Minolta manual lenses any use with DSLRs?

Hi,

I've got an old Minolta XG-M and 3 rather nice manual focus lenses, at
least to my account. I wonder if there is any chance that I can reuse
these with any of the current digital SLR models? Somewhere I read
that they can be used with Sony DSLRs. Is that true?

Thanks,
Stephan

 

Sony DSLRs can use them, so can Olympus and Canons with adapters.

 

Are you sure? He's talking about md-mount lenses, not the dynax mount
which the sonys also have. Maybe there are adapters, I don't know, but
I am pretty sure that my md/mc lenses never fit onto the dynax slrs
(of which I still have one).

 

Due to the back focus, no. The old MD mount has a shallow body depth and
can't easily be adapted to any modern camera without using an optical
conversion (about 1.2X) to fit the necessary adaptor extension.

It's not worth it. Some old macro and extreme tele lenses are
interesting to play with, and a few folk have used Peter Ganzel's
methods to convert 58mm f1.4 vintage Rokkors to fit the AF-mount without
a converter, for manual use.

David

 

Why use ancient lenses on a DSLR?
It's like using a Nikon D3 camera with a Flash using flashbulbs.

 

I have removed and replaced the bayonet fittings on Minolta MD mount lenses
to adapt them to the Canon EF mount bayonet and flange distance, making the
lenses into manual lenses for Canon digital SLRs. But that requires
precision machine shop work, and unless that's your hobby or business, it
won't be worth it.

Examples:

http://www.truetex.com/tokina_at-x_35-200mm_ef_adapter.pdf
http://www.truetex.com/tokina_rmc_500mm_ef_adapter.pdf

 

Damn, you're a fucking idiot.

Greg

 

I was going to ask the same thing. My father was showing me his old equipment including his soligor 400mm tele-lens.... and I was thinking if it would work on a newer DLSR. I'm pretty new to SLR cameras so I dont know these kinds of things unfortunately.

 

There are adapters available for Minolta MD/MC lenses to fit several dslr
bodies, including Minolta, Sony & Canon. Do a search on e-bay for "Minolta
MD lens adapter".

 

Unfortunately those adapters have to use a weak optical element because of
the difference in flange distance, which makes them both more expensive and
less satisfactory. A non-optical adapter would be limited to close-up use.

Neil

 

Minolta A-mount lenses (for the autofocus Maxxum and Dynax cameras) can be
used with Sony DSLRs with no problem, but the older MC and MD mount lenses
for cameras like your XG-M unfortunately cannot. There's an adapter but it's
expensive, hard to find and not really satisfactory.

Neil

 

The Minolta AF mount (Maxxum) is entirely different from the Minolta MF
mount (MD). RichA, as usual, doesn't have a clue what he is talking about.

B&H Photo sell an adapter to use the MD lenses on a Maxxum or Sony body:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97536-REG/General_Brand_Maxxum_Body_to_Minolta.html

As for the remark made by Frank Arthur, he hasn't a clue either. Many of the
manual focus Rokkors had excellent optics, and would give great results on a
digital body.

Yoshi

 

Yeah, my Mom gave me a Rokkor X 50mm f/1.4 a few weeks ago. I'm
thinking about picking up the adapter.

Greg

 

Note that that's not the original Minolta adapter (which is hard if not
impossible to find) *and* they don't actually have it in stock anyway, and
don't know when or if they ever will.

Yes, the old Minolta manual focus optics are excellent -- on a Minolta
manual focus body. On an autofocus body with no focusing aids in the
viewfinder they would be less satisfactory *and* their optical quality would
inevitably be somewhat degraded by the adapter, which requires its own weak
optical element to allow focus to infinity. I would be especially dubious
about using a non-Minolta brand adapter for this purpose.

Neil

 

Cameraquest makes a Minolta MD to 4/3's adapter allowing the Rokkors to be
used with Olympus/Panasonic DSLRS and without the requirement of a
correction lens.

http://www.cameraquest.com/adapt_olyE1.htm

also:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/olympus.htm


The adapter works well and the Rokkors give fine results on my E-500.

Yoshi

 

That's interesting. The Four Thirds cameras must have a shorter flange
distance.

However, the OP was asking about a Sony DSLR and the older Minolta lenses,
and that combination does unfortunately require a weak element in the
adapter.

Neil

 

Oh, that's a nice info. What about Pentax? Does anyone now if there's
an adapter available?

 

Srt201 minolta

I HAVE AN OLD AST THE WORLD SRT201 MINOTA AND I CANT GET THE OLD LENS OFF, I PUSH THE BUTTON AND CANT UNSCREW IT FROM THE BASE.
wILL THE OLD 70-210 ZOOM FIT ON A NIKON D-70?
ANY HELP WOULD BE GREAT

 

The adapter may not work very well, u may test it before buy