History

Since 1873: KONICA

1873

Rokusaburo Sugiura begins selling photographic and lithographic materials at Konishiya Rokubeiten in Kojimachi, Tokyo (the beginnings of Konica Corporation)

1903

The Cherry Hand Camera — the first Japanese branded camera is marketed

1933

Sakura X-ray Film — the internally developed and produced X-ray film is released

1940

Sakura Natural Color Film — the first Japanese-made color film is announced

1971

U-Bix 480 — the first Japanese-made indirect dry type electrophotographic copying machine is launched

1975

Konica C35EF — the world's first 35mm camera with built-in flash is launched

1977

Konica C35AF — the world's first 35mm compact autofocus camera is launched

1984

Ultra-high-precision aspheric plastic lens for CD players is developed

2000

Fully launched business for TAC films for LCD polarizers

Since 1928: MINOLTA

1928

Kazuo Tashima establishes Nichi-Doku Shashinki Shoten (Japan-Germany Camera Company, later known as Minolta Co., Ltd.) to produce cameras in Japan, and launches Nifcalette, its first camera product, the following year

1958

The company's first planetarium unit is completed and opened to the public at a science exposition in Hanshin Park

1960

Minolta Copymaster (a wet-process diazo copier) — the company's first wet-process diazo copier is completed

1962

Minolta Hi-Matic camera is used on Friendship 7, the first US manned spacecraft to orbit the Earth. Later, Minolta's exposure meter, Space Meter, is used during Apollo 8, 10, and 11 missions.

1968

TV Color Analyzer — a device to analyze and adjust the colors displayed by TVs is launched

1977

OXIMET MET-1471 — the world's first finger-measurement type pulse oximeter is launched

1983

EP450Z — the world's first copier with stepless zoom magnification/reduction function is launched

1985

Minolta 7000 — SLR camera with an autofocus function is launched

1990

CF70 — a digital full-color copier is launched

Since 2003: KONICA MINOLTA

2003

Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. is established by integrating the management of Konica Corporation and Minolta Co., Ltd.

2004

Nassenger V — a next-generation inkjet textile printer is launched

2007

Konica Minolta withdraws from the photo and camera business

2010

bizhub PRESS C8000 — a digital printing system is launched

2011

AeroDR — a cassette-type digital radiography system is launched

Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) — the world's first light panels using only phosphorescent materials are released

2013

The group management system is reorganized and the company name changed to Konica Minolta, Inc.

2016

AccurioJet KM-1 — a B2 digital inkjet press is launched

2018

Konica Minolta Precision Medicine, Inc. is established