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July 15, 2005 - Konica Minolta today announced a new DT (Digital Technology) lens series to coincide with the unveiling of their newest digital SLR, the Maxxum/Dynax 5D. The DT lenses are digitally specific and have been optimized for the Maxxum/Dynax 5D and 7D models. The initial DT offerings span an 11-200mm focal range and include an 18-70mm F3.5 to F5.6 AF DT Zoom, 11-18mm F4.5 to 5.6 AF DT Zoom, and an 18-200mm F3.5 to F6.3 AF DT Zoom. The lenses are slated to reach retail shelves worldwide by the end of summer or early fall of 2005.
According to Paul Zakrzewski, Director of Product Management for Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc., "the announcement of these new DT lenses sends a strong message to photographers everywhere that Konica Minolta recognizes the importance of the Maxxum Series of digital SLR cameras as central building blocks for their digital camera systems."
The various DT lenses are intended for maximum performance with digital SLRs that contain APS-C size sensors and will not be compatible with traditional 35mm SLRs. The lenses include spherical and anomalous dispersion glass with a particular coating applied to reduce flaring and spherical aberrations. An Anti-Shake correction effect has also been worked into the design to stabilize the lens when applied to the Maxxum/Dynax models. The Anti-Shake compensation is estimated by Konica Minolta to correlate with shutter speeds of 2 – 3 stops slower, although the degree of impact will vary depending on the lens that is used and shooting conditions.
The DT lenses will also offer a degree of flexibility in both bright and low light conditions. The iris within the various lenses is made to form a smooth round aperture that creates defocused compositions. According to Konica Minolta, the circular aperture will smooth out gradations and create a more naturalistic reproduction of the scene, particularly in direct light. In compromised lighting, when flash assistance is necessary, the lenses contain a "distance encoder" that uses an ADI (Advanced Distance Integration) system to interpret the subject’s distance and set the flash illumination level and exposure values appropriately, when using either the in-camera flash or an external unit.
Pricing information has not yet been released.