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will these Minolta lenses work with GH2?
  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    I'm a newb - but I could use someone's advice.

    http://nh.craigslist.org/pho/3352394025.html pamela

  • 27 Replies sorted by
  • GalenbGalenb

    Oh and if you need help with basics of photography, youtube is an amazing asset. :-)

  • GalenbGalenb

    Bloomsday, Just making sure you are aware of this because this same question gets asked all over the internet: "Will this lens work with my GH2?" There's just a few key point you need to know because I hate when people give you vague answers to really important questions that lead you to spending more money then you need to.

    So what you need to know is that each different camera system has it's own lens mount system to go along with it. Over time, the mounts change to accommodate newer technologies like auto focus and automatic aperture control. You want to stay away from those lenses. Only manual lenses can be adapted to the GH2. So, Minolta uses "MD" mount, Canon uses FD mount, Olympus is "OM" , Pentax "PK" mount, etc. You should look up the different lens mounts for each manufacturer because they change over time and it's important to know which ones work and which ones don't. So, each of these lens mounts needs it's own mount adaptor. So if you got that pack of Minolta lenses, you would buy a single MD to Micro 3/4 adaptor ("MD-M4/3"). Other Minolta lenses you buy will be able to use the same adaptor too. Later if you get a Canon lens, you can pick up an FD to Micro 4/3 adaptor and so on and so on.

    I have 4 minolta lenses, 2 Pentax and 2 Nikons and only one adaptor for each of the different systems. It's true that the cheap ones can break as they are usually made out of aluminum. But, these are usually so cheap that if it does break, it's easy enough to replace. I've had mine for some time and haven't noticed any kind of ware and tear on them yet.

    By the way, the trick of buying a old camera just to pick up a few lenses is actually a great trick that I use all the time. If someone is selling a big bag of camera stuff, chances are pretty hight that they don't know what it's worth. Just a tip. ;-)

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    @balazer

    Calm down. It's just a recommendation based on my experience. Everybody's free to make their own decisions.

  • balazerbalazer

    So you had an adapter break. All that means is you had a bad adapter. It doesn't mean he should buy a bunch of them.

    This is the Minolta adapter I bought. The quality seems good to me. The fit is snug. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MD-MC-Lens-to-Micro-4-3-M4-3-Panasonic-GH2-Olympus-EP2-EPL2-EPM1-Adapter-/160886615787?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item257596eeeb

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    ok thanks

    if you could help by pairing up two links, one for the lens and one for the adapter on amazon, that would be helpful

    I have to shoot a range between medium close up of nature to landscapes.

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    The pin is not gonna break...

    Don't be too sure about that. One broke on me, and that's why I recommend an adapter for each lens.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    Figure out what you want to shoot and buy a nice lens, like a 50mm or a Vivitar 55mm if you can find one, and an adapter. No point in buying a set unless you are a lens expert. Rokkor 1.4 has very nice color, look at Rokkor files for more info, generally, but no always, newer is better--older lenses can go out of alignment, look for 49mm filter for the Rokkor

    I have this lens (and more than a dozen other Rokkors, bad LBA) and it is very good

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minolta-MD-Rokkor-X-50mm-f-1-4-Lens-Clean-Sharp-Fast-/121004561869?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item1c2c6f15cd

    Here's a classic for $35, Vivitar CF RL 28mm http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vivitar-28mm-F-2-8-Close-Focus-RL-Edition-/271090081086?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3f1e3a5d3e

    If I didn't have two of these, I would snap it up.

  • balazerbalazer

    The pin is not gonna break... Start with one adapter, and buy more later if you find that would be connvenient. Search eBay.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    oh? See, I have no idea, so each lens warrants its own adapter, i didnt know. thanks

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    Here's an Amazon link.

    http://www.amazon.com/RainbowImaging-Minolta-Adapter-Panasonic-USD24-99/dp/B0032MVQJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351527980&sr=8-1&keywords=minolta+md+to+micro+four+third

    I use this adapter and it works fine. I would however, recommend that you get an adapter for each lens you have. That way you won't constantly be taking lenses on and off the adapter. The pin could break.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    I am sorry I am so clueless - this GH2 was gifted to me, and I am trying to research much of it myself.

    If someone could provide a link to amazon or the like for the adapters, that would be helpful.

  • nomadnomad

    All of them – some are just better than others. You can get a cheap Chinese one from sources like Rainbowimaging and may need to adjust a bit and live with an error in flange distance or get a very expensive one from Novoflex with extremely tight tolerances.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    which adapter works for the Minolta?

  • Ralph_BRalph_B

    I have many Minolta Rokkor lenses and they all work great on the GH2. They intercut extremely well with the modern Panasonic glass. Here's a tip: With Panasonic lenses, shoot with sharpness at -2. With the Rokkors, set sharpness to +2. Then they will match. Don't worry about getting any artificial edge enhancement with the Rokkors at +2. It doesn't happen. In fact, the picture looks just right.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    I have done some research on my own and it seems to me that these Canon lenses might be compatible? However, I want to make sure, can someone give me an informed opinion? Thanks, Pam

    http://nh.craigslist.org/pho/3324424768.html

    or the Pentax: http://nh.craigslist.org/pho/3360038781.html

  • AriaAria

    I have the Vivitar 28mm f2.8 Close Focus, Minolta Rokkor X 50mm f1.4 and Minolta 85mm f2.0. I love the Vivitar 28mm. Even wide open it's pretty good. The 50mm is great in low light. I get good sharpness from my 85mm even at f2. For being such cheap lenses I find the value extremely high. None of these lenses were over $50.

    I still need wide end but for now these lenses have been GREAT value.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    thanks again ...

  • JanHJanH

    As already mentioned you will nee an adapter for them. The 135mm MD 2.8 seems to be quite good, based on the resolution tests performed way back. I don't have the 135mm, but I have the 28mm and 24mm. Rokkors. I find them pretty good, but as @DrDave mentioned, the 135mm is quite a long telephoto on m4/3 sensors. Depends on whether you feel the need for such a telephoto for the work you plan.

    Good Luck with whatever you decide to do!

    http://www.paulfvs.dds.nl/lenstest.html

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    and primarily, I wouldlike one exceptional lens to do some nature filming (landscapes, rivers, mtns and stuff like that).

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    ok - but keep in mind I am a college film student with a minimal budget.

  • DrDaveDrDave

    There are better choices for less money. There are a dozen versions of the 135mm, and all are decent, only one is truly exceptional and you have to see some small marks on the barrel to tell which is which. The zooms are sometimes OK, I have a ton of these and I never use them as the Olly 40-150 zoom is lightweight and seriously sharp and very cheap The 28 is average, but not as good as say a Sigma 24 or the exceptional Minolta 24 (Leica design). The Vivitar close focus 28 beats the Minolta 28 by a whisker. Bottom line: pick up a 50/1.4 or even a 50 1.7 from Rokkor on eBay, or go with the Nikon 50 1.8.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    Thank you!

    gotta lotta learnin' to do . . .

    Everyone thanks, Pamela

  • icpicp

    I have a 28mm MD Rokkor 2.8 (I don't know if it's the same model as the one listed) and for video it's a good lens. Not as wide as you would expect (as it's really the equivalent of a 50mm on a Super 35 sensor) but I used it a lot, just take a step back to get that shot :)

    It's a good low-budget lens for the GH2.

  • bloomsdaybloomsday

    thanks! : )

  • arvidtparvidtp

    My minolta lenses - which look like they might be older than these (i have a 50mm f1.7 MD Rokkor, a 58mm f1.4 MC Rokkor and a 135mm f2.8 MC Rokkor) - are pretty nice, but not as sharp as a modern micro 4/3 lens in my experience. Also keep in mind they will be equivalent to about double the focal length on a m4/3 sensor size. So for me, the 135mm is about as serious a telephoto as i would ever want on the GH2, especially with ExTele crop. You'll need a micro 4/3 to MD adapter (about $20).

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