Going digital, can I use my old lenses?

AnnaR · Sep 4, 2005

I have finally decided to buy a digital camera, and my knowledge on the subject is pretty limited. I have been taking photographs with an old Minolta XD 5, and I have a complete set of lenses in great condition. My question is, can I use these on a digital (minolta) camera, and if yes, can anyone recommend any specific cameras?

I'd love to hear any input on the subject!

D70Mike · Sep 4, 2005

As far as I know, lenses are nearly always interchangeable between a manufacturers SLR and D-SLR cameras, so you shouldn't have any problems.

The only thing you have to consider though is that because of the size of the CCD in a digital camera, the focal length is 1.5x larger than on a 35mm film camera. This means that if say you have a 200mm lense the effective focal length will be 300mm which is great if you want the extended range, but not so great if you're a landscape photographer as you will be loosing some of range of a shorter lense.

Xmetal · Sep 4, 2005

If they are full manual lenses then I believe you can't use them with the Digital body.

APHPHOTO · Dec 24, 2011

Im not sure about Minolta, But as far as Canon users. If you own a EOS than older lenses wont fit the body.

MLeeK · Dec 24, 2011

If they are A mount Minolta lenses they will work on sony cameras.
Unfortunately, I believe the Minolta XD5 is MD mount. It's considerably older.

MLeeK · Dec 24, 2011

Xmetal said:
If they are full manual lenses then I believe you can't use them with the Digital body.

Many of Nikon's film lenses are all compatible with today's digital SLR's.

APHPHOTO said:
Im not sure about Minolta, But as far as Canon users. If you own a EOS than older lenses wont fit the body.

Film EOS mount canon lenses will work with canon Digital. FD mount canon lenses won't work with digital without and adapter and I believe then they are only full manual focus and aperture.

There are adapters for just about everything out there. Chances are you can find one to adapt the lenses, but you may not have any auto anything to them.

unpopular · Dec 24, 2011

It is an MD body. You could try using an adapter, but from my experience the glassed adapters aren't very good, at least not without stopping down considerably. You can get some cool effects wide open, but for general use, no.

Stopped down, they do work pretty well.

An NEX or micro-4/3 camera will work much better since they don't need the correction glass to operate. But it should also be pointed out that these lenses will be useable only in full manual, no AE, no auto aperture and you must "stop down" to meter since the camera doesn't know what the lens is doing. Working this way has it's advantages, it forces you to slow down and work in manual mode, but for many photographers the disadvantages vastly outweigh the advantages.

DaveO · Dec 25, 2011

If you get an adapter for Nikon, The higher end digital cameras will work ( meter ), I think the D90 and higher. I don/t know about autofocus though. Just about any digital camera will work with an adapter, but they may not meter. You can always use a hand held meter with them.

DaveO