Digital Trends
Japan’s Konica Minolta announced today that it is exiting the camera and film businesses, putting an end to one of the world’s most-recognized names in photography. Company President Fumio Iwai also announced he would be stepping down April 1, 2006, to be replaced by Vice President Yoshikatsu Ota.
Konica Minolta had said in November 2005 that it was considering scaling back its traditional photography business, but not shutting it down entirely.
Konica Minolta today announced they were expanding their line of DiMAGE digital cameras. The newest entry is the six megapixel DiMAGE Z6.
The DiMAGE Z6, Konica Minolta said, offers up a 12x optical zoom and 2†LCD monitor on a compact and easy to hold design. Besides the 12x optical zoom, a 4x digital zoom capability gives the camera a total zoom range of 48x.
Other features on the new DiMAGE Z6 include a CCD-shift anti-shaking system featured in Konica Minolta’s high end Maxxum 7D digital SLR, a GT APO lens, Konica Minolta’s proprietary image processing technology, up to 240 shots on 4 AA batteries, rapid auto focus and a “progressive drive†mode which records images continuously at approximately 1.8 seconds regardless of image size or quality.
The new DiMAGE Z5’s 12x optical zoom lens and 4x digital zoom combine for a total 48x zoom. Konica Minolta’s proprietary CCD-shift Anti-Shake System–the same one used on the top-of-the-line Maxxum 7D and DiMAGE A200 models–is particularly effective at such high zoom ranges. It allows photographers to shoot with shutter speeds four to eight times longer (2-3 stops) than when shooting without an Anti-Shake function. It also provides steady, shake-free images taken during the evening or other dimly lit shots which are susceptible to blur because of their slow shutter speed. This means significantly less blur even without a flash or tripod.
Equipped with Konica Minolta’s Anti-Shake technology featuring a unique CCD-shift mechanism that offsets handheld shaking, it is easy to capture sharp images with the DiMAGE A200, even in lowlighting and without the use of a tripod.
In addition, the camera’s rotating 1.8-inch TFT Vari-angle LCD monitor allows photographers to get a clear viewpoint for shooting artistic angles or taking flawless self-portraits. And, the Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200’s simplified operation means that all photographers can benefit from its advanced specifications, thus maximizing their photography experience.
From the press release:
Konica Minolta introduces a new addition to the Z-series of digital cameras – the DiMAGE Z3. With Konica Minolta’s unique CCD-shift Anti-Shake System accompanying the camera’s built-in 12x optical zoom lens, the stylish DiMAGE Z3 provides photographers of all levels with very steady and sharp hand-held telephoto shots. Its speed also enables photographers to get those action shots right away with Rapid Autofocus (AF) – the fastest auto focus in its class*1. The camera’s AF also has a Predictive Focus Control for unmatched high-speed focusing that brings out the very best in the DiMAGE Z3’s superior ability to capture fast moving subjects.
Quote from the review:
“The high-performance and compact six-megapixel Konica Minolta DiMAGE G600 features 3x optical zoom lens, sleek metal exterior, autofocusing, autoexposure, auto white-balance, and Rapid Response with a 1.3-second start-up time.
High picture quality is obtained through the camera’s GT HEXANON lens that’s designed to produce stunningly accurate images. These images are then received by the 1/1.76-inch 6.40-megapixel CCD, which provides high-resolution picture quality unexpected from such a compact camera. The result is beautifully detailed images across the entire zoom range in a slim, pocketable design. Completing the process, high-resolution images are assured with precision processing provided by the newly developed A*IPS – using Konica Minolta’s proprietary algorithm, which instantly calculates optimum exposure, focus and white balance.”
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