scott_lewis3 Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Effective October 1, 2005, Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Canada, Inc. will cease its operations in the Canadian market Sept 7th, 2005 Konica Minolta Canada has today announced that by the end of this month, Konica Minolta Photo Imaging Canada, Inc. will cease its operations in the Canadian market. All other world-wide Konica Minolta subsidiary?s and companies will remain operational. Sales and distribution of Digital / 35mm cameras, film scanners, binoculars, photo meters, and their accessories will cease in Canada. However, the company is considering sales of those items through web and possibly through third party distributors in the future. Effective October 1, 2005, distribution of Konica Minolta products including film, single use cameras, paper, chemistry, inkjet paper, mini-labs and the servicing of mini-labs, will be conducted through Phototrader Inc. The servicing of the mini-labs will be enhanced by the employment of several existing Konica Minolta service technicians. Established in 1986, Phototrader Inc. is the leading provider of photographic supplies to all photographic imaging producing companies that require timely delivery, top branded products and the best customer care, according to a Konica Minolta release. For more information on Phototrader Inc. please visit their website at www.phototrader.ca. Repairs and maintenance of existing Konica Minolta equipment in Canada, including servicing of Digital SLR cameras, will be handled by Zoomtron, a full-service Konica Minolta Authorized Service Centre. Currently located in Montreal they will be opening an additional facility in Mississauga. http://www.digitalreview.ca/cams/KonicaMinoltaCanada_Closing.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_lewis3 Posted September 9, 2005 Author Share Posted September 9, 2005 I just spoke to KM in Germany and they confirmed the move out of Canada but only Canada. There is another firm that will take over distribution for Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivo_stankus Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 I think this is a case of a company trying to outsmart it's costumers (and failing) in the age of the internet. As I've read on other forums, KM greatly overpriced it's products in Canada, and people just bought the equipment from the US - or bought Canon or Nikon gear instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_l. Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 i'm just about to buy a minolta 7D here in toronto. will this affect the prices at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nate_macdonald Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Tough question. Assuming that they'll be bringing the equipment directly from the states now, and with the strength of the cdn dollar, I'd expect the prices to drop. But who knows, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_edwards3 Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Nate: I purchased my 7D from a web-based dealer in BC. That avoids the provicial sales tax. I paid 1400 CND. My local store was asking 2000. Huge difference. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_l. Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 ken, what store did you buy it from? i'll hopefully be buying my 7D next week when i get my next paycheck. the best offer i've got so far is 1500CDN. thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clives Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I purchased my 7D at London Drugs (after shopping around). Paid $2089 for the body plus grip (which I am most pleased to have) and the 2500 flash (so so) AND am getting a $200 rebate that was extended to Sept 30 (???). So that works out to about $1450 for the body. I was pleased. I wonder if the $200 rebate applies to the new lower price? PERHAPS ASK! I am assuming (along with many others who know way more about this than me) that they will clear out the 7Ds by spring and annouce thE new model which everyone is speculating will be 10 or 12MP with or w/o a full sensor. Who knows? Editorial ... Again!! I never miss a chnace to stir the pot. :) I am of the humble opinion that 93.6 percent of the users here have no practical need for a 12MP. Ja? The technology is beyond the ability of our eyes. Golly, 35-mm and medium format was the ad agency standard for decades and we have surpassed that quality with digital methinks. The ongoing "Saga of Pixel Envy" continues. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_edwards3 Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Allen, My 7D came from Inter-pro 549 Howe Street, Vancouver V6C 2C6. Sounds like there may be better deals out there with add-ons and rebates etc.! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunatech Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Makes you wonder about what marketing gurus KM hired here in Canada. Little or no advertisment, prices out of all reason, salespeople ill trained or not provided incentives (at least it felt like it.) Does KM really want to sell their products, or what business do they want to be in? I know our market here is small, but it seems if they had a worldwide push they wouldn't be such an "off-brand". There just isn't a drive or maybe there isn't enough competition around here but I wish for once someone would cattle-prod the retail industry here. I for one am most happy to shop elsewhere (usually the States/online of course) rather than face the dismal, uncaring, un-inspired, tired salepeople in most places here in Canada. And if I didn't already have a long time, big investment, and wasn't so pleased with the 7D as an instrument, I would happily move to a brand like Nikon or Canon that cares about providing sales and service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_simpson Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Michael Scott said: "I for one am most happy to shop elsewhere (usually the States/online of course) rather than face the dismal, uncaring, un-inspired, tired salepeople in most places here in Canada." Michael, You must be from Ontario and I would say take a peek in the mirror. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Lisa Horton said it best when Konica bought ought Minolta: "Corporate mergers are never good for the consumer." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hank_broomfield Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Michael Scott said: "I for one am most happy to shop elsewhere (usually the States/online of course) rather than face the dismal, uncaring, un-inspired, tired salepeople in most places here in Canada." Michael seems like a snob, so I'll point out that it is salespeople. Because I am a camera salesperson who constantly has to deal with people like you who bought something online. Then they come into the store and want to know how it works. That is kind of like taking your GMC to the Toyota dealer and asking them how it works. One of my duties is sending out repairs. If you think that Canon or Nikon has faster or better repair service than Konica Minolta you are living in a fantasy world. Warranty repairs from the two former are often taking 6-8 weeks. I'm done ranting know. Hank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin_kalaydjian Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Clive writes... "I am of the humble opinion that 93.6 percent of the users here have no practical need for a 12MP. Ja? The technology is beyond the ability of our eyes. Golly, 35-mm and medium format was the ad agency standard for decades and we have surpassed that quality with digital methinks." And... I agree. But many people like having all those megapixels so they can do tight cropping and still end up with a high resolution photo. My 5 MP Panasonic FZ20 has really nice resolution even when cropped down to 2MP worth of data. I imagine that if you start with an image with higher resolution, the odds are you can zoom right in on a part of it and still have a great photo. Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunatech Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Hank; Sorry man, far be it from me to paint everyone with the same brush. My apologies to you and other salepeople who do care and do a good job. I guess I am the tired and uncaring one. Six ribbons of shame for me. I guess this is the result of a frustrating few months trying to buy various products (and not just camera equipment) and just not getting anywhere with salespeople who just shrug their shoulders. In so many cases customer service has gone by the wayside in the retail industry. I dealt with many computer and camera salespeople both professionally and personally who I loved to deal with over the years, seems the best retired or moved away. Can't seem to find someone that makes me want to go in to see what's new anymore. (Is this just me getting old?) The other exasperation is trying to find products in Canada...smaller market, less products. And thanks for the heads up on the service for Canon/Nikon Hank. The grass is always greener... Life ain't so bad...especially when ya see what other people have to go through (like Gulf coast?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krillen Posted September 14, 2005 Share Posted September 14, 2005 So, where do poor guys like myself who have been saving their nickles and dimes for a 5D or 7D purchase one? It was my hope that I could go to my local shop, and support a local business/bussiness owner, however KM has decided that I can't do that. Ultimately I'll have to purchase it from someone I've never met. Anyway, back to my point, where is a decent place online to purchase Minolta Products? A place that 1.) ships to Ontario, 2.) won't screw me over and 3.) has fair prices? I know other threead have SOME of this information, but I've been getting confluicting reports. Also, will this closure cause prices to drop as buyer confidence plummets? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mario_groleau Posted September 24, 2005 Share Posted September 24, 2005 Do you know what will happen with camera service men? Do you know if Zoomtron will hire them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john falkenstine Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Hmm. did they hire "experts" from this former company? http://www.computerhope.com/comp/egghead.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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