Japanese toy company Kenelephant (ケンエレファント) recently announced several new products. Among them, the "Konica Minolta Miniature Collection" (tentative translation, コニカミノルタ ミニチュアコレクション), set to be released in October 2023, is sure to delight many imaging professionals and photography-loving toy collectors. Let's take a closer look at the contents of this toy set.
Konica Minolta (柯尼卡美能達) is an imaging company formed in 2003 by the merger of Konica Corporation (株式会社コニカ) and Minolta. This Kenelephant release is a commemorative product celebrating Konica's 150th anniversary since its founding in 1873. Beyond exquisitely recreating classic cameras in miniature scale, it also features excellent playability. The collection includes "KONICA C35 EF & Sakuracolor400 Film," "MINOLTA a-7000," and two models of the "Torikkiri Konica MiNi" disposable camera, known for their slim and compact design, often carried in pockets like tissues or business cards. These are sold as sets with negatives and mini photo albums, respectively.
Whether it's loading film into the C35, freely detaching the lens of the MINOLTA a-7000, or the mini photo albums included with the cameras, Kenelephant's thoughtful design is evident in every detail of this toy. Kenelephant has also simultaneously released both gashapon and blind box versions. Enthusiasts of vintage cameras will truly want to add these to their collection.
Konica Minolta Miniature Collection
Suggested Retail Price: Gashapon version ¥500 / capsule, Blind Box version ¥550 / box. Product Type: 4 models in total. Estimated Release Date: October 2023.
Source: Kenelephant (ケンエレファント)