Konica Minolta Dynax

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Minolta Dynax 9 (1998)

Konica Minolta Dynax was a name for autofocus - SLR the company Konica Minolta , which in the cameras of their early 1988 Dynax series the company Minolta had.

The name Dynax was first used with the introduction of the i series from Minolta (from 1988) and was also used for the digital models from Konica Minolta until the beginning of 2006 . In North America , cameras of the Dynax series were sold under the name Maxxum , in Japan under Alpha ; unlike in Europe, however, these names were also used there for the first generation of autofocus cameras, including the Minolta 7000 AF (1985) , used. From mid-2006, after Konica Minolta's withdrawal from the photo business, the Sony system will continue to be operated worldwide under the uniform product name Alpha .

Development of the Dynax series

Minolta 7000 AF (1985)

With the Minolta 7000 AF , Minolta introduced the first mass-produced single-lens reflex camera in 1985 with a passive autofocus system based on phase detection integrated in the housing , which established the Dynax series and thus had a development lead of one ( Nikon F501 1986) to two years ( EOS 650 1987). In Europe, the series was initially nameless. Only later was the name Dynax used. In North America and Japan they were called Maxxum and Alpha, respectively, from the start . While the Minolta 7000 AF was more aimed at the amateur, the Minolta 9000 AF , which was released a short time later, was designed for professional photographers. Especially for the cameras of the new AF developed series Minolta a new plug-in system for interchangeable lenses , the so-called Minolta A - bayonet . The first cameras of the Dynax series in Europe followed in 1988 with the Minolta autofocus cameras of the i series .

Minolta Dynax 700Si (1993) with opened flash and Tamron lens

At the same time, from 1996 onwards , Minolta developed a series of analog cameras with APS format called Vectis , which were usually compact cameras . With the Vectis S1 (1996) and the Vectis S100 (1997) Minolta also brought out two SLR cameras, but these were equipped with the Minolta V bayonet, which was not compatible with the A bayonet. The range of lenses was correspondingly small, and the Vectis series SLR cameras were unable to establish themselves on the market despite their good optical properties.

Digital cameras provides Minolta since 1986 ago, the company ranks among the top providers of digital cameras at all. On the photokina 1986 was still video Back ( SB-90 ) for the Minolta 9000AF presented. This was followed by the RD-175 (1995), which was developed on the basis of the Dynax 500si Super , with a resolution of 1.75 megapixels, as well as the DiMAGE RD-3000 (1998), based on the APS mirror reflex cameras of the Vectis series 2.7 megapixels - both digital single lens reflex cameras with CCD technology.

The digital compact camera DiMAGE V appeared as early as 1996 , which also founded the Minolta DiMAGE model series. In the following time Minolta concentrated on the development of digital compact cameras. The superzoom cameras of the DiMAGE Z series with focal lengths of up to 38–420 mm and the all-in-one cameras of the A series with an integrated anti-shake image stabilization system were considered to be the technical flagship . In terms of functionality, the cameras in the A series in particular were intended to be a compact and lightweight replacement for the much heavier SLR cameras. Although some accessories, such as the program flash units with Minolta AF flash shoe for the analog Dynax cameras, could also be used with these cameras, they always lacked the option of using interchangeable lenses with Minolta A bayonet.

Konica Minolta Dynax 5D (2005)

While competitors such as Nikon ( D series ) and Canon (digital models of the EOS series ) had been promoting the development of digital SLR cameras, especially for professional use, since the mid to late 1990s, Minolta continued to rely on the analog Dynax for these purposes 9 models. When more and more providers of digital SLR cameras were pushing their way into the prosumer and consumer market in the mid-2000s , Minolta - now with its cooperation partner Konica under the company name Konica Minolta - launched the Dynax 7D, an SLR camera for the semi-professional sector classic rotary switch-based operating concept was based on the analog Dynax 7 . 2005 followed with the Dynax 5D, the last SLR camera developed by ( Konica ) Minolta and sold under its own name. Both cameras are characterized by the anti-shake image stabilization system integrated in the housing .

By June 2005, Minolta and Konica Minolta said they had shipped 16 million interchangeable lenses with A-bayonets.

In January 2006 Konica Minolta announced that the company will withdraw from the camera and film business on April 1, 2006. In the future , Sony will take over the business with digital SLR cameras from the Dynax system. In mid-2006, Sony launched the Alpha 100, a digital SLR based on the Dynax 5D , which, in addition to the Minolta-A bayonet, also uses the same flash connection as the Konica-Minolta cameras.

technical features

The Dynax series belonged to the Minolta AF - camera system , this included not only the camera bodies, a number of lenses and flash units that were matched to each other. Some functions, such as ADI flash technology, were only possible in combination with AF lenses with a range encoder (type "(D)") and an AF flash unit from the HS (D) series. (Some of the DSLRs, however, use an additional rotary encoder in the AF drive of the camera housing to support ADI flash operation even with non- (D) lenses. However, this operating mode is not quite as safe as with (D) lenses. ) Other functions, such as the anti-shake system of the digital Dynax housing, work with all (even very old) AF lenses, including those from other manufacturers.

From a purely mechanical point of view, all components of the Minolta AF system were fully compatible with each other, only some newer functions were not supported by older components of the camera system. However, downward compatibility was given. With some lenses from third-party manufacturers, compatibility problems can usually be resolved with a chip update.

Minolta AF lenses

Lens connection to Dynax-9 housing

With the appearance of the Minolta 7000AF in 1985, Minolta also launched a series of newly developed lenses called AF lenses. It was the first time the so-called Minolta A - mount used. The lens is changed by pressing the bayonet release button, followed by turning the lens by 54 °. The flange focal length , i.e. the distance between the lens system and the film plane , is 44.5 mm and the data exchange between the lens and the camera electronics takes place via eight gold-plated, spring-loaded contact pins.

With Minolta's AF system, the motor for adjusting the focus is usually located in the camera housing. Minolta has been offering integrated motors since the xi series at the end of 1991 and lenses with integrated ultrasonic motors ( SSM lenses) since the end of 2003 , which is supported by the camera housing from the Dynax 7 (2000) onwards. (An SSM / ADI upgrade is offered by the service for the Dynax 9. )

The list of Minolta AF lenses offered ranges from fish-eye lenses with a 16 mm focal length to wide-angle and normal lenses to telephoto lenses with a focal length of up to 600 mm, but also special portrait and macro lenses , as well as a 500 mm mirror lens lens , were offered . In addition, lenses with A bayonet were also sold by third-party manufacturers such as Kalimar , Tamron , Sigma , Tokina and Soligor .

Together with the Dynax 7D brought Konica Minolta specifically for digital photography developed AF lenses on the market: the objectives of the so-called DT series are sized to the smaller APS-C sensor format and can not make sense of an analog Minolta -Kleinbild (full frame ) use the camera. The smaller image circle of the AF-DT lenses inevitably leads to a ring-shaped shadowing at the edge of the small picture format. The same applies to the DI-2 ( Tamron ) and DC ( Sigma ) lenses from other manufacturers.

In contrast to its competitors Nikon ( Vibration Reduction ) and Canon ( Image Stabilizer ), Minolta did not initially develop its own image stabilization system integrated into the respective lenses . Over several years of development work, however, a so-called anti-shake system was created for the digital Dynax cameras , which is integrated in the camera housing and is able to compensate for the camera movements during exposure by shifting the image sensor to compensate for it.

Designations
  • AF : The term AF stands for all autofocus lenses with a Minolta-A bayonet.
  • G : Identifies the optically and mechanically higher quality lenses for professional use.
  • SSM : The designation SSM stands for Supersonic Wave Motor , the autofocus setting is carried out using piezo elements integrated in the lens , this technology is only used with high-quality lenses with long focal lengths. This function is supported by Dynax cameras built from 2000 onwards; an update of the camera firmware is required for Dynax 9 and Dynax 9Ti .
  • APO : Identifies objectives with apochromatic correction .
  • HS : Stands for high speed auto focus. A more direct translation of the AF drive and modified firmware should result in faster focusing. Usually improved versions of the APO lenses called HS-APO .
  • (D) : Identifies lenses (and also flash units) that support Advanced Distance Integration . This function is supported by Dynax cameras built from 2000 onwards; an update of the camera firmware is required for Dynax 9 and Dynax 9Ti .
  • DT : Indicates lenses that have been specially developed for digital photography ( Dynax 5D and Dynax 7D ).

Advanced Distance Integration

In addition to the conventional TTL flash measurement , Minolta made the specially developed ADI flash measurement ( Advanced Distance Integration ) available from 2000 . The ADI flash control was a performance feature of computer flash units in which the flash output was adjusted to the distance, the ambient light and the reflective properties of the subject using a TTL pre- flash . This enabled a flash measurement, which reduced or completely eliminated the unwanted influences of the environment.

The ADI flash measurement was only possible in combination with the Minolta AF lenses and the Minolta AF flash units of the (D) series. In addition, ADI was only supported as standard by Minolta AF cameras built from 2000 onwards, for the Dynax 9 and Dynax 9Ti this support was only possible with an update . When using other lenses, filter attachments or close-up lenses , the ADI flash measurement could not be used and the TTL flash measurement had to be selected. The same applied when using a wide-angle diffuser on the Minolta program flash unit or with indirect flash . Some third-party manufacturers such as Sigma ( EF 500 DG ST and EF 500 DG Super ) now also offer flash units that they say support ADI.

See also: Advanced Distance Integration

Anti-shake system

The digital SLR cameras of the Dynax series are equipped with an image stabilization system called Anti-Shake ( AS ). It prevents or reduces the blurring of the pictures with exposure times below the classic freehand limit .

The system developed by Konica Minolta , in contrast to systems from other manufacturers, in which the corrections are made in the lens, is based on a movement of the CCD chip (CCD shift) and is therefore independent of the lens used. With the anti-shake system , the direction of movement and acceleration of the camera are measured by two gyroscope sensors. Corrective movements for the piezo elements that move the CCD chip are calculated by the electronics from this data .

Minolta's anti-shake system reduces blurring caused by blurring regardless of the lens used.

Models

Analog models (1985-2004)

Models that were not yet offered under the name Dynax , but are called Maxxum in North America and Alpha in Japan :

Models under the name Dynax :

  • Minolta Dynax 3000i (1988)
  • Minolta Dynax 7000i (1988)
  • Minolta Dynax 5000i (1989)
  • Minolta Dynax 8000i (1991)
  • Minolta Dynax 3xi (1991)
  • Minolta Dynax 7xi (1991)
  • Minolta Dynax 2xi (1992)
  • Minolta Dynax 5xi (1992)
  • Minolta Dynax 9xi (1992)
  • Minolta Dynax SPxi (1992)
  • Minolta Dynax 700si (1993)
  • Minolta Dynax 500si (1994)
  • Minolta Dynax 300si (1995)
  • Minolta Dynax 500si Super (1995)
  • Minolta Dynax 600si Classic (1995)
  • Minolta Dynax 800si (1997)
  • Minolta Dynax 505si (1998)
  • Minolta Dynax 505si Super (1998)
  • Minolta Dynax 9 (1998)
  • Minolta Dynax 303si (1999)
  • Minolta Dynax 404si (1999)
  • Minolta Dynax 9Ti (1999)
  • Minolta Dynax 7 (2000)
  • Minolta Dynax 5 (2001)
  • Minolta Dynax 7 Limited (2001)
  • Minolta Dynax 4 (2002)
  • Minolta Dynax 3L (2003)
  • Minolta Dynax 40 / Dynax30 (2004)
  • Minolta Dynax 60 (2004)

Digital models (2004-2005)

In addition to the analog models, two digital models have appeared in the Dynax series. They have the designation D in their name:

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Data sheet of the Sony Alpha 100

Web links

Commons : Konica Minolta Dynax  - collection of images, videos and audio files