Minolta Maxxum lenses - should I bother... What I'd like advice/opinions on is, is it worth it for me to buy just the Sony back (probably a used one) for these, or should I just start over with a new DSLR?
1422033
I also had a Minolta 7000i, with 5 different lenses from Sigma for the Minolta. I took them to Best Buy and tried them on a Sony a230 dslr.......... they all worked flawlessly........... I would expect the same or better from your old Minolta lenses........ a big plus there are a ton of the old Minolta lenses for sale on Ebay for pennies on the dollarSony Alpha DSLR-A290L 14.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55 Lens Sony kept the Minolta lenses mounts.............may not be true of manual focus lenses I don;t know if Canon and Nikon kept the same mounts for their new DSLR's
328794
Thanks for the info. I don't think I'm quite ready to pay that kind of money for a lens for a camera that I paid $600.00 for. May as well upgrade the camera and keep the lens. I do appreciate the reply.
2170939
I own both lenses for the last three months. Initially had the 17-40mm on my XSi but after a couple weeks of frequent use of my camera i switched to the 10-22mm. Found the lense according to pics i was taking to be of more use to me than the 17-40mm. I guess what Bauista said is right, it all depends if you will go full frame in the future or not!!! Also the type of pictures you are taking is an important factor!! Both lenses are great but i think that 10-22mm is a bit ahead of the 17-40mm especially when you have a 1.6crop camera.Their prices vary, i bought through time both my lenses around $650!!! I own both lenses for the last three months. Initially had the 17-40mm on my XSi but after a couple weeks of frequent use of my camera i switched to the 10-22mm. Found the lense according to pics i was taking to be of more use to me than the 17-40mm. I guess what Bauista said is right, it all depends if you will go full frame in the future or not!!! Also the type of pictures you are taking is an important factor!! Both lenses are great but i think that 10-22mm is a bit ahead of the 17-40mm especially when you have a 1.6crop camera.Their prices vary, i bought through time both my... » Read More I own both lenses for the last three months. Initially had the 17-40mm on my XSi but after a couple weeks of frequent use of my camera i switched to the 10-22mm. Found the lense according to pics i was taking to be of more use to me than the 17-40mm. I guess what Bauista said is right, it all depends if you will go full frame in the future or not!!! Also the type of pictures you are taking is an important factor!! Both lenses are great but i think that 10-22mm is a bit ahead of the 17-40mm especially when you have a 1.6crop camera.Their prices vary, i bought through time both my lenses around $650!!! « Show Less
922763
I use some of my older Minolta lenses and they work fine in manual mode, I'm not sure about your lenses but you can go into sony's web site and they tell you the lenses that do work.
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I too have a Minolta camera 35mm film. I bought this DSLRA350 with the idea that my Minolta lens would fit this new camera. They do not. This is still an excellent camera but you will need to buy lens to fit it. I have been very happy with Tamron AF 18-200mm. I bought it through Amazon.com. I also bought Tamron AF 70-300mm.
1874389
Hi Yadid: I can't speak about other dSLRs, but I have to say that I really enjoy the tilting screen on the A300/A350. I didn't expect to use it very often, but I have found myself using it as a waist level viewfinder quite often. The fact that Sony's design, which uses a secondary sensor, allows you to focus while in the live-view mode puts it head and shoulders above the competition in my opinion. Most of the competing live-view technologies have to autofocus after the mirror flips up, so the Sony system is quicker to use. I never owned the A2, but I owned the Dimage 5 and 7 predecessors, which used many of the same components, including the lens. Either the A300 or A350 will offer quicker performance and better low-light capabilities. Image quality will depend on lens choice. The Minolta GT lens on the A2 was an excellent performer, so you will need to carefully evaluate which lenses you choose. Some people slam Sony for not offering as much in the way of lenses, but what they do offer is generally very good. In addition, you can choose from almost all the Minolta AF lenses. Some of these are mediocre, but Minolta also offered some truly excellent optics, as you know from your A2. Try http://www.mhohner.de/sony-minolta or http://www.dyxum.com for some in depth information on A-mount lenses available from Sony and Minolta. As far as a higher-end camera, you didn't say what you were hoping to do with your images. The A700 is a suburb instrument, and it offers many features not available on the A300 or A350. It costs quite a bit more however. Unless you need some of the things the A700 offers, (faster continuous shooting, higher-resolution LCD, PC Sync port, tethered-shooting, etc.) you might be better off buying the A300 or A350 and spending more on high quality lenses. Good luck, I hope this is helpful. --Tom Bonner
1630104
Whoa, buying and having it shipped straight from Hong Kong? Did you ever do that in the states or only in the UK? BTW, thanks for the great posts Mark, they're turning out to be very very helpful. I am currently shopping around for a telephoto and have to make a decision soon about the aperture f/4 or f/2.8, the $$ i want to spend on it and whether I want IS or not. You may be able to help with the $$ on the Hong Kong issue. Thanks again! Nino
1884414
Well, where I'm from the Minolta series is called Dynax and I have a 700si. The Fotodiox fits very well on the 50mm Macro & 75-300mm zoom lens for my Fuji X-e1. I believe the mount should be the same for the Maxxum series lens. Additional point about this adapter: There are no click stops for aperture. So you're pretty much on your own for deciding what exact aperture you're on between "Lock" & "Open". I guess you can do your own calibration & make markings on the adapter, but the absence of click stops means that you'd have to look at the adapter to make an aperture change. Big bummer...
951700
You need the official Sony LA adapters. Remember, Sony makes cameras with both the new E-mount (mirrorless) as well as the old A-mount (which Minolta originally introduced in 1985, and Sony later adopted in their Alpha cameras). The adapters aren't necessarily cheap, but they will autofocus and everything, just like a native lens. Its worth it for me, as the adapter + old Minolta glass is STILL cheaper than the modern E-mount equivalents!
636080
Oh yes, you can use Minolta, any new Sony, Carl Zeiss... As long as its alpha mount
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I just upgraded to the A99 from my A65 (keeping both, and some of my prime lenses that will work on the A99 also). If you shoot a lot of low light and portrait photography (I do) or serious professional work full frame is a big improvement for noise and a better sensor. If you shoot a lot of daylight subjects and sports type photography, and don't want to carry around a much heavier (and slower) camera, or invest in a group of new lenses (the 24-70 Zeiss zoom cost as much as the camera body) you might want to look at the A77II. FYI a lot of the older Minolta lenses are compatible with the A99 and can be had for much cheaper than the full frame Sony lenses. I just upgraded to the A99 from my A65 (keeping both, and some of my prime lenses that will work on the A99 also). If you shoot a lot of low light and portrait photography (I do) or serious professional work full frame is a big improvement for noise and a better sensor. If you shoot a lot of daylight subjects and sports type photography, and don't want to carry around a much heavier (and slower) camera, or invest in a group of new lenses (the 24-70 Zeiss zoom cost as much as the camera body) you might want to look at the A77II. FYI a lot of the older Minolta lenses are compatible with the... » Read More I just upgraded to the A99 from my A65 (keeping both, and some of my prime lenses that will work on the A99 also). If you shoot a lot of low light and portrait photography (I do) or serious professional work full frame is a big improvement for noise and a better sensor. If you shoot a lot of daylight subjects and sports type photography, and don't want to carry around a much heavier (and slower) camera, or invest in a group of new lenses (the 24-70 Zeiss zoom cost as much as the camera body) you might want to look at the A77II. FYI a lot of the older Minolta lenses are compatible with the A99 and can be had for much cheaper than the full frame Sony lenses. « Show Less
1776215
The Minolta Maxxum has a different mount than the earlier manual focus MD mount, so no.
119783
M. Dean, can you elaborate a bit? I'm having the identical dilemma. Never owned a digital camera, and the SX110 looks neat, but am thrown by lack of viewfinder and bulkiness.
1296631
Minolta was aquired by Sony about six years ago. All Minolta autofocus lenses are compatible. There are third party manufacturers that make A-mount lenses too. The big ones are Tamron who Sony have invested in, Sigma and Tokina.When buying Sigma lenses you must ensure that the box has a compatible with Sony A33/55 logo on it or you will have to send the lens back to Sigma for an update. Sigma reverse engineer the lens mount rather than pay a license fee to the camera brands, so their lenses occasionally have compatibilty problems. Their lenses have a problem with the latest Sony cameras, A33, 35, 55, 65, 77 and any future model. Minolta was aquired by Sony about six years ago. All Minolta autofocus lenses are compatible. There are third party manufacturers that make A-mount lenses too. The big ones are Tamron who Sony have invested in, Sigma and Tokina.When buying Sigma lenses you must ensure that the box has a compatible with Sony A33/55 logo on it or you will have to send the lens back to Sigma for an update. Sigma reverse engineer the lens mount rather than pay a license fee to the camera brands, so their lenses occasionally have compatibilty problems. Their lenses have a problem with the latest Sony... » Read More Minolta was aquired by Sony about six years ago. All Minolta autofocus lenses are compatible. There are third party manufacturers that make A-mount lenses too. The big ones are Tamron who Sony have invested in, Sigma and Tokina.When buying Sigma lenses you must ensure that the box has a compatible with Sony A33/55 logo on it or you will have to send the lens back to Sigma for an update. Sigma reverse engineer the lens mount rather than pay a license fee to the camera brands, so their lenses occasionally have compatibilty problems. Their lenses have a problem with the latest Sony cameras, A33, 35, 55, 65, 77 and any future model. « Show Less
1603862
Thanks Dave,I was just thinking yesterday . . . "What I need is to get out of this Sony and back into a Fuji!" I am looking for the one with the nuanced blacks, grays, browns . . . the Sony renders all darker shades of the above as "BLACK!" C'mon, give us some depth, Sony! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!I had the F-10 once and color-wise it was great. Anyway wonder which $400-$600 Fuji now gives most detail in dark color areas?
1884413
Well, where I'm from the Minolta series is called Dynax and I have a 700si. The Fotodiox fits very well on the 50mm Macro & 75-300mm zoom lens for my Fuji X-e1.I believe the mount should be the same for the Maxxum series lens.Additional point about this adapter: There are no click stops for aperture. So you're pretty much on your own for deciding what exact aperture you're on between "Lock" & "Open". I guess you can do your own calibration & make markings on the adapter, but the absence of click stops means that you'd have to look at the adapter to make an aperture change. Big bummer... Well, where I'm from the Minolta series is called Dynax and I have a 700si. The Fotodiox fits very well on the 50mm Macro & 75-300mm zoom lens for my Fuji X-e1.I believe the mount should be the same for the Maxxum series lens.Additional point about this adapter: There are no click stops for aperture. So you're pretty much on your own for deciding what exact aperture you're on between "Lock" & "Open". I guess you can do your own calibration & make markings on the adapter, but the absence of click stops means that you'd have to look at the adapter to make... » Read More Well, where I'm from the Minolta series is called Dynax and I have a 700si. The Fotodiox fits very well on the 50mm Macro & 75-300mm zoom lens for my Fuji X-e1.I believe the mount should be the same for the Maxxum series lens.Additional point about this adapter: There are no click stops for aperture. So you're pretty much on your own for deciding what exact aperture you're on between "Lock" & "Open". I guess you can do your own calibration & make markings on the adapter, but the absence of click stops means that you'd have to look at the adapter to make an aperture change. Big bummer... « Show Less
1938949
NO....THIS IS A SONY E MOUNT WHICH IS FAR DIFFERENT THAN THE MINOLTA/SONY MOUNT. YOU CAN BUY A FAIRLY EXPENSIVE ADAPTER THAT RETAINS FUNCTIONALITY OF SONY/MINOLTA LENSES ON SONY E MOUNT CAMERAS. BUT FOR ABOUT 20 DOLLARS OR SO, YOU CAN BUY A MUCH SIMPLER ADAPTER BUT YOU WON'T GET AUTO FOCUS OR AUTO FUNCTION OF THE APERTURE....WHICH IS NOT THAT BIG OF A PROBLEM IF YOU ARE USING WIDE ANGLE LENSES. So there is a work around .... in general E mount lenses are sort of limited and if you buy Sony E mount lenses, you will pay a premium if you buy new. Look at the used market in regards to Sony E mount lenses first..... I have been using the Sony E mount 16mm lens with the full frame fisheye aux lens that is dedicated ONLY to be used on that 16mm pancake .............and I cannot tell how fun that combo is!!! Sony makes a second wide angle aux lens for that same lens but I would not waste your money since the full frame fisheye aux lens is what you would want ..... So the short answer is NO and the long answer is yes with either using a very expensive full function adapter or a much, much cheaper non electronic alternative. Fortunately, AMAZON is now as good as EBAY for these types of accessories so you don't even have to search around EBAY any longer but only if you want to compare costs.