufactures, but NONE matched the completeness of Minolta's direct-read-out knob-control offering.

With the DiMage X, Minolta solved the problem of the protruding optical zoom lens on pocket digicams. Their folded lens design alows an optical zoom lens to be totally contained within the body of the camera. This makes the cameras that use this design trully pocketable, faster to turn on and better protected from knocks and damage.

Minolta have been criticized for their slowness to get onboard with a modern digital SLR camera that was compatible with the A-mount lenses. In late November 2004, the new Konica Minolta company finally released the much anticipated Konica Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 7D Digital SLR and the innovation continued. What sets the 7D DSLR apart from the competition is the built in image stabilization which works with any electronic auto focus lens you can attach to the camera body. History has a way of repeating itself. If Minolta can compete better on image resolution and price point Minolta may at some point in the future, take the SLR market by storm yet again.

Konica, older than Kodak in the Photography Business, Joins Minolta ...

In October 2003 Minolta merged with Konica to form Konica Minolta. All new cameras after that time were badged as Konica Minolta (see also Konica Minolta) although, with reference to their camera designs, Minolta remains the dominant partner.

Too Little, Too Late ...

As of spring 2006, Konica-Minolta have withdrawn from the camera business entirely. The digital camera manufacturing assets have been acquired by Sony, but film camera production is ceasing, and the Konica film and mini-lab division closing within a year.

Konica Minolta now is solely a business servicer with NO photo division.

Minolta Digital Cameras

Minolta DSLR Cameras (with interchangeable lenses)

  • RD-175 using standard Minolta A-mount autofocus lenses
  • RD-3000 using the Minolta V-mount lenses of the Vectis APS SLR

newer cameras, see Konica Minolta (Dynax/Maxxum 5D and Dynax/Maxxum 7D)

Minolta Digital Cameras with Fixed Lenses (non-interchangeable, but all with auto focus zoom lenses)

Minolta and Konica Minolta use the Dimage nameplate on all the fixed lens digital cameras.

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newer cameras, see Konica Minolta

Minolta 35mm film Cameras

Minolta Autofocus 35mm SLR (Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum AF)

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The Minolta Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum (Alpha in Japan and China, Maxxum in the Americas, Dynax in Europe, Africa and Asia) is a line of 35mm film SLR Single Lens Reflex cameras built from 1985 to 2000 - some "new old stock" may still be available. The lenses and flash accessories for these are not compatible with the previous Minolta SR, SR T, and X-series of manual focus 35mm film SLR cameras, lenses and flashes.

Many of these models are alternatively labeled Alpha, Dynax or Maxxum and only a few model numbers are location-specific where an equivalent model number in another area of distribution uses another model number:

Minolta Minolta Dynax Minolta Maxxum Minolta Alpha release date
5000 AF 5000 5000 1986
7000 AF 7000 7000 1985
9000 AF 9000 9000 1985
3000i 3000i 3700i 1989
5000i 5000i 5700i 1989
7000i 7000i 7700i 1988
8000i 8000i 8700i 1990
2xi 2xi 90ies
3xi 3xi 3xi 1991
5xi 5xi 5xi 1992
7xi 7xi 7xi 1991
9xi 9xi 9xi 1992
300si 300si/350si/RZ 300si/RZ 330si 101si 90ies
303si QTsi 360si 90ies
404si STsi Sweet S 90ies
500si 400si/450si/RZ 400si/RZ 430si 303si 90ies
500si Super 500si/RZ 530si 303si Super 90ies
505si HTsi 90ies
505si Super XTsi Sweet 90ies
600si 600si 507si 90ies
650si 90ies
700si 700si 707si 1993
800si 800si 807si 90ies
SPxi SPsi 90ies
STsi 90ies
3L 3 200.
3/4 4 200.
30/40 50 200.
5 5 200.
60 70 200.
7 7 200.
9 9 9 90ies
9Ti 90ies

If anyone knows of additional models and or knows which of these are equivalent across the Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum divide, please pitch in! Note, early models were also nomenclatured "AF".

Minolta Manual Focus 35mm SLR (SR, SR T and X-series)

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Minolta Rangefinder 35mm Film Cameras with interchangeable lens

Minolta Rangefinder 35mm Film Cameras with fixed-mount lens

Minolta Viewfinder 35mm Film Cameras

  • Minolta Autowide
  • Minolta f12
  • Minolta F35 Big Finder
  • Minolta Freedom I
  • Minolta FS-E II
  • Minolta Hi-Matic 5
  • Minolta Hi-Matic C
  • Minolta Hi-Matic CSII
  • Minolta Hi-Matic G
  • Minolta Hi-Matic G2
  • Minolta Hi-Matic GF
  • Minolta Hi-Matic S
  • Minolta Hi-Matic S2
  • Minolta Hi-Matic SD
  • Minolta Hi-Matic SD2
  • Minolta Memo
  • Minolta Minoltina-P
  • Minolta Repo (half-frame)
  • Minolta Repo-S (half-frame)

Minolta Compact 35mm Film Cameras

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  • HI-MATIC AF
  • HI-MATIC AF-2
  • AF-DL / FREEDOM DL
  • WEATHERMATIC 35 DL
  • ZOOM 60
  • RIVA ZOOM 75 w / FREEDOM ZOOM 75w
  • RIVA ZOOM 90 EX / FREEDOM ZOOM 90 EX
  • RIVA ZOOM 105i / FREEDOM ZOOM 105i
  • RIVA ZOOM 110 / FREEDOM ZOOM 110
  • RIVA ZOOM 115 EX / FREEDOM ZOOM 115 EX
  • RIVA ZOOM 130 / FREEDOM ZOOM 130
  • RIVA ZOOM 140 EX / FREEDOM ZOOM 140 EX
  • RIVA ZOOM 150 / FREEDOM ZOOM 150

and a lot more like that

newer Minolta zoom cameras, see Konica Minolta

Minolta APS Film Cameras

Minolta APS Film SLR Cameras

Minolta APS Film Compact Cameras

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Minolta 120 Film Cameras

Minolta 4.5x6 Folding Cameras

  • Auto Minolta
  • Auto Minolta I
  • Auto Semi Minolta
  • Auto Semi Minolta IIIA
  • Auto Semi Minolta P
  • Semi Minolta I
  • Semi Minolta II

Minolta 6x6 Collapsible Camera

Minolta 6x6 TLR Twin Lens Reflex Cameras

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  • Minolta Autocord
  • Minolta Autocord CDS I
  • Minolta Autocord CDS II
  • Minolta Autocord CDS III
  • Minolta Autocord I
  • Minolta Autocord II
  • Minolta Autocord III
  • Minolta Autocord L
  • Minolta Autocord MXS
  • Minolta Autocord MXV
  • Minolta Autocord RA
  • Minolta Autocord RB
  • Minolta Autocord RG
  • Minolta Autocord RI
  • Minolta Miniflex
  • Minoltacord
  • Minoltaflex
  • Minoltaflex Automat
  • Minoltaflex I
  • Minoltaflex II
  • Minoltaflex IIB
  • Minoltaflex III

Minolta 127 Film Cameras

Minolta 4x6.5 folding

Minolta 4x6.5 Collapsible Cameras

Minolta 4x4 TLR Twin Lens Reflex Camera

Minolta Plate Film Cameras

Minolta 6.5x9 Folding Bed Cameras

  • Nifca Klapp
  • Nifca Sport
  • Arcadia
  • Happy Hand
  • Happy Hand -- type S
  • Sirius

Minolta 6.5x9 Strut Folding Cameras

  • Nifca Dox
  • Minolta
  • Auto Press Minolta

Minolta 16mm Film Cameras

Minolta 16mm Film SLR Cameras

  • Minolta Auto-Zoom-X

Minolta 16mm Film Subminiature Cameras

  • Minolta 16
  • Minolta 16 Automat
  • Minolta 16 Cds
  • Minolta 16 EE
  • Minolta 16 EE2
  • Minolta 16 II
  • Minolta 16 MG
  • Minolta 16 MGS
  • Minolta 16 P
  • Minolta 16 Ps
  • Minolta 16 QT
  • Minolta Sonocon 16 MB-ZA

Minolta Disc Film Cameras

  • Minolta ac 101 Courreges
  • Minolta ac 301 Courreges
  • Minolta Disc-5
  • Minolta Disc-7
  • Minolta Disc-S
  • Minolta Disc-K

Minolta 110 Film Cameras

Minolta 110 Film SLR Cameras

Minolta 110 Film Pocket/Compact Cameras

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  • Pocket Autopak 200
  • Pocket Autopak 250
  • Pocket Autopak 270
  • Pocket Autopak 430-E
  • Pocket Autopak 430-EX
  • Pocket Autopak 440-EX
  • Pocket Autopak 450-E
  • Pocket Autopak 450-EX
  • Pocket Autopak 460-T
  • Pocket Autopak 460-TX
  • Pocket Autopak 50
  • Pocket Autopak 70
  • Pocket Pak 40
  • Pocket Pak 440-E
  • Pocket Pak 60
  • Weathermatic A underwater camera

Minolta 126 Film Cameras

  • Minolta Autopak 400-X
  • Minolta Autopak 500 / Ilford Monarch / Revuematic 500
  • Minolta Autopak 550
  • Minolta Autopak 600-X
  • Minolta Autopak 700
  • Minolta Autopak 800
  • Revere 3M Automatic 1034

Minolta Instant Film Cameras

Minolta Bibliography

  • 70 Jahre Minolta Kameratechnik, by A.R. & J. Scheibel, ed. Lindemanns, ISBN 3-89506-191-3
  • Histoire de l'appareil photographique Minolta de 1929 à 1985, D. & J.P. Francesch, ed. Dessain et Tolra, ISBN 2-249-27685-4

Minolta Links

Camerapedia page of Minolta related links

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