Mahwah, NJ (July 7, 2004) – Konica Minolta announces that the new Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 8 megapixel digital camera has won the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Award for “Best Digital Prosumer Camera” in Europe for the year 2004. In addition, the DiMAGE A2 has also received prestigious “Editor's Choice” awards from PC Magazine , CNET and American Photo.

“These awards are especially significant because they recognize Konica Minolta's commitment to producing the highest quality photography products for consumers,” said Jon Sienkiewicz, vice president of marketing, Konica Minolta's Camera Division. “We are honored that the new DiMAGE A2 has been selected as a superior imaging product throughout Europe and the United States.”

According to TIPA, the award for “Best Digital Prosumer Camera” went to the DiMAGE A2 because of Konica Minolta's “exclusive anti-shake system which compensates for camera shake by adjusting the CCD internally. This gives maximum potential for the wide-ranging 28-200mm zoom lens and high resolution image sensor. With SLR style handling and a wide range of control options and overrides this is a fantastic choice for the demanding enthusiast photographer looking for creative images.”

According to PC Magazine , “The Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2 offers exceptional functions and excellent handling characteristics.” Its zoom range and anti-shake technology “make the DiMAGE A2 ideal for rock-solid handheld telephoto shots and worthy of an Editors' Choice.”

And CNET had this to say: “Generally efficient design, top-tier performance, and features galore make the DiMAGE A2 a top choice for resolution-hungry enthusiasts.”

American Photo said the DiMAGE A2 “boasts the best electronic viewfinder in the business. At 922,000 pixels, the DiMAGE A2's eyepiece LCD provides resolution more than three times higher than the nearest competitor.”

In addition to the DiMAGE A2, American Photo also selected several other Konica Minolta products to receive a 2004 “Editor's Choice Award as seen in the July/August 2004 issue. These products are the Maxxum 70 Single Lens-Reflex 35mm film camera, 300mm f/2.8 SSM lens, the Zoom 160c 35mm point-and-shoot camera, the DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 film scanner and the DiMAGE Xg and DiMAGE G600 digital cameras.

Konica Minolta DiMAGE A2

Konica Minolta's DiMAGE A2 8 megapixel single lens-reflex (SLR)-type digital camera features body integral anti-shake technology , ultra-fast operation and high-speed start-up as well as several professional-type functions .

Featuring a fast, innovative new 3D autofocusing (AF) system (1.5 times faster than the DiMAGE A1) with 3D Predicative Focus Control and Movement tracking , a fast built-in f/2.8 – 3.5 7x optical zoom lens, Anti-shake function for still images and VGA quality movies, CxProcess II Image Processing technology, the world's first VGA-resolution Viewfinder (approximately 922,000 pixels), UHS Continuous Advance rate of 7 frames per second, high-speed USB 2.0 support and compatibility with portable and studio flash systems, the DiMAGE A2 provides the tools digital photographers need to express their creativity and solve visual problems.

Technical Image Press Association (TIPA)

The TIPA European Photo & Imaging Award winners are chosen by a group of editors and technical editors representing 31 European photography and imaging magazines from 12 European countries. All are members of the TIPA, which is an independent, non-profit organization open to all European magazines in the photography publishing industry. Previous winning photo equipment from Minolta were the Maxxum 700si (‘94-'95), Maxxum 600si (‘95-'96), Maxxum HTsi (‘98-'99), Minolta Vectis 2000 (2000-2001), Minolta DiMAGE 7 (2001-2002), Maxxum 7 (2001-2002), Minolta DiMAGE X and Maxxum 5 (2002-2003) and DiMAGE Scan Elite 5400 (2003-2004).

About Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc.

Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc., headquartered in Mahwah, NJ, is the North American sales and marketing subsidiary of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan). On August 5, 2003 Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. was formed to enhance both the competitive business capabilities and earning capacities of Konica Corporation and Minolta Co., Ltd.

Consumers around the world have come to know and trust the Konica and Minolta brands for all their imaging needs. Since the earliest days of the photo industry, Minolta and Konica have applied their talents and resources to create products and services that are essential to the world of imaging. Today, these efforts concentrate on the most important aspects of imaging: the quality of the images, the tools and methods for creating images, and the creation of environments for the application of images.

This focus on the essentials of imaging ties together the company's key business and consumer product lines. Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of 35mm and Advanced Photo System film, single-use cameras, digital and 35mm film cameras, accessory lenses, binoculars, photographic and color measurement meters. In addition the company offers color print photo papers, inkjet photo paper, digital minilabs, digital film scanners, optical instruments, software and advanced imaging and sensing technologies. Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc. also provides wholesale photofinishing services and Internet imaging services. It is a complete imaging company, from input through output. For more information about Konica Minolta Photo Imaging U.S.A., Inc., its products and services, visit www.konicaminolta.us.

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