Going digital - help please

[ashby_1963]

I have finally been convinced that digital is the way to go for my wildlife photography.
Will I be able to use the auto focus lenses that I have, with a digital of the same make or will I have to replace the lot?
I know I should get this information from a camera shop but it's not in their interests to give me the cheapest option.
Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Paul

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi ashby_1963,

You need to give us details of which camera & lenses (manufacturer / model etc) you have - so that we can give useful reply.

Regards
Mike.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by ashby_1963

I have finally been convinced that digital is the way to go for my wildlife photography.
Will I be able to use the auto focus lenses that I have, with a digital of the same make or will I have to replace the lot?
I know I should get this information from a camera shop but it's not in their interests to give me the cheapest option.
Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Paul

Probably yes - tho some older sigma lenses wont work with digital , if you have had them from new you can get them rechipped to make them compatible for a small fee.

apart from that All EOS /EF system lenses will work with canon digital slr- the pre EF lenses (like those found on a T90) won't

All Nikon F mount lenses will work with most nikon digital slr - but not the D40/D40x as nikon left the advanced focusing module out to save money - these two only work with a smaller range of nikon lenses. (note that fuji Digital slr also have nikon lens mounts)

All pentax K mount lenses will work with the Pentax digital - third party k mounts may or may not so best to check before you buy.

Most Konica minolta and minolta lenses will work with the sony alpha system, again it is best to check - also note that konica lenses from before the minolta merger do not fit.

Olympus I think so but I'm not sure

Sigma DSLRs again dont know

and if you have something exotic like Zenit or Pracktica then you are out of luck as they wont fit any DSLR as far as i know.

BTW a good camera shop like ffordes, mifsuds, camtech, T4 etc etc will give you decent impartial advice not encoyrage you to spend money you dont need - this may not be so of jessops etc.

[ashby_1963]

Sorry, didn't give enough information on my original post. My main lenses are Sigma 170-500mm, Sigma 100-300mm and Minolta 28-80mm.

All Minolta fit.

Thanks

Paul

[momji1971]

I second that. Jessops staff generally don't have a clue what they are selling! Steer well clear and you won't regret it!

Good luck!

regards.
Stu.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by ashby_1963

....My main lenses are Sigma 170-500mm, Sigma 100-300mm and Minolta 28-80mm....All Minolta fit....

Not sure on this one.

Is there nothing on Konica Minolta's website which would confirm whether these lenses are compatible with their current DSLR's?

Regards
Mike.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by ashby_1963

Sorry, didn't give enough information on my original post. My main lenses are Sigma 170-500mm, Sigma 100-300mm and Minolta 28-80mm.

All Minolta fit.

Thanks

Paul

Of those the minolta 28-80 might work on an alpha - the other two will depend on their age - newer than three years no problem, older than 7 almost certainly not - in between maybe.

take all three lenses with you and try them - also dont assume that just because they are physically compatible that they definitely work , some older lenses chips wont work with dslr firmware so it is essential that you actually take photos with each lens - a good camera shop wont mind , if they do , shop elsewhere.

If they dont fit/work you might want to change systems as although there is nothing inherently wrong with the alpha system (now - the original alpha sucked big time) you will get a much wider range of third party lenses and accesories with canon or nikon , and to a lesser extent pentax.

also dont forget to budget for memory cards, and spare batteries - a battery grip is nice to have too (check out hahnel - generally about half the price of oem ones - but i dont know if they do much in sony fit) plus you will probably need a new camera bag as DSLRs are a lot bulkier in the body than film models.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by eeyore

Olympus I think so but I'm not sure

All 4/3rds lenses will work with all 4/3rds cameras. I believe this also includes the new micro 4/3rds standard.

The 4/3rds standard is specifically designed for the particular requirements of digital SLRs, and is currently adopted by Olympus, Leica and Panasonic. The recently announced micro 4/3rds cameras by Panasonic and Olympus are creating quite a bit of excitement, being pocketable interchangable lens DSLRs.

Jim

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

All 4/3rds lenses will work with all 4/3rds cameras. I believe this also includes the new micro 4/3rds standard.

The 4/3rds standard is specifically designed for the particular requirements of digital SLRs, and is currently adopted by Olympus, Leica and Panasonic. The recently announced micro 4/3rds cameras by Panasonic and Olympus are creating quite a bit of excitement, being pocketable interchangable lens DSLRs.

Jim

although, the 4/3 system uses a half 35mm size sensor so its crop factor is 2x ie the lens sold as 500mm on 4/3 is actually 250mm in a physical sense.

All other camera systems give their lenses as actual size meaning that you can factor in the crop (ie a canon 400D for example has a crop of 1.6 so a 300mm lens gives the equivalent reach of a 480mm on a full frame)

however dont assume that a 500mm lens for 4/3 will actuall behave as a 1000mm - in most cases it is actually a 250mm behaving as a 500.

A second consideration (and the principal reason that nikon / canon etc have not adopted 4/3) is that the smaller the sensor for a given pixel number the more noise is a problem - thus proffesional level dSLRs ae nearly all either 1.3 crop or full frame. There is also a finite size for pixels which means that as the average number increases 4/3 will be the first system to lag behind.

It may be causing a stir but Panasonic, leica and olympus are not really major players in the DSLR market - and unless Canon and Nikon (and to a lesser extent Sony and pentax) also adopt it which looks unlikely 4/3 has very little chance of becoming an industry standard and will probably go the way of the betamax video and 8 track stereo system.

[ron1863]

Originally Posted by ashby_1963

Sorry, didn't give enough information on my original post. My main lenses are Sigma 170-500mm, Sigma 100-300mm and Minolta 28-80mm.

All Minolta fit.

Thanks

Paul

You should be fine with the Sony, I bought the A100 as I also had Minolta lenses. Take one of your lenses with you when you go to view or purchase to ensure that it does fit and works.