polonois Loc: Lancaster County,PA.

I have two 30MM Macro's. A Minolta and a Sony. Both are auto focus the Sony is a DT lens and the Minolta is full frame.
I also have the Sony 50MM Macro and the 100MM Macro. If you're only buying one macro buy the 100MM macro.
As for the Sony 70-400 I don't have that lens. The 70-300 is a grand cheaper. I usually use a Minolta 100-400MM APO.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Well, thank you very much, Polonois, for straightening that out for me. That's wonderful! ... The web site I looked at, seemed to indicate it was Manual. Thanks so much. I will definitely acquire that one, then. I have a Tokina 35 Macro, and like it very much, but it's in a Nikon F Mount. As far as the longer one is concerned, I already have purchased, and use - always - on my a77 II - the Sigma EX 105 OS HSM Macro, with which I am delighted. For the middle - I have a Tamron SP 60 f2, I like, very much, but it's in EOS mount. However, I think I will pick up another in a-mount, at some point. The 70-400 is a wish ... not sure I can afford that one. If I do get something in that range, the Tamron 16-300 is a shoe-in. I only wish the 18-400 was made for Sony.

Oh, well ... you can't have everything, huh?

polonois Loc: Lancaster County,PA.

I use the Sony DT 18-250MM quite a lot. It works very well. They run around $650 new. You may be able to find a good used one for half that. I have an old Sigma 70-210MM APO A-Mount that produces really sharp images. Unfortunately the auto focus doesn't work on the newer Sony's

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

The Sigma 70-210 doesn't work on the a77 II, you mean, Polonois?

Yes, I do have the 18-250 DT - got one used ... very nice up to about 70, or so ... I also have the 16-105 DT, and, of course - an 18-55 SAM II ...

The rest are all 3rd Party ones ... mostly Sigma and Tamron ... will pick up a Tokina 11-16, at some point - if I can still find one ....

Considered the 11-18 Sony, but, I'm afraid it's a little rich, for me ... especially, when there are other more practical options ...

Sony glass isn't cheap, you know, Polonois ... am intrigued by your Minolta 100-400 ... very rare - that one ... do you have any Konica glass?

I have the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro, for both my Canons and my Nikons ... daresay, I can pick up one of those in a-mount, too ... nice glass, but no OS.

Maybe not ... can't see it listed ... but there's a comparable Tamron 70-300 LD Macro ... have to look that one up on the Net ... see what it's about ...

polonois Loc: Lancaster County,PA.

I have no Konica glass. All total I have around 40 A-Mount lenses mostly Minolta. When my studio was open I used Minolta 35MM for wedding receptions and Mamyia RZ and RB 67's for the formals and everything else. Most everything is in storage since I closed my business except the dozen or so lenses I use most on the Sony bodies.

The Sigma 70-210 APO works on my Minolta 9Xi and my 8000i but the auto-focus doesn't work on my A65 or my A77ii. You can hear it turning but it doesn't focus. I use it manual focus with peaking. It works well on birds that aren't too far away.
You can find used Minolta 100-400mm at KEH and on ebay from $275 to $999. I bought mine new in 1996. Don't remember what I paid. I have the Tamron and Sigma 70-300's. I don't use them much.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

I used to have a couple of Konica lenses, and a body, too ... gave it all away to one of the kids. Wish I'd known, at the time - I'd want them for Sony. Shame that 70-210 doesn't work on your current bodies. You did it different ... I used my RB67 in the church, and switched to 35mm for receptions!!!

I'll take a look at KEH for that Minolta glass. I know they have a few pieces. So you have the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro in a-mount, do you? ... Disc. now!

What are you going to do with those Mamiyas? ... Keep them for posterity?

polonois Loc: Lancaster County,PA.

The Sigma 70-210APO works well in manual focus. I get some nice sharp shots. It just isn't great for action shots.

Yes I bought the Sigma 70-300APO a few years ago and did some test shots with it. I haven't used it much lately. Maybe i'll hunt it out and test it again. I'm always looking for birding lenses to try. I lost about a year and a half of photos the other month when a hard drive quit. I think the test shots were among those lost.
I had a few people want my Mamyia's but my daughter told me she wants all my photography equipment when I fade away. I'll save them for her. I'm not sure why she is a die hard Nikon person.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

The RB / RZ were classics, that's why!!! ... And, in their day, you could buy them NEW for a very reasonable price, considering what they were ...

The last vestige of Mamiya - the Leaf - sells for $28500 - w/o glass!!!! ... Think about it!!!!

I had two of them, through the years ... that's how much I thought of that great camera!!! ...

Lost them both, through one thing and another ... had a Mamiya Universal too ... used some of the same backs ....

On the Sigma 70-300 APO Macro ... at the 200mm Macro setting - it's one very fine lens. At the 300mm setting, though - you absolutely need a tripod!!!

At 70mm ... at 100mm ... at 135mm ... w/o Macro (obviously) ... it blows most other glass away - at those lengths ... but hang on tight!!!!

It's an amazing lens - all the more-so, considering how little you pay for it - so glad I bought it in both Nikon F and EOS mounts - wish I'd bought the "A"!

Now, it's no longer listed for Sony a-mount ... ah!!!! ... but there IS a listing for Pentax!!!! ... Now, THAT makes sense!!! ... My K-50 has IBIS!!!!!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Hard Drives - the old kind ... were doomed to failure, at some point along the way. These new ones, though - will last a whole lot longer. Also, SSDs are getting a lot of folks out of trouble ... very unlikely those things will EVER fail! ... Plus, you can use them for automatic back-up of all important stuff, if you don't already use an external drive, in unison - a good idea!!! ... But, also - I don't wipe off my SD cards, after downloading. I download using the USB cable. And, when the card's full, after the last transfer, they are retired, labeled, and stored in a case. This way, if I ever lose anything, I can refer back to the original save, on the card. SD cards are so inexpensive, now ... it's a good idea to buy several, at a time, and just pop in a new one. Also, there's absolutely NO substitute for good maintenance, and a good AVU - to protect yourself against malicious downloads, and other hacking attacks.

There are many AVUs out there - some paid, some free. MS also has Defender and MS Security Essentials, both, either, integrated into the OS, or free for the asking. If you don't use one or the other, already ... and don't have a paid service - activate it in your Windows OS. It won't do maintenance - that part's up to you ... but there are many free utilities on the Net, which will check your registry, and do HD Defragmentation - two items, which should be checked as often as you think of them - hopefully - daily, or, at the very least - weekly. Once your Registry gets out of whack, you could get yourself into REAL trouble. Defragmentation - speeds up your HD access, and keeps things you use more often - closer to the laser's most readily-accessed pick-up point. Not doing a Defrag every once in a while, will slow down your computer, and depending on the state of neglect - could make you more vulnerable. You can also clear your browser rather simply - just look at Settings. Also, there's a built-in utility, in Windows, for wiping clean all the accumulated junk. Use it often. Don't pay any attention to the warnings - you don't even NEED that stuff - no idea why they warn you! ... For Registry tuning - get a freebie from the Net. System Mechanic's a good one. They will clean junk, speed up the HD, and check the Registry for free. If you want full service, the monthly isn't that much. But, if you use Defender ... you don't need anything more, really - it does a pretty good job ... but keep working it ... download updates!

Haydon

Please put me on your ignore list Chris. Thank you!

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Haydon ... if it's THAT important to you ... why not put ME on yours?

Haydon

Thanks Chris because I still see your threads. I guess I will have to politely request that in your threads until that changes.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Well ... as long as we're being polite about it, Haydon ... a) so, what's wrong with you being able to see my threads? b) can't you just ignore them?