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At present I am retired and spending my time mostly on fishing and photography. I bought my first SLR way back in 1982. It was a Minolta XG1. My last film camera was the Maxxum 9000. When the fantastic Sony Alpha 100 was launched, I changed over to the digital system. My Alpha 580 was acquired followed closely by my Alpha 77.

My main interest in photography is lifestyles, sports, sceneries, nature, birds and macro shots. Lately, I have spend more time on bird and nature shooting. As a regular contributer to some fishing magazines, I shoot quite a lot of photographs of anglers too....hence my photography blog is named 'SHOOT THE HOOKER'.



Having grown up near the confluence of two, the Kangsar and the Perak Rivers, it is not surprising that one of my main interest is fishing. My younger days were spent swimming and fishing.... with a bamboo pole, line and small hooks.Now while fishing, my friends and I do take a lot of photographs of anglers in action. The anglers must be careful so as not to accidentally hook on to a photographer. So I think as a reminder, I would like to name my fishing blog as 'HOOK THE SHOOTER'.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

The Minolta Legacy 1928 - 1939.

My first Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera was a Minolta XG1 back in 1982. Since then I have owned the XD7, X700 and the X500 MD mount Minoltas. When Minolta switched over to the AF A mount, I bought two A 9000s. My last film SLRs.
When Sony took over Minolta's camera division and came out with their fantastic Alpha 100, then only I migrated to the digital format. Now I own an Alpha 100, an Alpha 580 and an Alpha 77.
It is only natural that I am proud of the Minolta Legacy and would like to list it here.

Established in 1928 by Kazuo Tashima, The Minolta Co. was originally named Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shoten (Japan-Germany Camera Co.). Its name was changed to Minolta Camera Co. Ltd due to it increasing camera sales. Later its name was changed again to Minolta Co. Ltd. as it diversify into other bussiness. Shortly after merging with Konica, the company sold off its camera division to Sony and withdrew from the camera and photo-business in 2007. It is such a great loss as Minolta had always being in the forefront of camera technology in the past.

1929. Nifcalette folding camera.
 Minolta's first folding camera. 40 X 65mm on 127 film.







1932. Semi Minolta foldin camera.
 Minolta's first die cast folding camera that carried the Minolta name. Produced 65 X 90mm image.








1933. Strut folding dry plate camera.
 The first fully Japanese manufactured Minolta.






1934. Baby Minolta. 
 A bakelite body with pull out lens camera using 127 film.







1934.  Minolta Vest. Strut-Folding Dry-Plate Camera.
A collapsing camera with bakelite body using 127 film. The first of
its kind manufactured in Japan.





1935. Auto Minolta.
A strut folding dry plate camera. First press rangefinder camera to be manufactured in Japan. Comes with 65 x 90mm image.





1935.  Minolta Six.
A bakelite body collapsing camera using 120 film.









1937. Minolta Auto press strut folding dry plate camera.
First ever press camera with built in flash synchronisation
made in Japan.





1937.  Auto Semi Minolta Folding Camera.
A 60 X 60mm on 120 film rangefinder camera with automatic film wind-on spacing.








1937. Minolta Flex twin lens reflex camera.
 Minolta's first and used 120 film.









1939. Minolta Flex Automat twin lens reflex.
 First self cocking TLR manufactured in Japan.





 
Ref:Photoclubalpha.http://www.photoclubalpha.com/minolta-history-seven-decades/

Sony Alpha Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Alpha

A History of Minolta:http://www.ehow.com/about_6718514_history-minolta-cameras.html











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