wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

I've got a Sony a7ii, looking at getting a macro. The Sony 50 macro is around $500, but I discovered that the old Minolta AF 50 I can get for around $100 and the Sony adapter (a-mount to e-mount) new is a little over $300, and I think I can get used for around $200-250. This would then open up a-mounts and the faster auto focus and also open me up to larger than 400 mm lens (that is the biggest anyone is making in an e-mount). In looking at larger lenses and the deals I can get on a Minolta AF 500mm f8 mirror is around $300, now my first question is - from my understanding and years of photography, the Minolta 500 mirror is the same as the Leica because they made it for Leica, if that is so the Leica's are selling for around 1000 and if there is no optical difference the name is not worth 700 dollars. How good is this mirror and is the Leica the same lens?
Next question, going back to the 50 macro, my understanding is that the Sony a-mount 50 macro is the same just relabeled after the Minolta buy out and is a very good macro. I'm I correct?

HOT Texas Loc: From the Heart of Texas

#1 I don't think you would be happy with a AF 500mm f8 mirror lens, it is very good but not like shooting a the quality of a Sigma 150-500mm APO that you can buy for around the same price.

#2 The Minolta 50mm macro is really good, 90 to 105mm range macro in manual focus will save you a lot of money and there are a lot of brands to choose from and a adaptor is around $10-$20 IMO it makes a better macro just because you can back off your subject, I have a Sony AF 90mm macro G lens, but I shoot a Vintage Tamron 2.5 just as much and cost $900 less.

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

I have an old Canon FD 100 f4 macro, was wanting to get more depth of field on the more setup shots and I also have the SEL 70300 that gives me at least close focus for bigger bugs and things. I will look at the Sigma 150-500 APO, might get more selection if I go with the Canon and the Canon adapter with mirror, if I can't find an a-mount model, they don't make it in the e-mount.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

If you want more DOF, then you probably should stay away from macro, or do some stacking!

BebuLamar

A good number of A mount lenses use screw driver focusing and I don't think any of the E mount body has the screw driver. So the adapter has to provide the screw driver?

TomV Loc: Annapolis, Maryland

The Minolta 500 f8 weighs about 1 1/4 lbs and the large zooms are over 4 lbs. The AF on the 500 f8 is reasonably fast. The IQ is very good for the price. The bokeh can be offsetting but that depends on the background. I enjoyed it as a walk around on vacation.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

The 500 f8 Relex lens is very excellent - IF - you manage it carefully - like all long lenses ( it is very sensitive) ! I have and use one on an A77II - not sure about using with the Sony adapter ? It is the best Mirror lens I have used. I have also shot with the Canon 300 2.8 so I know what great IQ looks like.

FYI, you can use current SIGMA Canon mount lenses on E-mount with the SIGMA adapter .......

wmurnahan Loc: Bloomington IN

Thanks for the replies, it helps my decision making. The Sony adapter does have the mirrors for the auto focus so I assume it has the drives. This stacking process looks like another process I need to learn. I'm beginning to think I need to enroll in a local colleges Photoshop class. I loved Photoshop when it first came out because I was a darkroom photographer and it replicated the darkroom pretty good with dodging and burning etc. Photoshop has so out grown that and gone way beyond an electronic darkroom. I'm still getting use to all the processing, I was a slide photographer, so I either got the shot or didn't, but I was finished at that point. Now it is only the beginning of my work.

Ltgk20 Loc: Salisbury, NC

There are a few Sony lenses which are primarily Minolta rebrands with updated coatings. There are also some real gems in the legacy Minolta stuff. I have the Sony version of the 500mm mirror lens (which is the only AF mirror lens ever made I believe) and mine is very sharp. It is a very long, very light lens with unique bokeh. The biggest issue I figured I'd that the lens hood is short and it's easy to end up with veiling haze.

While we're talking about Minolta lenses, here are a few more great ones: 85f1.4 (there are several good versions), 100f2(this one is fairly small as well), 135f2.8 (pretty good and really small), 200f2.8 (a truly beautiful and sharp lens), 80-200f2.8 APO (comparative in sharpness to modern 70-200s), 135 STF, etc.