By the time this blog hits the web it may already be too late, and most if not all the stocks may have already been gobbled up. But just the same…

Konica Minolta had long ago announced the cessation of their digital camera business. It was a stunning announcement in the camera world, but that’s reality for you.

A couple of months down the line, and stocks of Konica Minolta cameras are now being disposed of. And the prices are mind-numbing.

So I just bought myself a Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D 6.1 megapixel D-SLR. For just 15,500 pesos. Yep, for a digital SLR!

My purchase was unintentional. I was just walking past The Digital Studio at Walter-Mart when I saw the prices on display. At first I thought that nah, the prices were all wrong. But I went inside anyway… and good thing too. When they assured me (three times, at least, because I was in total denial) that yes, these were brand new units, and yes, these were indeed the prices, then I just had to buy that one last D-SLR right there and then. And good thing too because two minutes later and this photographer fellow who walked in would have gotten it. The 5D used to go for 50,000++ pesos (!).

Other amazing deals:
Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z20 5-megapixel 8x optical zoom camera - P4,500.00
Konica Minolta DiMAGE X60 5-megapixel 3x optical zoom camera - P6,000++
Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 8-megapixel 7x optical zoom prosumer - P14,000++

The DiMAGE A2 was still there when I left the store, so if you are looking for a cheap prosumer with a swivel-LCD (good for taking photos at odd angles), head on over to The Digital Studio at Walter-Mart at Pasong Tamo, Makati City, across Makati Cinema Square. I hope it’s still there!

Konica Minolta cameras will now be serviced by Sony. What’s more, Sony will be introducing a line of D-SLR cameras that will have the same mounting as Konica Minolta’s, so lenses (and perhaps parts to some extent) should not be a problem.

So now I have a D-SLR. And I know nothing about photography. Oh well, time to start learning…

Postscript: My friend the Geekette has informed me that it turns out that The Digital Studio has already moved their Konica Minolta inventory to Columbia last Saturday. And that Columbia may not be selling these stocks anymore. Oh well…