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Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price, I'm
thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.

So, I'm looking for recommendations as to which current digital SLR's
meet this requirement. If there are more than one, any comments on
their relative merits would be greatly appreciated. Also, any links to
either online sources or reviews would be helpful.

Thanks!

In article <>, BRH <BRH>
wrote:

> Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
> a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price, I'm
> thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
> lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>
> So, I'm looking for recommendations as to which current digital SLR's
> meet this requirement. If there are more than one, any comments on
> their relative merits would be greatly appreciated. Also, any links to
> either online sources or reviews would be helpful.

There are none. Your camera is too old, Minolta switched to a different
lensmount in 1985 or so, when auto-focus was introduced. The new (not
yet available, at least where I live) Sony DSLR will take "old" minolta
lenses, though not your "even older" ones...

My advice: Ebay the Minolta stuff (or maybe keep it...you you won't be
using it much though) and get an Olympus E-500 dual-zoom kit. A great
starter-set by any standard, great value for money, and you have a 28 to
300mm (equivalent) outfit instantly. If you have been happy with a XGM
for the past 25 years, there's no need to buy a more expensive model.

Lourens

BRH wrote:
> Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
> a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price, I'm
> thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
> lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.

You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
Sony D-SLR):

See
"http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=MERC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"

Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.

Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.

In article <44b02fdc$0$96178$>,
SMS <> wrote:

> BRH wrote:
> > Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
> > a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price, I'm
> > thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
> > lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>
> You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
> Sony D-SLR):
>
> See
> "http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=ME
> RC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"
>
> Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
> Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.
>
> Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.

I agree. Selecting a dSLR just to continue using some old lenses makes
no sense. Modern lenses will allow the OP to utilize his new dSLR more
effectively, be it a Nikon or Canon.

Shawn Hirn wrote:

> In article <44b02fdc$0$96178$>,
> SMS <> wrote:
>
>> BRH wrote:
>> > Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
>> > a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price,
>> > I'm
>> > thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
>> > lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>>
>> You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
>> Sony D-SLR):
>>
>> See
>>
"http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=ME
>> RC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"
>>
>> Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
>> Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.
>>
>> Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.
>
> I agree. Selecting a dSLR just to continue using some old lenses makes
> no sense. Modern lenses will allow the OP to utilize his new dSLR more
> effectively, be it a Nikon or Canon.

Good strategy for someone with a big budget. Replacing a good set of lenses
can be very costly.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

The marketplace for dSLRs is evolving rapidly with old names exiting and new
ones entering as well as ongoing technological evolution.
Canon and Nikon are known entities and when the dust settles they will
hopefully survive but they will be joined by other credible name brands.
With Nkon in particular Sony is a major electronic supplier; to dismiss the
new Sony/Minolta is also to dismiss Nikon. I do not believe there is much
difference in the basic innards between the two brands. Nikon however has
been ahead of Minolta and light years ahead of Sony in the software
engineered into the cameras and in the control systems designed for use by
experienced photographers. This will change however over time: Sony will get
better. What if Sony refuses to supply Nikon in the future?
Pentax may or may not get a technical boost by linking with Samsung: it
remains to be seen whether Samsung will become a major player in developing
its own sensors and electronics. At the moment the Pentax lens line-up
probably has the best price/performance ratio of any manufacturer. There are
a number of overpriced dogs in the Nikon/Canon lens kennel.
Panasonic/Leica cannot be dismissed out of hand although it remains to be
seen if the Leica badge on their lenses is merely window dressing.
Whither Olympus in all this? I do not think the 4/3 system is sustainable in
the long term. If the market moves toward full frame sensors how will
Olympus compete? Can they afford to bring out an entire new line of lenses
and cameras? Probably not.

J. Clarke wrote:
> Shawn Hirn wrote:
>
>
>>In article <44b02fdc$0$96178$>,
>> SMS <> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>BRH wrote:
>>>
>>>>Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
>>>>a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price,
>>>>I'm
>>>>thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
>>>>lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>>>
>>>You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
>>>Sony D-SLR):
>>>
>>>See
>>>
>
> "http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=ME
>
>>>RC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"
>>>
>>>Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
>>>Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.
>>>
>>>Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.
>>
>>I agree. Selecting a dSLR just to continue using some old lenses makes
>>no sense. Modern lenses will allow the OP to utilize his new dSLR more
>>effectively, be it a Nikon or Canon.
>
>
> Good strategy for someone with a big budget. Replacing a good set of lenses
> can be very costly.
>

Thanks for all the comments, guys.

So, if I make a clean break, what specific digital models (preferably
with multiple lenses) would you recommend for someone just getting back
into using an SLR again? Please note that the budget is not unlimited.

Thanks!

BRH <BRH> wrote:

> J. Clarke wrote:
>> Shawn Hirn wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In article <44b02fdc$0$96178$>,
>>> SMS <> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>BRH wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
>>>>>a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price,
>>>>>I'm
>>>>>thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
>>>>>lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>>>>
>>>>You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
>>>>Sony D-SLR):
>>>>
>>>>See
>>>>
>>
>>
"http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=ME
>>
>>>>RC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"
>>>>
>>>>Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
>>>>Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.
>>>>
>>>>Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.
>>>
>>>I agree. Selecting a dSLR just to continue using some old lenses makes
>>>no sense. Modern lenses will allow the OP to utilize his new dSLR more
>>>effectively, be it a Nikon or Canon.
>>
>>
>> Good strategy for someone with a big budget. Replacing a good set of
>> lenses can be very costly.
>>
>
> Thanks for all the comments, guys.
>
> So, if I make a clean break, what specific digital models (preferably
> with multiple lenses) would you recommend for someone just getting back
> into using an SLR again? Please note that the budget is not unlimited.

Personally my recommendation would be to go with whichever Canon you can
afford (the Digital Rebel XT works very nicely and is inexpensive, but some
people don't like the feel of it, the 30D is more capable but also costs a
good bit more), whatever lens you feel you'll use the most, and get an
adapter to use your existing lenses, that way you won't have to replace the
whole system in one lump--you'll be able to do it a piece at a time without
losing a lot of capability in the meantime.

Nikon is IMO better value in terms of capability vs cost, but you'd have to
replace all your existing lenses to get back to equivalent capability.


--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

J. Clarke <> wrote:
>Shawn Hirn wrote:

>> In article <44b02fdc$0$96178$>,
>> SMS <> wrote:
>>
>>> BRH wrote:
>>> > Many years ago, I used a Minolta XGM SLR camera, for which I still have
>>> > a number of lenses. Now that Digital SLR's have come down in price,
>>> > I'm
>>> > thinking of buying one. However, I would like to continue to use the
>>> > lenses that fit the Minolta XGM.
>>>
>>> You can do this with an adapter, and a Konica-Minolta D-SLR (or the new
>>> Sony D-SLR):
>>>
>>> See
>>>
>"http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180003653660&ssPageNam e=ME
>>> RC_VIC_ReBay_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT"
>>>
>>> Practically speaking, you're probably better off not buying a
>>> Konica-Minolta-Sony D-SLR.
>>>
>>> Choose Nikon or Canon, and make a clean break.
>>
>> I agree. Selecting a dSLR just to continue using some old lenses makes
>> no sense. Modern lenses will allow the OP to utilize his new dSLR more
>> effectively, be it a Nikon or Canon.

>Good strategy for someone with a big budget. Replacing a good set of lenses
>can be very costly.

I agree. The best strategy depends on the intended use,
exactly which lenses the OP has, and which features will
be lost by using older lenses.

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules.

---- Paul J. Gans

J. Clarke wrote:

> Personally my recommendation would be to go with whichever Canon you can
> afford (the Digital Rebel XT works very nicely and is inexpensive, but some
> people don't like the feel of it, the 30D is more capable but also costs a
> good bit more), whatever lens you feel you'll use the most, and get an
> adapter to use your existing lenses, that way you won't have to replace the
> whole system in one lump--you'll be able to do it a piece at a time without
> losing a lot of capability in the meantime.

AFAIK, there is no adapter available for the MC/MD lenses, except to the
Konica-Minolta D-SLRs.