Anyone know anything about old Minolta-fit lenses?

[Kermit power]

Evening All,

My grandad died in December, and my mum has asked me to see if I can find out whether any of his camera gear is worth anything, so I was wondering if anyone on here can give me some information as a starter?

First off, I'm assuming the body (an XD-7) is essentially worthless, but I though it might at least be worth checking on the lenses.

I'll post up photos at some point if they'd help, but for the moment, here's the details.

1. Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/1.8 - Bayonet fit manual lens

2. Hanimex 135mm f/3.5 - screw-fit manual lens with a Minolta P-adapter

3. Photax MC 80-205mm f/3.8 - Bayonet fit manual lens

4. Minolta RF Rokkor 500mm f/8 - Bit of an oddity this one. It's a fixed aperture mirror lens with its own little set of coloured filters which fit between the lens and body in the top of the case.

I would imagine they were fairly costly new, but god knows whether they would be of any interest to anyone these days? They certainly don't fit my 450D!

[Simpo Two]

They might (I'm guessing) fit the current range of Sony DSLRs but won't support any modern functions like autofocus; in fact the camera may refuse to work at all with them at all, even if they fit physically. If the camera can cope, it will be strictly manual-everything.

Mirror lenses were an affordable way of getting long telephotos, but seem to have died out - not sure why.

They may be great quality glass but I fear eBay and a few tens of pounds per lens is probably the best you can expect, sorry. I'd be inclined to sell the whole lot together.

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 13th April 23:16

[LongQ]

Your best bet is to run a search on eBay using the advanced search and Completed Items only to see what you can find.

These days you can get adapters for many lens to camera combinations but Rokkpor to EOS seems rare. I did find this article though. Probably not something you want to do with your 450D ...

http://digitalrokkor.altervista.org/why.html

There is this, but how good it may be is anyone's guess.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Adapter-for-Minolta-MD-MC-Lens...

and this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Converter-Adapter-for-Minolt...


which of course may be the same thing.

That said the Non-Minolta lenses are probably not worth much at all. And a 50mm lens, whilst likely to be good quality, will probably only be worth a few quid at best.

Mirror lenses are out of fashion for many reasons but as an oddity may just have some attraction for someone.

These people offer a number of adapters, including MD to Sony AF, and suggest they might also be able to change a lens mount to suit a more recent camera though there will obviously be restrictions regarding focusing and so on.

http://www.srb-griturn.com/camera-adaptors-306-c.a...

Whether the cost of an adapter is greater than the value of the lens is another matter ...

I have not used any of the above businesses or adapters so please don't read this as any form of recommendation. However I do have a Kood Canon FD to EOS adapter and it works well enough.

[The Tea Boy]

the lenses with a bayonet fit will fit the sony alpha range (i have just done this myself with a lense i inherited 2mths ago) you have to put the camera into manual mode and it will work fine (although as said no auto focus etc) but i could be intrested in the 500mm and the 80-205mm if you do want rid email me @ [e-mail] with a guide on what you want and ill speak with SWMBO and see if im allowed to buy

Matt

[Kermit power]

Thanks for the responses so far.

Matt, I really haven't a clue what to suggest as a price! Did you have anything in mind? I'd certainly imagine from the relative condition of them that the 500mm is probably worth a bit more out of the two, but who knows!

[The Tea Boy]

I really dont have a clue on prices, im so new to this. you offer a price ill laugh at you then we make a deal lol

[Kermit power]

The Tea Boy said:

I really dont have a clue on prices, im so new to this. you offer a price ill laugh at you then we make a deal lol

OK.

If I get the time this evening, I'll get some photos of them, and give them a bit of a clean just to make sure there's no crap inside them or anything, then post it up. Sure you don't fancy a nice 50mm f1.4 as a portrait lens as well?

[The Tea Boy]

Kermit power said:

The Tea Boy said:

I really dont have a clue on prices, im so new to this. you offer a price ill laugh at you then we make a deal lol

OK.

If I get the time this evening, I'll get some photos of them, and give them a bit of a clean just to make sure there's no crap inside them or anything, then post it up. Sure you don't fancy a nice 50mm f1.4 as a portrait lens as well?

well go on then, it is my birthday in 3 weeks time

[onomatopoeia]

The Tea Boy said:

the lenses with a bayonet fit will fit the sony alpha range (i have just done this myself with a lense i inherited 2mths ago) you have to put the camera into manual mode and it will work fine (although as said no auto focus etc) but i could be intrested in the 500mm and the 80-205mm if you do want rid email me @ [e-mail] with a guide on what you want and ill speak with SWMBO and see if im allowed to buy

Matt

MD lenses fit MA mount? Really? (serious question given all my stuff is Minolta/Sony A mount). I thought an adapter of some kind was needed. It's of interest because it widens the choice of glass a little and the MD stuff is on the whole massively cheap compared to MA.

Next question is, does the camera actually recognise that a lens is attached? I had a Tokina AF lens that worked fine on my Dynax film camera but my A300 denied it existed and wouldn't let me take pictures with it.

[The Tea Boy]

onomatopoeia said:

The Tea Boy said:

the lenses with a bayonet fit will fit the sony alpha range (i have just done this myself with a lense i inherited 2mths ago) you have to put the camera into manual mode and it will work fine (although as said no auto focus etc) but i could be intrested in the 500mm and the 80-205mm if you do want rid email me @ [e-mail] with a guide on what you want and ill speak with SWMBO and see if im allowed to buy

Matt

MD lenses fit MA mount? Really? (serious question given all my stuff is Minolta/Sony A mount). I thought an adapter of some kind was needed. It's of interest because it widens the choice of glass a little and the MD stuff is on the whole massively cheap compared to MA.

Next question is, does the camera actually recognise that a lens is attached? I had a Tokina AF lens that worked fine on my Dynax film camera but my A300 denied it existed and wouldn't let me take pictures with it.

ok well i had a lense i inherited (see in my topics bit on my priofile) and all i needed was an M42 adaptor for that lense, so as fa as other lenses go it should be fine you MUST remember to put the camera into 'M' mode or it will not recognise, i thought the fittings on the A series were the bayonet fittings as i know you can use the minolta lenses on the A series

Then again i could be talking rubbish and trying to buy something that i cant actually get to work and you may have saved me money????)

[LongQ]

Simpo Two said:

Mirror lenses were an affordable way of getting long telephotos, but seem to have died out - not sure why.

Interestingly as I was wandering around on my annual shopping trip today, whilst the car was passing an MOT, I saw 500mm and 800mm mirror lenses, brand new, in the window of the London Camera Exchange shop. 3rd Party lens, did not note the name. Very large dimeter of course but remarkably short.

I think the reason they died out was mostly because at f8 (typically) the incoming AF systems would not work. Plus with digital cropped sensors it's not very clear how useful they would be. And not everyone liked the doughnut bokeh. Indeed, did anyone like it?

Still, if they are back there must be a reason ...