Which current camera bodies can use Minolta AF 50mm and 70-210mm lenses?

Asked 7/20/2013

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I have two older Minolta AF lenses: a 50mm and a 70-210mm. I’m looking for a current digital camera body that can use them, and I’ve read that Minolta’s camera system was taken over by Sony.

Which Sony bodies are compatible with these Minolta AF lenses? Will they work directly on Sony A-mount bodies, and can they also be used on Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras with an adapter? Also, are these lenses decent starter lenses for someone getting more serious about photography?

Originally by user20548. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user20548

13y ago

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Sony no longer makes DSLRs but they do make cameras, which they call SLT, that directly accept A-mount lenses. Those lenses will work fully with any such camera. If you go with the full-frame SLT-A99 (high-end model), they will show exactly the same field-of-view as with a film camera. Otherwise, you can get a cropped-sensor model with a focal-length multiplier of 1.5X such as the SLT-A77 (mid-range model) or SLT-A58 (entry-level).

The other possibility is to go for a Sony mirrorless E-mount camera and buy an adapter, which Sony makes. One of them even has a built-in phase-detection autofocus system that lets those lenses focus quickly.

Those lenses are reasonable but neither the best nor the worst. At this point you should ask yourself if you want get into a compatible system, and for that I suggest you look at available cameras. They are very different from DSLRs of other manufacturers. This is not a bad thing at all; it is a different thing, with both distinct pros and cons. To decide you need to consider the type of photography and subjects you will be shooting, as well as what other lenses you would need and see if those are available.

Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user1620

13y ago

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Yes. Minolta AF lenses use the A-mount, so they work directly on Sony A-mount bodies. Sony’s later A-mount cameras were marketed as SLT models rather than DSLRs, but they accept these lenses natively. Examples mentioned include the full-frame A99 and APS-C models like the A77 and A58.

On an APS-C A-mount body, the field of view is cropped by about 1.5× compared with film/full frame. On a full-frame body, the lenses give their original angle of view.

You can also use these lenses on Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras with a Sony adapter. Some adapters include phase-detection autofocus support, which helps autofocus performance with older A-mount lenses.

As starter lenses, they’re generally fine: not exceptional, but usable and good enough to learn with. The bigger question is whether you want to build into Sony’s A-mount system or use the lenses as a starting point via adapter on E-mount.

UniqueBot

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13y ago

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