I need help!!! Lens Questions minolta md/mc mount.

Dracklord · Aug 24, 2006

hi,
I'm gonna start by introducing myself. My name is Lex, I live in Michigan, and I new to both photography and this forum.

Recently I aquired a Canon A-1 and an AT-1, along with 2 50mm f/1.4 canon ssc FD primes, a 135mm sc fd mount prime, and a 28mm FL prime

Also I have a Minolta X-700. This is where I am running into issues. I purchaced a Vivitar SR series 70-150 macro zoom lens for it, along with a 50mm f/1.7 md mount prime, a sakar mc mount 135 mm prime, and a sakar 28mm mc mount prime, along with a 2x clumman (?) teleconverter.

Mainly I am looking for some information on the 3rd party lenses listed, as I cannot seem to find any on google. I really just want to if any of them are really any good.

I'm also looking for an older DSLR (in the 2-4 mp range). I'd like either a canon or a nikon, looking for recommendations or a lead on buying one.

Thanks in advance
Lex

Dracklord · Aug 28, 2006

anyone?

Frequent Traveler · Aug 29, 2006

Dracklord said:
hi,
I'm gonna start by introducing myself. My name is Lex, I live in Michigan, and I new to both photography and this forum.

Recently I aquired a Canon A-1 and an AT-1, along with 2 50mm f/1.4 canon ssc FD primes, a 135mm sc fd mount prime, and a 28mm FL prime

Also I have a Minolta X-700. This is where I am running into issues. I purchaced a Vivitar SR series 70-150 macro zoom lens for it, along with a 50mm f/1.7 md mount prime, a sakar mc mount 135 mm prime, and a sakar 28mm mc mount prime, along with a 2x clumman (?) teleconverter.

Mainly I am looking for some information on the 3rd party lenses listed, as I cannot seem to find any on google. I really just want to if any of them are really any good.

I'm also looking for an older DSLR (in the 2-4 mp range). I'd like either a canon or a nikon, looking for recommendations or a lead on buying one.

Thanks in advance
Lex

Hey Lex,

Welcome to the rich history of Minolta film photography! :mrgreen:

Sorry i didn't reply earlier - i thought someone w/more exp. than me would reply - alas, it didn;t happen.....sorry to leave ya hangin'....

I am also from MI - GR most recently, but Cadillac "area" originally. Where are you from?

BTW, I don't think dSLR's were made in the 2-4 mp range - they have been the domain of advanced amateurs/pro-sumers/pro's and those who crave the "best" (always a compromise on what that actually is). If i am wrong, i am sure someone will correct me....

As to your question, you won't get all that your X-700 (a GREAT camera) can do using your MC (meter coupled) lenses. They were designed for an earlier, IIRC, aperture adjusting system on Minolta film cameras (sr1 and srT cameras). If i am wrong, i am sure someone will correct me.... MD lenses on your X-700 will provide feedback to the program mode on your camera that will help you make better exposure decisions.

I've inserted what i believe to be the largest 3rd party lens manufacturer cross-reference source for Minolta MANUAL focus lenses on the web. There is a LOT of info there especially in the reply's and i'm not sure exactly what you're looking for......quality evaluations for lenses often belong to the eye of the beholder. That said, here is the link:

http://medfmt.8k.com/third/index.html

While there are some great 3rd party lenses to be had, many people who use manual focus Minolta film cameras prefer Rokkor-X (Minolta's own lens brand) or early Minolta MD mount lenses - they just seem to "taste" right. There are some hidden gems to be had for sure like some of the Minolta "Celtic" made lenses - reputedly inferior in terms of build quality, but optic "formula" is frequently debated to be the same as the Rokkor-X lenses. However, one of my favorite lenses for B&W portraits is an OLD Minolta all-metal 58mm F1.4 lens. It seems to catch my daughters "look" perfectly. I also have a pair of B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L early Minolta 135mm F3.5 lenses (perfect examples of hidden gems!!!) - all metal and superbly sharp and contrasty for B&W portraiture. I love 'em!!!

All that said, don't get too hung up on the gear (this coming from a admitted gearhead) - most ALL "newer" lenses will provide beautiful results. There are many nuances to consider, but photography is more about the joy of recording a moment and enjoying your presentation/interpretation of that moment.

Another site that is especially informative for Minolta manual photography is Anthony Hands' site as follows;

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/

You can also check out the following site for Minolta manual focus photography and photography in general - even though much of the hype lately is on the Minolta/Konica-Minolta/SONY dSLR's and their likely (hopeful?) future.....

http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1781

Sorry to be so long - i hope this is what you were looking for....

fm

Dracklord · Aug 29, 2006

I hope so too, thankyou for the long reply, there is quite a bit of information in that post that I will have to take a look at

Ductapeman · Aug 29, 2006

I thank you as well, Frequent_Traveler-- I just picked up an X-700, my first SLR, and am going through a lot of the same questions. Still trying to wrap my brain around "aperture-priority" vs "shutter priority" and a million and one other things; but just to see if it worked I took it out into the back yard and snapped some shots of my cats, and the camera took some extremely satisfying photos, no thanks to anything I had to do with it. Could you maybe recommend a decent macro lens that might still be available for these cameras? Thanks again-- Lee

Frequent Traveler · Aug 30, 2006

Hey Ductapeman,

Sorry, i am not well-experienced with macro photogrpahy. I believe there were two popular macro lenses produced - a 50mm and a 100mm. I *think* the 100mm is kinda like the Holy Grail and probably more expensive! There may have been different f-stop versions of each focal length (50mm or 100mm), but IIRC, the 100mm F2.0 was/is a hotly sought after item. Sorry i can't help much here....

Shutter Priority means YOU choose how fast you want the shutter to open/close and the camera chooses the "correct" aperture. Aperture Priority means that YOU select the size of the aperture and the camera chooses the "correct" speed the shutter opens/closes. If it helps, when you think of aperture, think depth of focus. The smaller the "F" number (the aperture size) - 1.4, or 1.7, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, etc. the shallower the focus. So, a small F number means only the subject will be in focus or maybe only a small part of the subject. Take shallow depth of focus to extremes and you are in the realm of macro photography.

"Correct" means the "ideal" exposure - as you progress in your skills, you will know the type of "ideal" exposure you want and can override those settings in the MANUAL mode.

Have fun with your camera - the X-700 is a GREAT manual focus camera and film is FAR from dead. Also, lenses and accessories are readily available and reasonably cheap compared to auto-focus equipment.

fm