Editing Minolta (section)

==History==

===Milestones===
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{{anchor|Kazuo Tashima}} <!-- Kazuo Tashima redirects here -->
*1928: {{Interlanguage link multi|Kazuo Tashima|ja|3=田嶋一雄}} establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shōten ("Japanese-German photo company," the precursor of Minolta Co., Ltd.).
*1929: Marketed the company's first camera, the "Nifcarette" (ニフカレッテ).
*1937: The Minolta Flex is Japan's second [[twin-lens reflex camera]] (after the Prince Flex by Neumann & Heilemann).
*1947: Introduction of the long lived 35mm rangefinder camera [[Minolta 35|Minolta-35]]
*1958: The [[Minolta SR-2]] is Minolta's first [[single-lens reflex camera]].
*1959: The Minolta SR-1.
*1962: [[John Glenn]] takes a specially modified [[Ansco]]-logoed [[Minolta Hi-Matic]] camera into space aboard ''[[Friendship 7]]''. The company changes its name to Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.
*1966: The [[Minolta SR-T 101]] SLR camera is one of the first with TTL (through-the-lens) full aperture  [[light meter]]ing. The first is Topcon RE Super from 1963.
*1972: Minolta signs an agreement to cooperate with [[Leica Camera|Leica]] in SLR development; 
*1973: The [[Leica CL|Minolta CL]] is the first fruit of this agreement.
*1976: The [[Leica R3]] is introduced. Minolta produces the R3, [[Leica R4|R4]], and [[Leica R5|R5]] models in the [[Leica R]] series. Subsequent cameras are built in Germany by Leica themselves.
*1977: The [[Minolta XD-11]] (N. America only, [[XD-7]] worldwide) is introduced, the world's first 'multi mode' SLR offering M, A, S modes, with a 'Program override' in S mode effected by a computer chip, the world's first Program mode. This same year, Minolta also introduced the Minolta XG series starting with the Minolta XG-7.
*1981: Implementation of Minolta's invention and patent of TTL (through-the-lens) OTF (off-the-film) exposure metering: the [[Minolta CLE]] is the first [[135 film|35mm]] [[rangefinder camera]] to feature TTL metering and [[aperture priority]] autoexposure. The [[Minolta X-700]] manual-focus SLR is introduced; this model is sold until 1999 and is enormously successful.  The [[Minolta XD-11]] (Model E) is the first Minolta product branded with an updated logo (in caps), which was in use until the 2003 merger with [[Konica]].
*1985: The [[Minolta Maxxum 7000]] Alpha Mount Camera becomes the world's first [[autofocus]] 35mm SLR with in-camera autofocus motor.
*1987: Honeywell files lawsuit against Minolta for patent infringement over autofocus technologies.
*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.<ref>''NY Times''</ref>
*1992: Minolta settles out of court with Honeywell.
*1994: The company changes its name to Minolta Co., Ltd. because it no longer is primarily a camera company.
*1995: Introduction of the [[Minolta RD-175]], a 1.75-[[megapixel]] [[digital SLR]] camera.
*1996: The [[Minolta Vectis]] camera is a completely new SLR system designed around the [[Advanced Photo System]] (APS) [[film format]].
*1998: The [[Minolta Maxxum 9]] autofocus SLR is introduced. This system is targeted toward the professional photographer and has many features not duplicated by the competition.
*2003: [[DiMAGE A1]] introduced world's first sensor-based anti-shake, and was the final Minolta product branded prior to the [[Konica Minolta]] merger. 
*2004: Minolta and Konica officially merge to become Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
*2005: The company announces joint venture with Sony on CCD and CMOS technologies.
*2006: Konica Minolta announces it is discontinuing all film and digital camera production, ending a 78-year history as a camera manufacturer. Final models released were DiMAGE X1 and Z6. 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.

===Early cameras===
[[Image:MinotlaTLR.jpg|thumb|Minolta Autocord TLR]]
Relying heavily on imported [[Germany|German]] technology, Nichi-Doku turned out their first product, a [[Folding camera|bellows camera]] called the [[Nifcarette]], 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 [[twin-lens reflex camera]], the Minoltaflex, based on the German Rolleiflex.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

In 1947, the [[Minolta 35|Minolta-35]] was introduced. It is based on the Leica rangefinder camera concept with the 39mm screw lens-mount. It uses the standard 35mm film in cassettes. The standard lens is the [[Super Rokkor]] 1:2.8 50mm.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

In 1950, Minolta developed a [[planetarium projector]], the first-ever made in Japan, beginning the company's connection to astronomical optics. John Glenn took a Minolta Hi-Matic rangefinder 35&nbsp;mm camera aboard the [[spacecraft]] ''[[Mercury Atlas 6|Friendship 7]]'' in 1962, and in 1968, [[Apollo 8]] orbited the Moon with a Minolta Space Meter aboard.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Minolta competed in the medium-format roll film camera market with the Autocord series of TLR (twin-lens reflex) cameras. 
{{Infobox camera
  | camera_name = Minolta XD-11 (XD-7, XD)
  | image      = Minolta XD-11.jpg
  | type = [[135 film|35mm]] [[single lens reflex|SLR]]
  | lens_mount = [[Minolta SR-mount]]
  | focus = [[Manual focus]]
  | exposure = [[Shutter priority|Shutter]] and [[aperture priority]] autoexposure
  | flash = [[Hot shoe]] and PC terminal
  | dimensions = 51 x 86 x 136 mm, 560 g
}}
[[Image:Minolta SRT303.jpg|thumb|Minolta SR-T303]]
[[Image:Minolta-shift-lens.jpg|thumb|{{f/}}2.8 35mm [[Perspective correction lens|shift lens]], 11mm maximum shift]]
[[Image:Minolta XG-1.JPG|thumb|Minolta XG-1]]
[[Image:Minolta X-700 5.JPG|thumb|Minolta X-700]]