SewClever

Hi friends, over the past year I've picked back up my interest in photography after retirement. I have a great little Nikon d3300 with several nice lenses and I'm slowly improving bit-by-bit. I was an avid slr photographer in the 70's and 80's but a busy life caused me to put that away. I still have all my old Minolta lenses and got a little Sony a230 with an adapter so I could maybe still make use of the old equipment. Of course all settings are manual, but that's fine as it takes me (way!) back to the way I used to do things. My disappointment is the lack of sharp focus. I particularly notice this with the macro work. I understand that the adapter changes everything as the lens is no longer flush with the camera.....but is there any way to compensate? If this is really a lost cause....I still have the cute little Sony. What is the ONE lens I would be good to order for this as a quick grab and go camera? Thanks a million for any/all advice!! Rita in Ohio

JacksonHD Loc: NorCal

I have a Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 on my Sony a500 for just that purpose. It works great and cost about $75 from KEH.

I too enjoyed photography in the '70s and into the '80s, with Minolta gear. (I even sold a few photos: racing go-karts and motorcycles, and jumping horses.) Yes, sometimes life gets in the way.

When I decided to sell all my film cameras and lenses, I was amazed to find my Maxxum lenses would fit Sony A-mount DSLRs. Wow, fantastic!

I now have a500 and a58 bodies and a half-dozen Minolta AF lenses, all bought used, for not a lot more than I sold my old gear for! None of it is even close to state of the art, but it works great for me. Just for comparison, i paid $300 for my Vivitar Series 1 70-210 zoom, all manual, in 1980 or so.

Try it. I think you'll like it.

SewClever

Thank you!! I'll check that out!! Rita

FalconChase Loc: Canton,Ohio, USA

I am not familiar with adapting MD or MC Minolta lenses to a Sony SLR, but I have used them on my a6000 and A77ii with excellent results. May I suggest that you pick up an A6000 and an adapter? I think you will be happy with the results.

Bruce in Ohio.

SewClever

Thank you, Bruce!

jimdandy

The Sony A230 should be an A mount camera and not need an adapter for Minolta lenses.

SewClever

These are old Minolta lenses and adapter fits perfectly, but it changes the focus quite a bit.

editorsteve

I also use MD and MC lenses on an A6000, mainly for food photos, studio work. I h a very a $12, brass, tilt adaptor bought years ago thru AliExpress. Totally manual, of course.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Hi Rita, I was also a big Minolta film fan and went on with my lenses to the Sony A-mount, with the Sony A200, A300, A37, A58, (and several others come and gone) and a trunk full of lenses AF and manual, zooms, little to big, short to long, etc.etc......built up quite a collection of Minolta/Sony/Tamron/Sigma/Tokina/etc. in A-mount. I think the A230 DOES NOT have Focus Peaking, which is fantastic/hghlights the areas in focus, even with manual lenses, I think the next model up came with FP. I think every used Sony I bought came with a lens or three, so I have many, all of which would mount/fully function without adapters. Any I sell would be very reasonably priced (I hate saying "cheap", as it infers crappy, and these are not).

Anyway, point of my post is that I have a lot of A-mount lenses, especially zooms, so if you let me know what ranges you are looking for, I can tell you about the lens/performance, etc. And, I could easily part with a number of them, as I have duplicates from buying used packages/bundles. Have many of the consumer zooms, in great shape, all known working models (I won't sell anything that does not work, or that I haven't used myself) except for ones declared as "for parts or repairs". Most of these were bought used, but all are in good to very fine condition, have all produced good to great results. I don't keep poor working lenses, or bad glass, other than to sell for parts.

I will be glad to share info on anything I have or have shot with. Let me know (or PM me) what tickles your fancy, if I have it or have used one in the past I will gladly share. Have fun,
mike

FalconChase Loc: Canton,Ohio, USA

Sorry, that should have read A7ii.

SewClever

Thanks so much! Can you give me your email? Rita

JacksonHD Loc: NorCal

THAT is the deal of the day!
He is bound to have one (or more) that is perfect for you.

Enjoy!

SewClever

👍😉

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Hi again, did you mean me for email? Remember for replies, you can click on the "quote reply" to retain the original message/member..and the PM (Personal/Private Message) function takes it out of the "arena". If you are interested in my opinions on any or any gear, I'll respond respectfully. Have been shooting the Sony/Minolta gear combo's for a few years now, Minolta (Yashica/Pentax, etc.) since the mid-eighties and earlier, that and a ton of Nikon! My better half would be very happy if I would trim down my collection some - LOL!!!

SewClever

Ok! I didn't realize that, thanks!