Sony A mount lenses: What are some good, but inexpensive A mount UWA lenses? Manual focus is fine. Looking for something in the 14mm to 28mm range. Are there any old Minolta lenses...

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

What are some good, but inexpensive A mount UWA lenses?

Manual focus is fine. Looking for something in the 14mm to 28mm range. Are there any old Minolta lenses that would fit this bill?

This would be for an A900.

I'm considering this body and wondering what lenses would fit my style of shooting.

lfdavis Loc: Pelham, Alabama

Try this link to get an idea of what's available.

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/index.asp

cntry Loc: Colorado

Cdouthitt wrote:

What are some good, but inexpensive A mount UWA lenses?

Manual focus is fine. Looking for something in the 14mm to 28mm range. Are there any old Minolta lenses that would fit this bill?

This would be for an A900.

I'm considering this body and wondering what lenses would fit my style of shooting.

Once you decide what you want take a look on eBay, they have a lot of old Minolta lenses at very reasonable prices. You can also get a converter so the older manual focus lenses will fit your camera. I've bought most of my lenses from eBay and haven't been burned yet, just watch the sellers feedback and pay with PayPal (easier to get your money back than if you deal directly with the seller).

unclebe1 Loc: NYC & Wellington, FL

Don't know how inexpensive you're talking, but the Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens is available ($949 B&H). The Konica/Minolta 17-35 G and it's older version (D) are out there in the used market. The G version is well regarded and I've even seen reviews that consider it a better value than the Zeiss 16-35 2.8 lens. Then there are always the ultra wide Rokinons. Don't know anything about them, but the Rokinon 14mm Ultra Wide-Angle f/2.8 IF ED UMC is available for $325 at B&H. Hope this helps!!

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859170-REG/Samyang_SY14M_S_14mm_Ultra_Wide_Angle_f_2_8.html

is one that I'm thinking would be interesting.

cntry Loc: Colorado

Cdouthitt wrote:

What are some good, but inexpensive A mount UWA lenses?

Manual focus is fine. Looking for something in the 14mm to 28mm range. Are there any old Minolta lenses that would fit this bill?

This would be for an A900.

I'm considering this body and wondering what lenses would fit my style of shooting.

If you're still looking, I just came across this on eBay...Sony A850 with three lenses, current bid is $700. Here's the link... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Full-Frame-A850-Plus-3-Lenses-Flash-and-TONS-of-EXTRAS-1-Auction-Start-/271409841101?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item3f314983cd

Or for a few (ROFL) dollars more there's this A99 bundle that includes a Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-70mm f2.8 Zoom http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-alpha-SLT-A99-24-3-MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-Bundle-Warranty-Jan-25-17-/131036419845?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item1e82611705

LOL! I'm serious about the first one...the second is just for chuckles and grins (great outfit, but "inexpensive" is not a word I would use to describe it).

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

That 850 is a nice looking deal. Not quite ready to pull the trigger. I have to sell something first.

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

I have the Minolta Mini Beer-can lens (AF 24-70) and it is a good lens with sharp images. It also has a macro switch. Not that it is true macro, but it does allow you to get closer.

pmill607 Loc: La Crosse WI

Any of the a style lenses will work, all the auto focus lenses from Minolta.
I wasn't especially happy with the performance I got out of my old maxim lenses I ended up buying the Sony 16-105 on eBay best lens ever.
A great all purpose. the 70-300G works well for long stuff. Hope this helps

cntry Loc: Colorado

A great way to find good lenses cheap is to look for old film cameras...many sell their old film cameras and lenses as a bundle. No one wants the camera so they by pass the listing not realizing the bundle includes a lens they would pay 2-3x for if it was listed separately. Buy the bundle, keep what you want/need and donate the rest.

HOT Texas Loc: From the Heart of Texas

Google Minolta MD 35-70mm 3.5 macro, you will have to have a adapter, but this is the best lens Minolta ever built.

I shoot this lens on my NEX-6, it is nothing less than awesome, the Micro is great also.

Minolta's AF prime lens are super quality also.

Peekayoh Loc: UK

Cdouthitt wrote:

What are some good, but inexpensive A mount UWA lenses?

Manual focus is fine. Looking for something in the 14mm to 28mm range. Are there any old Minolta lenses that would fit this bill?

This would be for an A900.

I'm considering this body and wondering what lenses would fit my style of shooting.

Well, I never had any success manually focusing using the A900, nor with any DSLR for that matter. You can get an M-screen for the A900 which is slightly better but nothing like the old split screen and microprism and it didn't help me all that much. With the EVF and mirrorless cameras, Sony made it possible for me to focus manually with the help of peaking and focus magnify and I am grateful for that.

There are some nice Minolta WA AF lenses still to be had, 20mm, 24mm and 28mm but the manual focus Minolta lenses are no good for the A-mount as any adapter needs a correction lens unless you're prepared to do a mount swap. Plenty of old M42 lenses are to be had but again I would stress the difficulty of MF on these lenses, at least for me.

Personally, I use an 18/3.5 Zeiss, a Minolta 21/2.8 (converted) and a Minolta 24/2.8.

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Cdouthitt wrote:

That 850 is a nice looking deal. Not quite ready to pull the trigger. I have to sell something first.

CD, if you're going for an older body then go for an A900, not the A850. The Samyang is very good, as is the Rokinon, but Zeiss is the best of the lot. The older Minolta primes are also very good (great colors). Being an Oly shooter, I will recommend Zeiss for the sharpness and almost "3D" rendition of images. One thing I have learned is that magic happens when you put Zeiss in front of a Sony sensor... Very similar to the 75mm Oly on the EM-1, but better.
The A99 is better all around, maybe consider it!

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Peekayoh wrote:

Well, I never had any success manually focusing us... (show quote)

That 24mm Minolta is a jewel.