By Gordon Kelly
Published 12th May 2006. Sony Reveals First alpha DSLRPage: 1
Is it a Konica Minolta? Is it a Sony? No, it’s a Konica Minolta produced Sony branded DSLR!
It was probably too much to ask (but not necessarily a bad thing) that the first digital camera to roll off the new alpha line wouldn’t look like a rebadged Konica Minolta (the two companies have worked together since July last year). Well it does, though apparently the design could still get a little re-jigging before it comes to market. After all, it still needs a few tweaks like making the storage MemoryStick only and fitting proprietary connections.
Ironically, one of the few things we do know about the camera is that it will be backwards compatible with Konica Minolta lenses so we can’t make the usual proprietary jibes! Other than that Sony is keeping tight lipped about such vital details as the megapixel rating, zoom strength, et al.
It will however be the model which opens the floodgates as Toru Katsumoto, Sony’s Senior GM of the AMC Division, revealed the company will be releasing more than 20 new lenses in the next 12 months. He also managed to make one of the most abstract statements I’ve seen in recent times (kudos!):
Our goal is to become the shin'uchi, or headline performer, of digital SLR cameras. In the traditional Japanese art of rakugo storytelling, the shin'uchi is the performer recognized by everyone as the undisputed master of his craft
Err… nice, I think?
Curious metaphors aside, Sony has been making some cracking entries into the slim line digital camera market and if it can get its new DSLRs anywhere near the same standard it should be onto a winner.
