Lenses For Digital SLR's

[cabinetman]

I've got all kinds of SLR lenses for Minolta 35mm (bayonet mount). If I consider a digital SLR, can I get one that will accept the lenses?
.

[pbrew]

Digital SLR

From what I have heard the Sony Digital SLR cameras accept these lenses. Sony took over Minolta in 2005. They have a number of 10+ megapixel DSLR models.

A review of the A200 can be found here.
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/so...r_a200-review/

[atgcpaul]

I've got all kinds of SLR lenses for Minolta 35mm (bayonet mount). If I consider a digital SLR, can I get one that will accept the lenses?
.

Sony bought/partnered with Minolta. I think the new Sony D-SLRs can
accept the Minolta lenses--don't know about bayonet lenses, though. I have
to go through the same thing with my wife's Minolta SLR. I think I bought it
a year before Minolta was no more. Still kicking myself.

[Daryl]

This says they use the type A bayonet which I think is Minolta's standard. I used to have a SRT and a bag of lens.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0507/05...kmmaxxum5d.asp

[poolhound]

I've got all kinds of SLR lenses for Minolta 35mm (bayonet mount). If I consider a digital SLR, can I get one that will accept the lenses?
.

Pbrew is correct in that the Sony is a re-done minolta. Wether your old lenses will fit and work is also 2 different things. The first issue is wether they do in fact physically fit. It will depend on how old they are If they are fairly new there shouldnt be a problem but I belive Minolta did change their fittings some time back so I am not sure that any Minolta lens will automatically fit a Sony Alpha.

If they fit they may or may not work as there can be incompatability in the electronic features. They would still work optically of course but there could be issues with autoocus, aperture etc.

Best thing is if you have a good local camera store ( a real one not best buy) and take them in and ask.

[just started]

I went through the same thing with my Nikon a couple of years ago. Be sure to check the compatibility of each of the older lenses with each digital body as the newer bodies will lose a lot of the auto functions when using older lenses.

[mikel]

Digital has different needs than film did. Digicams work best with newer designed lenses.

Most need to be at least Auto Focus. You can try them but they may not work great.

...mikel

[jziegler]

Which type of Minolta lenses? The newar auto-focus Maxum, or the older manual-focus type?

If the auto-focus tyoe, than any of the Sony DSLRs will work with the lenses, but because the sensor is smaller than a film frame, the focal lenghts may be less than ideal (multiply by 1.5 for the equivalent field of view). If they are manual focus, than they really don't work with anything. There is an adaptor to work with Olympus DSLRs, but it's really a kludge.

That said, even if you have the right Minolta lenses, try out other brands of cameras as well as the Sony, unless the lenses are really high end ones.

Jim

[poolhound]

That said, even if you have the right Minolta lenses, try out other brands of cameras as well as the Sony, unless the lenses are really high end ones.

Jim makes a good point. If the lenses you have are very high quality then it may be worthwhile looking for a DSLR that can make use of them. However with the quality of general kit lenses today they would probably out perform your older lenses and can have a great range and are quite inexpensive. In this case I would look for a camera based on its merits not just so you can use your old lenses. The relative cost of current quality "glass" usually puts you into a starting price of $500+ (lens only) but can be worth it depending on what you intend to shoot.

FYI - Canon always gets my vote. CHeck out the new Xsi or if you have a bit more cash the 40D.

[Tom Slick]

Just to expand on what the others are saying, you give up some great camera features by using older manual lenses. that, of course, doesn't mean you can't take wonderful photos but metering and zone focusing are great tools to have.

[dlminehart]

Another issue to keep in mind is that the digital camera sensor (except on the very expensive pro cameras) is smaller than a 35mm image. This means that a lens need not project as large an image into the camera, and can therefore be more compact. (It also means that you get a "magnification" factor of about 1.5x or 1.6x, so that a 50mm lens gives the equivalent of 75mm in a digital image.) The size and weight differences are not that noticeable on smaller lenses, but quite apparent (25% extra?) on the telephotos and zooms.