To Sony Alpha Users Short On Cash - Topic

Member

Posts: 3,373

Joined: Dec 2 2006

Gold: 0.56

Sep 8 2009 01:45pm

If you're wanting to get some new glass but don't have that $300 to throw away, a nice alternative that I found, buy old Minolta Lenses from pawn shops and antique stores and other places like this. Then if the lens is AF you can use it straight on your Sony camera, or if they are MC or MD you just buy an adapter that runs from $10-$80 and you can use them all. I was looking to buy a 50mm 1.8/f lens from Sony for about $150, I bought the adapter for about $50 and an old 50mm 1.7/f MD Minolta lens for about $5. It's amazing, I also like that fact that it's completely manual, the manual aperture is cool too. I'd like to have the auto focus option but hey, I don't have a spare $150 for it.

Make sure that the adapter you get isn't for macros only.

Picture below is a sample, I see no visible issues with using this, I have a full range of focus, including infinity.

No editing.

This post was edited by kratos on Sep 8 2009 01:47pm

ichbindasZerstorer

Member

Posts: 687

Joined: May 22 2009

Gold: 0.00

Sep 11 2009 01:42pm

Another reason to

sony.

I have an alpha also and i have 4 older minolta lenses that i got a fleamarkets for around 25 each.

SirRonLionHeart

Member

Posts: 15,311

Joined: Mar 22 2008

Gold: 1,822.12

Trader: Trusted

Sep 11 2009 03:20pm

Hehe, yeah, for sure.

KratosGOW

Member

Posts: 3,373

Joined: Dec 2 2006

Gold: 0.56

Sep 11 2009 04:02pm

Quote (ichbindasZerstorer @ Fri, Sep 11 2009, 03:42pm)

Another reason to

sony.

I have an alpha also and i have 4 older minolta lenses that i got a fleamarkets for around 25 each.

Haha yep!

Which lenses do you have?

I looked for some at yard sales and stuff but the only place I've found them was pawnshops and antique stores, and pawnshops try to rip you off..

This post was edited by kratos on Sep 11 2009 04:03pm

Veilside

Member

Posts: 21,066

Joined: Dec 16 2005

Gold: 100.07

Sep 11 2009 05:21pm

Nikon does this too, except you don't need an adaptor, and you can still meter through the old lenses.

KratosGOW

Member

Posts: 3,373

Joined: Dec 2 2006

Gold: 0.56

Sep 11 2009 06:37pm

Quote (Veilside @ Fri, Sep 11 2009, 07:21pm)

Nikon does this too, except you don't need an adaptor, and you can still meter through the old lenses.

Not with Minolta lenses though.. That was the main point of this, most of Nikon's old lenses still have a use because people know they use the same mount, so Nikon lenses aren't nearly as cheap as the Minolta version is.

Minolta's MD and MC mounts haven't been made on any camera in a while and I don't know how many Sony users realize you can do this.

This post was edited by kratos on Sep 11 2009 06:39pm

Go Back To Photography Topic List