Minolta lenses: I have a couple of Minolta film cameras and was wondering if the lenses can be adapted to some of the mirrorless bodies available now days. One is a 28-100 fully...

Seabastes

I have a couple of Minolta film cameras and was wondering if the lenses can be adapted to some of the mirrorless bodies available now days.

One is a 28-100 fully automatic AF zoom, on a Maxxum 50 body the other is a Promaster 28-105 on a Maxxum 5 body.

I really don’t need these lenses or the camera bodies , just curious
If they can be put to use by someone ?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

In 2006, Sony acquired Konica Minolta's camera technologies. Sony's initial cameras were based on the Minolta A-mount. You probably have numerous Sony options that use your lenses, many that will retain the AF. You'll have to investigate the mount and specific model of each of your lenses, but you'll likely find digital cameras for these lenses with no adapter. From there, there also are "A-mount to anything" mirrorless adapters that will mount the lens to a target mirrorless body.

This page gives a chart of Sony's cameras, including all the A-mount bodies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sony_%CE%B1_cameras

It seems Sony has now discontinued all the A-mount bodies, some as recently as 2020. In the used market, you'll find all these bodies. I'd look at the 24MP Sony Alpha 77 II as one possible vehicle for your lenses. The only drawback is this is an APS-C sensor with a 1.5x crop factor.

Ctrclckws

Sony has made 5 or adapters to use A-mount lenses on E, or FE-mount cameras.
LA-EA1, Lens Adapter E to A 1. This Adapter was for crop sensor cameras and lenses with built in motors.
LA-EA2. Crop sensor camera, screw drive lenses. Plus it has a focusing sensor
LA-EA3, full frame sensor , lenses with built-in motors, like #1
LA-EA4, full frame sensor, screw drive lenses, like #2
LA-EA5, full frame sensor, new design

When Sony started making A7 models, 1 & 2 were discontinued.

BebuLamar

It's still quite expensive used but the A900 is a good body for those lenses.

Seabastes

Thanks for the help. I had a feeling that Chicago Canon would be able to provide some information and Ctrclckws
and BebuLamar, thank you. Would either of these lenses have some value if I place them in the market section UHH ?

I really don't need to purchase another system since I have three Panasonic Lumix GX85 bodies and lenses. I wonder if there are adapters to use these lenses on the GX85 bodies. Most likely I will find a home for these lenses if I offer them for sale for a few dollars or free.

BebuLamar

I don't think they are worth much. I have a good number of these Minolta A lenses and in fact I feel they are worth less than the old Minolta SR lenses.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Seabastes wrote:

Thanks for the help. I had a feeling that Chicago ... (show quote)

Fotodiox makes one for $20 for A-mount to MFT, although this has no electronics and just supports manual focus, even your AF lenses would be manual focus. If there's one with electronics to control the autofocus, just google "adapter a mount to mft" and keep reading the specs and prices of the search results.

editorsteve

I have a bunch of old Minolta lenses i use with a non-electronic tilt mount on an A6000 and A6500 for studio work (mainly food photography). Great lenses always have value.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Seabastes wrote:

I have a couple of Minolta film cameras and was wondering if the lenses can be adapted to some of the mirrorless bodies available now days.

One is a 28-100 fully automatic AF zoom, on a Maxxum 50 body the other is a Promaster 28-105 on a Maxxum 5 body.

I really don’t need these lenses or the camera bodies , just curious
If they can be put to use by someone ?

You can use them on Canon and Sony mirrorless cameras with an adapter.
Perhaps with Nikon Z cameras if an adapter has been made yet.

machia Loc: NJ

These old lenses are all AF?
I’m looking for MF.
Thank you.

BebuLamar

machia wrote:

These old lenses are all AF?
I’m looking for MF.
Thank you.

Yeah the Minolta MF lenses are more valuable than the AF ones today.

machia Loc: NJ

I’ve read your posts in the past and your knowledge of photography is noteworthy. So I’d like your opinion on the following:
Do you find Canon sensors to be softer in color tone, more yellows and reds vs Nikon which tends to be cooler, blues and greens. Almost like Kodachrome vs Fuji?
When I shot film with my Minolta SRT-101 I used Kodachrome and that’s why I went over to Canon when I switched to digital because of the warmer colors that at least for my eye I think I see.
Too bad Minolta was bought out by Sony, I hear that the 7D was a great DSLR. Minolta was always on the cutting edge, especially their superb Rokkor glass, but their poor management really caught up with them.

azted Loc: Las Vegas, NV.

I purchased a used Sony A99 to specifically use older Minolta lenses. Some of them are spectacular, some mediocre. My collection takes up space, but I enjoy the older technology, even though the A99 as a full frame body is as good as anything else on the market today. Let me know if you want to move those lenses!
.

Ctrclckws

Maxxum, or Dynex cameras were autofocus. Minolta did the same as Canon, come up with a new mount that is incompatible with prior systems.

The photography website below has a nice summary.
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/maxxum7k/index.htm

BebuLamar

Ctrclckws wrote:

Maxxum, or Dynex cameras were autofocus. Minolta did the same as Canon, come up with a new mount that is incompatible with prior systems.

The photography website below has a nice summary.
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/maxxum7k/index.htm

Minolta came up with a new mount that is incompatible with the old mount and yet it still had too many mechanical coupling like focusing, aperture controls etc.. and not a purely electronic ones like Canon. It was Minolta A mount that Nikon and Pentax didn't think they need to abandon their old lens mount. Of course all three are not in good shape today as compared to Canon.