tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84858353420935355072024-03-13T03:36:21.775-07:00man & wife photographyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-29124985546455681592009-09-05T12:48:00.000-07:002009-09-05T13:12:29.505-07:00Prewed Andrie & Huynh Thi Ngoc Dung<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLC0g5RZKI/AAAAAAAAAJA/I9tgpYv4CVw/s1600-h/life+is+a+dream3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLC0g5RZKI/AAAAAAAAAJA/I9tgpYv4CVw/s320/life+is+a+dream3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378075112472929442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLC0WQvmpI/AAAAAAAAAI4/z5ufeUi7liQ/s1600-h/look%21%21%21.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLC0WQvmpI/AAAAAAAAAI4/z5ufeUi7liQ/s320/look%21%21%21.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378075109618588306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCz87ctKI/AAAAAAAAAIw/11ON7eKUA2M/s1600-h/under+the+moonlight.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCz87ctKI/AAAAAAAAAIw/11ON7eKUA2M/s320/under+the+moonlight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378075102818383010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCzhwddFI/AAAAAAAAAIo/O-9xYTcN5TA/s1600-h/sepia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCzhwddFI/AAAAAAAAAIo/O-9xYTcN5TA/s320/sepia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378075095524537426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCyyYBHhI/AAAAAAAAAIg/i-YfxNgRP3o/s1600-h/DSC_9402.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqLCyyYBHhI/AAAAAAAAAIg/i-YfxNgRP3o/s320/DSC_9402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378075082805550610" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-36772166000338204632009-08-28T20:22:00.000-07:002009-11-27T12:55:19.294-08:00Melly and Denny Prewed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5tS5lZVI/AAAAAAAAAGc/UvFspkCQrzM/s1600-h/20.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5tS5lZVI/AAAAAAAAAGc/UvFspkCQrzM/s320/20.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375250343085303122" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5uaqp6gI/AAAAAAAAAG0/9z1u1IqN8Tg/s1600-h/DSC_1583.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5uaqp6gI/AAAAAAAAAG0/9z1u1IqN8Tg/s320/DSC_1583.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375250362350037506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5uCv96zI/AAAAAAAAAGs/sgA5_xoPSX8/s1600-h/70+yrs+old.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5uCv96zI/AAAAAAAAAGs/sgA5_xoPSX8/s320/70+yrs+old.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375250355929869106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5tkONnFI/AAAAAAAAAGk/CSfbDYr5BDk/s1600-h/37.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5tkONnFI/AAAAAAAAAGk/CSfbDYr5BDk/s320/37.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375250347735227474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5u2xePMI/AAAAAAAAAG8/3xE_JydqRrE/s1600-h/DSC_1657.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Spi5u2xePMI/AAAAAAAAAG8/3xE_JydqRrE/s320/DSC_1657.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375250369894825154" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-61713548699044254262009-08-19T11:07:00.000-07:002009-11-27T13:00:50.278-08:00Studio shoot 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SxA9leJWQyI/AAAAAAAAAK4/T7WQqbDP9Ck/s1600/DSC_7139.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SxA9leJWQyI/AAAAAAAAAK4/T7WQqbDP9Ck/s400/DSC_7139.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408890866428691234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqK9V2dg7LI/AAAAAAAAAIY/d238xYbUCUs/s1600-h/DSC_1293.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SqK9V2dg7LI/AAAAAAAAAIY/d238xYbUCUs/s320/DSC_1293.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378069088128003250" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBBwOnIMI/AAAAAAAAAGM/qK5WzX2dfz8/s1600-h/DSC_1168.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBBwOnIMI/AAAAAAAAAGM/qK5WzX2dfz8/s320/DSC_1168.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371739953928020162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBBfnZ4YI/AAAAAAAAAGE/J-7IdZOP8No/s1600-h/Nama+Penny.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBBfnZ4YI/AAAAAAAAAGE/J-7IdZOP8No/s320/Nama+Penny.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371739949468606850" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBA_3gsKI/AAAAAAAAAF8/feq5qFk2BWQ/s1600-h/DSC_1233.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBA_3gsKI/AAAAAAAAAF8/feq5qFk2BWQ/s320/DSC_1233.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371739940946227362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBAmrWfnI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gjuTH0T_ops/s1600-h/crop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/SoxBAmrWfnI/AAAAAAAAAF0/gjuTH0T_ops/s320/crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371739934184341106" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-2703052167327388022009-08-17T16:25:00.000-07:002009-08-17T16:32:17.275-07:00Studio shoot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn5tsRb-I/AAAAAAAAAFs/fa0-viHnBOk/s1600-h/vero1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn5tsRb-I/AAAAAAAAAFs/fa0-viHnBOk/s320/vero1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371079009319874530" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn5fLnONI/AAAAAAAAAFk/CuDLvlZZO84/s1600-h/DSC_7399+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn5fLnONI/AAAAAAAAAFk/CuDLvlZZO84/s320/DSC_7399+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371079005424793810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4xHlkBI/AAAAAAAAAFc/PLZuUGvFmds/s1600-h/DSC_7402+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4xHlkBI/AAAAAAAAAFc/PLZuUGvFmds/s320/DSC_7402+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371078993059876882" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4Y_8UNI/AAAAAAAAAFU/pJa3hHLIQYM/s1600-h/DSC_4207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4Y_8UNI/AAAAAAAAAFU/pJa3hHLIQYM/s320/DSC_4207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371078986585362642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4KyO4eI/AAAAAAAAAFM/qfM7TaGxcV4/s1600-h/CSC_7471+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sonn4KyO4eI/AAAAAAAAAFM/qfM7TaGxcV4/s320/CSC_7471+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371078982769762786" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-1645099940697764072009-06-10T13:16:00.000-07:002009-06-10T13:41:13.547-07:00History of Hasselblad<p style="font-family: times new roman;">The company was established in 1841 in Gothenburg, Sweden, as a trading company, F. W. Hasselblad and Co. The founder's son, Arvid Viktor Hasselblad, was interested in photography and started the photographic division of the company. Hasselblad's corporate website quotes him as saying <i>I certainly don’t think that we will earn much money on this, but at least it will allow us to take pictures for free.</i></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1877, Arvid Hasselblad commissioned the construction of Hasselblad's long-time headquarters building, in use until 2002.While on honeymoon, Arvid Hasselblad met <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eastman" title="George Eastman">George Eastman</a>, founder of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_Kodak" title="Eastman Kodak">Eastman Kodak</a>. In 1888, Hasselblad became the sole Swedish distributor of Eastman's products. The business was so successful that in 1908, the photographic operations were spun off into their own corporation, Fotografiska AB. Operations included a nationwide network of retail stores and photo labs. Management of the company eventually passed to Karl Erik Hasselblad, Arvid's son (grandson of founder F. W.). Karl Erik wanted his son, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Hasselblad" title="Victor Hasselblad">Victor Hasselblad</a>, to have a wide understanding of the camera business, and sent him to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresden" title="Dresden">Dresden</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a>, at the age of 18 (circa 1924), then the world center of the optics industry.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Victor spent the next several years studying and working in various photography related endeavors in Europe and the United States, including spending time in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_New_York" title="Rochester, New York">Rochester, New York</a>, with George Eastman, before returning home to begin work at the family business. Due to disputes within the family, particularly with his father, Victor left the business and in 1937 started his own photo store and lab in Gothenburg, Victor Foto.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="World_War_II" id="World_War_II"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">World War II</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">During <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a>, the Swedish military captured a fully functioning German aerial surveillance camera from a downed German plane. This was probably a Handkammer HK 12.5 / 7x9, which bore the codename GXN.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The Swedish government realised the strategic advantage of developing an aerial camera for their own use, and in the spring of 1940 approached Victor Hasselblad to help create one. In April 1940, Victor Hasselblad established a camera workshop in Gothenburg called Ross AB in a shed at an automobile shop near a junkyard and working in the evenings in cooperation with an auto mechanic from the shop and his brother, began to design the HK7 camera.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">By late 1941, the operation had over twenty employees and the Swedish Air Force asked for another camera, one which would have a larger negative and could be permanently mounted to an aircraft; this model was known as the SKa4. Between 1941 and 1945, Hasselblad delivered 342 cameras to the Swedish military.<sup id="cite_ref-Hasselblad_2007_0-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-Hasselblad_2007-0" title=""><span></span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1942, Karl Erik Hasselblad died and Victor took control of the family business. During the war, in addition to the military cameras, Hasselblad produced watch and clock parts, over 95,000 by the war's end.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Post-war" id="Post-war"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">Post-war</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">After the war, watch and clock production continued, and other machine work was also carried out, including producing a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slide_projector" title="Slide projector">slide projector</a> and supplying parts for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab" title="Saab">Saab</a> automobiles.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Victor Hasselblad's real ambition, though, was to make high quality civilian cameras. In 1945-1946, the first design drawings and wooden models were made for a camera to be called the Rossex. An internal design competition was held for elements of the camera; one of the winners was Sixton Sason, the designer of the original Saab bodywork.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1948, the camera later known as the 1600F was released. The new design was very complex, and many small improvements were needed to create a reliable product; the watchmaking background of many of the designers produced a design which was sophisticated, but more delicate than what was required for a camera. Only around 50 units were produced in 1949, and perhaps 220 in 1950, of what collectors have come to designate the Series One camera. The Series Two versions of the 1600F, perhaps as many as 3300 made from 1950 to 1953, were more reliable but still subject to frequent repairs, with many units having been cannibalized or modified by the factory.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1953, a much-improved camera, the 1000F was released. In 1954, they took the 1000F design and mated it to the groundbreaking new 38 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biogon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Biogon (page does not exist)">Biogon</a> lens designed by Dr. Bertele of Zeiss to produce the SWA (Supreme Wide Angle, later changed to Super Wide Angle). Though a specialty product not intended to sell in large numbers, the SWA was an impressive achievement, and derivatives were sold for decades. Hasselblad took their two products to the 1954 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photokina" title="Photokina">Photokina</a> trade show in Germany, and word began to spread.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In December 1954, the 1000F camera received a rave review from the influential American photography magazine, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Modern_Photography&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Modern Photography (page does not exist)">Modern Photography</a>. They put over 500 rolls of film through their test unit, and intentionally dropped it twice, and it continued to function.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="The_Hasselblad_camera_comes_into_its_own" id="The_Hasselblad_camera_comes_into_its_own"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">The Hasselblad camera comes into its own</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">1957 was the real turning point for the company. The 1000F was replaced by the 500C. The landmark 500C design formed the basis for Hasselblad's product line for the next forty years, with variants still being produced in small quantities in 2008. It was not until 1960, though, that Hasselblad's cameras became profitable; prior to this point, the company was still being entirely supported by sales of imported photographic supplies, including their distribution of Kodak products.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1962, NASA began to use Hasselblad cameras on space flights, and to request design modifications. The first motor-driven camera, the 500EL, appeared in 1965 as a result of NASA requests. While Hasselblad had enjoyed a slowly but steadily growing reputation among professional photographers through the 1950s, the publicity created by NASA's use of Hasselblad products dramatically increased name recognition for the brand.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1966, with the increasing success of the camera division, Hasselblad exited the photographic supply and retailing industry, selling Hasselblad Fotografiska AB to Kodak.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="1970s_onward" id="1970s_onward"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">1970s onward</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1976, Victor Hasselblad sold Hasselblad AB to a Swedish investment company, Säfveån AB. When he died in 1978, he left much of his fortune to the Hasselblad Foundation.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1977, the 2000 series of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focal_plane_shutter" title="Focal plane shutter" class="mw-redirect">focal plane shutter</a> equipped models were introduced. This was the last major technical development in the course of the classic (now known as "V-System", after Victor) Hasselblad camera.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1984, Victor Hasselblad AB went public, with 42.5% of the company being sold on the Swedish stock exchange. The next year, Swedish corporation Incentive AB bought 58.1% of Hasselblad, and in 1991, they acquired the remainder of the shares, taking VHAB back to being a private corporation.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1985 Hasselblad established the subsidiary, Hasselblad Electronic Imaging AB, to focus on digital imaging and transmission systems.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-3" title=""><span></span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1996, Hasselblad was sold, with the new owners being <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UBS_AG" title="UBS AG">UBS</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinven" title="Cinven">Cinven</a>, and the Hasselblad management.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Fuji.2C_Shriro.2C_Imacon.2C_and_the_digital_age" id="Fuji.2C_Shriro.2C_Imacon.2C_and_the_digital_age"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">Fuji, Shriro, Imacon, and the digital age</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1998, Hasselblad began selling the XPan, a camera designed and made in Japan by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm" title="Fujifilm">Fujifilm</a>. In 2002, they introduced the H-System, retroactively renaming their original camera line the V-System.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The H-System marked an essential transition for the company. It dropped the traditional Hasselblad square negative format, instead using 6×4.5 cm film and a new series of lenses. It was intended to be used with digital backs and eventually made as an all-digital camera, and it is largely designed and manufactured by Fuji and sold under their name in Asian markets.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In January 2003 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shriro_Group" title="Shriro Group">Shriro Group</a> acquired a majority shareholding in Hasselblad. The group had been the distributors for Hasselblad in Japan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia for over 45 years.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-4" title=""><span></span><span></span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The following year, in August 2004, Shriro Sweden, the holding company of Victor Hasselblad AB, and Swedish subsidiary of Shriro Group, announced the acquisition of high-end scanner and digital cameraback manufacturer, Imacon. The intent of the move was to accelerate Hasselblad’s ambitions in the professional digital photographic sector.<sup id="cite_ref-DPR_2004_5-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-DPR_2004-5" title=""><span></span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The move was perceived as part of an industry-wide move to respond to the trend away from film to digital. Christian Poulsen, chief executive of Hasselblad after the merger, said, "They finally realized there was no future. It was impossible to keep Hasselblad alive without digital.".<sup id="cite_ref-IHT_2005_6-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-IHT_2005-6" title=""><span>[</span>7<span>]</span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">This move was a key step in the evolution of the medium format camera market. Up until that point, medium format camera makers made cameras and lenses, and separate companies made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_camera_back" title="Digital camera back">digital camera back</a> attachments to enable those film cameras to take digital pictures. Most back companies sold products to be used with several different brands of camera. Imacon was one such back manufacturer; by merging with Hasselblad, it became evident that Hasselblad intended to cut other back manufacturers out of access to their new product line, enabling them to seamlessly transition to fully integrated all-digital cameras while the competition was still producing cameras in which the film-based controls and digital capture were not fully combined, and also to retain the profits on the backs, which sell for tens of thousands of dollars.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">This has secured their and Fuji's market position, with nearly all of their previous medium format camera competition going through sale (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamiya" title="Mamiya">Mamiya</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollei" title="Rollei">Rollei</a>), closure (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contax" title="Contax">Contax</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronica" title="Bronica">Bronica</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Exakta_66&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Exakta 66 (page does not exist)">Exakta 66</a>), or greatly reduced market presence (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax" title="Pentax">Pentax</a> (which was also sold, to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoya" title="Hoya">Hoya</a>), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kiev_Camera&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kiev Camera (page does not exist)">Kiev Camera</a>), and other medium format digital back makers being faced with accordingly restricted markets.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Hasselblad_cameras_in_space" id="Hasselblad_cameras_in_space"></a></p> <h2 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">Hasselblad cameras in space</span></h2> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Skylab_3_Close-Up_-_GPN-2000-001711.jpg" class="image" title="A closeup view of the Skylab space station taken with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera using a 100mm lens and SO-368 medium speed Ektachrome film."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Skylab_3_Close-Up_-_GPN-2000-001711.jpg/180px-Skylab_3_Close-Up_-_GPN-2000-001711.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="179" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Skylab_3_Close-Up_-_GPN-2000-001711.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> A closeup view of the Skylab space station taken with a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad camera using a 100mm lens and SO-368 medium speed Ektachrome film.</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Several different models of Hasselblad cameras were taken into space, all specially modified for the task.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-7" title=""><span></span><span></span></a></sup></p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The Hasselblad cameras were selected by NASA because of their interchangeable lenses and magazines. Modifications were made to permit ease-of-use in cramped conditions and while wearing spacesuits, such as the replacement of the reflex mirror with an eye-level finder.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Modifications by NASA technicians were further refined and incorporated into new models by Hasselblad. For example, development of a 70mm magazine was accelerated to meet the space program.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The first modified (in fact simplified) Hasselblad 500C cameras were used on the last two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Mercury" title="Project Mercury">Project Mercury</a> missions in 1962 and 1963. They continued to be used throughout the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gemini" title="Project Gemini">Gemini</a> spaceflights in 1965 and 1966.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">A general program of reliability and safety was implemented following the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_1" title="Apollo 1">Apollo 1</a> fire in 1967, addressing such issues as reliability and safe operation of electrical equipment in a high-oxygen environment.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hasselblad#cite_note-8" title=""><span></span><span></span></a></sup></p> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">EL electric cameras were used for the first time on </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8" title="Apollo 8">Apollo 8</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">. A heavily modified 500 EL, the so called Hasselblad Electric Camera (HEC) was used from Apollo 8 on board the spacecraft. Three 500EL cameras were carried on </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11" title="Apollo 11">Apollo 11</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">. An even more modified Hasselblad EL Data Camera (HDC), equipped with a special Zeiss 5.6/60 mm Biogon lens and film magazines for 150–200 exposures, was used on the moon surface on the Apollo 11 mission. All following NASA missions also had Hasselblad cameras on board. The photographic equipment and films used on the five subsequent flights were similar to that taken on Apollo 11. On </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_15" title="Apollo 15">Apollo 15</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, the 250mm telescopic lens was added. During the Space Shuttle period cameras based on the 500 EL/M, 553 ELX, 205 TCC and 203 FE have been used</span> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/f24e841f-ec85-4f87-966b-7ad343d45ee6/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=f24e841f-ec85-4f87-966b-7ad343d45ee6" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-4430471967508833662009-06-10T12:58:00.000-07:002009-06-10T13:13:25.132-07:00History of Leica<p style="font-family: courier new;">The first prototypes were built by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Barnack" title="Oskar Barnack">Oskar Barnack</a> at <i>E. Leitz Optische Werke</i>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetzlar" title="Wetzlar">Wetzlar</a>, in 1913. Intended as a compact camera for landscape photography, particularly during mountain trips, the Leica was the first practical <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35_mm_film" title="35 mm film">35 mm</a> camera, using standard cinema <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35_mm_film" title="35 mm film">35 mm film</a>. The Leica extends the frame size to 24×36 mm, instead of the 18×24 mm used by cinema cameras, with a 2:3 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_%28image%29" title="Aspect ratio (image)">aspect ratio</a>.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">The Leica went through several iterations, and in 1923 Barnack convinced his boss, Ernst Leitz II, to make a prototype series of 31. The camera was an immediate success when introduced at the 1925 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzig" title="Leipzig">Leipzig</a> Spring Fair as the Leica I (for <i><b>Lei</b>tz <b>ca</b>mera</i>). The Elmar 50 mm f/3.5 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lens_lens&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Lens lens (page does not exist)">lens</a> (a 4-elements design influenced by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss_Tessar" title="Zeiss Tessar" class="mw-redirect">Zeiss Tessar</a>) was designed by Dr. Max Berek at Leitz. The focal plane <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_%28photography%29" title="Shutter (photography)">shutter</a> had a range from 1/20 to 1/500 second, in addition to a <i>Z</i> for <i>Zeit</i> (time) position.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">In 1930 came the <i>Leica I Schraubgewinde</i> with an exchangeable lens system based on a 39mm thread. In addition to the 50 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normal_lens" title="Normal lens">normal lens</a>, a 35 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wide-angle_lens" title="Wide-angle lens">wide angle</a> and a 135 mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephoto_lens" title="Telephoto lens">telephoto lens</a> were initially available.</p> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LeicaIIIf-600.jpg" class="image" title="Leica IIIf (1950), one of the last screw-mount Leicas, with 50mm/f1.5 Summarit"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/LeicaIIIf-600.jpg/180px-LeicaIIIf-600.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LeicaIIIf-600.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Leica IIIf (1950), one of the last screw-mount Leicas, with 50mm/f1.5 Summarit</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: courier new;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_II" title="Leica II">Leica II</a> came in 1932, with a built in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder" title="Rangefinder">rangefinder</a> coupled to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens" title="Lens">lens</a> focusing mechanism. This model had a separate viewfinder (showing a reduced image) and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder" title="Rangefinder">rangefinder</a>.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_III" title="Leica III">Leica III</a> added slow shutter speeds down to 1 second, and the model IIIa added the 1/1000 second shutter speed. The IIIa was the last model made before Barnack’s death, and therefore the last model for which he was wholly responsible. Leitz continued to refine the original design through to 1957. The final version, the IIIg, included a large viewfinder with several framelines. These models all had a functional combination of circular dials and square windows.</p> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M3-mp-600.jpg" class="image" title="Leica’s MP of 2003 and M3 of 1954"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/M3-mp-600.jpg/180px-M3-mp-600.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="93" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:M3-mp-600.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Leica’s MP of 2003 and M3 of 1954</div> </div> </div> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leica_M.jpg" class="image" title="Modern Leica M series"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Leica_M.jpg/180px-Leica_M.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Leica_M.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Modern Leica M series</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: courier new;">In 1954, Leitz unveiled the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_M3" title="Leica M3">Leica M3</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_mount" title="Lens mount">bayonet lens</a> model combining the rangefinder and viewfinder into one large, bright viewfinder with a brighter double image in the center, and introduced a system of parallax compensation. In addition, it had a new rubberized, reliable focal-plane shutter. This model has continued to be refined (the latest versions being the M7 and MP, both of which have frames for 28, 35, 50, 75, 90, and 135 mm lenses which show automatically upon mounting the different lenses).</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">A number of camera companies built models based on the Leica rangefinder design. These include the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leotax&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Leotax (page does not exist)">Leotax</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicca" title="Nicca">Nicca</a> and early <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon" title="Canon">Canon</a> models in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kardon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Kardon (page does not exist)">Kardon</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">USA</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reid" title="Reid">Reid</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England" title="England">England</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FED_%28camera%29" title="FED (camera)">FED</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorki" title="Zorki">Zorki</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union" title="Soviet Union">USSR</a>.</p> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R4-sl2-600.jpg" class="image" title="The Leica R4 (1980) introduced the shape of the Leica SLR throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. The Leica SL2 MOT (1974) was the culmination of the original Leicaflexes. The SL2 was reportedly more expensive to produce than the camera’s price."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/R4-sl2-600.jpg/180px-R4-sl2-600.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="108" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R4-sl2-600.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The Leica R4 (1980) introduced the shape of the Leica SLR throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s. The Leica SL2 MOT (1974) was the culmination of the original Leicaflexes. The SL2 was reportedly more expensive to produce than the camera’s price.</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: courier new;">From 1964, Leica produced a series of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera" title="Single-lens reflex camera">single-lens reflex</a> cameras, beginning with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicaflex" title="Leicaflex">Leicaflex</a>, followed by the Leicaflex SL, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicaflex_SL2" title="Leicaflex SL2">Leicaflex SL2</a>, and then the R series from R3 to R7, made in collaboration with the Minolta Corporation. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_R8" title="Leica R8">Leica R8</a> was entirely designed and manufactured by Leica. The current model is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_R9" title="Leica R9">Leica R9</a>, which can be fitted with the Digital Module back. Leica was slow to produce an auto-exposure model, and never made a Leica R model that supported auto-focusing.</p> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 142px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VisoII-600.jpg" class="image" title="The Leica Visoflex II (1960)"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/38/VisoII-600.jpg/140px-VisoII-600.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="140" height="166" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VisoII-600.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> The Leica Visoflex II (1960)</div> </div> </div> <div style="font-family: courier new;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VisoII-IIIf-600.jpg" class="image" title="Leica’s answer to the SLR: a Leica Visoflex II on Leica IIIf with 65mm f/3.5 Elmarit"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/VisoII-IIIf-600.jpg/180px-VisoII-IIIf-600.jpg" class="thumbimage" border="0" width="180" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VisoII-IIIf-600.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png" alt="" width="15" height="11" /></a></div> Leica’s answer to the SLR: a Leica Visoflex II on Leica IIIf with 65mm f/3.5 Elmarit</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: courier new;">Conceptually bridging the Rangefinder Leicas and the SLR Leicas was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leica_Visoflex_System&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Leica Visoflex System (page does not exist)">Leica Visoflex System</a>, a mirror reflex box which attached to the lens mount of Leica rangefinders (separate versions were made for the screwmount and M series bodies) and accepted lenses made especially for the Visoflex System. Rather than using the camera’s rangefinder, focusing was accomplished via a groundglass screen. A coupling released both mirror and shutter to make the exposure. Camera rangefinders are inherently limited in their ability to accurately focus long focal-length lenses and the mirror reflex box permitted much longer length lenses.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">In the course of its history, Leitz was responsible for numerous optical innovations, such as aspherical production lenses, multicoated lenses, and rare earth lenses. Leica optics are advertised as offering superior performance at maximum aperture, making them well-suited for natural-light photography.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">The earliest Leica reflex housing was the PLOOT, announced in 1935, along with the 200mm f/4.5 Telyt Lens. This date is significant because that it places Leica among the 35mm SLR pioneers. Moreover, until the 1964 introduction of the Leicaflex, the PLOOT and Visoflex were Leica’s only SLR offerings. A redesigned PLOOT was introduced by Leica in 1951 as the Visoflex I. This was followed by a much more compact Visoflex II in 1960 (which was the only Visoflex version available in both LTM (screwmount) and M-bayonet) and the Visoflex III with instant-return mirror in 1964. Leica lenses for the Visoflex system included focal lengths of 65, 180 (rare), 200, 280, 400, 560, and 800mm. In addition, the optical groups of many rangefinder lenses could be removed, and attached to the Visoflex via a system of adapters. The Visoflex system was discontinued in 1984.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">Leica offered a wide range of accessories: for instance, LTM (screwmount) lenses were easily usable on M cameras via an adapter. Similarly Visoflex lenses could be used on the Leicaflex and R cameras with an adapter. Furthermore, certain LTM and M rangefinder lenses featured removable optical groups which could be mounted via adapters on the Visoflex system, thus making them usable as rangefinder or SLR lenses for Visoflex-equipped Screwmount and M rangefinder cameras, as well as being usable on Leicaflex and R cameras. Leica also carried in their catalogues focusing systems such as the Focorapid and Televit which could replace certain lenses’ helicoid mounts for sports and natural-life telephotography.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">Leica cameras, lenses, accessories and sales literature are collectibles. There are dozens of Leica books and collector’s guides, notably the 3-volume <i>Leica, an Illustrated History</i> by James L. Lager. Early or rare cameras and accessories can reach very high prices on the market. Notably, Leica cameras sporting military markings carry very high premiums; this started a market for refurbished Soviet copies with fake markings.</p> <p style="font-family: courier new;">In 1986, the Leitz company changed its name to Leica (LEItz CAmera), due to the strength of the Leica brand. At this time, Leica moved its factory from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wetzlar" title="Wetzlar">Wetzlar</a> to the nearby town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solms" title="Solms">Solms</a>. In 1996 Leica Camera separated from the Leica Group and became a publicly held company. In 1998 the Leica group split into 2 independent units: Leica Microsystems<sup id="cite_ref-Leica_Microsystems_0-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera#cite_note-Leica_Microsystems-0" title=""><span></span></a></sup> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Geosystems" title="Leica Geosystems">Leica Geosystems</a>.</p> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/3e4f9af7-90c4-4d6f-a906-210cf978252f/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=3e4f9af7-90c4-4d6f-a906-210cf978252f" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-90747524549685277582009-05-25T10:38:00.000-07:002009-05-25T11:28:03.130-07:00Hendra & Novie Photo Session<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShriBk0mwrI/AAAAAAAAAEs/y21jf32onNQ/s1600-h/DSC_7221.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShriBk0mwrI/AAAAAAAAAEs/y21jf32onNQ/s320/DSC_7221.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339828824893211314" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShriBbXiMRI/AAAAAAAAAEk/8mCIw82ZdBU/s1600-h/DSC_7247.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShriBbXiMRI/AAAAAAAAAEk/8mCIw82ZdBU/s320/DSC_7247.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339828822355357970" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTnZr5vI/AAAAAAAAAEc/RF_GY4qB0Sc/s1600-h/DSC_7075.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTnZr5vI/AAAAAAAAAEc/RF_GY4qB0Sc/s320/DSC_7075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339825836288370418" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTTvIPOI/AAAAAAAAAEU/fM0qh0pQ8g4/s1600-h/DSC_7072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTTvIPOI/AAAAAAAAAEU/fM0qh0pQ8g4/s320/DSC_7072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339825831009598690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTM5_5vI/AAAAAAAAAEM/3Uf0YWgxnsc/s1600-h/DSC_7063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTM5_5vI/AAAAAAAAAEM/3Uf0YWgxnsc/s320/DSC_7063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339825829176141554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTOZbq-I/AAAAAAAAAEE/3cHE5idbZvw/s1600-h/DSC_7060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfTOZbq-I/AAAAAAAAAEE/3cHE5idbZvw/s320/DSC_7060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339825829576420322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfSxUoNoI/AAAAAAAAAD8/r7oZ362Q15Y/s1600-h/DSC_7059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShrfSxUoNoI/AAAAAAAAAD8/r7oZ362Q15Y/s320/DSC_7059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339825821771642498" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Special thx to : Hendra & Novie</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;"> Penny Thang ( professional make up artist )</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-82658319392181872022009-05-24T22:13:00.000-07:002009-05-26T15:53:13.591-07:00Ms. Vero Photo Session<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho14z493HI/AAAAAAAAADc/tZhMpmva-mI/s1600-h/DSC_6835.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho14z493HI/AAAAAAAAADc/tZhMpmva-mI/s320/DSC_6835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339639558319234162" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho15cAz_jI/AAAAAAAAAD0/-KpdeeuuALo/s1600-h/DSC_6912.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho15cAz_jI/AAAAAAAAAD0/-KpdeeuuALo/s320/DSC_6912.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339639569089560114" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho15OZU8cI/AAAAAAAAADs/zbs3755cpTs/s1600-h/DSC_6919.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho15OZU8cI/AAAAAAAAADs/zbs3755cpTs/s320/DSC_6919.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339639565434286530" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho1428bcSI/AAAAAAAAADk/MQL5iz75st4/s1600-h/DSC_6891.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho1428bcSI/AAAAAAAAADk/MQL5iz75st4/s320/DSC_6891.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339639559139062050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho14nwDNpI/AAAAAAAAADU/Z_OVJIyWnTY/s1600-h/DSC_6813.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Sho14nwDNpI/AAAAAAAAADU/Z_OVJIyWnTY/s320/DSC_6813.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339639555060610706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKxgffTI/AAAAAAAAADE/LmkBDL-O1xk/s1600-h/DSC_6711.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKxgffTI/AAAAAAAAADE/LmkBDL-O1xk/s320/DSC_6711.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339632170335960370" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovLNp2MoI/AAAAAAAAADM/tFSpte9O6Gw/s1600-h/DSC_6812.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovLNp2MoI/AAAAAAAAADM/tFSpte9O6Gw/s320/DSC_6812.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339632177891390082" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKj4LFXI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Rwt1zZKVM14/s1600-h/DSC_6758.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKj4LFXI/AAAAAAAAAC0/Rwt1zZKVM14/s320/DSC_6758.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339632166677190002" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKWLqxoI/AAAAAAAAACs/tAoorH3a4cM/s1600-h/DSC_6761.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShovKWLqxoI/AAAAAAAAACs/tAoorH3a4cM/s320/DSC_6761.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339632163000862338" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-50503009081101916852009-05-24T15:10:00.000-07:002009-05-24T15:20:48.176-07:00Early cameras (Minolta)<div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MinotlaTLR.jpg" class="image" title="Minolta Autocord TLR."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/MinotlaTLR.jpg/180px-MinotlaTLR.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="286" /></a> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Relying heavily on imported <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">German</a> technology, Nichi-Doku turned out their first product, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folding_camera" title="Folding camera">bellows camera</a> called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nifcalette&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nifcalette (page does not exist)">Nifcalette</a>, in March 1929. By 1937, the company reorganized as Chiyoda Kogaku Seikō, K.K. (Chiyoda Optics and Fine Engineering, Ltd.) and built the first Japanese-made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-lens_reflex_camera" title="Twin-lens reflex camera">twin-lens reflex camera</a>, the Minoltaflex, based on the German Rolleiflex.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1950, Minolta developed a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetarium_projector" title="Planetarium projector">planetarium projector</a>, the first-ever made in Japan, beginning the company's connection to astronomical optics. John Glenn took a Minolta Hi-Matic rangefinder 35 mm camera aboard the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft" title="Spacecraft">spacecraft</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Atlas_6" title="Mercury Atlas 6" class="mw-redirect">Friendship 7</a> in 1962, and in 1968, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_8" title="Apollo 8">Apollo 8</a> orbited the moon with a Minolta Space Meter aboard.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In the late 1950s and 1960s, Minolta competed in the medium-format roll film camera market with the excellent Autocord series of TLR (twin-lens reflex) cameras. Marketed at a time when other indifferent copies of the Rolleiflex TLR design were flooding the market, the Autocords soon acquired an enviable reputation for the high quality of their Rokkor optics.</p> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta_SRT303.jpg" class="image" title="Minolta SR-T303."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Minolta_SRT303.jpg/180px-Minolta_SRT303.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="135" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta_SRT303.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><br /></a></div> Minolta SR-T303.</div> </div> </div> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta-shift-lens.jpg" class="image" title="f/2.8 35mm shift lens, 11mm maximum shift."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Minolta-shift-lens.jpg/180px-Minolta-shift-lens.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="120" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta-shift-lens.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><br /></a></div> <span style="font-style: italic;">f</span>/2.8 35mm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_correction_lens" title="Perspective correction lens" class="mw-redirect">shift lens</a>, 11mm maximum shift.</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Single-lens_reflex_cameras" id="Single-lens_reflex_cameras"></a></p> <h2 style="font-family: times new roman;font-family:times new roman;" ><span class="mw-headline">Single-lens reflex cameras</span></h2> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In the 1960s, Minolta introduced its SR camera lines, and later, the SR-T 35 mm SLR camera series (cameras with the "SR" designation equipped with through-the-lens metering), which are widely regarded as some of the most innovative <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex" title="Single-lens reflex" class="mw-redirect">single-lens reflex</a> (SLR) cameras of the era Although well-made, the SR series and the SR-T series were not as robust as the professional-level Nikon F or F2. Like the Canon FTb, the Minolta SR/SRT design used sleeve bushings instead of bearings on its focal plane spindles and had greater tolerances between working parts. This occasionally caused problems in very cold weather or extremely high levels of use. Nevertheless, the cameras appealed to serious amateur photographers with their more affordable prices and high-quality optics.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">From the late 1950s through the 1980s, Minolta was arguably the most innovative camera manufacturer: the first Japanese manufacturer to introduce a bayonet lens mount rather than a screw mount; the first manufacturer to introduce TTL metering with full aperture; and the first manufacturer to introduce multimode metering. They also introduced the first commercially successful autofocus SLR line with the Maxxum series.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1972, Minolta drew up a formal cooperation agreement with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leitz" title="Leitz">Leitz</a>. Leitz desperately needed expertise in camera body electronics, and Minolta felt that they could learn from Leitz's undoubted optical expertise. Tangible results of this cooperation were the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera" title="Leica Camera">Leica</a> CL/Minolta CL, an affordable rangefinder camera to supplement the Leica M range. The Leica CL was built by Minolta to Leica specifications. Other results were the Leica R3, which was in fact the Minolta XE-1 with a Leica lens mount, viewfinder, and spot metering system.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="First_.22program.22_focal_plane_shutter_35mm_SLR:_the_XD-11" id="First_.22program.22_focal_plane_shutter_35mm_SLR:_the_XD-11"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">First "program" focal plane shutter 35mm SLR: the XD-11</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1977, Minolta introduced the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_XD-11" title="Minolta XD-11" class="mw-redirect">XD-11</a>, the first multimode 35 mm compact SLR to include both aperture and shutter priority in a single body. The XD-11 is considered by many to be the best manual-focus 35 mm SLR Minolta ever produced, and the last serious attempt by Minolta to enter the professional and semiprofessional 35 mm SLR market until the Maxxum 9 in 1998. Elements of the XD-11 design (called the XD-7 in Europe) were utilized by Leitz for the Leica R4 camera.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Others regard the XM (XK in the Americas, X-1 in Japan), a rugged camera designed for the serious amateur and professional photographer dating from 1972, to be the quintessential Minolta. The XM/XK/X-1 Motor (the motorized version) may well be the most collectible Japanese 35 mm cameras;<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta#cite_note-0" title=""><span></span><span></span></a></sup> in September 2004, an XM Motor of 1976 was sold for €2566, approximately 200% of its original price.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta continued to offer 35 mm MF SLR cameras in its X-370, X-570, and X-700 from 1981, but slowly repositioned its cameras to appeal to a broader market. Minolta decided to abandon the high level of design and parts specifications of its earlier XD/XE line. The new amateur-level X-570, X-700, and related models offered additional program and metering features designed to appeal to newer photographers, at a lower cost. The advanced vertical metal shutter design of the older cameras was rejected in favor of a cheaper horizontal cloth-curtain shutter, reducing flash sync to a very slow 1/60th second. Further cost savings were made internally, where some operating components were changed from metal to plastic. As Minolta's autofocus Maxxums were proving successful, Minolta invested fewer resources in its manual focus line as time progressed.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta was quick to enter the highly competitive 35 mm compact camera market in the 1980s. Transitioning from older rangefinder designs to "point-and-shoot" (P&S) electronic autofocus/autowind cameras was applauded by most camera buyers, but decried by those who missed the old Minolta quality. Minolta, like other major manufacturers faced with low-cost competition from elsewhere in Asia, found it difficult to build quality P&S cameras at a cost the consumer was willing to pay, and was forced to offshore production, gradually redesigning successive cameras to reduce cost and maintain profit margins.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Autofocus_SLRs" id="Autofocus_SLRs"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span> <span class="mw-headline">Autofocus SLRs</span></h3> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fogged_hienegs.png" class="image" title="Infrared negatives fogged by the frame counter of a MinoltaMaxxum 4."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Fogged_hienegs.png/180px-Fogged_hienegs.png" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="88" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify">Infrared negatives fogged by the frame counter of a Minolta<br /></div> Maxxum 4.</div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta purchased the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent" title="Patent">patent</a> rights to autofocus lens technology from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera" title="Leica Camera">Leica Camera</a> in the 1970s.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta#cite_note-1" title=""><span></span></a></sup>In 1985, Minolta introduced a new line of autofocus (AF) SLR cameras. In North America, they used the name <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax" title="Minolta Dynax" class="mw-redirect">Maxxum</a>; in Europe, the cameras were called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax" title="Minolta Dynax" class="mw-redirect">Dynax</a>; and in Japan, they were named <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax" title="Minolta Dynax" class="mw-redirect">Alpha</a>. They were Minolta's first line of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autofocus" title="Autofocus">automatic focus</a> SLR cameras, and in fact, the first commercially successful autofocus SLRs the world had seen.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">With the Maxxum line, the heavy duty metal bodies of earlier Minoltas were abandoned in favor of lighter and less expensive plastics. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxxum_7000" title="Maxxum 7000" class="mw-redirect">Maxxum 7000</a>, the most popular of the new Maxxums, introduced the innovation of arrow buttons for setting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture" title="Aperture">aperture</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_speed" title="Shutter speed">shutter speed</a>, rather than a shutter speed dial on the body and an aperture ring on the lens. That way, the only control necessary on the lens is the manual focus ring (plus the zoom ring in the case of zoom lenses).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The Maxxum 7000 had two 8-bit CPUs and six integrated circuits. A circuit on the lens relayed aperture information to the camera body, and the motor for autofocus was contained within the camera body. An LCD showed aperture, shutter speed, and frame count. The 7000 had TTL phase-detection focusing and metering, autoexposure, and predictive autofocus. All Maxxum cameras use the Minolta "A" autofocus lens mount; earlier manual-focus Minolta MC and MD lenses are incompatible with the new AF cameras.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Unfortunately for Minolta, its autofocus design was found to infringe on the patents of Honeywell, a U.S. corporation. After protracted litigation, in 1991 Minolta was ordered to pay Honeywell damages, penalties, trial costs, and other expenses in a final amount of $127.6-million (source: NY Times).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">After the 4-digit Maxxum i line, which included the 3000i, 5000i, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Dynax_7000i" title="Minolta Dynax 7000i" class="mw-redirect">7000i</a>, and 8000i, came the 1-digit Maxxum xi line; followed by the 3-digit si line; the 1-digit line without letters (Alpha/Dynax/Maxxum 3, 4, 5, 7, 9); and finally, the Maxxum 50 (Dynax 40) and Maxxum 70 (Dynax 60).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="APS_format_cameras" id="APS_format_cameras"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">APS format cameras</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta also invested heavily in APS (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Photo_System" title="Advanced Photo System">Advanced Photo System</a>) film-format cameras, most notably with the Vectis line of SLR cameras beginning in 1996. APS later proved to be a technological dead end, as the cameras did not sell as hoped. Digital photography was entering the marketplace, and Minolta eventually discontinued all APS camera production.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Other_developments" id="Other_developments"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">Other developments</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta introduced features that became standard in all brands a few years later. Standardized features that were first introduced on Minolta models included multisensor light metering coupled to multiple AF sensors, automatic flash balance system, wireless TTL flash control, TTL-controlled full time flash sync, and speedy front and rear wheels for shutter and aperture control. Special features introduced by Minolta are interactive LCD viewfinder display, setup memory, expansion program cards (discontinued), eye-activated startup, and infrared frame counter.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Merger_with_Konica" id="Merger_with_Konica"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">Merger with Konica</span></h3> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta7.jpg" class="image" title="The 2000 Minolta Dynax 7."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ee/Minolta7.jpg/180px-Minolta7.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="256" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify">The 2000 Minolta Dynax 7.</div></div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In an effort to strengthen market share and acquire additional assets in film, film cameras, and optical equipment, Minolta merged with another long-time Japanese camera manufacturer, Konica Ltd., in 2003. The new corporation was called Konica Minolta Ltd.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Until Konica Minolta announced their withdrawal plan in 2006, they made Maxxum/Dynax digital and film-based cameras (retaining the different names in the different markets), improving the design while maintaining the basic concepts. The Maxxum 4 is a low-priced 35 mm SLR with an A-type bayonet mount, built-in flash, autoexposure, predictive autofocus, electronically controlled vertical-traverse focal plane shutter, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-the-lens" title="Through-the-lens" class="mw-redirect">through-the-lens</a> (TTL) phase-detection focusing and metering. In advertising literature, Minolta claimed that the Maxxum 4 was the most compact 35 mm AF SLR, and the second fastest at autofocusing, while the Maxxum 5 was the fastest at autofocusing. These cameras were, however, intended for the consumer end of the market.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta made one last attempt to enter the serious amateur and professional market with the Maxxum (Dynax) 9 in 1998, followed by the Maxxum 7 in 2000, which used a full LCD readout on the rear of the camera. Though well received by the photographic press, the 7 and 9 did not sell to expectations or achieve any significant breakthrough with their intended customer base, who had largely gravitated to the Canon or Nikon brands. All of these cameras were eventually discontinued in favor of the less-expensive Maxxum 50 and 70, which were sold under the Minolta name until 2006, when Konica Minolta ceased production of all film cameras.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Digital_cameras" id="Digital_cameras"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">Digital cameras</span></h3> <div style="font-family: times new roman;" class="thumb tright"> <div class="thumbinner" style="width: 182px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minolta-DiMage-EX-p1030227.jpg" class="image" title="The DiMAGE EX, an early digital camera."><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Minolta-DiMage-EX-p1030227.jpg/180px-Minolta-DiMage-EX-p1030227.jpg" class="thumbimage" width="180" border="0" height="107" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"> <div class="magnify">The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimage_EX" title="Dimage EX" class="mw-redirect">DiMAGE EX</a>, an early digital camera.</div></div> </div> </div> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta has a line of digital point-and-shoot cameras to compete in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_photography" title="Digital photography">digital photography</a> market. Their DiMAGE line includes digital cameras and imaging software as well as film scanners.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Minolta created a new category of "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_digital_camera" title="Bridge digital camera">ZSLR</a>," or fixed zoom-lens SLR-type camera, with the introduction of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Dimage_7,_7i,_7hi" title="Minolta Dimage 7, 7i, 7hi">DiMAGE 7</a>. Designed for use by people familiar with 35 mm single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras but without the added cost or complication of interchangeable lenses or optical reflex viewfinders, the DiMAGE incorporated many of the features of a higher-level film camera with the simplicity of smaller compact digicams. The camera had a traditional zoom ring and focus ring on the lens barrel and was equipped with an electronic viewfinder (EVF) rather than the direct optical reflex view of an SLR. It added other features such as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histogram" title="Histogram">histogram</a>, and the cameras were compatible with Minolta's flashes for modern film SLRs.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">However, the DiMAGE 7 (including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_DiMage_A1" title="Minolta DiMage A1">DiMAGE A1</a>, A2, and A200) and similar "ZSLR" cameras were not really adequate substitutes for professional SLR cameras, and initially there were many reports of slow autofocus speed and various malfunctions (this surfaced when a Sony-designed CCD chip would malfunction, rendering the camera useless. Minolta, however, issued a CCD alert and fixed faulty units free of charge; after Konica Minolta's withdrawal from the photo business, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony" title="Sony">Sony</a> took over the CCD alert). Minolta later innovated in this line by being the first manufacturer to integrate a mechanical antishake system (Minolta's antishake is based inside the camera body as opposed to the camera lens, common with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF" title="Canon EF">Canon EF</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikon_AF&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Nikon AF (page does not exist)">Nikon AF</a> lenses).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In January 2002, Minolta again created a new category of camera, introducing the Minolta DiMAGE X, an ultracompact digital with a 3x folded zoom lens. With the folded approach, no moving parts of the lens are external to the camera. Instead, a 45-degree mirror bounces light to a conventional zoom lens safely tucked inside the camera body. Fast startup times are one potential benefit of this design (since nothing needs to extend), but slow focus and shutter lag times marred the advantage of this innovation.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Digital_SLRs" id="Digital_SLRs"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="editsection"></span><span class="mw-headline">Digital SLRs</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">After the merger with Konica, it was thought by many that Minolta would quickly enter the digital SLR market, a belief that proved premature.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Although Minolta had launched the first digital SLR system as early as 1995, the RD-175—a 1.75-megapixel camera based on the Maxxum 500si—was never successful, and in 1998, it was superseded by the RD3000, a 3-megapixel SLR based on the lens mount of the Vectis APS SLR camera line, which was equally unsuccessful and short-lived.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">While Minolta was the inventor of the modern integrated AF SLR, it took Konica Minolta a long time to enter the digital SLR market, a delay that may have proved fatal. KM was the last of the large camera manufacturers to launch a digital SLR camera (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxxum" title="Maxxum" class="mw-redirect">Maxxum/Dynax</a> 5D and 7D) using the 35 mm AF mount. Popular with many owners, the DSLR cameras appeared to suffer from a lack of marketing and promotion, certainly in comparison to the "two majors," <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon" title="Nikon">Nikon</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_%28company%29" title="Canon (company)">Canon</a>. During July 2005, <a href="http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2005/0719_01_01.html" class="external text" title="http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2005/0719_01_01.html" rel="nofollow">KM and Sony negotiated</a> on a joint development of a new line of DSLR cameras, where it was believed that Konica Minolta and Sony would market their DSLR line to the masses (much like the joint marketing and development of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax" title="Pentax">Pentax</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung" title="Samsung" class="mw-redirect">Samsung</a> K10/GX10 DSLRs).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">On January 19, 2006, <a href="http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_03_01.html" class="external text" title="http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_03_01.html" rel="nofollow">KM announced that</a> all DSLR production would continue under Sony's management; DSLR camera assets were transferred to Sony during the Konica Minolta withdrawal phase until March 31, 2006, where technical support for these cameras (primarily Konica Minolta's other digital cameras) was assumed by Sony, who announced the first Konica Minolta-based Sony SLR—the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Alpha_100" title="Sony Alpha 100" class="mw-redirect">Alpha A100</a>—on <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="2006-06-05"><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="06-05"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_5" title="June 5">June 5</a></span>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006" title="2006">2006</a></span>.</p> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/bf165e49-ffe7-4a7d-979c-781c3e4c1be2/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=bf165e49-ffe7-4a7d-979c-781c3e4c1be2" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-77989751065323437132009-05-24T15:01:00.000-07:002009-05-24T15:09:09.831-07:00History of Minolta<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnEc0186NI/AAAAAAAAACk/b_qikkRfpsw/s1600-h/288px-Minolta_XD-11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnEc0186NI/AAAAAAAAACk/b_qikkRfpsw/s320/288px-Minolta_XD-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339514832724748498" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="font-family: times new roman;"><b>Minolta Co., Ltd.</b> was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japanese</a> worldwide manufacturer of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera" title="Camera">cameras</a>, camera accessories, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photocopier" title="Photocopier">photocopiers</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fax_machine" title="Fax machine" class="mw-redirect">fax machines</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_printer" title="Laser printer">laser printers</a>. Minolta was founded in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka,_Japan" title="Osaka, Japan" class="mw-redirect">Osaka, Japan</a>, in 1928 as <i>Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten</i> (日独写真機商店, meaning Japanese-German camera shop). It is perhaps best-known for making the first integrated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autofocus" title="Autofocus">autofocus</a> 35 mm SLR camera system. It was not until 1933 that the brand name appeared on a camera, a copy of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaubel_Makina" title="Plaubel Makina">Plaubel Makina</a> simply called "Minolta."</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 2003, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica" title="Konica">Konica</a> Corporation merged with Minolta to form <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica_Minolta" title="Konica Minolta">Konica Minolta</a>.</p> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">On </span><span style="font-family: times new roman;" class="mw-formatted-date" title="2006-01-19"><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="01-19"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_19" title="January 19">January 19</a></span>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006" title="2006">2006</a></span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">, Konica Minolta announced that it was leaving the camera and photo business</span> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">and that it would sell a portion of its </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera" title="Single-lens reflex camera">SLR</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> camera business to </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony" title="Sony">Sony</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> as part of its move to pull completely out of the business of selling cameras and photographic film.<br /></span><h3 style="font-family: times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">Milestones</span></h3> <ul style="font-family: times new roman;"><li>1928: Kazuo Tajima establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten ("Japanese-German photo company," the precursor of Minolta Co., Ltd.).</li><li>1929: Marketed the company's first camera, the "Nifcalette."</li><li>1937: The Minolta Flex is Japan's first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin-lens_reflex_camera" title="Twin-lens reflex camera">twin-lens reflex camera</a>.</li><li>1958: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_SR-2&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta SR-2 (page does not exist)">Minolta SR-2</a> is Minolta's first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera" title="Single-lens reflex camera">single-lens reflex camera</a>.</li><li>1959: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_SR-1&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta SR-1 (page does not exist)">Minolta SR-1</a>.</li><li>1962: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Glenn" title="John Glenn">John Glenn</a> takes a specially modified <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansco" title="Ansco">Ansco</a>-logoed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Hi-Matic" title="Minolta Hi-Matic">Minolta Hi-Matic</a> camera into space aboard <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_7" title="Freedom 7" class="mw-redirect">Freedom 7</a>. The company changes its name to Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.</li><li>1966: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_SR-T101&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta SR-T101 (page does not exist)">Minolta SR-T101</a> SLR camera is Minolta's first with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-the-lens" title="Through-the-lens" class="mw-redirect">through-the-lens</a> full aperture (TTL) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_meter" title="Light meter">light metering</a>.</li><li>1972: Minolta signs an agreement to cooperate with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_Camera" title="Leica Camera">Leica</a> in SLR development;</li><li>1973: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_CL&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta CL (page does not exist)">Minolta CL</a> is the first fruit of this agreement.</li><li>1976: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_R3" title="Leica R3">Leica R3</a> is introduced. Minolta produces the R3, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leica_R4&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Leica R4 (page does not exist)">R4</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leica_R5&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Leica R5 (page does not exist)">R5</a> models in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leica_R" title="Leica R" class="mw-redirect">Leica R</a> series. Subsequent cameras are built in Germany by Leica themselves.</li><li>1981: Implementation of Minolta's invention and patent of TTL (through-the-lens) OTF (off-the-film) exposure metering: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_CLE" title="Minolta CLE">Minolta CLE</a> is the first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/135_film" title="135 film">35mm</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder_camera" title="Rangefinder camera">rangefinder camera</a> to feature TTL metering and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aperture_priority" title="Aperture priority">aperture priority</a> autoexposure. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_X-700" title="Minolta X-700">Minolta X-700</a> manual-focus SLR is introduced; this model is sold until 1999 and is enormously successful. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_XD-11" title="Minolta XD-11" class="mw-redirect">Minolta XD-11</a> (Model E) is the first Minolta product branded with an updated logo (in caps), which was in use until the 2003 merger with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica" title="Konica">Konica</a>.</li><li>1985: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Maxxum_7000" title="Minolta Maxxum 7000">Minolta Maxxum 7000</a> Alpha Mount Camera becomes the world's first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autofocus" title="Autofocus">autofocus</a> 35mm SLR with in-camera autofocus motor.</li><li>1987: Honeywell files lawsuit against Minolta for patent infringement over autofocus technologies.</li><li>1991: Minolta's autofocus design was found to infringe on the patents of Honeywell, a U.S. corporation. After protracted litigation, in 1991 Minolta was ordered to pay Honeywell damages, penalties, trial costs, and other expenses in a final amount of $127.6-million (source: NY Times).</li><li>1992: Minolta finally settles out of court with Honeywell.</li><li>1994: The company changes its name to Minolta Co., Ltd. because it no longer is primarily a camera company.</li><li>1995: Introduction of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_RD-175&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta RD-175 (page does not exist)">Minolta RD-175</a>, a 1.75-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megapixel" title="Megapixel" class="mw-redirect">megapixel</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_SLR" title="Digital SLR" class="mw-redirect">digital SLR</a> camera.</li><li>1996: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta_Vectis" title="Minolta Vectis">Minolta Vectis</a> camera is a completely new SLR system designed around the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Photo_System" title="Advanced Photo System">Advanced Photo System</a> (APS) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_format" title="Film format">film format</a>.</li><li>1998: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minolta_Maxxum_9&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Minolta Maxxum 9 (page does not exist)">Minolta Maxxum 9</a> autofocus SLR is introduced. This system is targeted toward the professional photographer and has many features not duplicated by the competition.</li><li>2003: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DiMAGE_A1" title="DiMAGE A1" class="mw-redirect">DiMAGE A1</a> introduced world's first sensor-based anti-shake, and was the final Minolta product branded prior to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica_Minolta" title="Konica Minolta">Konica Minolta</a> merger.</li><li>2004: Minolta and Konica officially merge to become Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.</li><li>2005: The company announces joint venture with Sony on CCD and CMOS technologies.</li><li>2006: Konica Minolta announces it is discontinuing all film and digital camera production, ending a 78-year history as a camera manufacturer. Konica Minolta Photo Image, Inc.'s (the camera business portion of Konica Minolta) assets regarding digital camera technology are transferred to Sony for continued development started from the joint venture.</li></ul><br /><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/43e6fe06-1443-4103-b0fb-fefc66a6ef7a/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=43e6fe06-1443-4103-b0fb-fefc66a6ef7a" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-88581019363917996222009-05-24T14:53:00.000-07:002009-05-24T14:58:16.886-07:00History of Konica<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnCxRzoJvI/AAAAAAAAACc/Frh4Pw7CYhA/s1600-h/Konicalogo.jpeg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnCxRzoJvI/AAAAAAAAACc/Frh4Pw7CYhA/s320/Konicalogo.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339512985073755890" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">The company traces its history back to 1873 (pre-dating </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak" title="Kodak" class="mw-redirect">Kodak</a> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">in the photography business) when</span> <a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmacist" title="Pharmacist">pharmacist</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Rokusaburo Sugiura began selling photographic materials at his store in Konishiya Rokubē, the biggest pharmacy trader in </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo" title="Tokyo">Tokyo</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> at that time</span><sup style="font-family: times new roman;" id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica#cite_note-0" title=""><span></span></a></sup><span style="font-family:times new roman;"></span><p face="times new roman">In 1878, Rokusaburō succeeded to his family and renamed Rokuemon VI (Rokudaime Rokuemon). He gave the original shop to his younger brother and launched a new shop, Konishi Honten (Konishi Main Shop) in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihonbashi" title="Nihonbashi">Nihonbashi</a> district of Tokyo.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1882, Konishi launched a project to produce photography related materials in Japan: those products were imported at that time. In 1902, Konishi began to sell the "Cherry Portable Camera" (チェリー手提用暗函), the first Japanese produced end-user oriented camera. New products were released respectively, and Konishi Main Shop became the leading camera company in Japan. In 1921, old Konishi had his elder son succeed to the family and thus company head with the name, and in this occasion Konishi Honten was turned into a company Konishiroku Honten. The name Konishiroku was taken from the abbreviation of their names, <i>Konishi Roku</i>emon.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Konishiroku released their "Konica I" type camera in 1948, after which they would name their own company in 1987.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">On <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="2003-08-05"><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="08-05"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_5" title="August 5">August 5</a></span>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003" title="2003">2003</a></span>, Konica merged with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta" title="Minolta">Minolta</a> to form <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica_Minolta" title="Konica Minolta">Konica Minolta</a>. In March 2006, the merged company closed down its photo imaging division, which produced color film, color paper, photo chemicals and digital <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minilab" title="Minilab">minilab</a> machines. Its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_single-lens_reflex_camera" title="Digital single-lens reflex camera">digital SLR</a> camera section was transferred to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony" title="Sony">Sony</a>. Dai Nippon purchased Konica's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odawara,_Kanagawa" title="Odawara, Kanagawa">Odawara</a> factory site and continues to produce paper under its own brand, while Seapac acquired the Konica chemical factory.</p><br /><div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/214e5f37-ddaf-45c5-ada8-402b4d5b1e59/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=214e5f37-ddaf-45c5-ada8-402b4d5b1e59" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-26049322643275498882009-05-24T14:44:00.000-07:002009-05-24T14:53:24.667-07:00History of Pentax<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnA5pdMZ1I/AAAAAAAAACM/7sPTKqKhSw0/s1600-h/Pentax_logo.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 19px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShnA5pdMZ1I/AAAAAAAAACM/7sPTKqKhSw0/s320/Pentax_logo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339510929837811538" border="0" /></a><br /><p face="times new roman">The company was founded as <b>Asahi Kogaku Goshi Kausha</b> in November 1919 by Kumao Kajiwara, at a shop in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshima" title="Toshima">Toshima</a> suburb of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo" title="Tokyo">Tokyo</a>, and began producing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrective_lenses" title="Corrective lenses" class="mw-redirect">spectacle lenses</a> (which it still manufactures).<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax#cite_note-0" title=""><span></span></a></sup> In 1938 it changed its name to <b>Asahi Optical Co., Ltd.</b> <span style="font-weight: normal;">(<span class="t_nihongo_kanji"><span lang="ja">旭光学工業株式会社</span></span><span class="t_nihongo_comma" style="display: none;">,</span> <i><span class="t_nihongo_romaji">Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha</span></i><span class="t_nihongo_help noprint"><sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Japanese" title="Help:Japanese"><span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="padding: 0pt 0.1em; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; text-decoration: none;font-size:80;" ></span></a></sup></span>)</span>, and by this time it was also manufacturing camera/cine lenses. In the lead-up to World War II, Asahi Optical devoted much of its time to fulfilling military contracts for optical instruments. At the end of the war Asahi Optical was disbanded by the occupying powers, being allowed to re-form in 1948. The company resumed its pre-war activities, manufacturing binoculars and consumer camera lenses for Konishiroku and Chiyoda Kōgaku Seikō (later <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konica" title="Konica">Konica</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta" title="Minolta">Minolta</a> respectively).</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Early_1950s_to_2007" id="Early_1950s_to_2007"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"> <span class="mw-headline">Early 1950s to 2007</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">The period around 1950 marked the return of the Japanese photographic industry to the vigorous level of the early 1940s, and its emergence as a major exporter. The newly reborn industry had sold many of its cameras to the occupation forces (with hugely more disposable income than the Japanese) and they were well received. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War" title="Korean War">Korean War</a> saw a huge influx of journalists and photographers to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_East" title="Far East">Far East</a>, where they were impressed by lenses from companies such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon" title="Nikon">Nikon</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_%28company%29" title="Canon (company)">Canon</a> for their Leica rangefinder cameras, and also by bodies by these and other companies to supplement and replace the Leica and Contax cameras they were using.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 1952 Asahi Optical introduced its first camera, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahiflex" title="Asahiflex">Asahiflex</a> (the first Japanese SLR using 35mm film). Since then the company has been primarily known for its photographic products. The company's photography products were imported to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> from the 1950s until the mid 1970s by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeywell" title="Honeywell">Honeywell</a> Corporation and were labeled <b>Honeywell Pentax</b> rather than <b>Asahi Pentax</b>, the name by which they were distributed to the rest of the world. The company was renamed Pentax Corporation in 2002. It was one of the world's largest optical companies, producing still <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera" title="Camera">cameras</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars" title="Binoculars">binoculars</a>, and spectacle lenses as well as a variety of other optical instruments. In 2004 Pentax had about 6000 employees.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><a name="Merger_with_Hoya" id="Merger_with_Hoya"></a></p> <h3 style="font-family:times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">Merger with Hoya</span></h3> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In December 2006, Pentax started the process of merging with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoya_Corporation" title="Hoya Corporation">Hoya Corporation</a> to form 'Hoya Pentax HD Corporation'. Hoya's primary goal was to strengthen its medical-related business by taking advantage of Pentax's technologies and expertise in the field of endoscopes, intraocular lenses, surgical loupes, biocompatible ceramics, etc. It was speculated that Pentax's camera business could be sold off after the merger. A stock swap was to be completed by <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="2007-10-01"><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="10-01"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_1" title="October 1">October 1</a></span>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007" title="2007">2007</a></span> but the process was called off on <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="2007-04-11"><span class="mw-formatted-date" title="04-11"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_11" title="April 11">April 11</a></span>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007" title="2007">2007</a></span>. Pentax president Fumio Urano resigned over the matter, with Takashi Watanuki taking over as president of Pentax.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax#cite_note-2" title=""><span></span></a></sup> However, despite Watanuki's previously stated opposition to a Hoya merger, on May 16 it was reported that Pentax had accepted "with conditions" a sweetened offer from Hoya, according to a source familiar with the matter.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax#cite_note-3" title=""><span></span></a></sup>Pentax was under increasing pressure from its major shareholders, Sparx Asset Management in particular, to accept Hoya's bid.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">On <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="08-06"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_6" title="August 6">August 6</a></span>, 2007, Hoya completed a friendly public <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tender_offer" title="Tender offer">tender offer</a> for Pentax and acquired 90.59% of the company.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax#cite_note-4" title=""><span></span></a></sup> On <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="08-14"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_14" title="August 14">August 14</a></span>, 2007, the company became a consolidated subsidiary of Hoya. On October 29, 2007, Hoya and Pentax announced that Pentax, as the company ceasing to exist, will merge with and into Hoya effective on March 31, 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax#cite_note-5" title=""><span></span></a></sup>Hoya closed Pentax-owned factory in Tokyo, Japan and moved most of their operations to Southeast Asia. All professional (DA*) and consumer (DA, D-FA) lenses are produced in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam" title="Vietnam">Vietnam</a>, whereas DLSR cameras are produced in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillipines" title="Phillipines" class="mw-redirect">Phillipines</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-11425507697902200232009-05-24T14:02:00.001-07:002009-05-24T14:28:56.941-07:00Prewed Andy & Sherly<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VhmV7UI/AAAAAAAAACE/BIQzFjmHVV4/s1600-h/DSC_0705A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VhmV7UI/AAAAAAAAACE/BIQzFjmHVV4/s320/DSC_0705A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339504811695271234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VTIdYII/AAAAAAAAAB8/TTSfEwYDKU4/s1600-h/DSC_0672A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VTIdYII/AAAAAAAAAB8/TTSfEwYDKU4/s320/DSC_0672A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339504807811833986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VXJdg3I/AAAAAAAAAB0/QDlXZ_Y7fIs/s1600-h/DSC_0759A.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm7VXJdg3I/AAAAAAAAAB0/QDlXZ_Y7fIs/s320/DSC_0759A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339504808889779058" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4vKxTwBI/AAAAAAAAABs/OAviUd1kcJg/s1600-h/h.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4vKxTwBI/AAAAAAAAABs/OAviUd1kcJg/s320/h.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339501953708965906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4u8HxPEI/AAAAAAAAABk/BpRk5nBu9Sg/s1600-h/TS001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4u8HxPEI/AAAAAAAAABk/BpRk5nBu9Sg/s320/TS001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339501949776641090" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4u0-CG1I/AAAAAAAAABc/xGByHrH9y0s/s1600-h/TIANG+LAMPU2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4u0-CG1I/AAAAAAAAABc/xGByHrH9y0s/s320/TIANG+LAMPU2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339501947856755538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4ujNKKXI/AAAAAAAAABU/Lqb8GMt3x0o/s1600-h/DSC_0075.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4ujNKKXI/AAAAAAAAABU/Lqb8GMt3x0o/s320/DSC_0075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339501943088359794" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4ubkVUwI/AAAAAAAAABM/Siu7k8sqe3o/s1600-h/DSC_0331.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm4ubkVUwI/AAAAAAAAABM/Siu7k8sqe3o/s320/DSC_0331.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339501941038076674" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_lbgJ1I/AAAAAAAAABE/fgttG6eK1Mg/s1600-h/CENTURY+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_lbgJ1I/AAAAAAAAABE/fgttG6eK1Mg/s320/CENTURY+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339500036719912786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_QKinFI/AAAAAAAAAA8/V9DtsAzZAFc/s1600-h/CENTURY+001+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_QKinFI/AAAAAAAAAA8/V9DtsAzZAFc/s320/CENTURY+001+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339500031011626066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_QRCOlI/AAAAAAAAAA0/_gEEX3fpP4w/s1600-h/CENTURY108.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_QRCOlI/AAAAAAAAAA0/_gEEX3fpP4w/s320/CENTURY108.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339500031038863954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_J_yVQI/AAAAAAAAAAs/wakSCPD4DTg/s1600-h/A%26S+copy+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2_J_yVQI/AAAAAAAAAAs/wakSCPD4DTg/s320/A%26S+copy+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339500029355906306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2-zjL9OI/AAAAAAAAAAk/z8Myq55N8B4/s1600-h/1tiang+lampu+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shm2-zjL9OI/AAAAAAAAAAk/z8Myq55N8B4/s320/1tiang+lampu+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339500023330370786" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-11053698674062362492009-05-24T13:15:00.000-07:002009-05-24T13:30:13.503-07:00History of Canon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShmrrOFsPHI/AAAAAAAAAAc/N-Ii5isrvek/s1600-h/100px-1934kwanon.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 119px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShmrrOFsPHI/AAAAAAAAAAc/N-Ii5isrvek/s320/100px-1934kwanon.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339487592229125234" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;">Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory’ is the predecessor of </span><b style="font-family: times new roman;">Canon</b><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> Inc. and was founded in Tokyo in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Toshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda.</span> <b style="font-family: times new roman;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />1930s - 60s</b><br /><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1933 - 1936 : ‘The Kwanon’</span><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, Japan’s first 35 mm focal plane-shutter camera, was produced in prototype form.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1940: An indirect X-ray camera, also a first for </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan" title="Japan">Japan</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, is developed.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />1947: The company is renamed Canon Camera Co., Inc.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1958: A field </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoom_lens" title="Zoom lens">zoom lens</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> for </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television_broadcasting" title="Television broadcasting" class="mw-redirect">television broadcasting</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> is introduced.</span><br /><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1959: The world’s first </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camcorder" title="Camcorder">camcorder</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> with a </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoom_lens" title="Zoom lens">zoom lens</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, ‘Relfex Zoom 8’, is introduced.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />1961: Canon creates an outstanding Rangefinder camera, the </span><b style="font-family: times new roman;">7</b><span style="font-family:times new roman;">, with a 50mm lens with an f/0.95 of apperture. The camera is also decline with a f/1.4 50mm.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1964: ‘Canola 130’, the first Japanese made 10-key </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator" title="Calculator">calculator</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> is introduced. It was a substantial improvement on the design of the British Bell-Punch company that introduced the first fully electronic calculator two years earlier with the Sumlock Anita Mark 8 unit.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"><br />1965: Canon introduce the PELLIX, an SLR camera with a semi-transparent mirror who provide the possibility to take pictures through the mirror.</span> <span style="font-family:times new roman;"> 1969: The company’s name is changed to </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_Inc." title="Canon Inc." class="mw-redirect">Canon Inc.</a> <p style="font-family: times new roman;"><b>1970s – 00s</b></p><p style="font-family: times new roman;"><br />1971: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_F-1" title="Canon F-1">F-1</a>, a top-end SLR (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-lens_reflex_camera" title="Single-lens reflex camera">Single Lens Reflex</a>) camera, and FD lenses are introduced.<br />1976: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_AE-1" title="Canon AE-1">AE-1</a> launched, the world’s first camera with an embedded micro-computer.<br />1985: The world’s first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkjet_printer" title="Inkjet printer">Inkjet printer</a> using Bubble Jet technology is introduced.<br />1987: Introduction of EOS System (Electro optical system). EOS is also the name of a goddess of the dawn. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_650" title="Canon EOS 650">EOS 650</a> autofocus SLR camera is introduced and the Canon Foundation is established.<br />1988: Canon introduces <a href="http://www.canon.com/about/philosophy/index.html" class="external text" title="http://www.canon.com/about/philosophy/index.html" rel="nofollow">'Kyosei philosophy'</a>.<br />1989: The EOS RT is unvealed. This is the world's first AF SLR with a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror .<br />1992: The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_5" title="Canon EOS 5">EOS 5</a>, the first-ever camera with eye-controlled AF is launched.<br />1995: Introduces the first commercially available SLR lens with internal image stabilization, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF_75-300mm_lens" title="Canon EF 75-300mm lens">EF 75-300mm</a> f/4-5.6 IS USM. The <b>EOS-1N RS</b> the world's fastest AF SLR camera with a continuous shooting speed of 10 fps at the time. Based on the EOS-1N, the EOS-1N RS has a fixed, semi-transparent pellicle mirror with a hard coat.<br />1996: The ELPH (America) IXUS (Europe), a pocket-sized camera with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Photo_System" title="Advanced Photo System">Advanced Photo System</a>, is introduced.<br />1997: Canon enters the digital video camcorder market.<br />2002: Mr Fujio Mitarai, President and CEO of Canon Inc., is named one of the world’s top 25 managers by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusinessWeek" title="BusinessWeek">BusinessWeek</a>.<br />2003: The world’s first portable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_radiography" title="Digital radiography">digital X-ray</a> system is used to reconstruct the face of an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt" title="Ancient Egypt">Egyptian</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummy" title="Mummy">mummy</a> believed to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nefertiti" title="Nefertiti">Queen Nefertiti</a>.<br />2004: The XEED SX50 LCD projector is introduced.<br />2005: Canon’s first high-definition <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Video_camcorder&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Video camcorder (page does not exist)">video camcorder</a> is introduced.<br />2007: Canon Europe’s 50th anniversary.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Today, the company produces digital compact and SLR <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera" title="Camera">cameras</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_%28computing%29" title="Printer (computing)">printers</a> and analog and digital copiers for the office, including its line of <a href="http://www.canon.com/technology/canon_tech/category/ir.html" class="external text" title="http://www.canon.com/technology/canon_tech/category/ir.html" rel="nofollow">imageRUNNER</a> and <a href="http://www.canon.com/technology/canon_tech/category/ip.html" class="external text" title="http://www.canon.com/technology/canon_tech/category/ip.html" rel="nofollow">imagePRESS</a> digital multifunctional devices.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">In 2008 Canon was awarded over 2000 patents in the U.S.; it regularly places in the top five in total patents for the year.</p><h2 style="font-family: times new roman;"><span class="mw-headline">Origins of company name</span></h2><span style="font-family: times new roman;">The name Canon began in 1934 with a prototype for Japan’s first-ever 35 mm camera with a focal plane shutter. It was named 'Kwanon'</span><sup style="font-family: times new roman;" id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_%28company%29#cite_note-3" title=""><span></span></a></sup><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> by Goro Yoshida after the Buddhist </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva" title="Bodhisattva">bodhisattva</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yin" title="Guan Yin">Guan Yin</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-52509691069056282722009-05-24T13:08:00.000-07:002009-05-24T13:10:11.190-07:00Digital photography<p style="font-family: times new roman;">Nikon created some of the first digital SLRs (DSLRs) as research projects for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA" title="NASA">NASA</a> in 1991.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon#cite_note-4" title=""><span></span></a></sup> After a late-1990s partnership with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak" title="Kodak" class="mw-redirect">Kodak</a> to produce digital SLR cameras based on existing Nikon film bodies, Nikon released the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D1" title="Nikon D1">Nikon D1</a> SLR under its own name in 1999. Although it used an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APS-C" title="APS-C">APS-C</a>-size light sensor only 2/3 the size of a 35 mm film frame (later called a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_DX_format" title="Nikon DX format">DX</a> sensor"), the D1 was among the first digital cameras to have sufficient image quality and a low enough price for some professionals (particularly photojournalists and sports photographers) to use it as a replacement for a film SLR. The company's Coolpix line became popular with consumers as well, as digital photography became increasingly prevalent through the early 2000s.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Nikon retained a strong professional and enthusiast following with its DSLRs and lenses, especially as it remedied their autofocus performance with its AF-S lens line, while largely maintaining compatibility with older lenses. Still, through the mid-2000s, Nikon remained in second place behind Canon in SLR camera sales, and Canon had several years' lead in producing professional DSLRs with light sensors as large as traditional 35 mm film frames. All Nikon DSLRs from 1999 to 2007, by contrast, used the smaller DX size sensor.</p> <span style="font-family: times new roman;">Then, 2005 management changes at Nikon yielded a more aggressive approach to camera design. With the introduction of the full-frame </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D3" title="Nikon D3">Nikon D3</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> in late 2007, and the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D700" title="Nikon D700">Nikon D700</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;"> a few months later -- as well as several new introductory and mid-range SLRs -- Nikon regained much of its reputation among professional and amateur enthusiast photographers as a leading innovator in the field, especially because of the speed, ergonomics, and low-light performance of its latest models.</span><sup style="font-family: times new roman;" id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon#cite_note-6" title=""><span></span></a></sup><span style="font-family: times new roman;">The mid-range </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D90" title="Nikon D90">Nikon D90</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">, introduced in 2008, was also the first SLR camera to record video</span> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/e21a3f2e-d52d-4191-986e-34e3feee9873/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e21a3f2e-d52d-4191-986e-34e3feee9873" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-84412595682933248812009-05-24T12:59:00.000-07:002009-05-24T13:07:39.506-07:00The rise of the Nikon F series<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShmoKAUjbYI/AAAAAAAAAAU/yjTiVsKgRzc/s1600-h/250px-Nikon-ftn-400.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 183px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/ShmoKAUjbYI/AAAAAAAAAAU/yjTiVsKgRzc/s320/250px-Nikon-ftn-400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339483723062799746" border="0" /></a><br /><p style="font-family: times new roman;">The well-made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_SP" title="Nikon SP">Nikon SP</a> and other 1950s and 1960s rangefinder cameras competed directly with models from Leica and Zeiss. However, the company quickly ceased developing its rangefinder line to focus its efforts on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F" title="Nikon F">Nikon F</a> single-lens reflex line of cameras, which became an unexpectedly huge success upon its introduction in 1959. For nearly 30 years, Nikon's F-series SLRs were the most widely used small-format cameras among professional photographers, as well as by the U.S. space program, both because of their rugged construction and because of the wide range of Nikkor lenses and other accessories.</p> <p style="font-family: times new roman;">Nikon popularized many features in professional SLR photography, such as the modular camera system with interchangeable lenses, viewfinders, motor drives, and data backs; integrated light metering and lens indexing; electronic strobe flashguns instead of expendable flashbulbs; electronic shutter control; evaluative multi-zone "matrix" metering; and built-in motorized film advance. However, as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autofocus" title="Autofocus">autofocus</a> SLRs became available from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minolta" title="Minolta">Minolta</a> and others in the mid-1980s, Nikon's line of manual-focus cameras began to seem out of date.</p> <span style="font-family:times new roman;">Despite introducing one of the first autofocus models, the slow and bulky F3AF, the company's determination to maintain lens compatibility with its F-mount prevented rapid advances in autofocus technology. </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon" title="Canon">Canon</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> introduced a new type of lens-camera interface with its entirely electronic </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS" title="Canon EOS">Canon EOS</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> cameras and </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF" title="Canon EF">Canon EF</a><span style="font-family:times new roman;"> lens mount in 1987. The much faster lens performance permitted by Canon's electronic focusing and aperture control prompted many professional photographers (especially in sports and news) to switch to the Canon system through the 1990s</span> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/4a0fb539-c8c1-412a-9525-3388463714bf/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=4a0fb539-c8c1-412a-9525-3388463714bf" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8485835342093535507.post-1096777005298986332009-05-24T12:36:00.000-07:002009-05-24T12:56:14.677-07:00History of Nikon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shmlp3ckgSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/Cad58IDBnws/s1600-h/200px-Nikon_logo.svg.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3di9ACD5Pmc/Shmlp3ckgSI/AAAAAAAAAAM/Cad58IDBnws/s320/200px-Nikon_logo.svg.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339480971901436194" border="0" /></a><br /><b style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nikon Corporation</b><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> also known as </span><b style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nikon</b><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> or </span><b style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nikon Corp.</b><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, is a </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation" title="Multinational corporation">multinational corporation</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">headquartered</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo,_Japan" title="Tokyo, Japan" class="mw-redirect">Tokyo, Japan</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> specializing in </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optics" title="Optics">optics</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imaging" title="Imaging">imaging</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. Its products include </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera" title="Camera">cameras</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars" title="Binoculars">binoculars</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microscope" title="Microscope">microscopes</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Measurement_instrument" title="Measurement instrument" class="mw-redirect">measurement instruments</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepper" title="Stepper">steppers</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> used in the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photolithography" title="Photolithography">photolithography</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> steps of </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_device_fabrication" title="Semiconductor device fabrication">semiconductor fabrication</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, of which it is the world's second largest manufacturer.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Among its famous products are </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikkor" title="Nikkor">Nikkor</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> imaging lenses (for </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F-mount" title="Nikon F-mount">F-mount</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> cameras, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_format_photography" title="Large format photography" class="mw-redirect">large format photography</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photographic_enlarger" title="Photographic enlarger" class="mw-redirect">photographic enlargers</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, and other applications), the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_F" title="Nikon F">Nikon F</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-series of </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/135_film" title="135 film">135 film</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> SLR cameras, the Nikon D-series of digital SLR cameras, the Coolpix series of compact digital cameras, and the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikonos" title="Nikonos">Nikonos</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> series of underwater film cameras. Nikon's main </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitor" title="Competitor" class="mw-redirect">competitors</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> in camera and lens manufacturing include </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_%28company%29" title="Canon (company)">Canon</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio" title="Casio">Casio</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodak" title="Kodak" class="mw-redirect">Kodak</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony" title="Sony">Sony</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax" title="Pentax">Pentax</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panasonic" title="Panasonic" class="mw-redirect">Panasonic</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujifilm" title="Fujifilm">Fujifilm</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_%28company%29" title="Olympus (company)" class="mw-redirect">Olympus</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Founded in 1917 as </span><i style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha</i><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (日本光学工業株式会社 "Japan Optical Industries Corporation"), the company was renamed Nikon Corporation, after its cameras, in 1988. Nikon is one of the companies of the </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi" title="Mitsubishi">Mitsubishi Group</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. The name </span><i style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nikon</i><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, which dates from 1946, is a merging of </span><i style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nippon Kōgaku</i><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> (日本光学: "Japan Optical") and an imitation of </span><a style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeiss" title="Zeiss">Zeiss</a><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span><i style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ikon</i><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">. Nikon is pronounced differently around the world. The Japanese pronunciation of the name is </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)" class="IPA">/nikoɴ/</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">, but in the United States people also use </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)" class="IPA">/ˈnaɪkɒn/</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> and </span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" title="Representation in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)" class="IPA">/ˈnɪkɒn/</span><span style="font-family: times new roman; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/1ccf07a8-e803-4268-9878-3fe90d0340ba/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1ccf07a8-e803-4268-9878-3fe90d0340ba" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0