Will my film SLR lenses work on a digital SLR camera?

Question

I have a Minolta Maxxum 7000 with two lenses: a 100-200mm AF lens and the 50 mm AF lens. Is it possible to buy a digital SLR body that I can use my film SLR lenses on? If so, do you know which digital SLRs would work?

Answer 1

Hi,
You will find out that Minolta carries three DSLR models:
Dynax 7D, Maxxum 7D and Dynax 5D/Maxxum 5D(Discontinued))

Check the links below for lenses compatibility.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Sony purchased Minolta's DSLR business and is now marketing cameras under the Sony Alpha name. So these Sony cameras will also use the Minolta lenses. Note that since the digital sensor isn't the same size as a frame of 35mm film, that your two lenses will take more telephoto shots on a digital camera. Your 100-200mm lens will give a 35mm equivalent focal length of 160-320mm. And your 50mm lens will become an 80mm equivalent lens on a digital camera.

Answer 3

Most SLR cameras has lenses with a specific baton connection that only fits your brand of camera. IE: a yashica lens will not fit on a minolta. If you can find a digital SLR made by the same manufactuer as your older camera, you may find similar lens connections. The best thing to do would be to take your old camera lenses to the store and test fit them before you buy the newer camera. Your other option: look on ebay for inexpensive lenses specific to your new digital slr.

If you like my answer, please feel free to mail me your old camera once your purchase your new one.. my 1978 Minolta just don't cut it no mo :P

Answer 4

The only digital camera that takes Minolta lenses is the new Sony Alpha 100 DSLR. I don't know FOR SURE if your lenses will work, but since they are relatively new, they probably will work. The owner's manual for the Sony would list the compatible lenses. You can ask at a local photo shop or maybe one of the on-line retailers has a help line and you can ask them. I checked the Sony site and it is pretty much useless in this question. If you put "Sony Alpha" into a search engine, you will find tons of reviews from dpreview, imaging-resource, dcresource and others and maybe one of them has the information you need.

Now... Read this before you buy a Sony just because you can use a couple of lenses:

I posted a "question" to get this information out there. You may find the answers to that question helpful.

"The February 2007 issue of Popular Photography has just come out and they compared the top 10 MP DSLR's. I am posting this question for general information and so I can refer to it in future answers.

"I took the scores and ranked the cameras similar to the way Formula 1 gives championship points. I just gave 5 for 1st place down to 1 for last place, splitting the difference when cameras tied in their catagories.

"They evaluated Image Quality (giving this twice as much weight as anything else), Ease of Use, Control, and System Flexibility.

"The final order and my scores are:

Nikon D80 - 17.5 points
- BEST in Image Quality, Control and System Flexibility
Canon Rebel XTi - 13.5 points
- Tied for best in System Flexibility
Pentax K10D - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Samsung GX10 - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Sony Alpha 100 - 7 points
- LAST in Image Quality, Ease of Use and System Flexibility."

Go to the original question and read the responses for more opinions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0

Answer 5

Possibly on a Minolta digital, but Minolta is now out of the camera buisness, so I don't know if I'd stick with them.

Answer 6

If the old film-based SLR is a Canon the lens should be interchangeable, assuming the size of the lens are the same. Otherwise you'd have to check if there's an adapter.