Today, I found a webpage about using Minolta MC/MD lenses on EOS cameras. Using some clever mechanical engineering, this one allows infinity focus without any alteration of the lenses (ie no need to modify lenses).
The problem of MC/MD lenses with Canon EOS mount is that the registration distance between flange an film (or sensor if using DSLR) is shorter on Minolta MD mount than the EOS one, which imply that it should be impossible to use an adapter without optical element that would keep infinity focus.

This adapter is a replacement for the EOS flange, then allowing direct use of MC/MD lenses on the modified EOS. It also seems that camera modification is totally reversible.

Adapters are for sale on eBay, with a quite reasonable price considering the benefits.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Hi Gabriel and photography fans,

Great that Canon cameras are shallow-bodied enough to fit older, mechanical (non-electronic) manual focus Minolta SR/MC/MD/X-600 lenses from the days of 35mm film, PLUS an adapter, without needing corrective optics in between.

However, the Canon camera shown has a much smaller area of capture compared to "full frame" 35mm film, loosing a significant part of the original capture capabilities of the original lenses. I suggest getting a FULL FRAME Canon 5D, or better, if the goal is to celebrate the older lenses and maximize their original capture qualities. BUT, as noted on http://digitalrokkor.altervista.org/installation.html the 5D mirror collides with a lens so mounted. Ouch. So, even with Canon, apparently, there's NO FULL FRAME OPTION to maximize the original characteristics of the lenses the inquirer is trying to bring into the digital world. And, also on that page, note the need to modify the original lens "... Shave about 0.5 mm off the aperture pin the lens aperture pin ..."; or modify the Canon camera "... Need to remove the Plastic Support Electrical Contacts ..." Ouch! Only the Canon 300D seems to accommodate the original lens and adapter intact. See reviews such as http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/C ... os300d.asp to confirm if the Canon 300D is a desirable match for your needs as a photographer, that is, if you can find a used one at an acceptable price ($180 to $270 US dollars recently on eBay). It is a discontinued 6 megapixel camera released in 2003 and is comparatively antique by any later standards, capturing an area that is only 39.7% of full frame 35mm film capture. Ouch again! The "digitalrokkor" web page links to eBay selling the adapter for $96 US dollars, and a complete Canon 300D modified with adapter installed for $492 US dollars. Ouch again and again!

That is, if that's really what the owner of the old lenses really wants.

Alternatively, many people really want to migrate their old lenses because they themselves are cheap (not the lenses), and they do not realize what they are getting into.

(a) They will probably HATE the overly manual sequence of shooting with these lenses adapted to an automatic camera: open the aperture, focus, close the aperture, meter, adjust shutter speed or aperture again if needed to meet hand-holding anti shake requirements, shoot, open the aperture to frame the next shot, oh, did the subject move while metering? open the aperture again, re-focus, close the aperture again, re-meter, and so on - are we having fun yet?

(b) They do not realize that the old lenses do have some resale or trade-in value, especially for name-brand collectors, and new lenses are not as expensive as they might expect,

(c) They'll probably be happy with the included kit lens for a while as they learn what they like and can do with the new (to them) world of digital capture.

Also, note that the kit lens on some Canon DSLRs now has anti shake built in, enhancing the clarity of hand-held shots. This is hard to beat with old manual lenses that do not incorporate any anti shake feature.

Alternatively, if the person likes Minolta, they might find the modern Minolta DSLRs as released by Sony are to their liking, and they have in-built anti-shake. Sadly, adapters to fit the older Minolta lenses mentioned require that the adapter act as a teleconverter in order to permit infinity focus, further reducing the angle of capture to 54% or smaller compared to full frame 35mm film, but at least they will benefit from anti shake, which is built into the camera body.

Finally, I often have to question the depth of such inquiries that ask to recycle old lenses on new cameras. I suspect that the inquirers have not really studied what it is they love and absolutely need about their old lenses (except the resistance to getting rid of them) that new lenses don't offer or beat, and that they have not studied modern lenses, and have not studied modern cameras.

If the goal is actually to celebrate the unique qualities of the old lenses, then perhaps a good film scanner is the best way to keep "em and use "em to their best capabilities, and also to digitize their existing film archives (have they thought about that?).

If the goal is to get into modern digital photography with a discount, then selling the older stuff will provide some cash towards new stuff (and also make space on their shelf, and make some real collector happy to have their old stuff!).

But, how to digitize their existing archives of film ...

Click!

Love and hugs,
Peter Blaise
Minolta Rokkor Alpha DiMage Photographer
http://www.PeterBlaisePhotography.com/

While manual use of old lenses on current DSLR is clearly a regression regarding ease of use compared to using them on the initial intended camera (ie the good old film SLR), it is not that cumbersome (well, at least in my opinion). But for sure, I agree that it was more convenient to have automatic stop down, while on DSLR we have to manually stop down those old lenses.

The viewfinder is also problematic, as APS-C viewfinders are tiny compared to full frame ones (and the Canon entry-level DSLR have some really small viewfinders), and there is no stygmometer anymore. (many DSLR manual shooters are thus using some add-on - stygmometer or eyepiece magnifiers).

Metering and focusing are not that different from metering and focusing on a manual SLR, the restriction being that with manual lenses on DSLR, you are mostly stuck into aperture priority mode.

So for sure, it's quite slow, compared to using AF lenses. But on the other hand, as you are slowed down, it forces you to think more about your picture, instead of falling into the shot-and-delete-if-not-good trap. The feeling of manual focusing is also quite nice, and as there is no AF gear within the lens, the feeling is better when manual focusing on manual lenses compared to manual focusing on AF lenses.

Regarding cost, well you might save a bit, but this should not be a decisive criterion.

To me it's mostly a choice of the way you want to shoot, and for sure it's not what everyone will like.

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