Any Ex Minolta shooters here?

[Uncle Kevriano]

Has anyone else made the journey from Minolta to Sony, either directly or indirectly?
I was a Minolta shooter from the time I got my first proper SLR, a present from my wife (before she was my wife), and that was the awesome 7000i, which sadly got stolen and was replaced with a 7i and then on to the 700si. When digital took off and the pixel count rose to a good level, I bought a Dimage 7, which was a bridge camera really, but with lots of features, and was very good, and then I had the Dynax 5D, which I loved, and which had a recall for a failing shutter that I didn't know about until it was too late. I used it until it died completely one day, it was a fantastic camera. I the ended up with a Pentax, because the Sony camera's at the time were horrible to hold, cheap, nasty plastics and horrid handling (about 7-8 years ago I reckon). I shot Pentax for about 5 years, and loved it, but moved to Nikon because I couldn't get a 600mm lens for Pentax without remortgaging the house and buying used, and I didn't like the 560 5.6, ugly white beast. I've come to Sony this year, convinced by the 200 600 (damn you for showing me - Martin at Park Cameras), and will never change now, so kind of a full circle, given that Sony bought Minolta. I've still got Nikon stuff, but it's going to be sold to fund some more lenses.
Over to anyone else who wants to share their journey.

 

[earchphoto]

I was a Minolta shooter back in the film days, with the original 9000 and Minolta glass, and a large format shooter with Sinar. When the transition to digital happened, I moved to Canon for their tilt shift lenses. I've been Canon ever since, until recent years. Got my first a6000 in 2016, and then in 2018 I switched to Sony for good. I am happy with image quality, and now also with available lenses, between Sony and Sigma. I wish someone made a tilt shift lens, but I guess we will have to wait a while for that...

 

[tom]

I shot mostly Kodachrome on my Maxxum 7000 35 years ago. Then I bought a Sony V220Pro camcorder, and starting shooting more video than stills, and have taken a very long break from photography.

Having recently found out that at least my old Minolta lenses were still usable, I picked up an A900 on ebay for cheap, and really like it. I'm in the process of acquiring a few more Minolta lenses and getting back into it.

 

[Cranstall]

Started with a Minolta SRT101 and a Sigma 500 f8 mirror lens to take bird pictures in the Falkland isles when i worked there in the 70s never had a camera before could only get slide film not that i new that there was any differance in those days and it could take four months between when you sent it away and when you got it back the only instructions were what was in the camera manual . Since then i have gone Canon, Minolta, Nikon, Minolta Konica 6x4, Nikon, Olympus, and now back to Sony/Minolta. Lots of learning along the way and lots of differant types from 6x4 APS 35 film onto digital Mind you i still can,t spell

 

[Juance2020]

MY FIRST CAMERA IS THE SRT101b, WITH A SIGMA 35-70 LENS. WHEN THE DIGITAL ERA BEGAN I BUY MY FIRST A6000 AND A6300

 

[Jeff A]

Has anyone else made the journey from Minolta to Sony, either directly or indirectly?
<SNIP>
Over to anyone else who wants to share their journey.

Well, sort of. My first SLR was a Canon, just before the Reno Air Races somewhere around 1974. The next trip was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. After a lovely visit my wife and I hit some shops on Cannery Row. I walked out of one shop without my beautiful Canon. Somehow I put it down and someone else picked it up. Somewhere around '93 or '94 I bought another SLR, brand unknown (I forgot). My Son took it to school for a class one day and while he was working after class, his car was broken into.....his Stereo system and my camera was gone. A few years later I bought a Minolta Maxxum with two lenses and a Flash. My son came home on a College break and borrowed it. He still has it and he's 44 years old now. I had to call him recently because I didn't remember what it was. I just got off of the phone with him less than an hour ago. The Maxxum and lenses are still pristine, if not obsolete. He is going to send it to me because I'm curious about the lenses. One is a 50mm with Auto Focus. Other specs unknown. The second lens is a 28-85 w/ a Macro switch. Both lenses are Minolta branded and are wearing Tiffen filters. Leather case, flash unit, yada, yada, yada.

So this stuff is probably of little value today, but how was the Minolta glass? Could that 28-85mm Macro lens be adapted to my A73? I'm going to try real hard to make Photography work for me this time. Your thoughts??

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Well, sort of. My first SLR was a Canon, just before the Reno Air Races somewhere around 1974. The next trip was the Monterey Bay Aquarium. After a lovely visit my wife and I hit some shops on Cannery Row. I walked out of one shop without my beautiful Canon. Somehow I put it down and someone else picked it up. Somewhere around '93 or '94 I bought another SLR, brand unknown (I forgot). My Son took it to school for a class one day and while he was working after class, his car was broken into.....his Stereo system and my camera was gone. A few years later I bought a Minolta Maxxum with two lenses and a Flash. My son came home on a College break and borrowed it. He still has it and he's 44 years old now. I had to call him recently because I didn't remember what it was. I just got off of the phone with him less than an hour ago. The Maxxum and lenses are still pristine, if not obsolete. He is going to send it to me because I'm curious about the lenses. One is a 50mm with Auto Focus. Other specs unknown. The second lens is a 28-85 w/ a Macro switch. Both lenses are Minolta branded and are wearing Tiffen filters. Leather case, flash unit, yada, yada, yada.

So this stuff is probably of little value today, but how was the Minolta glass? Could that 28-85mm Macro lens be adapted to my A73? I'm going to try real hard to make Photography work for me this time. Your thoughts??

The Minolta glass, especially the 50mm, will be great, but you'll need an A to E mount adaptor. I used to have the 50mm myself, fabulous lens. It's sad that the bodies are worth so little now, I still have a Dynax (UK name for Maxxum) 700si

 

[NatureBoyOhio]

Started with the Minolta X-700 in the mid 80's and progressed through all of the available options until they made the move to Sony. My first Sony was the A350. Absolutely loved that camera.

 

[Astrnmrtom]

I know this thread is almost a year old but . . . Had a Dimage 7hi for years, and really liked the camera. Donated it and some accessories to Good Will last year. I liked the versatility of a bridge camera so much that I replaced it with another no-longer-made Fuji X-S1. I still go back and forth between my a6000 and the Fuji.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

I know this thread is almost a year old but . . . Had a Dimage 7hi for years, and really liked the camera. Donated it and some accessories to Good Will last year. I liked the versatility of a bridge camera so much that I replaced it with another no-longer-made Fuji X-S1. I still go back and forth between my a6000 and the Fuji.

I have seriously considered a bridge for Butterfly shooting, but I can't find one I can live with the viewfinder on.

 

[spudhead]

I never used the cameras but still use the lenses 200 2.8 hs, 300 2.8 hs even though I have the sony 300 2.8 also 400 4.5 all these minolta lenses still work great on the a99ii or a9 and a7iii via adaptors and yes I love the 200-600 with or without 1.4 converter.

 

[Astrnmrtom]

I have seriously considered a bridge for Butterfly shooting, but I can't find one I can live with the viewfinder on.

Yes, the EVF can be a problem especially when focusing manually, especially if you are trying to get a specific spot sharp wide open with shallow depth of field. I learned a trick I used when doing solar imaging through a telescope with an astro-imager run by my laptop - and that's rocking the focus back and forth. As you pass back and forth through focus, the finest detail visible in the viewfinder, or in my case the monitor, will appear and disappear. After a few passes through focus, you'll know where to stop to get best focus. If there's any doubt, just slightly bracket your focus. Of course in my case, the Sun was never ready to suddenly fly to another flower. With practice though, you will be able to do it pretty quickly. What is nice about a bridge camera, depending on the lens, is the versatility. The Fuji X-s1 has a 28mm-624mm zoom, with the ability to switch to super macro with a near focus of 1 centimeter. All done without having to stop and switch lenses. The Minolta Dimage 7hi macro focus was 13cm. The 7hi was light, compact and very nicely made. I missed that compactness until I got my a6000. Now when using the Fuji, it feels massive and heavy even though it's smaller than a lot of DSLRs. Sometimes I like the heft, and other times I like the lightness of the a6000. One last thing about the 7hi. A feature it had that I wish was available on my other cameras even as an option, was the way the viewfinder switched to black and white and boosted the image brightness in low light situations. I could frame a scene for long exposure shot even when it was almost invisible to my eye. I realize it was a feature few people probably used but I thought it was great when doing things like aurora shots.

 

[Jeff A]

Back in November of last year in this thread I asked what adapter is available to use my Minolta 28-85 w/Macro lens. Any suggestions? For Sale items?

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Back in November of last year in this thread I asked what adapter is available to use my Minolta 28-85 w/Macro lens. Any suggestions? For Sale items?

On which camera Jeff? The old Minolta lenses fit the original A mount, as it was a Minolta mount they used, otherwise I suspect the Sony A/E Adaptor will be the one. I must have missed the question first time around.

 

[Jeff A]

On which camera Jeff? The old Minolta lenses fit the original A mount, as it was a Minolta mount they used, otherwise I suspect the Sony A/E Adaptor will be the one. I must have missed the question first time around.

I have the A7M3. I also have 2 pristine Minolta Maxxum lenses. One of them is a 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 w/ Macro. The other is a 50mm f/1.7.

I was just looking at a Sony LA-EA5 A-Mount to E-Mount Adapter on B&H's site for $248 US. So would it be worthwhile to use one or both of these lenses with this adapter? What features would I be loosing over buying a Sony Lens with Macro? I'm totally unfamiliar with Macro photography but who know until you try it, right? I think the Sony 90mm w/Macro is 4 times the amount of this adapter and therefore, not going to happen at this time. I understand that the Minolta glass on my Maxxum (Dynax) 7 xi was pretty good glass. As good as Sony?? I'm in the dark here.

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

I have the A7M3. I also have 2 pristine Minolta Maxxum lenses. One of them is a 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 w/ Macro. The other is a 50mm f/1.7.

I was just looking at a Sony LA-EA5 A-Mount to E-Mount Adapter on B&H's site for $248 US. So would it be worthwhile to use one or both of these lenses with this adapter? What features would I be loosing over buying a Sony Lens with Macro? I'm totally unfamiliar with Macro photography but who know until you try it, right? I think the Sony 90mm w/Macro is 4 times the amount of this adapter and therefore, not going to happen at this time. I understand that the Minolta glass on my Maxxum (Dynax) 7 xi was pretty good glass. As good as Sony?? I'm in the dark here

Both lenses will work with the adaptor, and keep AF as well, which is handy, but there will no doubt be some lagging in AF performance over a newer lens, but not loads I suspect. Neither lens will be as sharp as that Sony Macro either, though both are very fine lenses, you can't match a dedicated Macro with a dual purpose lens, such as it is. Lens technology has advanced, but not as much as you think, mainly in coatings and AF motors (and not having screw drive).
This is a good article for your perusal...

Minolta Maxxum Lenses Compatible With Sony DSLRs

This is a review of Konica Minolta Maxxum SLR (film camera) lenses and their compatibility with the Sony Alpha, Sony Nex, and Sony Alpha Nex E-Mount line of DSLR (digital) cameras.

feltmagnet.com

 

[Jeff A]

Both lenses will work with the adapter, and keep AF as well, which is handy, but there will no doubt be some lagging in AF performance over a newer lens, but not loads I suspect. Neither lens will be as sharp as that Sony Macro either, though both are very fine lenses, you can't match a dedicated Macro with a dual purpose lens, such as it is. Lens technology has advanced, but not as much as you think, mainly in coatings and AF motors (and not having screw drive).
This is a good article for your perusal...

Minolta Maxxum Lenses Compatible With Sony DSLRs

This is a review of Konica Minolta Maxxum SLR (film camera) lenses and their compatibility with the Sony Alpha, Sony Nex, and Sony Alpha Nex E-Mount line of DSLR (digital) cameras.

feltmagnet.com

Thank you Kev, I appreciate your insight as well as your time. I did order the Sony Adapter I mentioned in my last Post and it will arrive here on Monday. If I'm not satisfied, I can return it within 30 days for a full refund. I'll try and devise some tests thjat don't involve poisonous spiders or other un-pleasant creatures.

 

[spudhead]

Hi I have the la-ea4 and la-ea5 be careful check on sony for which adaptor works for each lens on which camera body , only some bodies at least with la-ea5 gives power for screw drive lenses, I found this out the hard way I bought the 5 and sold the 3 and 4 adaptors and have since re bought the la-ea4 . Sorry I cant help because I dont have any of the lenses you mention, I am sure the la-ea5 on the 7iii does not drive screw lenses , I use the la-ea4 the la-ea5 is more aimed at ssm motor lenses yet another sony let down

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

Thank you Kev, I appreciate your insight as well as your time. I did order the Sony Adapter I mentioned in my last Post and it will arrive here on Monday. If I'm not satisfied, I can return it within 30 days for a full refund. I'll try and devise some tests thjat don't involve poisonous spiders or other un-pleasant creatures.

You're welcome Jeff. Hopefully all works well. I do love a good returns policy.