Warren,

The news releases spelling out the details of Konica-Minolta getting out of the photo business are at:

http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_03_01.html
http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_02_01.html
http://konicaminolta.com/releases/2006/0119_01_01.html

Sony will get the Minolta SLR bodies, lens mount, and lenses, and they have worked with Sony over the last year on a Sony dSLR that will use the Minolta lens mount and lenses. So some continuity will remain for some time.

There is industry talk Mitsubishi may pick up some of the photo and inkjet printing materials and technology.

So far no word if anyone will acquire the Minolta scanner products and technology.

Did this sale include Minolta Optics? The question being; will Sony continue to use Zeiss glass if they now own minolta glass or if they didn't buy the glass business or at least contract for the glass are they going to use Zeiss?? Minolta Opti does supply optics for their other business interests. I read the news releases but didn't see a specific reference other than the lens reference.

Warren,

You have as much information and basis for insight into the future as the rest of us, at least until Sony makes a definitive announcement. The main thing is that photographers with Minolta lenses will have probably very good dSLR bodies available to them, and lenses. Sony is likely for the time being to stay with the smaller 1.5X sensor chips, and the lenses they offer will likely have a Minolta mount for some time to come. Whether they continue to build on Minolta's optical development or farm some of it to another optical company like Zeiss remains to be seen, but does it really make a lot of difference???