Can Minolta/Sony A-mount AF lenses be adapted to a Nikon DSLR like the D700?
Asked 2/14/2012
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I have a collection of Minolta and Sony AF lenses and am considering moving to a Nikon DSLR such as the D700 or D800. My main question is whether Minolta/Sony AF lenses can be used on Nikon F-mount bodies, and if so, what functionality is realistic.
I’m especially interested in adapting the Minolta 500mm f/8 AF Reflex, since its compact size and autofocus are very useful for travel. I’d also be interested in using some of my other A-mount lenses if there were a practical adapter solution.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
3
No adapters on DSLR bodies support autofocus. On mirrorless bodies, there is an autofocus adapter for Sony/Minolta AF lenses on Sony NEX cameras.
Nikon F-mount in general is notorious for not being able to adapt any other 35mm lenses, and retain infinity focus.
Originally by user7212. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7212
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
In practice, Minolta/Sony A-mount AF lenses are not a good match for Nikon DSLRs.
The main issue is flange distance: Nikon F bodies generally do not adapt other 35mm SLR mounts well while retaining infinity focus. Simple mechanical adapters may let you mount the lens, but typically only for close-focus use — not normal distant shooting.
Autofocus is the bigger problem: the community answers agree there are no DSLR adapters that will preserve autofocus for Minolta/Sony AF lenses on Nikon bodies. So your 500mm f/8 Reflex would lose the AF advantage that makes it special.
A teleconverter-based workaround may sometimes help reach infinity focus, but it adds magnification (around 1.4x to 1.6x), complexity, and compromises. The Nikon TC-16A is a niche option for some manual-focus setups, but it has compatibility limits and is not a straightforward solution for modern Nikon DSLRs.
Bottom line: on a Nikon DSLR like the D700, expect no practical AF adapter solution, and likely no infinity focus with simple adapters. If keeping those lenses matters, they’re much better suited to Sony bodies than Nikon DSLRs.
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AI14y ago
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