Wow

[Mthorpe_Davies]

Just found out the price of the Konica Minolta 7D7 in New Zealand. Body only at my local store is $2199,15, to put this into perspective the Canon 20D is $2685,00 and the Nikon D70 $2106,00. That's quite a tempting price especially considering the addition of AS for every lense. It looks like the big two are in for a fight down here, similar pricing in Australia too.

[shiningstardv]

Are you sure you don't mean the "Konica Minolta D7D" and not the "Konica Minolta 7D7"? I've never heard of a 7D7 before...

[photography By Evangelos]

Yea but the system is a bit limiting when looking at Canon and Nikon in terms of Glass quality and the shear number of lenses available.




Angleo

[Jon]

Are you sure you don't mean the "Konica Minolta D7D" and not the "Konica Minolta 7D7"? I've never heard of a 7D7 before...

. . . that's the model with the Boeing-designed fuselage^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h body.

[Mthorpe_Davies]

Yea but the system is a bit limiting when looking at Canon and Nikon in terms of Glass quality and the shear number of lenses available.




Angleo

I don't think there is a quality issue at all, Minolta glass has always been excellent, more than a match for Nikon and Canon. There are over 30 minolta lens available, the only serious ommission I can see is no TSE glass.

[Steven M. Anthony]

I've used minolta cameras for 20 years and loved them. I actually bought a canon because minolta didn't have a serious digicam (dslr) when I was looking.

Minolta glass has never posed a problem for me, either. What a coup to add stabilization in-camera. I'll be curious to see reports on performance.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Minolta has a damn fine range of glass!

.. Davies.. if you are fast enough.. you'll also find that Premium Sigma lenses with Minolta mounts have been selling for a song for years as there has been no demand do to the lack of a digital body.

For instance,. The Sigma 300mm f/2.8 EX sells for about $2,000.00 US new in any mount.

Used Canon mounts get about $1,500.00

Minolta used models have sold for well under $1,000.00
So.. I 2K Sigma 300mm f/2.8 for under one thousand and you get IS to boot!

I suspect the deals on Minolta mount glass won't last very much longer though.

[Mthorpe_Davies]

I think if any manufacturer is going to have a serious go at breaking Canon and Nikons market dominance it will be KM, Pentax and Olympus have not introduced the right products at the right time at the right price to make a serious dent.

By waiting I believe they might have hit the market at the right time.