SLR to DSLR switch: what won't work...

SavedByZero · January 14, 2008

Okay so I'm a long time photographer that's done allot of weddings, photojournalism for the Florida Today as a stringers and some portrait stuff in the past. And now I'm trying to get back into the SLR hobby again, my nikon coolpix 3200 p/s is nice but limited. So I've got to ask what items won't convert over to the newer digital bodies. I'm a Minolta man from the start, should have switched to Canon when the A2E/A2 and USM lens came out but didn't but that's another story in it's self.

So this is what I've got that I used on my 700si and 7000i bodies and want to know what will work with a Sony A100/A200.

Minolta 5200i flash
Minolta 3500xi flash

Tokina 20-35 F3.5-4.5
Tokina AT-X 28-70 F2.8
Tokina AT-X 70-210 F2.8
Minolta 50mm F1.7

I'm pretty sure the lens are fine, but I know they make digital specific lens and I'm not sure if it's just a special lens coating or something more that makes them different. But the flashes I'm not sure about. I remeber seeing something saying they could fry a DSLR but I'm not 100% sure about that. So since I haven't picked up a Shutterbug or Modern Photo in over 8-10 years, help me out a little.

And if this is in the wrong forum, forgive me again.

Some of my work...

MrBook2 · January 14, 2008

I can't tell you much....
I don't know much about the Sony A100/200, so I can't really speak about specific compatibility, but I can tell you a little bit about digital specific lenses. It pretty much boils down to how big the imaging circle is on the sensor. Old school lenses made for 35mm cameras create a focused image circle onto the plane of the film that is big enough to cover a 35mm negative. When folks started to make DSLRs, they noticed that the imaging sensor wasn't anywhere near as big as a 35mm negative (there are now some cameras that do have a "full frame" sensor that *is* as big as a standard 35mm frame.) As such, they realized that there was no reason to make a lens that created such a big imaging circle. They could make lenses smaller and cheaper this way. This is only really a problem if you put a digital specific lens onto a full frame or film camera. It will have a image that is too small (the edges and corners of the image will be distorted, dark, or otherwise crappy.)

Another thing to keep in mind is that having a smaller physical size to the sensor in your DSLR will make your old lenses behave differently. This is usually called a "digital crop factor" or some such phrase. I shoot Nikon (the D200 these days) and it has a 1.5x crop factor. That means that when I shoot, since I am only getting the inner part of what would be a full frame 35mm image, it looks like I have zoomed in by a factor of 1.5. So, if I put a 50mm lens on my D200, it acts like it is a 75mm lens. You can see an example of what I mean by this here: http://www.millhouse.nl/digitalcropfactorframe.html , although you can find many other examples on the web.

Hope that helps at least a little bit.

Elaine · January 14, 2008

I just switched from Minolta to Canon last month! I had the Minolta Maxxum 5 and then the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D. I know that the Sony A100/700 takes the Maxxum AF mount. I'm not familiar with all the lenses you listed, but another place to check would be http://www.dyxum.com/. They have a nice listing of lenses that shows what is compatible.

Welcome to DGrin and back to (D)SLR land!

SavedByZero · January 14, 2008

MrBook2 - yeah I'm familiar with the 1.5x conversion factor with the CCD size being smaller then a 35mm frame size.

Elaine - I found that site just the other day, so I'll also pose the question there too. I've used Minoltas since the mid 80's starting out with the manual focus X-GM, X-370 and an X-700 before moving to AFs. I think I've stuck with Minolta just to prove that there are other cameras that shoot great pics, can handle wear and tear and don't have to have the name Nikon F(x) on them.

claudermilk · January 14, 2008

I'm no expert even though I still have a 7000i kit in the closet, but AFAIK the new Sonys should take your lenses. I have not heard of any subsets of the Minolta Maxxum mounts that have compatibility issues (like Nikon's AF mounts).

Photoskipper · January 15, 2008

As a film user, you may enjoy more on the full film DSLR. The 5D, 1Ds would be your choice. The new Sony series has cropping factor and you may loss all the wide-angle.

There is a short learning curve for a brief transition period. Need to learn a bit software, post-processing technique. But you will enjoy the instant review, adjust the setting in case it is necessary. Work on the laptop at a corner and do some cropping and post-processing. Check with the client whether they accept the work and deliver the photo in a CD then collect the cheque on the spot.

For wedding photo, you can start with the 17-40 mm IS plus a 24 - 105IS. optional 70-200. The IS allow you to use longer exposure at the critical situation which the old film camera can never do for you.

The flash gun can be re-used as slave flash or off-camera flash with a light-target hot-shoes.

Switching from one camp to the other is a painful decision.

ziggy53 · January 15, 2008

Photoskipper wrote:

... the 17-40 mm IS ...

Perhaps you meant the Canon EF-S 17-55mm, f2.8 IS USM?

swintonphoto · January 15, 2008

Welcome to Dgrin! I really enjoyed your images!
I think all of your gear should work with either of those sony cameras. I think you will be pleased with those cameras - I have played with them a bit and they look like great cameras.
Best of luck.

Jesmol · January 16, 2008

I dont think the flashes will work. I had an older 5200 series flash, and it didn't work with my 5d

SLR to DSLR switch: what won't work...

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