"Minolta Cameras"
The Minolta Camera Company was established by Mr. Kazuo Tashima in 1928 under the name of "Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shokai" (Japan-Germany Camera Company). The company's history is more easily followed by breaking it into five distinct periods. The brand names of the cameras made during each period follow in parentheses.
1928-31 Japan-Germany Camera Company (Nifca cameras)
1931-37 Molta Company (Minolta cameras) 1937-62 Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko (Minolta, Konan, and Sonocon cameras)
1962-82 Minolta Camera Co. Ltd. (Minolta cameras)
1982- Minolta Camera Co. Ltd. (Minolta cameras)
The Nifca period - 1928-31. The newly formed company produced cameras which were of the latest designs of their day, using Japanese-made bodies and German-made lenses and shutters. NIFCA= (Nl)ppon (F)oto (CA)meras.
The Molta Period - 1931-37. As the company grew it was reorganized as a joint stock firm under the name of the Molta Company. It was during the early years of this period that the name Minolta was adopted as a trade name on the cameras. MOLTA= (M)echanismus (O)ptik und (L)insen von (TA)shima.
The Chiyoda Period - 1937-62. As expansion and progress continued the company went through another reorganization emerging as Chiyoda Kogaku Seiko, K.K. and becoming the first Japanese camera company to manufacture every part of their own cameras.
The Minolta Period - 1962-82. Began with change of the company name to The Minolta Camera Company, Ltd. Marketing areas were expanded; so were the products that were manufactured. It was during this period that Minolta entered the fields of office copy machines, planetaria, and manufacturing for other companies.
The Modern Minolta Period - 1982 Signified by the new Minolta logo. To date, Minolta has produced in excess of 40 million cameras.
The Konica Minolta Merger- On January 7, 2003, Minolta merged with fellow Japanese camera power, Konica. The partnership proved successful with the Konica Minolta brand building a healthy reputation in the so-called 'broadband age'.
Many arguments exist regarding which of Minolta's many "firsts" was most significant to photography. My nomination is Minolta's founder, the late Mr. Kazuo Tashima, who remained at the head of his company from 1928-82. "The first founder of any camera company to remain its president for 54 years." (His son, Hideo Tashima, became Minolta's president at that time, and Kazuo Tashima stepped into the role of "Chairman of the Board" of the Minolta Camera Co.)
Stock No 2849 Minolta 16 Model P c1960-65. Subminiture 16mm film camera. Rokkor f3.5/25 shutter 1/1000 only. With Minolta Duofit flash unit. ~ Good condition, all appears to work. Asking Price $60.00 |
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Stock No 1595 Minolta 125 EX Autowind 35mm camera. Minolta Aspherical39-125 Zoom Lens + Macro. Automatic built in flash. Takes 1 x CR123A battery. ~ Good cosmetic condition, however it appears to need a service as the electrics do not work 100% of the time. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 3198 Minolta AF-Tele Super #5mm camera from the 1980's, 38-80mm / 2.8-5.6 Minolta lens. Takes 1 x KL2CR5 (6v) battery. Auto film advance and rewind. Built in flash. ~ Good condition, all appears to work.. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 1817 Minolta Autopak 400-X c1972. 126 Cartridge loading, automatic selenium metering, fixed focus. Automatically fires magicube when needed. No batteries required for meter or flash. Rokkor f2.8/38mm glass lens. ~ Good condition. Asking Price $30.00 |
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Stock No 1815 Minolta Autopak 500 c1966. Selenium cell surrounds lens, sets exposure and fires flashcube if needed. Automatically rotates cube after flash. Rokkor f2.8\38mm zone-focus lens. Programmed EE shutter, 1/40 1/80. Takes 2 x AAA batteries. ~ Good condition. Asking Price $25.00 |
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Stock No 1813 Minolta Autopak 550 Auto exposure. Spring motor drive for 11 shots. Manual focus knob on left hand side selects one of three focus zones. Rokkor f2.8/38mm lens. Takes 2 x V825Px and 1 x PX 13 Batteries. ~ Good condition. Asking Price $30.00 |
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Stock No 1816 Minolta Autopak 600-X c1971. Uses magicubes and flash fires automatically when needed, requires no battery. Meter requires 1 x RM-640 battery. Minolta Rokkta 1:2.8 f=38mm lens. ~ Good clean condition, all appears to work. Asking Price $30.00 |
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Stock No 216 Minolta AF Hi-Matic Case & strap. C1979. Auto focusing. Minolta Rokkor 1:2.8 f=38mm lens, in built pop-up flash. ~ Good clean condition, however there may be a problem with the shutter button. Asking Price $40.00 |
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Stock No 176 Minolta AF Zoom 65 Minolta Zoom 38-65mm lens, in built flash, auto film advance. ~ Liquid crystal display is dis-coloured, camera does not work otherwise good clean condition. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 1776 Minolta Freedom III AF Minolta Auto Focus, Date, in built flash, auto film advance, focus free. takes 1 x CR-P2p 6v Battery. Soft Case. ~ Good cosmetic condition, the shutter cover button is missing (see photo). Asking Price $10.00 |
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Stock No 1193 Minolta AF-Big Finder Minolta Zoom DX, Auto in built Flash, Full auto loading, Programmed AE, Red Eye reduction. Takes 2 x AA Batteries. ~ Good cosmetic condition, there is a problem with the film advance motor. Asking Price $10.00 |
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Stock No 1234 Minolta AF-Big Finder Minolta Zoom DX, Auto in built Flash, Full auto loading, Programmed AE, Red Eye reduction. Takes 2 x AA Batteries. ~ Good cosmetic condition, there might be a problem with the electrics. Asking Price $10.00 |
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Stock No 1528 Minolta Hi-Matic 7s c1965. 35mm rangfinder, built-in CdS meter. Hot shoe incorporating "CLC" (Contrast Light Compensating) metering system. Non-interchangable Rokkor PF f1.8/45 lens. Shutter has manual speeds. ~ Good cosmetic condition, Shutter dead, Meter dead. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 1529 Minolta Hi-Matic 7s c1965. 35mm rangfinder, built-in CdS meter. Hot shoe incorporating "CLC" (Contrast Light Compensating) metering system. Non-interchangable Rokkor PF f1.8/45 lens. Shutter has manual speeds. ~ Good cosmetic condition, Shutter is doubtful, Meter dead.. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 1532 Minolta Hi-Matic 9 Easy-Flash c1966. 35mm rangfinder, built-in CdS meter. Hot shoe incorporating "CLC" (Contrast Light Compensating) metering system. Non-interchangable Rokkor PF f1.7/45 lens. Seikosha-FLA CdS auto shutter. ~ Good cosmetic condition, Meter works, Shutter jammed, Lens assemble loose.. Asking Price $20.00 |
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Stock No 2881 Minolta Hi-Matic AF-S 35mm Auto Wind, Auto Focus built in flash. Takes 2 x AA batteries. Minolta 35mm 1:2.8 lens. ~ Good cosmetic condition, not working. Asking Price $15.00 |
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Stock No 2857 Minolta Hi-Matic AF2 35mm camera with built-in Pop-up Flash. Takes 2 x AA batteries. Lens cap. ~ Fair condition, shutter not operational, flash ready light ok. Asking Price $10.00 |
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Stock No 220 Minolta Riva AF 35EX Date Compact auto focus camera, has red eye reduction as well as the date feature, it also has a self-timer. ~ Good cosmetic condition, working, however the flash takes a while to recharge. Asking Price $25.00 |
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Stock No 1694 Minolta Riva AF Zoom 70EX Made in Malaysia, Takes 1 x CR123A battery. Built in flash, moterised film advance and rewind, macro, etc. ~ Good cosmetic condition, however the door hinge is broken camera suitable for spares. Asking Price $5.00 |
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Stock No 1778 Minolta Super 'A' c1957. 35mm Rangfinder. Super Rokkor 1:2.8 f=5cm lens. Seikosha-MZ 1-400, B between the lens shutter. Single stroke lever advance. ~ Good condition, although there has been a bump to the lens surround which does not affect operation. Asking Price $110.00 |
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Stock No 3303 Minolta VE ( TIS 200 35 mm Auto wind and rewind, built-in flash. Takes 1 x 3v CR2 battery. Wrist strap. ~ Condition, all appears to work, however it has been dropped and a top corner of the case is broken (see photo below). Asking Price $5.00 |
Stock No 2991 Minolta XG2 c1977. Rokkor 1:1.4 f=50mm lens. Takes 2 x KA76 1.5v batteries. Sholder strap. ~ Good cosmetic condition, however it need a service as the film advance is locked up. Asking Price $50.00 |
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Stock No 3052 Minolta Zoom90 Minolta zoom lens 38-90mm macro lens. Takes 1 x KL2^R5 6v battery. Built in flash. Auto film advance and rewind. Sholder strap. Case ~ Good condition, all appears to work. Asking Price $15.00 |
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