Adapter guide
Minolta SR lenses on Sony E
Yes, this works. Minolta SR has a 43.5mm flange distance and Sony E-mount has 18mm, so a 25.5mm mechanical adapter with no glass fills the gap and infinity focus is preserved. Focus and aperture stay manual.
- Minolta SR flange
- 43.5 mm
- Sony E flange
- 18 mm
- Adapter thickness
- 25.5 mm
- Optical elements
- None required
Setting it up
Enable Release w/o Lens, set the SteadyShot focal length by hand so in-body stabilisation matches the lens, and use focus peaking or the magnifier for manual focus.
Automatic diaphragm. SR lenses default to the set aperture when off the body, so the aperture ring works directly on an adapter.
Minolta SR lenses and their field of view on Sony E
Effective focal length changes with sensor size. The lens itself does not change; the smaller sensor simply captures a narrower part of the image circle.
| Lens | Focal length | Aperture | Full frame | Frames like (APS-C (1.5x)) | Years | Used value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 55mm f/1.7 | 55mm | f/1.7 | 55mm | 83mm | 1968-1973 | $30 to $120 |
| Minolta MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4 | 58mm | f/1.4 | 58mm | 87mm | 1958-1970s | $70 to $260 |
| Minolta MC Rokkor-PG 58mm f/1.2 | 58mm | f/1.2 | 58mm | 87mm | 1966-1973 | $300 to $850 |
| Minolta MD Rokkor 50mm f/1.4 | 50mm | f/1.4 | 50mm | 75mm | 1977-1984 | $45 to $170 |
Frequently asked
Do Minolta SR lenses work on Sony E cameras?
Yes. A plain Minolta SR to Sony E adapter works with no optics. Minolta SR has a 43.5mm register and Sony E-mount has a 18mm register, so the adapter is a 25.5mm tube that puts the lens exactly where a Minolta SR body would. Plain adapter ring, no mechanism needed. MC and MD lenses share the same bayonet and mount identically.
Do Minolta SR lenses focus to infinity on Sony E?
Yes. Because the adapter restores the native 43.5mm register, infinity focus is preserved and the full focus scale on the lens stays accurate. Adapters machined slightly short let the lens focus past infinity by a small margin, which is harmless; adapters machined long stop short of infinity, so buy from a maker with tight tolerances.
What focal length does a Minolta SR lens become on Sony E?
On full frame Sony E bodies (a7, a7R, a7S, a7C, a9, a1, FX3) the focal length is unchanged: a 55mm lens frames as a 55mm. On APS-C (1.5x) Sony E bodies (a6000 to a6700, ZV-E10, FX30) a 55mm lens frames like a 83mm lens on full frame; the aperture and depth of field at a given distance do not change.
More on this mount: Minolta SR mount reference