Can any zoom fit a DSLR???

[penuttmman]

My grandpa has a 500mm zoom from the brand Sigma and Minolta that he used on his old Minolta camera from about 30 years ago approximative and I was thinking of buying a Nikon d3400 and I was wondering if the zoom would fit on it? I know that might be a stupid question to ask but id like to know. Thank you

 

[Derrel]

It's not a zoom, but most likely a catadioptric or "mirror" lens. It might have a T-mount, a changeable, accessory lens mount that screws on with some small screws; if so, you could get a Nikon F T-mount adapter, and put it on, and it would work with a Nikon D3400.

 

[snowbear]

Yes, but you might need duck or gaffing tape. The lens might not work as desired (and the camera might throw a "no lens" error code), but it can fit.

Kinda like I made two lenses "fit" front-to-front to get an impromptu macro lens.

 

[Tomasko]

If you want to retain all the capabilities of the lens, the answer is no. (e.g. focus to infinity). Some lenses can work, but you would need an adapter and it certainly isn't "any zoom".
If you don't care about that and just want to "fit" it somehow so you can take a picture with whatever results, sure, a duck tape will work.

 

[petrochemist]

The 600mm lens in the second photo is a mirror lens exactly as Derrel said.
The first photo appears to be a different lens which I would expect to be in a fixed Minolta mount. Minolta made several lens mounts the earlier manual focus ones MD, MC & SR are all related & are designed to have the rear mounting of the lens 43.72mm in front of the sensor. Later A mount auto focus lenses (still used by some Sony cameras) have this registration distance at 44.5mm. Nikon cameras with the F mount require 46.5mm, so all the lenses will be too far away. (The T mount derrel mentioned has registration of 55mm leaving room for an adapter to physically fit the connection on the camera & give the right registration.)

As others have said, you can still use lenses that don't fit properly. If the lens is further away than it's designed to be it will not focus to infinity. The distance it reaches will depend on the lenses focal length & just how much further away it is. Some adapters add a lens like a teleconverter to allow focus by changing the focal length. From what I hear the optical quality of this extra element generally makes the combination pretty useless.

For very close work the lens can often be reversed and held in place with a reversing ring (or fingers/gaffer tape...) this usually works best for focal lengths shorter than 50mm - I don't think either of those lenses are that short.

Pretty much any adapted lens will loose all automatic features, though there are a few adapters that translate between the camera & lens. The more expensive adapters to fit Canon EF lenses on mirrorless cameras usually manage this.

FWIW Nikon bodies are about the worst for mounting adapted lenses, but among the best lenses to adapt. Mirrorless cameras are generally the easiest to adapt lenses to.

 

[penuttmman]

thankyou very much!! it was a great help!

 

[dxqcanada]

Those two lenses would be usable on a mirrorless camera with an Minolta MD adapter .. example, Sony A6500.

I have a Sony NEX-6 with an MD adapter to use old manual focus lenses that my wife has for her X-700.