Trying to help Dad become digital- old 35mm Minolta lenses

[zackiedawg]

Lens 1: Minolta, MD ROKKOR-X 45mm 1:2

Lens 2: Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm 1:3.5 Macro Focusing Zoom VMC (of G- having trouble reading it, he said). O (with a slash through it) 62mm

Lens 3: Minolta, MD 50mm 1:1.7 O (with a slash through it) 49mm (Dad said this was the one he used at our wedding)

The good news: He's got some nice lenses there. The 45mm and 50mm lenses are good, sharp, fast primes, and the Vivitar 70-210mm F3.5 can be anywhere from a good lens to an excellent lens (depends on when it was built - there are 3 different manufacturers who have made these lenses for Vivitar - one is highly desirable, one quite solid and well respected, and the third a solid good.

The bad news: They're all manual lenses, which means they actually won't work on any DSLRs out today without an adapter - and most DSLR adapters are going to have glass elements in them which reduce quality and occasionally trouble focusing to infinity. And some DSLRs cannot meter properly with these adapters and old manual lenses.

The alternate good news: If you think he would enjoy getting into digital photography, but doesn't necessarily need a DSLR body - there is a class of camera that is absolutely perfect for these lenses - the mirrorless interchangeable lens (MIL) cameras. These are the Sony NEX, Olympus Pen, Panasonic G series, and Samsung NX. All of these cameras have large, DSLR like sensors and much better quality than P&S cameras, but in slimmer, more compact bodies due to their removal of the mirrors. The Olympus and Panasonic both use a micro 4:3 sensor which is a bit smaller than DSLR sensors, while the Sony and Samsung use standard APS-C sensors the same as DSLRs. The removal of the mirror means the lenses attach almost on top of the sensor - what's known as the 'registration distance'...most SLR and rangefinder cameras vary in registration depth from 27mm to 61mm. Micro 4:3 cameras only need 20mm, and Sony NEX need only 18mm - which means they can, via glassless adapters which are nothing more than spacer rings, accept any lens of any mount of any brand ever made.

It's something worth considering - it'll still be old style shooting - manual focus and manual aperture - which some of us thoroughly enjoy and others might not like at all. But once you set the aperture, these cameras can fully meter with these lenses - they'll choose the shutter and ISO if you want, or you can control them manually.

But if he wants to get all the autofocus advantages of a modern DSLR, then he can choose any of the DSLR brands out there that best suits him and feels good in hand...the Minolta MD lenses, even the good ones, aren't very valuable...manual lenses are experiencing a little renaissance due to the mirrorless cameras' popularity - but that only means the prices have gone from $20 to maybe $40 or $50 for the good lenses - they're still dirt cheap (I bought my Vivitar Series One 70-210 F3.5 for $20!).

Hope that helps a little.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Thank you very much for the detailed response. I'll read it to Dad in the near future (I also need to get him off the stick and get that laptop). If he has any questions, I'll post them here.

 

[seashoreCM]

It's always nice to be able to use the old lenses although, of course, if the lenses are manual then they will still be manual.

The most obvious difference is that the digial camera sensor is smaller so it spans a smaller amount of the same image projected by the lens into the new camera versus the old camera. It's like cropping the picture after you upload it except you have no choice about this cropping. The final result is like having a wide angle lens give you a "normal" view, or a "normal" lens giving a telephoto view.

 

[NWmom]

Now that the OP has gotten an answer can I play?

Camera #1 (Bought late 79’s early 80’s)Minolta XG-M
When I met him hubby had this camera and lenses he loved. The camera body has officially died. Hoping to salvage the lenses if it is worth it.

Minolta MD 50mm prime 1:2 filter opening 49mm

Tamron SP 60-300mm 1:3.8-5.4 filter opening 62mm

Minolta MC Tele ROKKOR-PF 135mm prime 1:2.8 filter opening 55mm

Albinar ADG 28mm 1:2.8 filter opening 52mm

Promaster Spectrum 7 Auto teleconverter 2x for M/MD


Camera #2 (Bought in 2001)Minolta Stsi -this one still works, just film is very hard to buy locally.

1-Are the lenses worth putting on a new body like the manuals?
or
2-Can they work with a DLSR body? And if yes, need adaptors or not?
3- Worth it or not?

Promaster AF 28-105mm 1:4-5.6 filter 62mm

Promaster AF 100-300mm 1:5-6.3 filter 55mm
Tele-Macro (1:4) infinity -1.5m

To round out the thoughts and know what we own, we just upgraded- the new camera is Nikon D7000.

Wildife shooting is my favorite.
AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor 18-200 f/3- 4.5? similar to next one same line
AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor 70-300 f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED Telephoto Zoom.

But no primes yet. Worth putting the old primes on a new body?
Or selling the old lenses and adding primes to this body as money allows?

Thanks for your help
NW

 

[zackiedawg]

Camera #1 (Bought late 79’s early 80’s)Minolta XG-M
Minolta MD 50mm prime 1:2 filter opening 49mm
Tamron SP 60-300mm 1:3.8-5.4 filter opening 62mm
Minolta MC Tele ROKKOR-PF 135mm prime 1:2.8 filter opening 55mm
Albinar ADG 28mm 1:2.8 filter opening 52mm
Promaster Spectrum 7 Auto teleconverter 2x for M/MD

This camera is a manual focus system like the OP's...the lenses won't work on any DSLRs without clunky adapters and limited functionality. They would work very well on micro 4:3 cameras and Sony NEX system cameras via spacer adapters. The 50mm F2 lens is a decent average prime, and the 135mm F2.8 is a pretty nice lens. The Albinar CAN be good, if you have a good copy and 28mm F2.8 is a good length for APS-C crop bodies. The Tamron 60-300 is interesting - those can be hit or miss, but the focal length is good for wildlife/bird shooting. It's not a super-fast lens, but in good light might perform well. The 2x converter is nothing super special.

Camera #2 (Bought in 2001)Minolta Stsi -this one still works, just film is very hard to buy locally.
1-Are the lenses worth putting on a new body like the manuals?
or
2-Can they work with a DLSR body? And if yes, need adaptors or not?
3- Worth it or not?
Promaster AF 28-105mm 1:4-5.6 filter 62mm
Promaster AF 100-300mm 1:5-6.3 filter 55mm
Tele-Macro (1:4) infinity -1.5m

I'm not as familiar with these two lenses - but a brief look confirms that they are mostly rebadged lenses made by other manufacturers - they can be Sigma, Tamron, Cosina, or Tokina lenses, depending on the model and year. In your case, I believe both of the above are Tamron lenses. The 28-105 is slowish, but gets fairly favorable reviews from those who have them. The 100-300 is definitely a lens that needs a lot of light, but rates upper 3's and 4's on Dyxum, which puts it average to slightly above average. Probably nothing real special on either, unless you wanted a cheap entry into telephoto shooting. These will work perfectly normally on a Sony DSLR or SLT model with no adapters...they will autofocus and meter properly. If you were thinking of picking up a DSLR body anyway, then this might help sway the decision if you were intending to do any birding/wildlife as you'd have a starter lens already instead of spending another $500-1000 to buy one.

But no primes yet. Worth putting the old primes on a new body?
Or selling the old lenses and adding primes to this body as money allows?

Absolutely! Old primes are often as good as new primes, and sometimes better. A good piece of glass is a good piece of glass, no matter how old. I regularly shoot wildlife with a 23 year old Minolta lens that flat blows away 95% of the new stuff - the newest equivalent Sony lens for $1,500+ can't do any better, and isn't built as well. And it's always a fresh idea to sell old lenses, look to upgrade - maybe go from a 50mm F2 to a 50mm F1.4...or improve that slowish zoom to a faster, better one in the same focal length.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

I finally found my notes sheet from Dad. He read the post I printed out, and was interested in the Sony. I think it is because you can get by with just spacers, if we read correctly. Any idea how much the spacers run?
He also wanted me to ask if anybody had any recommendations among the models Zackiedawg mentioned.

Thanks!



(I'll be delivering his new laptop next week. Once he gets the internet again, perhaps he can come here and chat/learn)

 

[zackiedawg]

Good timing - actually, with the old manual lenses, the best cameras to stick with would be any of the mirrorless interchangeable lens models - with Sony, that would be their NEX line. Up to now, all of the NEX models (NEX3, NEX5, NEXC3) were similar in design, using a very nice high-res LCD screen that tilts for shooting at angles. They don't have viewfinders - this doesn't bother some folks, but does irk a few others. It would be worth his trying them out to see if shooting with the viewfinder on his manual lenses is something hard to adapt to, or if he'd be comfortable with it.

But the reason the timing is good - Sony will be very shortly announging their enthusiast level NEX model, the NEX7 - this one will be similar to the NEX5, but will also include an electronic viewfinder (for those folks who can't get used to shooting with LCD panels, or those who just like having a viewfinder) built into the body - so you can shoot with the viewfinder or the LCD. And the new NEX5 replacement, likely to be called the NEX-C5, will apparently have an external viewfinder attachment made available for it - so if your father tries out the NEX cameras and is at all uncomfortable using only the LCD to frame and focus, there are two additional models coming that will offer viewfinders to solve that issue.

As for the adapters, there are some cheap ones available (usually around $24 - 35 or so), and brand shouldn't matter much since they are all just metal rings - I have had good luck with ones from Rainbow Imaging, but most seem to all be about the same quality-wise. You'd want the ones called Minolta MD to NEX converter. They are readily available on Amazon, eBay, and other places.

 

[saintstickets]

My list is not nearly as extensive as others especially when I made these purchases I was a newlywed so cost was a BIG factor (still is after all these years too ) -

Minolta XG-1 camera with a Minolta Auto 132X flash
Lens:
Minolta MD ROKKOR-X, 45mm, 1:2, 49Ø
Kamero Auto 135mm, f=135mm, 1:2.8, 55Ø
Vivitar Auto Telephoto, 135mm, 1:2.8, 55Ø, M/MD

They're not doing me any good so if anyone is interested in the bunch, pm me.


zackiedawg - I am thinking about getting the Sony Alpha A55. What are your thoughts about this vs a Canon EOS Rebel T3i? TIA for your response.

 

[zackiedawg]

The A55 is a pretty slick little camera - super fast, small and light, image quality with that sensor is about as good as you'd ever need - I'd consider the A55 & T3 to definitely be on par for overall image quality - most of the top entry level cams regardless of manufacturer are all pretty much even - it comes down to feel in your hand, controls, and particular features. The A55 is of course faster in burst mode, if you need that ability - and the live view system is vastly superior.

I personally tend to stick with the larger body Alphas, like the A580 - but that comes down to how it fits in my hands - the smaller bodies don't work as well for me as I have large hands. It's really the main thing that keeps me from the A33/55 pair - and the same reason I can't get along well with any Canon entry-level body, or any Pentax body, as they tend to be smaller too. My best fits are with the larger Sony and Nikon bodies, which have larger, fatter grips and more weight.

 

[GrumpyGoat]

I just got off the phone with Dad. Here's what I've found out:

The 35mm camera: Minolta SRTSC-II

Lens 1: Minolta, MD ROKKOR-X 45mm 1:2

Lens 2: Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm 1:3.5 Macro Focusing Zoom VMC (of G- having trouble reading it, he said). O (with a slash through it) 62mm

Lens 3: Minolta, MD 50mm 1:1.7 O (with a slash through it) 49mm (Dad said this was the one he used at our wedding)


I asked him where he keeps his stash of APO G lenses, and he just laughed. Guess he didn't want to give that out over the phone.

Just a note for future reference: The little Ø symbol with the number following it indicates the filter size in millimeters.

I shot for years with a Minolta X-700 and several MD lenses. When I finally decided my eyesight wasn't up to manual focus lenses any longer, I discarded my entire Minolta kit and switched to the Canon EOS system. I haven't looked back since. I eventually donated the Minolta gear to the photography program at one of the local high schools.

 

[saintstickets]

GrumpyGoat - Side note...love your avatar of Walter from the Jeff Dunham show. Did you notice how much he looks like VP Joe Biden?