When Sony purchased Konica Minolta they purchased the world鈥檚 second oldest camera maker. Minolta had been making cameras for well over 70 years and they had been an industry innovator for many of those years.
While many camera buyers felt the need to have a Nikon or Canon because those two names carried a larger amount of elitism, most Minolta owners happily bought cameras of high quality and saved a lot versus those other two brands.
Being a Maxxum collector (and arguably this country鈥檚 largest seller of used Minolta Maxxum items), I will concentrate this guide to a field I know best鈥攁uto focus Minolta Maxxum items, and how they relate to the Sony Alpha line.
Minolta produced their first Maxxum鈥攖he 7000鈥攊n 1985. The Maxxum name was attached to cameras and products sold in North America. Additionally, Minolta used the name Dynax for the same camera bodies, and sold them in Europe. Minolta flashes NOT made for sale in North America (where the Maxxum name was always used) were labeled Program but they were identical to the Maxxum branded flashes, and were ticketed for sale in Europe and Asia. Minolta also sold the same AF cameras as the Maxxums, in Asia markets, under the name Alpha.
So, those who believe that Sony had an epiphany and was creative in tagging their new Digital SLR camera with the Alpha name should know that Minolta had ownership of that same name for several decades and that Sony inherited that name with the KonicaMinolta purchase.
Last year Sony released their Alpha A100 digital SLR and just recently they released the second model--the A700--and there seems to be a lot of confusion from prospective buyers as to what items are compatible with this camera. I have received dozens of emails asking me if my Maxxum lenses listed on ebay will work on their new Alpha A100. It appears Sony has taken great lengths to minimize the Minolta legacy that the Alpha owns. Nowhere do they tell buyers that the new camera inherits most of its design and technology from Minolta Maxxum cameras. Nowhere have I seen Sony mention that the new lenses they are selling are for the most part, just re-labeled Minolta Maxxum lenses. The same holds true for the flashes they sell as compatible with the Alpha. I suspect this is because Sony really wants you to buy the new items and not some used Maxxum items or lower priced Minolta branded items.
Here are some interesting things that any prospective Alpha owner should know.
ALL Minolta made Maxxum lenses will work on the Sony Alpha line of digital; SLRS. Sony is using the Minolta lens mount that has been in existence since 1985 (and modified a few times since then). It is the same mount that Konica Minolta used on their Maxxum 5D, Maxxum 7D, and many other Maxxums. So, you need not buy a Sony branded AF lens for these cameras. EVERY MINOLTA MADE AUTO FOCUS (NOTE, THE LENS MUST BE LABLED 鈥淎F鈥?SOMEWHERE ON THE BODY AND HAVE A MINOLTA AUTO FOCUS MOUNT) LENS WILL WORK FINE. Since Sony will NOT be producing all of the fine lenses in the Minolta Maxxum line, it is to your benefit to look at the Minolta branded items since there will be many lenses not available from Sony. I belive nowhere in the Sony Alpha manual does it mention Minolta or Konica Minolta lenses being compatible with the Alpha. Sony is in the business of selling THEIR items (including the re-badged Minolta lenses), and they have not really told Alpha buyers thta ALL Maxxum lenses will work. In fact, on their Sony Alpha website they clearly list dozens of compatible Konica Minolta lenses. Here is the URL: http://129.33.22.16/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/,/?St=17,E=0000000000722433633,K=2385,Sxi=0,KB=CISCV3,VARSET_OBJ=422987,VARSET_L2=R423685,t=case.tem Note: that list on the Sony site is most likely missing many variations of the Maxxum lenses. Sony really did not do their home work in tracking all the Maxxum lenses made. Many of the no-longer produced Minolta labeled lenses are/were highly regarded by industry experts.NEW NOTE: While Sony told everyone they were sticking with the Minolta tried and true AF mount, it appears they have made some changes for the Alpha (why they did this to a mount that "was not broken, so why fix it", only Sony can answer. In this regard, many Sigma branded and Sigma made (with other names such as Quantaray, Promaster, etc.) lenses that WORK ON MAXXUM 7Ds and 5Ds, MAY NOT WORK ON THE ALPHA. Be careful when purchasing aftermarket lenses. Sony has specified two flashes for the Alpha and both are flashes made by Minolta and just re-labeled. The Sony HVL-56AM flash is a renaming of the Minolta Maxxum/Program 5600HS D. The Sony HVL-36AM Flash is a renaming of the Minolta Maxxum/Program 3600HS D flash. You need not buy the Sony labeled version and you will most likely find a Minolta version at a lower price than a new Sony. Many accessories labeled Minolta, Maxxum, or Konica Minolta will fit the Alpha line of items. This includes straps, lens caps, body caps, remote cords, etc. If you feel the need to have a Sony brande d name on your items, buy the more expensive Sony item. If you are cost-conscious, buy a Minolta/Maxxum/KonicaMinolta branded item. For decades Minolta always introduced their 7 series model first. The 7000 Maxxum came out before the 5000 and 9000. The 7000i came out before the 3000i, 5000i, and 8000i. The 7Xi came out before the 3Xi, 5Xi, 9Xi, SPXi, 2Xi models. The 700Si came out before the 600Si and 800Si. Even the Maxxum 7D was introduced before the 5D and the proposed 9D. Sony broke with this long tradition and introduced the A-100 first but this model was NOT built off of a Minolta 7 series/mid level body. It appears to be made from the lower model Maxxum 5D. The rear view, front views are obvious clues that the A-100 is based on the Maxxum 5D. Minolta was an industry innovator. Many of the features of the Alpha A100 are Minolta innovations. The Alpha鈥檚 wireless flash capability is just Sony using Minolta鈥檚 ingenious (and industry leading) wireless flash technology introduced in 1991. The Alpha鈥檚 onboard anti-shake is a Minolta innovation, introduced SEVERAL YEARS AGO with the Dimage A1 and included on the Maxxum 7D and 5D DSLRs and many other Minolta-made digital point and shoot cameras. The Alpha鈥檚 eye start auto focus system is a Minolta technology (introduced in 1991 with the Maxxum Xi Line). So here you have it. I hope this guide will be of some help when choosing items for your Sony Alpha.
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