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New Sony DSLR camera
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Jun 22, 2017 09:17:18   #
kakuenzli
 
I have an old Minolta SRT-101 camera. I want to upgrade to a DSLR camera. I saw where the Sony a99 II camera body was advertised as accepting old Minolta lenses, but the auto focus feature on the camera will not work since these are not auto focus lenses. At the camera store I was told my old Minolta lenses will not fit the Sony a99 II body, only newer Minolta lenses will fit the Sony a99 II body. I would like to know if this is correct, or did the camera store people tell me this only so they could also sell me a new Sony lens.

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Jun 22, 2017 09:21:35   #
pbcbob Loc: Delray Beach, FL
 
Minolta A-Mount autofocus lenses built 1985 and after well fit the Sony A99. The old Rokkor non-autofocus lenses will not fit.

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Jun 22, 2017 09:29:37   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
The Minolta lenses prior to 1985 will also work, but you will need an adapter to do this. And it will be manual focus only. You're talking in the vicinity of about $40.

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Jun 22, 2017 09:37:24   #
dixiebeachboy
 
I also upgraded to dslr & even the Sony A 100 was a great piece of equipment! Out of curiosity what Minolta lenses are you trying to utilize?

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Jun 22, 2017 09:56:06   #
kakuenzli
 
Can you give me any information on this adapter you are referring to in your post? In particular who makes it, and what is the model number for the adapter.

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Jun 22, 2017 09:58:54   #
kakuenzli
 
I am wanting to use old Minolta lenses built prior to 1985, so these are all non-auto focus lenses.

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Jun 22, 2017 10:07:27   #
BebuLamar
 
kakuenzli wrote:
I am wanting to use old Minolta lenses built prior to 1985, so these are all non-auto focus lenses.


How many of these lenses do you have and what they are? If you don't have many and they are not so great lenses then I don't think it's worthwhile trying to use them. The new Sony's weren't designed with them in mind.

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Jun 22, 2017 11:34:57   #
kakuenzli
 
These Minolta lenses are all the Rokkor from Minolta, so they were quite expensive at the time, and all of them still work. all together I have 10 of these lenses.

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Jun 22, 2017 11:57:08   #
PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA
 
Bear in mind that modern DSLRs do NOT have focusing aids (split screen and/or microprism) like the 35mm film cameras. Manual focusing without these aids is difficult. If possible, rent the camera and adapter and try working that way for a day.

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Jun 22, 2017 18:06:15   #
Ltgk20 Loc: Salisbury, NC
 
I have and love the a99ii but if your primary purpose is to utilize pre AF Minolta lenses then the Sony mirrorless cameras will likely serve you better.

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Jun 22, 2017 18:22:11   #
Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.
 
Ltgk20 wrote:
I have and love the a99ii but if your primary purpose is to utilize pre AF Minolta lenses then the Sony mirrorless cameras will likely serve you better.


Perhaps the question is can focus confirmation be achieved using the older lenses? I use a Canon DSLR so have no real knowledge of the new Sony cameras or older Rokkor lenses, but I do use some adapted older manual focus Canon lenses with chips that enable focus confirmation with good results. I don't consider them a replacement for modern autofocus lenses, but they have a place and a value for me. Focus confirmation makes up for the lack of microprism or split screen viewfinders.

The OP probably does need to check the camera out with his or her lenses in a real world situation. Renting one is a good suggestion.

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Jun 22, 2017 19:36:48   #
CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!
 
kakuenzli wrote:
These Minolta lenses are all the Rokkor from Minolta, so they were quite expensive at the time, and all of them still work. all together I have 10 of these lenses.


HELLO kakuenzli! Read THIS post:

Ltgk20 wrote:
I have and love the a99ii but if your primary purpose is to utilize pre AF Minolta lenses then the Sony mirrorless cameras will likely serve you better.


The SRT 101 was my FIRST real camera... and I WISH I still had MY collection of Rokkor lenses; in a word they were EXCELLENT!!!

As Ltgk20 mentions, the Sony A mount cameras... direct descendants of the original Minolta A mount cameras, have a different mount than your Rokkor MC/MC mount lenses and the two systems are incompatible.

You can find the adapter to manually focus your MC/MD mount Rokkor lens on the A99II A mount camera here:

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Lens-Mount-Adapter-Mount/dp/B0048A8CDU

With the A99II you have an EXCELLENT focus peaking feature in addition to focus magnification and one of the best EVF's available.

Ltgk20's suggestion that your Rokkor lenses would be a perfect match for the Sony E mount series of cameras is also a great alternative.

If you are prepared to spend the $3200 for the A99II, then you can buy the A7RII which uses the exact same sensor but produces slightly better image quality than the A99II. It is also smaller and considerably lighter than the A99II, and at this time several hundred dollars LESS expensive as Sony prepares to release the A7RIII to replace it.

The determining factor is the style of photography you intend to use the camera, and whether you want a small form factor similar to your SRT-101 or a traditional DSLR form factor that's larger.

Additionally, the A99II will shoot up to 12 frames per second, while the A7RII can "only" manage 5 fps.

You will ALSO need an adapter to use your Rokkor lenses on the E mount A7RII or any other E mount camera. There are currently 7 Full Frame E mount cameras: A7/A7II, A7S/A7SII, A7R/A7RII, and the brand new A9, which is geared towards professional sports and photo journalism.

ALL Sony interchangeable lens cameras regardless of mount offer focus peaking and focus magnification making them PERFECT for using older manual focus lenses. And as stated earlier, the image quality from Sony Cameras is EXCELLENT. Additionally, Sony cameras continue the Minolta legacy of innovation by offering a LARGE number of features and capabilities, usually for LESS than the competition.

So you DO have options to use your lenses.

GOOD LUCK!

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Jun 22, 2017 19:44:28   #
BebuLamar
 
PHRubin wrote:
Bear in mind that modern DSLRs do NOT have focusing aids (split screen and/or microprism) like the 35mm film cameras. Manual focusing without these aids is difficult. If possible, rent the camera and adapter and try working that way for a day.


Although the OP called it a DSLR the A99ii isn't. It has an EVF.

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Jun 22, 2017 20:07:21   #
Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.
 
BebuLamar wrote:
Although the OP called it a DSLR the A99ii isn't. It has an EVF.


It has a translucent mirror, so why isn't it a DSLR? Does an EVF mean something isn't an SLR?

Honestly it looks like the shape of things to come, as does the Canon EOS M5, although it is way behind what Sony is currently delivering.

The market, and the technologies are in transition. That will take time to play out. Sony is delivering some very good products right now, but they shouldn't be oversold.

This looks like it could be a good option for the OP, but needs to be tested.

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Jun 22, 2017 20:10:22   #
CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!
 
BebuLamar wrote:
Although the OP called it a DSLR the A99ii isn't. It has an EVF.


The A99II like ALL Sony A mount cameras since 2010 have been DSLT camera's, but they look and perform much like DSLR's, so the confusion is both understandable and forgiven.

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