neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

I ventured into Minolta-land with the Minolta fixed zoom lens camera DiMage Z-1. To best of my recollection I would call it the first of the bridge cameras, although the term was still in the future. This 3.2 MP mighty-mite was 38 mm - 380 mm, a 10x optical zoom It's shining moment came when I set it on a table in the Clubhouse at the 2004 Calgary Stampede and captured the action across the arena, from the bull riding to the steer wrestllin'. I retired it in 2010 when it's AF was failing. It's still in my stable, shown here via the Sony RX10M4.

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GeneS Loc: Glendale,AZ

If anyone is interested I still have 2 Minolta lenses for sale.
Minolta 100-300 The last version the D with Digital lens coating and
7 pin contacts so all camera functions work.
Has a B&W f-pro 55mm UV filter on it. excellent condition
Also have a Minolta 500mm AF A mount, all filters and case.
I have even used with auto focus 2X AF 7 element teleconverter
In as nice a condition as you will find anywhere

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Neil - the Minolta Dimage series (particularly, the early models) were quite innovative, for their day, weren't they? … Not sure I could get used to a ROUND LCD screen, though!!!!

38-380!!!!? … My, oh, my! … and this was back in what - 2002-2003? … Neat pics of the rodeo, there, Neil!!!

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

Well, Chris, the housing was round, but the image was squared-off...but you really knew that.
When I bought it I was looking for the full manual/auto/high zoom that today defines the bridge family. When it got too old and I was in the market for another of its' ilk, Minolta was no more. Canon and Fuji were there with new offerings, and after intensive research on the two settled on the Fuji HS10, recommending the Canon to my son-in-law who wasn't into the manual aspect. But I digress. I have an album of 8 x 10's of that trip and the Calgary Stampede and still am impressed with the quality of that Minolta lens and build.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

I figured, it was probably like that … so how big a screen was it, exactly?

How 'bout that? … My first Digital Camera, also - was the Fuji HS-10 … I actually prefer the hybrid design - more like using a regular DSLR - huh? … Liked it so much - I bought three more - the S200 EXR, and the HS-50 EXR (last in the series) … {{Sigh!!!}} and, just before that one - the SL-300 (NOT a hybrid!) … but, you're right - apart from the HS-50 (which uses a half-inch sensor) the Canon Powershot SX series - are loads better … infinite macro, extended zoom ranges … and, they just FEEL better - but then, they're all made in Japan and the Finepix models all come from Indonesia. Wonder if that's anything to do with it?

Kuzano

A lot of these lenses were orphaned when Minolta Maxxum bodies started dying at about 15 to 20 years of age.

Sony's purchase of Konica Minolta (Konica bought Minolta years earlier) gave these lenses new life. Minolta did a lot of design work for Leica on both bodies.... The Leica R and Leica CL/Leica Minolta bodies and Leica glass collaberation. Leica was also one of the planned partners in the 4/3 consortium, before dropping out of that venture.