Old film camera/lenses

canajuneh · 03-12-2012, 07:16 AM

Someone said - "I have a Minolta SLR film camera and several lenses. I want to get a DSLR. Is there one that would accept my lenses?"

Just throwing this out into the wider world because I couldn't help!

**baro-nite** · 03-12-2012, 07:42 AM

If it is a manual focus Minolta kit, practically speaking, no. The old Minolta MD and MC mount lenses had a very short registration distance, making it impossible to use them normally on any DSLR without an adapter containing optics, and there's probably not much reason to use them that way. An adapter without optics means losing infinity focus (and, for any lens other than a long telephoto, a very small usable focus range).

But you can adapt the lenses to a CSC (aka MILC aka EVIL) without extra optics.

If the lenses are Maxxum (Minolta autofocus) mount, then I think that is the same as the current Sony Alpha mount.

jogiba · 03-12-2012, 07:46 AM

If they were the AF Minolta lenses they should work on the Sony DSLRs.
Minolta lens' fit Sony DSLR Camera? - Photo.net Sony/Minolta SLR System Forum

Quote:

Konica Minolta sold the rights to their Minolta AF lens mount to Sony in 2006. See below under Sony α mount system.

In North America, Minolta began using the name 'Maxxum' for the SLR autofocus cameras, lenses and flashes while in Europe they were called 'Dynax', and in Asia the 'Alpha' branding was used, though they were otherwise identical in appearance and function - all of the equipment is 100% interchangeable regardless which of the names it carries.

Most Minolta Maxxum/Dynax compatible lenses, whether built by Minolta or one of the aftermarket lens manufacturers, are focused externally by a shaft connecting the autofocus computer and motor inside the camera body that mechanically connects to the internal focusing gears inside of the lens body. A couple of later Minolta lenses do have a built-in ultrasonic focus motor (SSM lenses), like other SLR and DSLR systems (i.e. Canon and Nikon) where the AF computer is inside the camera body and there is a digital interface connecting body to an electric motor and the focusing gears built into the lens body creating a "drive-by-wire" focusing system.

This shaft driven autofocus design has several benefits such as allowing for smaller and lighter lenses and also keeps the cost of lenses down because there are no internal focusing motors or digital interfaces built into the lens. Keeping the autofocus motors inside the camera body and as far away from the lens glass as possible, reduces vibration, an additional benefit.

This shaft-driven autofocus system has been extremely successful and continues to this day with Sony's current breed of state-of-the-art digital SLR cameras, the A-100, A-200, A-300, A-350 and A-700. However, Sony has also released more SSM lenses under the Sony and Zeiss brands.

The Sony α mount system is based on the Minolta AF lens mount, which was introduced with the Minolta Maxxum 7000 camera in 1985, along with 11 AF-mount lenses. Minolta (and later Konica Minolta) followed up by producing a large number of AF-mount lenses over the years up until 2006.

Lenses for SLR and DSLR cameras - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

RioRico · 03-12-2012, 12:53 PM

Minolta Maxxum (AF) lenses use the Alpha mount and are totally usable on Sony Alpha dSLRs. Minolta MC/MD (MF) lenses must be chopped or fitted with optical adapters to be used on any dSLRs, but they definitely can be fitted via non-optical adapters to 4/3, m4/3, NX, NEX, V, Q, and other short-register systems. My old Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-HF 300/4.5 (1200g) would be rather monstrous on a Q, fer sure!

Last edited by RioRico; 03-14-2012 at 10:31 PM.

canajuneh · 03-14-2012, 07:43 PM

I pased on your knowledge and the person involved says to 'thank you very much'. It is such a great deal to be able to ask questions and get opinions, answers, thoughts and ideas!

pingflood · 03-15-2012, 12:29 AM

Be aware that in many cases one should not choose a DSLR based on existing lenses, unless those lenses are particularly special. I see a lot of people buy Canon because they have some early 1990s kit lens knocking around, or Sony because they have one or two cruddy zooms in the mount. It's usually better to look at a purchase as an investment in a new system and not be hampered by what you already have which might not be all that good.

Now, there are of course exceptions, so if you have a nice glass collection that would work well on a DSLR, of course it makes good sense to pick the mount based on that.

RioRico · 03-15-2012, 09:39 AM

Originally posted by pingflood

Be aware that in many cases one should not choose a DSLR based on existing lenses, unless those lenses are particularly special. I see a lot of people buy Canon because they have some early 1990s kit lens knocking around, or Sony because they have one or two cruddy zooms in the mount. It's usually better to look at a purchase as an investment in a new system and not be hampered by what you already have which might not be all that good.

Now, there are of course exceptions, so if you have a nice glass collection that would work well on a DSLR, of course it makes good sense to pick the mount based on that.

Before getting my first dSLR, the K20D, I'd never owned a Pentax in the preceding half-century of my shooting. I tended towards Olympus, Sony, Minolta. Before getting the K20D, I was offered (and later given) a pile of Minolta stuff, including a Maxxum (Alpha mount) system and several fine Rokkors (MC/MD mount). This was not amateur crud; my late father-in-law had been a senior criminal investigator and didn't shy from buying superior gear for personal use. But my purchase analysis led me to Pentax. The availability of fine old glass (for free!) didn't outweigh the benefits of Pentax vs Sony Alpha.

Yes, a camera is just a box upon which to hang lenses. But some boxes are more appropriate than others, and great lenses won't necessarily reside on a given box. Those wanting to hang varied lenses on a single camera should look for an APS-C MILC.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-16-2012, 07:39 AM

Despite the short registration distance of the old Minolta system, there are adapters available for Pentax. It makes you either loose infinity if you use a non-optical adapter, or quality if you choose the optical adapter. The exception where this doesn't bring any significant drawback is for macro lenses, where you probably doesn't care if you can't focus at infinity. I've gone that way with a fine Canon FD 200 mm macro 1:1 lens which I use on my Pentax DSLRs. Can't focus beyond 2.5 m, but who cares. You could do something similar if that Minolta gear includes a macro lens.

03-12-2012, 07:16 AM	#1
canajuneh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 221	Old film camera/lenses Someone said - "I have a Minolta SLR film camera and several lenses. I want to get a DSLR. Is there one that would accept my lenses?" Just throwing this out into the wider world because I couldn't help!

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03-12-2012, 07:42 AM	#2
baro-nite Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: North Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,295	If it is a manual focus Minolta kit, practically speaking, no. The old Minolta MD and MC mount lenses had a very short registration distance, making it impossible to use them normally on any DSLR without an adapter containing optics, and there's probably not much reason to use them that way. An adapter without optics means losing infinity focus (and, for any lens other than a long telephoto, a very small usable focus range). But you can adapt the lenses to a CSC (aka MILC aka EVIL) without extra optics. If the lenses are Maxxum (Minolta autofocus) mount, then I think that is the same as the current Sony Alpha mount.

03-12-2012, 07:46 AM	#3
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	If they were the AF Minolta lenses they should work on the Sony DSLRs. Minolta lens' fit Sony DSLR Camera? - Photo.net Sony/Minolta SLR System Forum Quote: Konica Minolta sold the rights to their Minolta AF lens mount to Sony in 2006. See below under Sony α mount system. In North America, Minolta began using the name 'Maxxum' for the SLR autofocus cameras, lenses and flashes while in Europe they were called 'Dynax', and in Asia the 'Alpha' branding was used, though they were otherwise identical in appearance and function - all of the equipment is 100% interchangeable regardless which of the names it carries. Most Minolta Maxxum/Dynax compatible lenses, whether built by Minolta or one of the aftermarket lens manufacturers, are focused externally by a shaft connecting the autofocus computer and motor inside the camera body that mechanically connects to the internal focusing gears inside of the lens body. A couple of later Minolta lenses do have a built-in ultrasonic focus motor (SSM lenses), like other SLR and DSLR systems (i.e. Canon and Nikon) where the AF computer is inside the camera body and there is a digital interface connecting body to an electric motor and the focusing gears built into the lens body creating a "drive-by-wire" focusing system. This shaft driven autofocus design has several benefits such as allowing for smaller and lighter lenses and also keeps the cost of lenses down because there are no internal focusing motors or digital interfaces built into the lens. Keeping the autofocus motors inside the camera body and as far away from the lens glass as possible, reduces vibration, an additional benefit. This shaft-driven autofocus system has been extremely successful and continues to this day with Sony's current breed of state-of-the-art digital SLR cameras, the A-100, A-200, A-300, A-350 and A-700. However, Sony has also released more SSM lenses under the Sony and Zeiss brands. The Sony α mount system is based on the Minolta AF lens mount, which was introduced with the Minolta Maxxum 7000 camera in 1985, along with 11 AF-mount lenses. Minolta (and later Konica Minolta) followed up by producing a large number of AF-mount lenses over the years up until 2006. Lenses for SLR and DSLR cameras - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

03-12-2012, 12:53 PM	#4
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Minolta Maxxum (AF) lenses use the Alpha mount and are totally usable on Sony Alpha dSLRs. Minolta MC/MD (MF) lenses must be chopped or fitted with optical adapters to be used on any dSLRs, but they definitely can be fitted via non-optical adapters to 4/3, m4/3, NX, NEX, V, Q, and other short-register systems. My old Minolta MC Tele Rokkor-HF 300/4.5 (1200g) would be rather monstrous on a Q, fer sure! Last edited by RioRico; 03-14-2012 at 10:31 PM.

03-14-2012, 07:43 PM	#5
canajuneh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 221 Original Poster	I pased on your knowledge and the person involved says to 'thank you very much'. It is such a great deal to be able to ask questions and get opinions, answers, thoughts and ideas!

03-15-2012, 12:29 AM	#6
pingflood Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Borås, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,169	Be aware that in many cases one should not choose a DSLR based on existing lenses, unless those lenses are particularly special. I see a lot of people buy Canon because they have some early 1990s kit lens knocking around, or Sony because they have one or two cruddy zooms in the mount. It's usually better to look at a purchase as an investment in a new system and not be hampered by what you already have which might not be all that good. Now, there are of course exceptions, so if you have a nice glass collection that would work well on a DSLR, of course it makes good sense to pick the mount based on that.

03-15-2012, 09:39 AM	#7
RioRico Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Limbo, California Posts: 11,263	Originally posted by pingflood Be aware that in many cases one should not choose a DSLR based on existing lenses, unless those lenses are particularly special. I see a lot of people buy Canon because they have some early 1990s kit lens knocking around, or Sony because they have one or two cruddy zooms in the mount. It's usually better to look at a purchase as an investment in a new system and not be hampered by what you already have which might not be all that good. Now, there are of course exceptions, so if you have a nice glass collection that would work well on a DSLR, of course it makes good sense to pick the mount based on that. Before getting my first dSLR, the K20D, I'd never owned a Pentax in the preceding half-century of my shooting. I tended towards Olympus, Sony, Minolta. Before getting the K20D, I was offered (and later given) a pile of Minolta stuff, including a Maxxum (Alpha mount) system and several fine Rokkors (MC/MD mount). This was not amateur crud; my late father-in-law had been a senior criminal investigator and didn't shy from buying superior gear for personal use. But my purchase analysis led me to Pentax. The availability of fine old glass (for free!) didn't outweigh the benefits of Pentax vs Sony Alpha. Yes, a camera is just a box upon which to hang lenses. But some boxes are more appropriate than others, and great lenses won't necessarily reside on a given box. Those wanting to hang varied lenses on a single camera should look for an APS-C MILC.

03-16-2012, 07:39 AM	#8
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374	Despite the short registration distance of the old Minolta system, there are adapters available for Pentax. It makes you either loose infinity if you use a non-optical adapter, or quality if you choose the optical adapter. The exception where this doesn't bring any significant drawback is for macro lenses, where you probably doesn't care if you can't focus at infinity. I've gone that way with a fine Canon FD 200 mm macro 1:1 lens which I use on my Pentax DSLRs. Can't focus beyond 2.5 m, but who cares. You could do something similar if that Minolta gear includes a macro lens.